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-This Weeks New Releases
A comprehensive list of this weeks brand new titles in the store, updated daily. Email us to join our weekly newsletter and we will mail you all the stock in one nice easy to read email, its only once a week, don't worry we won't spam you every day.

-Our Favourite Record Of The Day
BEHAN, JIMMY - THE ECHO GARDEN the return of this irish based electronic artists and the long overdue follow up to his debut from 2004. if we had a chart of top irish albums by ex members of staff here in road records then mr behan would be number one this week. jimmy behan has written, produced and recorded absolutely everything on this album and its a truly meticulous piece of electronic composition. its hard to get to get beyond comparisons to the likes of fennesz and biosphere so lets just say that fans of either of those artists will absolutely adore this album. its full of glitchy but warm sounding electronic soundscapes with lots of lovely watery like effects and delicate organ sounds. its very much an album that really comes to life on headphones where you can truly get a feeling for the intricate details and mass of layered sounds deep in the mix. a real treat and a must for fans of the sounds of labels like touch. june 2009 audiobulb records cd €11.99 (click here to buy)

-Our Album Of The Week
SONIC YOUTH - THE ETERNAL having spent years on the geffen label sonic youth return to their indie roots with a new album for the matador label. produced by john agnello and now featuring ex pavement bass player mark ibold. the album also features artwork by the late great guitarist john fahey. this is definitely an album that will bring much joy to fans of goo and dirty period sonic youth. its very much a collection of shorter more immediate tracks featuring a host of uptempo grunge like avant rock sounds. to me sonic youth have always been a band with two very distinctive sounds with their earlier albums featuring lots of long rambling avant rock and their later material featuring a more immediate rock sound. the closing ten minute track is the only thing to evoke the sounds of evol or sister whilst the majority of the rest of the album is sonic youth at their grunge rock best. its a sound very distinctive to sonic youth and within seconds of the opening track you know exactly who you are listening to. they may be getting on in years but when it comes to cutting edge alternative american rock there are not many people that can do it aswell as sonic youth. its easily up there with goo or dirty as classic sonic youth. comes in a card gatefold sleeve. june 2009 matador cd €12.99 (click here to buy)

-Our Album Of The Month
GRIZZLY BEAR - VECKATIMEST [special offer, normally retails at €15.99] grizzly bear return with a truly stunning new album on the warp label. these guys have been hinting at greatness for quite a while now but this new album reaches a whole new level altogether. the album really benefits for a truly lush production and the addition of big orchestral sounds. they are still a band that vocally remind me of the summer pop sounds of the beach boys but there the comparisons end. featuring lots of quirky and infectiously catchy laid back pop songs with lots of electric piano and sixties like guitar sounds. its one of those albums with some many layers that each listen delivers a totally different experience. if a bit of sixties tinged indie pop and four part vocal harmonies are your thing then this could be an early contender for album of the year. comes in a digipack sleeve. may 2009 warp cd €12.99 (click here to buy)

-Our Single Of The Week
MCCOMBS, CASS - DREAMS COME TRUE GIRL the first single to be taken from his stunning new album on domino records. the single features the voice of hollywood legend karen black on backing vocals too. its a stunning piece of sunshine indie pop with a slight hawaiian kind of feel about it. kind of reminds me a little of jonathan richman with some added slide guitar action. probably one of the most perfect singles of the year so far. also features non album track minimum wage on the flip side. may 2009 domino 7" €2.50 (click here to buy)
- Other Highlights This Week

COCKER, JARVIS - FURTHER COMPLICATIONS brand new solo album from the former singer with pulp. the album was produced by steve albini in his chicago studios. this is probably the most rocking collection from cocker in his lengthy career as both a solo artist and with pulp. maybe its albinis influence but this is a full on guitar heavy rock album sounding more like jarvis cocker fronting bowies old band with hints of early roxy music thrown in. may 2009 - special offer for one week only, this album normally retails at €16.99 rough trade cd €12.99 (click here to buy)

