OUTSIDE THE HEARD - DECEMBER 2015

	Anna Von Hausswolff The Miraculous Other Music Recording Co

Anna von Hausswolff’s third album, The Miraculous, further highlights the classically trained vocalist and composer’s background in avant-garde music as well as her love of black metal – balancing beauty with some real ballast in the process. Guest appearance by one of Scandinavia’s largest pipe organs.

	Intronaut The Direction Of Last Things Century Media

Intronaut’s new album, The Direction of Last Things, is, in its own words, “our most technical, brutal, catchy, and straight up fearless.” For a band that’s re-written the rules on technicality and brutality over the course of five albums, such a statement is either truth or insanity. We’ll side on truth.

	Alice Cooper Peter And The Wolf In Hollywood Deutsche Grammophon

Composer Sergei Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf was written specifically to introduce young people to the sounds of an orchestra. Peter and the Wolf in Hollywood updates this classic work by setting the story in Modern Times and enlisting the talents of rock legend Alice Cooper, who provides voices for every character. The music, of course, is timeless.

	Leslie West Soundcheck Provogue

Soundcheck is the sixteenth solo album by legendary rock guitarist Leslie West (one half Mountain). For this new release, Leslie lays down some of his most inspired musical magic to date with the assistance of true rock royalty: Peter Frampton, Brian May, ex-Jeff Beck keyboard virtuoso Max Middleton, vocalist extraordinaire Bonnie Bramlett and the late great Cream bassist Jack Bruce.

	Francesca Blanchard Deux Visions Vis-a-vis

23-year-old French-American singer-songwriter Francesca Blanchard has already reached a global audience thanks to her artfully crafted, intimate songs (sung in French and English), and her tours with Joan Armatrading and Suzanne Vega. Deux Visions reflects Francesca's travels, both physical and emotional. For fans of Francois Hardy, Carla Bruni, and Norah Jones.

	Au Pair One Armed Candy Bear Sham/Thirty Tigers

Au Pair is a collaboration between Gary Louris (The Jayhawks) and Django Haskins (The Old Ceremony), who met performing the music of Big Star. Au Pair's lo-fi but high-brow pop songs were sung and played into a single microphone, then treated with experimental sonics along with producer Brian Haran. One-Armed Candy Bear is a weird pop delight.

	Hemming Hemming Custard Media

Hemming draws inspiration from seasoned musicians such as Cat Power, The Breeders, Metric, and the Smiths -- Patti Smith, Elliott Smith, and Robert Smith, that is. The songs on her self-titled debut are raw, vulnerable, relatable, and (ultimately) strong – each line delivered with a heart-wrenching twang that leaves you with the visceral feeling of wanting more.

	Food This Is Not A Miracle ECM

Food – the British / Norwegian duo of Iain Ballamy and Thomas Strønen – are joined again by Austrian guitarist and electronic adventurer Christian Fennesz for a new album of powerful grooves, evocative textures and exploratory improvisation, sometimes hypnotically insistent, sometimes turbulent, but always compelling. This Is Not A Miracle? We think otherwise.

	St. Paul's Cathedral Choir Christmas With St. Paul's Cathedral Choir Decca

Christmas With St. Paul's Cathedral Choir features some of the best-loved Christmas carols in famous arrangements alongside new works such as Philip Stopford’s touching setting of the 16th Century “Lully Lulla Lullay,” and the world premiere recording of Graham Jordan Ellis’ captivating “There Is No Rose,” and John Rutter’s ravishing “All Bells in Paradise.”

	Vienna Boys Choir Merry Christmas from Vienna Universal Music Classics

Merry Christmas from Vienna features 18 Christmas songs by the world-famous Vienna Boys Choir. Several pieces from the repertoire traditionally sung on Christmas Eve, such as “Frohliche Weihnacht Uberall” or “Leise Rieselt der Schnee” by the German pastor Eduard Ebel, form the recording's core. Other surprises include a stirring rendition of John and Yoko’s “Happy Christmas (War is Over).”

	Snarky Puppy Sylva Universal Music Classics

The once Texan, now New York-based, Grammy award-winning quasi-collective, Snarky Puppy, has gone from the best-kept secret to one of the most respected names in instrumental music. The ensemble’s latest album, Sylvia, was written specifically for a bass-heavy orchestra – and, since it was recorded live in Berlin (with staging that reflects the music’s sylvan theme) – the music sound especially gigantic.

