Every Friday, 88Nine music director Erin Wolf and Lilliput Records co-owner Tanner Musgrove tell you about the new albums you can’t miss on a new episode of On Vinyl. Check out their top picks and a list of this week’s other releases, and listen to their full conversation using the player on this page or on the 88Nine airwaves at 1 p.m. every Friday.
Get ready to rock ‘n roll today with not one but two fresh, guitar-laden scorchers from Cali’s Ty Segall as he shares a full-length album AND a new EP. Here in the Midwest, Wisconsin’s-own Graham Hunt rocks in more of a slacker way, but you’ll find tons to love in his latest collection of songs. We’ve also got the expansive and magically collaborative psych sounds of Allah-Las and a classic one (er, three) in the form of well-deserved reissues from longtime English jangle-pop faves The Sundays.
Happy New Music Friday!
Best new albums out Aug. 28
Ty Segall, Chrome
Ty Segall wrassled up a proper band for his next releases: new full-length Chrome and its EP counterpart Love Fuzzz. Each release “hails from oppositional planes from the rock-and-roll spectrum,” according to Ty, who described the full-length as “a spiffy pop-and-punk rock album” and the other a “slo-mo, doom 'n dirge EP.”
Whichever palette you prefer, it’s undeniable that Segall and his Chrome band — Ben Boye, Evan Burrows, Mikal Cronin and Emmett Kelly — are more in touch with their heavy side than they’ve been in a while, and twin guitars lead the charge.
Both releases should be a joy for fans to get ears on, and both come on black wax. There’s also a “Murder of Segalls Bundle,” which comes as a combined package from Drag City Records.
Graham Hunt, American Pyramid
Madison-based guitar rocker Graham Hunt is beloved to Milwaukee, and that’s in no small part because of his ability to just keep churning out great records. This newest one deals in his crisply produced slacker rock (contradictory as that may be) and deals with the pervasive feelings of loneliness of life as an American.
To stave off loneliness, Hunt enlisted some help from a huge bunch of friends — including some notable Milwaukeeans — who headed up to the famed Pachyderm Studios in Minneapolis to record.
For vinyl, there are a bunch of special editions from Run For Cover Records, including limited editions for these variants: green and white swirl, orange and white and red halves, along with this album’s “standard” variant of blue. There’ll also be a short run of screen-printed orange PVC bags available at select shops via Run For Cover Records.
Allah-Las, Sirenas
The psych-y L.A. quartet are back with their sixth studio album, which further explores their knack for atmospheric instrumental storytelling in a very freeform way. On Sirenas, you can feel the music truly leading them into a new realm.
If you’re not familiar, the group formed while working together at Amoeba Records and soon began jamming. It’s a great instance of when life sometimes magically brings people together to create something truly special because of their likeminded passion for something shared (like psych music).
Sirenas is available from Mexican Summer Records on an indie exclusive transparent blue vinyl, along with a standard black at your local record shop.
The Sundays, Reading, Writing and Arithmetic
The Sundays’ discography is getting a fresh and well-deserved round of reissues, and we couldn’t be happier. While admitting our bias, we stand by the belief that all three of their albums deserve a spot on every record collectors’ shelves.
Formed in 1988 by vocalist Harriet Wheeler and guitarist David Gavurin, The Sundays only released those three albums and still made quite a name for themselves while achieving cult status with standout singles like “Summertime” and “Here’s Where the Story Ends.” All three albums out today are on standard black vinyl via Geffen at record stores near you.
More of our picks
- Alabama Shakes, I Must Be Dreaming
- Billy Strings, Tunnel Vision
- Dinosaur Jr., There Near
- Interpol, This Mirror Weighs a Ton
- Jim James, Wowed Out
- Le Ren, Don’t Be Funny Without Me
- The Jayhawks, Sanctuary Park
- The Linda Lindas, Gotta Get Out
- Velocity Girl, 1989-1992
