April 19Pink Floyd, “Piper at the Gates of Dawn” MonophonicOne of the quintessential psychedelic rock albums returns to its original mono mix, which up until this reissue has only been available as a bootleg or an original pressing that runs from $300-$1000. Though it was not the record to break Pink Floyd into the mainstream, this album features some classic cuts that arguably invented the genre of space rock and shoegaze, with “Interstellar Overdrive” being a highlight throughout their entire discography. Definitely check this one out if you are a fan of music history and want to hear a classic album the way it was meant to be heard.
Brian Eno and Kevin Shields, “Only Once Away My Son” If you’re not in the know, these names might not mean anything to you. But to me, and those like me that revel in the experimental music genre, seeing the names Brian Eno and Kevin Shields together is almost a heart-stopping experience. Brian Eno is a master of the ambient and the weird, and the pure sonic force that Kevin Shields brings in with his band that truly defines shoegaze – My Bloody Valentine – couples two masters of the weird. This 9-minute track, which originally premiered on the Adult Swim Singles Program, is an exercise in creative minimalism, which builds to a crescendo that, while subdued, has managed to give me goosebumps each time I hear it.
Rage Against the Machine, “Live At The Democratic National Convention”Rage Against the Machine continue to prove how relevant they are more and more each year, it seems. In the year 2000, across the street from the famed Staples Center and the Democratic National Convention, Zach De La Rocha and company played on a small stage to a massive amount of people. The energy onstage was palpable, and translates well on this vinyl release. The tracklist has all the songs a fan would want, and for new fans, this might be the best example to see, as it features the pure fire and fury of the band at their most politically incensed. In these tumultuous times, music like this is more valuable than ever.
Neil Young, “Roxy: Tonight’s the Night Live”When the Roxy first opened its doors in 1973, before it was the beacon of Los Angeles glitz and grit, Neil Young and the Santa Monica Flyers were invited to be the inaugural live act – the sacrificial champagne bottle on the club’s maiden voyage. When put to tape, the material of “Tonight’s the Night” is some of the darker stuff in Young’s catalog. When played live though, the songs are injected with a new vitality that really resonates with the crowd, and it comes across in this recording. Young as a songwriter has an ability to change the entire emotional resonance of his songs, just by switching the tracklist around, or by upping the speed just a few beats per minute.
Also releasing are David Bowie, “Welcome to the Blackout” 3 LP set; The Cure, “Mixed Up” picture disc; Led Zeppelin, “Rock & Roll/Friends” single (previously unreleased); Phish, “Billy Breathes;” Dylan and the Dead, Grateful Dead “Live Fillmore West 1969;” Jason Isbell “Live From Twist and Shout,” and hundreds more! Be sure to get to Southwest Sound early, we are opening at 9 a.m. on Saturday, April 21.
Cooper Stapleton