	Black Violin Stereotypes Universal Music Classics

Black Violin radically fuse hip-hop and pop with classical music to create a kaleidoscope of sounds uniquely their own. Composed of mostly original works, Stereotypes effortlessly shifts from classic hip-hop to pulsing R&B and fiery instrumentals. Guests include Black Thought (of The Roots), drummer Daru Jones (Jack White), guitarist Eric Krasno (Soulive) and string arranger Rob Moose (Bon Iver).

	Thomas Newman Spectre Original Soundtrack Decca

For the 24th movie in the James Bond oeuvre, Spectre, Oscar-winning director Sam Mendes has again enlisted 6-time Grammy winner Thomas Newman (Skyfall, American Beauty) to write a breathtaking original score. The soundtrack features the score along with an instrumental version of the new Bond theme song, Sam Smith’s “Writing’s On the Wall.”

	Steve Forbert Compromised Rock Ridge Music

Compromised is anything but what its title suggests. From the rambling piano and horn-driven swing of “Big Comeuppance” to the seductive twang of “Devil (Here She Comes Now)” to the Altamont romanticizing of “Welcome the Rolling Stones,” Steve Forbert – a songwriter’s songwriter who best known for his 1980 hit “Romeo’s Tune” – has followed his muse to the hilt.

	Constance Hauman Falling Into Now Isotopia Records

With Falling Into Now, Constance Hauman makes her debut as a pop chanteuse and a skilled and emotionally trenchant songwriter. The 14 songs on the album document the pain and complexity of broken relationships, betrayal and the fortitude one manifests in both integrating and leaving the past behind.

	Roger Doyle Time Machine Heresy

Time Machine centers on a series of answering machine messages from renowned electro-acoustic composer Roger Doyle's family, close friends, colleagues and lovers – all of them recorded in and preserved from the late 1980's. This haunting meditation on the passing and creating of life is both nostalgic and powerfully of the moment.

	The Original Broadway Cast Of School Of Rock School of Rock - The Musical (Original Cast Recording) Warner Bros

School of Rock the musical is like the movie but with MORE SINGING! The soundtrack was produced by three-time Grammy Award-winner Rob Cavallo (Green Day, My Chemical Romance, Paramore) and features the songs in the stage production, as well as three songs from the film. School of Rock's original songs were penned by the one-and-only Andrew Lloyd Webber and Glenn Slater.

	Flying Colors Second Flight Music Theories

Flying Colors is a veritable prog rock orchestra featuring (former) members of Deep Purple, Dream Theater, The Winery Dogs, Avenged Sevenfold, Dixie Dregs, Spock’s Beard, Alpha Rev & Transatlantic. Second Nature was recorded live utilizing brand new technology developed at Manchester Metropolitan University – and this DVD / CD combo gives you a variety of mixes to get lost in.

	Love Reel to Real High Moon Recordings

Reel to Real was the final studio album from Arthur Lee and Love. Originally released in 1974, this beautifully packaged, deluxe reissue features vibrant, remastered audio from the original tapes – on CD for the first time – along with a full-color, 32-page booklet (featuring an illuminating essay by Rolling Stone’s David Fricke and a trove of candid, unpublished photos), and 12 bonus tracks.

	Young Galaxy Falsework Paper Bag

Young Galaxy’s brilliant new album, Falsework, furthers the sound they’ve been exploring on Shapeshifting (2011) and Ultramarine (2013). Falsework is undeniably synth pop without the simplicity and was informed and inspired by 80's electro, acid house, and R&B. This is music made using machines from the past to sound like music from the future.

	Fetty Wap Fetty Wap 300 Entertainment

Fetty Wap is 2015's breakout artist. The Paterson, NJ bred hip-hop artist released his now 3x platinum hit, "Trap Queen" in August 2014. Nearly one year later- Fetty Wap has earned 3 #1 spots on radio charts, topped streaming charts and has become the first artist to have first act to simultaneously chart first four singles in the top 10 of Hot Rap Songs with the help of the smash follow up singles, "679", "My Way" and "Again." Fetty Wap has all of this and more.

	Them Complete Them (1964-1967) Legacy

The Complete Them 1964-1967, a 3-disc anthology, is the most thorough collection of Van Morrison's early studio and live performances ever assembled. It includes all material recorded for the first two Them albums in addition to singles, demos, live sessions, alternate takes and rarities, many of them long unavailable or previously unreleased. Includes an insightful new commentary by Van himself!