FEENEY, JULIE - PAGES [THIS ALBUM WILL SHIP OUT TO YOU ON THE 5TH OF JUNE] the second album from irish based julie feeney. the follow up to the choice music prize winning debut album 13 songs from 2005. the album was performed and produced almost entirely by feeney herself. the album also features a full orchestra conducted by julie. this is probably one of the more original collections from an irish artist that we have heard all year so far. the album has the lush orchestal feel of the last joanna newsom album scored by van dyke parks with lots of dramatic bursts and at times an almost broadway like feel. add in a bit of the kooky off kilter pop sounds of kate bush and you are only getting close. feeney uses the orchestral and brass sounds to simply accentuate her quirky vocal delivery. the album is like some modern classical pop record with moments bordering on some old musicals and plenty more inbetween. a most pleasing piece of pure originality. - special offer for preorders only, the album will normally retail at €13.99 - please note new shipping date is the 5th of june mittens cd €11.99 (click here to buy)

IRON AND WINE - AROUND THE WELL [WITH FREE BUTTON BADGES] iron and wine return with a collection of hard to find, out of print and previously unreleased tracks on the sub pop label. the albums spans a period going back to their earliest sessions from 2002 with the creek drank the cradle right up to the shepherds dog sessions from 2007. the first half of the album features a collection of hushed home recordings featuring unedited and totally raw recordings. the second half of the collection highlights tracks captured in the confines of several studios with fellow musicians. around the well also brings together a couple of hard to find covers including waitin for superman by the flaming lips and love vigilantes by new order. the album also features one of their earliest originals sacred vision. - this album is released on friday the 22nd of may - every preorder for this album will also receive a free sub pop and iron and wine button badge sub pop 2cd €12.99 (click here to buy)

AND SO I WATCH YOU FROM AFAR - AND SO I WATCH YOU FROM AFAR the debut album from this northern irish based post rock outfit on the smalltown america label. the album features some truly thunderous and rocking post rock sounds coming across like the meeting of don caballero, japanese outfits mono or lite and fellow irishmen the redneck manifesto. its full of intricate guitar based post rock workouts with plenty of fuzzed up explosive moments. its mostly an album that concentrates the heavier side of post rock with a total emphasis on the word rock. a total sonic blast of weird time sequences and clever intricate guitar work layered over pounding drum passages. wonderfully exciting stuff. may 2009 smalltown america cd €14.99 (click here to buy)

DEAR READER - REPLACE WHY WITH FUNNY a rather beautiful debut album on the city slang label from this johannesburg based duo. at times the album kind of reminds me of an indie pop like take on the kooky sounds of kate bush with hints of rootsy americana. there is a lovely blend of sounds ranging from the totally stripped down piana led ballad vibe to some purely delicious pop songs. may 2009 city slang cd €15.99 (click here to buy)

DUB ECHOES - SOUL JAZZ RECORDS PRESENTS [JAMAICAN KINGS MEET ELECTRONIC FUTURISTS WORLDWIDE] sonic excursions into dub and beyond. a super new collection of old meets new dub sounds from the soul jazz label. the album sees a bunch of old jamaican sounds going head to head with the modern sounds of dubstep and digi dub. features tracks from roots manuva, congo natty, the congos, disrupt, harmonic 313, king tubby, kode 9, king jammy, u roy, francois kervorkian, aggrovators, cornell campbell, lee perry and rhythm and sound. pressed on three beautiful slabs of vinyl. may 2009 soul jazz 3lp €16.99 (click here to buy)

HOLLOWS - BROKEN NOTES FOR WINTER HOMES the return of one of our favourite underground acts from the past few years here in dublin. the band have three previous releases on both slow loris and their own label. features greg o brien who also records under at last an atlas and gary morrison. the album features six delicate slices of lo fi bedroom sounds coming across like some acoustic folky take on the slo core vibes of bands like low. there is a beautiful simplicity about these tracks with slowly strummed acoustic guitars met with gentle keys and glockespiel. this one is best enjoyed with a pair of headphones and a darkened room. comes in a lovely screenprinted recycled card sleeve. may 2009 slow loris cd €6.99 (click here to buy)

