Music Millennium - Now Hear This! - August 2020

The Naked and Famous
Recover
Somewhat Damages/AWAL

While they have sonically mastered the art of dreamy, hook-laden synth-pop, The Naked and Famous have stuck to their guns as far as intimate storytelling. Recover is largely an autobiographical record rooted in a powerful sentiment of survival, and of the very human process of self-preservation - of saving, choosing and celebrating oneself in a world constantly trying to put us down.

Joe Bonamassa
A New Day Now
J&R Adventures

To commemorate the 20th Anniversary of his debut album, A New Day Yesterday, Bonamassa is releasing a newly re-mixed and re-recorded version. Joe re-sang all the vocals over and played new guitar tracks on some songs. Includes 3 bonus tracks written by Stevie Van Zandt and Joe which were demos from the 90's that never made it on to any records. Never heard before vintage Joe!

Diet Cig
Do You Wonder About Me?
Frenchkiss Records

The new record marks a more intentional, self-assured Diet Cig; not only in Luciano's radically intimate, acerbic lyrics, but in the duo's sound as well. Luciano and Bowman moved to Richmond, VA in the summer of 2017 as a place to "hide out and make music," and it was there that they wrote Do You Wonder About Me?, Diet Cig's ode to growing up.

The Psychedelic Furs
Made Of Rain
Cooking Vinyl

The groundbreaking British band's eighth studio album and first new album in nearly three decades sees the band returning to the fray as relevant and original as ever before, fueled by their innovative sonic approach of distinct, desperate wall of sound, melding haunting melodies and driving rhythms with ambition, aggression, and subversive lyrical power.

Alain Johannes
Hum
Ipecac Recordings

The third solo album from the Chilean-American multi-instrumentalist and vocalist, who is a founding member of several bands, including the alternative rock group Eleven, and has been involved with acts such as Queens of the Stone Age, Them Crooked Vultures, PJ Harvey, Chris Cornell, Arctic Monkeys, and Mark Lanegan, both as a musician and as a producer.

Zombi
2020
Relapse

Their first new album in 5 years, 2020 showcases the songwriting prowess that has pushed the duo of Steve Moore (synthesizers, guitars, bass) and A.E. Paterra (drums) to evolve throughout their storied, 20 year career. A truly therapeutic loop of immersive instrumental rock, 2020 might just be ZOMBI's most ambitious album yet.

BRONSON
BRONSON
Ninja Tune

Grammy-nominated duo Odesza and acclaimed Australian producer Golden Features have come together to form the powerhouse group Bronson. The self-titled album pushes the soundscapes of their previous projects to explore the darker edges of dance music, something reflective of the duality of lightness and darkness in the human condition. Featuring heavyweight collaborations from lau.ra of Ultraista, Gallant, and Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs.

Gerald Clayton
Happening: Live at the Village Vanguard
Blue Note

Recorded at the legendary NYC jazz club with a quintet of longtime collaborators�Logan Richardson on alto saxophone, Walter Smith III on tenor saxophone, Joe Sanders on bass, and Marcus Gilmore on drums�Happening spotlights Clayton's layered identity as a leader. The quintet co-navigates four of Clayton's original compositions including "Rejuvenation Agenda," as well as Duke Ellington's "Take the Coltrane."

Jimmy Heath
Lover Letter
Verve

Love Letter is the legendary saxophonist Jimmy Heath's stunningly elegant last testament, a take on seminal ballads. Includes songs written by Billie Holiday, Dizzy Gillespie and Kenny Dorham in addition to original material. Partially recorded in New York in the days preceding his 93rd birthday, Jimmy presided over a brilliant cast of colleagues and friends. The result is pure Heath: polished, inventive, candid, beautiful.

Lianne La Havas
Lianne La Havas
Nonesuch

Released after a five-year hiatus and written following La Havas' break-up, Lianne was inspired by the life cycle of nature and its ability to thrive, go away, and come back stronger. Inspiration from Milton Nascimento, Joni Mitchell, Jaco Pastorious, Al Green, and Destiny's Child brings in a predominately neo soul feel with elements of jazz and folk.

Joshua Redman, Brad Mehldau, Christian McBride and Brian Blade
RoundAgain
Nonesuch

The members of the original Joshua Redman Quartet�Redman (saxophone), Brad Mehldau (piano), Christian McBride( bass), and Brian Blade (drums)�reunite with the July 10, 2020 release of RoundAgain,the group's first recording since 1994's MoodSwing.The album features seven newly composed songs: three from Redman, two from Mehldau, and one each from McBride and Blade.

LISTEN HERE

The Coalition of Independent Music Stores (CIMS) is a national level organization comprised of the best independent record stores in America. CIMS was founded in 1995 with the goal of uniting like minded independent store owners, giving them a more powerful voice in the music industry. The stores that make up CIMS are all very different, but we share the same desires � to be the heart of our communities, to super-serve our customers, to support and develop artists, and to share our love of music.

For more information about CIMS and the stores in our organization, please visit cimsmusic.com or find us through social media with the #cimsmusic hashtag. And please remember to always shop local by supporting your neighborhood record store.