	Various Artists Jaco Original Soundtrack Legacy

A single-disc collection of music from the documentary film, Jaco, the Jaco: Original Soundtrack premieres three brand-new recordings including two riveting interpretations of jazz legend Jaco Pastorious’ classic tunes: “Come On Come Over” by Mass Mental (featuring Flea), and “Continuum” by Rodrigo y Gabriel; and “Shine,” the new track by Tech N9ne containing a sample of “Kuru,” as recorded by Jaco.

	Shye Ben Tzur, Jonny Greenwood and The Rajasthan Express Junjun Nonesuch

Recorded inside the 15th-century Mehrangarh Fort in Jodhpur, India, Junun — an album from composer/musician Shye Ben Tzur, Radiohead guitarist Jonny Greenwood, and the Rajasthan Express (a group of Indian qawwali musicians) — features Ben Tzur's compositions, which combine ecstatic Sufi qawwal musical traditions and his native Hebrew. Be on the lookout for the Paul Thomas Anderson-directed documentary of the same name.

"My last record was a break up record and if I had to label this one I would call it a make up record. I'm making up with myself. Making up for lost time. Making up for everything I ever did and never did." From 19 to 21 and, now, 25, British soul-bearing sensation, Adele, has done a lot of growing up in public. But, as she so eloquently stated, her new album is about moving onwards and upwards. A good thing, too, because why waste the momentum? With 19 she made an impression, but looked to become merely a footnote on this side of the pond. 2 years later she was a global sensation, her heartbroken aggression fueling a collection of passionate and undeniable songs so powerful that it would defy all expectations and sell over 30 million copies worldwide. Understandably, she took her time when considering her next move – and in the years that have transpired, Adele’s confidence is never cocky. 25 ain’t an album about answers – it’s an album about allowing yourself to live. The music has the same philosophy: It keeps on keepin’ on. There is evolution, sure, but evolution is slow. That said, the results are worth the wait. “25 is about getting to know who I’ve become without realizing,” she says. “I’m sorry it took so long, but you know, life happened.”

Adele -
25
Columbia

There's no other band today that plays with the rhythm, feeling, or explosive power of Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings. Since releasing their first album in 2002, the group has toured the world countless times, garnering a legion of loyal fans. Sharon, the Queen of modern-day Soul, has collaborated with some of music’s biggest names, including David Byrne and Michael Bublé. Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings are here to help music fans get into the holiday spirit. The band offers up a succinct soulful soundtrack to this holiday season with their new album It’s A Holiday Soul Party. Kicking off with “8 Days (Of Hanukkah)” – the bands ode to The Festival of Lights – the 11-song set of original and classic holiday songs is the group’s first holiday record and follows their Grammy-nominated 2014 album, Give The People What They Want. It’s A Holiday Soul Party’s highlight’s include “Big Bulbs” and their classic “Ain’t No Chimney’s In The Projects.”

Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings -
It's A Holiday Soul Party
Daptone

In January 2015, Joe Bonamassa took the iconic Great Stage at Radio City Music Hall for the first time for a sold-out, two-night run that allowed him to fulfill his lifelong dream of performing in one of the world's most legendary venues. Bonamassa is sharing this experience with fans and music lovers around the world when via Joe Bonamassa Live At Radio City Music Hall -- a CD/DVD set and CD/Blu-ray set. The set features over 75 minutes of music, two newly recorded songs, nine unreleased live tracks, over 2.5 hours of live footage, a special 45-minute behind-the-scenes featurette, a 40-page collector's book with exclusive photos, and a sneak peek into Bonamassa's childhood home and musical heritage. The first set has Bonamassa playing alongside the acoustic band The Huckleberries (from his #1 Billboard CD/DVD An Acoustic Evening At The Vienna Opera House). He then shifts into electric mode for the second set with his regular touring band (bassist Carmine Rojas, keyboardist Reese Wynans, drummer Tal Bergman, trumpeter Lee Thornburg, trombonist Nick Lane, and saxophonist Paulie Cerra). Joe Bonamassa Live At Radio City Music Hall presents an iconic performance on an iconic stage.

Joe Bonamassa -
Live at Radio City Music Hall (CD/Blu-Ray)
J&R Adventures

The Coalition of Independent Music Stores (CIMS) is a group of some of the best independent music stores in America. CIMS was founded in 1995; its current membership is made up of 29 accounts that handle 47 stores in 21 states. Many of the accounts have been recognized by the music industry and their local communities for their outstanding dedication to customer service and developing artist support.

Each member is bound by its shared love of music, a reputation for great selection and customer service in its community, yet each CIMS account is as unique as the market it represents. Most importantly, CIMS member stores continually seek to challenge the jaded, color-by-numbers advertising and marketing of other retailers.