HORRORS - PRIMARY COLOURS the horrors return after a two year break since their debut album strange house with a new album and a distinctly different more polished sound. the album kicks off with a big thunderous piece of darkly gothic tinged new wave indie rock coming across like my bloody valentine jamming with interpol. there is still plenty of their early garage rock influences in here with heaps of energy filled fuzzed up post punk sounds but these guys have added so many new elements to their overall sound that its hard to believe its the same band. the album features lots of slowed down guitar effects, sleazy organs and echoing sound effects. there are certain tracks that kind of evoke the spirit of joy division with a slightly more raw garage rock feel. its a real step forward and a damn fine album too. may 2009 - special offer, normally retails at €15.99 xl cd €11.99 (click here to buy)

LAS VEGAS GRIND - VOLUME FIVE more classic stripjoint sleaze from the always reliable crypt label. features a collection of fifties striptease exotica at its very finest. includes tracks from chaino, jimmy oliver, the four instants, jaguars, hound dogs, big bob dougherty, ronnie and the rainbows, the 50 milers, ritchie and the squires, the gravestone four, the sparklers, que martin, the jets, rhythm kings, central high school cafeteria band, the bikinis, the flintales, swingers, regal airs and the playboys crypt records lp €13.99 (click here to buy)

RITTER, JOSH - GOLDEN AGE OF RADIO [WITH LIMITED EDITION BONUS ACOUSTIC DISC] a brand new version of josh ritters album originally released in 2000. this new irish only release comes on the irish based independent records label. limited to 1000 copies. the album has now been fully remastered and now also features expanded artwork and lyrics. the album will now also come packaged with a very very limited special bonus disc recorded acoustically exclusively for this release. the album will also comes with special bonus video material and comes in a beautiful hardback booklet. the album comes with brand new exclusive liner notes by none other than cameron crowe. the bonus disc features acoustic versions of come and find me, me and jiggs, youve got the moon, lawrence ks, anne, roll on, leaving, other side, harrisburg, drive away, golden age of radio and song for the fireflies. along with this you also get a country song original version, come and find me jackdrag remix, other side jackdrag remix and the videos for other side and come and find me. the album comes in a lavish hardback book style sleeve with a full colour booklet and lyrics inside. may 2009 independent records cd €15.99 (click here to buy)

ST VINCENT - ACTOR st vincent is annie clark from tulsa and along with being a member of the polyphonic spree in the past she is also a member of sufjan stevens touring band, this is her second solo album under the st vincent moniker and her first for the 4ad label. her band on this album features guest spots from mckenzie smith and paul alexander from midlake. the album is another super collection of kooky off kilter indie pop sounds with hints of bjork, kate bush, chamber pop, scuzzy indie rock, piano led ballads and string led cinematic sounds. the album features lots of orchestral backing tracks as clark then weaves her multitracked voice in and out with totally dramatic effect. its one of those rare little gems that just impossible to pigeonhole into any particular genre so take my advice and have a listen. may 2009 4ad cd €12.99 (click here to buy)

SWIFT, RICHART - THE ATLANTIC OCEAN [SPECIAL OFFER, NORMALLY RETAILS AT €15.99] the fourth solo album from multi instrumentalist richard swift for the secretly canadian label. the album was mostly recorded in wilcos chicago based loft on a vintage analog tape machine supplied by none other than jeff tweedy himself. the album features a collaboration with producer mark ronson along with guest spots from ryan adams, sean lennon and pat sansone from wilco. this is probably one of his most melodic and instantly cathcy collections featuring a bit of everything from sixties beach boys like pop, lush seventies like keyboard led soft rock, old school doo wop, chamber pop and futuristic synth rock. may 2009 secretly canadian cd €11.99 (click here to buy)

