Written by Anjimile Chithambo in collaboration with Justine Bowe (Photocomfort) and New-York based artist/producer Gabe Goodman, Giver Taker , the gorgeous debut album by Anjimile, grapples with sobriety; reconciling trans identity, spirituality, and religious upbringing; and forging new futures that honor complex histories. Giver Taker spans evocative pastoral ballads, warm pop songs, and choral swells in a world where death and life are always entwined, wrapping around each other in a dance of reverence, reciprocity, and rebirth.

Washed Out, the Atlanta-based producer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Ernest Greene, delivers his most accessible creation to date with his fourth album, Purple Noon . With each release, Greene has approached his evolving project with meticulous detail and a steadfast vision. Greene wrote, recorded, and produced Purple Noon following a brief stint of writing for other artists (most notably Sudan Archives). His time writing for others enabled Greene to explore genres like R&B and modern pop. These brighter, more robust sounds made their way into the songs of Purple Noon and mark a new chapter for Greene. The vocals are front and center, tempos are slower, beats bolder…you can hear the luxuriousness of Sade, the sonic bombast of Phil Collins, and the lush atmosphere of the Balearic beat classics. Mediterranean coastlines inspired Purple Noon , and Greene pays tribute to the region’s distinct island culture using it as a backdrop to tell stories of passion, love, and loss. Purple Noon ’s title comes from the 1960 film based on the novel The Talented Mister Ripley by Patricia Highsmith, and much like romantic Hollywood epics, the melodrama throughout this album is strong. Purple Noon adds a layer of emotional intensity to the escapism of Washed Out’s oeuvre, taking the music to dazzling new heights.

Nashville-based sunshine pop band The Explorers Club’s self-titled album is their fourth and full-length release and boldest work to date, breaking sonic barriers while maintaining lush melodies and multi-part vocal harmonies reminiscent of ‘60s and ‘70s groups like The Beach Boys, The Turtles, and The Association.

Chicago-based indie rock trio Dehd’s Flower of Devotion ups the ante from the raucous garage sound and lyrical sparring of their 2019 debut, Water , with more polished and sometimes sunnier tunes. The attitude remains, but the results feel more well-rounded, seeing the band come into their own on their sophomore album. Singer/songwriter Emily Kempf sang about the necessity of love, compassion, and companionship on Water ; here she extols the virtues of being a loner while showing off her incredibly expressive range. Balla's guitar lines flirt from cosmic country to the dark sounds of Broadcast. It’s clear that Dehd is making meaningful markers on their way into the journey of the soul.

Erasure reunites for the momentous occasion of their 18th studio album, The Neon , which follows 2017’s World Be Gone . Like the glowing hot substance of the title, the music evokes an exciting and energetic mood. The Neon is a place that lives in the imagination. It’s a place of possibility bathed in warm light and this is music that takes you there. Vince and Andy pull inspiration from pop music through the decades, from bands they loved and want to share with a new generation. The Neon connects us to our pasts and our futures as it glistens with hope.

New Zealand’s The Beths are back with a second album, tackling themes of anxiety and self-doubt with effervescent power pop choruses and rousing backup vocals. Jump Rope Gazers presents an upbeat, hook-filled indie sound stacked with girl-group style vocals, yet it also stares down all the hard parts of living in communion with other people. Jean-Paul Sartre may have said "Hell is other people," but to The Beths, the cathartic experience that can come from sharing stressful situations with your friends is a kind of heaven.

Unique Canadian country artist Corb Lund's 11th studio album, Agricultural Tragic , finally puts a name to the genre he's been embodying all of these years. Lund embraces his rustic western heritage with a style that's honest and resolute, while touching on a range of cowboy themes from lawless frontier saloons to the somber realities of running a modern family ranch. Lund's writing resonates with rural and urban audiences alike. It's a classic sound with a twist -- one that evokes the spirit of the American West, past and present.

In classic Jayhawks fashion, the songs on XOXO mix the influence of American roots music with British invasion and jangly power-pop. There's also a newfound vitality at play, an invigoration of confidence and energy. The result is an album that, just like the band's lush harmonies, brings multiple distinctive voices together into a singular whole. This is a collection that finds unity in individuality and identity in reinvention.

S&M2 (CD) Metallica In October of 2019, Metallica and The San Francisco Symphony teamed up once again, 20 years after the two legendary and seemingly dichotomous entities first collaborated on an epic set of concerts billed as Symphony and Metallica (S&M). S&M2 features 20 songs (that’s more than 2.5 hours of music) from the two-night event that blew the doors off of San Francisco’s Chase Center. There are many Metallica fan favorites here and two unique classical pieces chosen by San Francisco Symphony Musical Director Michael Tilson Thomas. S&M2 has been newly re-edited by the band with remixed and remastered audio. CD $18.98

LP $69.98

LP $72.98

CD $24.98

CD $29.98

S&M2 (CD) San Francisco Symphony In October of 2019, Metallica and The San Francisco Symphony teamed up once again, 20 years after the two legendary and seemingly dichotomous entities first collaborated on an epic set of concerts billed as Symphony and Metallica (S&M). S&M2 features 20 songs (that’s more than 2.5 hours of music) from the two-night event that blew the doors off of San Francisco’s Chase Center. There are many Metallica fan favorites here and two unique classical pieces chosen by San Francisco Symphony Musical Director Michael Tilson Thomas. S&M2 has been newly re-edited by the band with remixed and remastered audio. CD $18.98

LP $69.98

LP $72.98

CD $24.98

CD $29.98

SUGAREGG (CD) Bully Bully’s third album sees frontwoman Alicia Bognanno reinventing her process with a newfound clarity of purpose, and, as a result, the sound immediately takes flight like My Bloody Valentine after three double espressos. A highly-accomplished engineer who ran the boards herself on the first two Bully albums, Bognanno frees herself of those duties to focus on the writing, and partners with the Grammy-winning John Congleton (St. Vincent, Sleater-Kinney, The War on Drugs, Modest Mouse, and more) at the famed Pachyderm Studios in Cannon Falls, Minnesota. An additional five months of writing and recording following that session completed Sugaregg , Bognanno’s most accomplished album to date. CD $12.98