As we finally approach the end of an illustrious year of new music, this week is an expected pause. There are a few new records, the intense new album from metal band Spiritworld, a new record from avant-jazz group Fievel Is Glauque, and the latest from Stormzy who is fresh off two sell-out shows at Madison Square Garden.
The Cure’s underrated Wish is turning thirty and being celebrated with an anniversary deluxe edition (both part of Record Store Day Black Friday and as a universal release as well). The landmark, and in my opinion the definitive, album from The Flaming Lips, the progressive opus Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robot also gets the anniversary reissue treatment this week as well. There’s also a new live album from the forever great Tom Petty.
As mentioned, today is Black Friday and while I don’t condone the extreme measures of capitalism we see on this day and the excessive treatment of retail employees who are forced to work on this brutal holiday, there are a lot of exclusive releases as part of Record Store Day’s Black Friday edition. More and more I feel torn on this event as I don’t really believe in pressing records just for the purpose of exclusivity nor do we need to do anything else to promote this senseless “holiday,” but I do love the attention it brings to independent record stores.
If you do plan to hit up a local shop today, please treat the staff with extreme kindness.
Albums:
Spiritworld | DEATHWESTERN
Fievel Is Glauque | Flaming Swords
Stormzy | This Is What I Mean
The Cure | Wish 30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition
The Flaming Lips | Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots: 20th Anniversary Deluxe Edition
Tom Petty | Live At The Fillmore