FLEET FOXES - FLEET FOXES [limited edition double cd version] the debut album finally arrives from this seattle based five piece on the bella union label. its only takes a few minutes of this album to know this will possibly one of the feelgood albums of the summer this year. their sound features the blissful vocal harmonies of the beach boys, a wee bit of classic seventies americana, late sixties vocal led folk and lots of lush chamber pop sounds. its very much a modern folk record but spiced up with those sublime vocal harmonies and plenty of psyche pop influences. you will hear influences from the beach boys, early dylan, simon and garfunkel , the band, nashville country, crosby stills and nash, mamas and papas, sixties psychedelic folk and summery garage pop. its a really joyous and quite intricate album too. blissful stuff indeed. june 2008 bella union 2cd €17.99 (click here to buy)

JIMMY CAKE - SPECTRE AND CROWN the third full length studio album from this irish based instrumental collective. comes in a beautiful card digipack sleeve with artwork from japanese artist atsushi kaga. this is by far the finest thing this collective have released as the band are now joined by small orchestra throughout giving their already distinctive hypnotic style a completely new feel. imagine what the likes of the rachels would sound like if played by both an avant rock outfit and a small orchestra. there is much more piano and string based sounds on this one. its incredibly dramatic stuff bridging a gap somehow between hypnotic post rock and modern classical sounds. april 2008 pilatus cd €12.99 (click here to buy)

PHOSPHORESCENT - TO WILLIE matthew houck aka phosphorescent returns with a rather stunning tribute to the legendary country singer willie nelson. the album features eleven perfectly covered willie nelson gems from the past and its pretty obvious from just one listen that houck has a real love of country music of old. he doesnt try to dress up these classic songs or change them in any way. he tends to concentrate more on the mellow side of nelsons songwriting and the album has a lovely kind of woozy late night feel about most of it. houck has the perfect kind of croaky voice for this kind of traditional country sound too. may 2009 dead oceans cd €11.99 (click here to buy)

DUBLIN DUCK DISPENSARY - YYKES BASKET dublin duck dispensary is a one man all singing all playing outfit based around irish born bobby aherne and pretty much nobody else. this beautifully packaged little eight track album comes in an edition of 50 hand numbered copies. the album is pressed on a very cute miniature 3 inch cd with matching tiny sleeve. the album features some truly excellent scuzzed up bedroom indie rock sounding a little at times like some mad psychedelic sebadoh infused with the crazed spirit of frank zappa or syd barrett. alternatively imagine if daniel johnson could sing and was backed by early yo la tengo. classic old school lo fi indie rock infused with lots of psychedlic fun. may 2009 own label cd €4.99 (click here to buy)

CUTAWAYS - EARTH AND EARTHLY THINGS the debut album from this new belfast based outfit. the album features an infectiously catchy collection of synth driven indie pop sounds with lots of fuzzed up guitar sounds and old school shouty boy meets girl vocals. sounding at times like pavements kids with scuzzy keyboards added in. its got lots of catchy punked up new wave sounds, elements of chunky bass driven punk funk and its really really good fun too. it kind of reminds me of the black kids blended with the big euphoric singalong moments of arcade fire. may 2009 own label cd €9.99 (click here to buy)

CAP PAS CAP - WE ARE MEN this irish based outfit return with their second vinyl release. this new ep follows on from their stunning debut not not is fine from 2006. the ep opens up with the original version of we are men with a big pulsating punk funk bass riff providing the backbone for a really uptempo piece of no wave complete with eighties synth action. richie egan aka jape gives the track a bit of eighties electro pop treatment on his remix with a big throbbing drum machine and hypnotic looped vocal treatments. that boy tim opens up the second side with lots of added funky guitar sounds. the decal remix closes the ep and its probably the pick of them for me. its a superb piece of heaving guitar heavy industrial space rock sounding a bit like godflesh with a punk funk fixation. its all very hypnotic and quite dark and menacing too. december 2008 skinny wolves 12" €7.99 (click here to buy) -Cds and Lps under €10.00
Its the bargain basement, these titles change regularly and stock is limited.
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A Brief History. Road Records is based in Dublin, Ireland and is a totally independent music store and mail order service specialising in indie, alternative, underground rock, electronica, punk, reggae, country, folk, blues and whatever else takes our fancy. The store is run by two human beings, Julie and Dave, so you are guaranteed a personal touch when you shop with us.

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