1120 products
The Singles
Regular price $36.98 Save $-36.98PRETENDERS / SINGLES - The 2LP 1987 compilation album from Pretenders, The Singles, now features the 2018 remasters by Chris Thomas for tracks from the first three albums and brand-new remasters for the singles from Get Close. The 16 track compilation includes all the band's hit singles up until '87 such as Brass in Pocket, Back on the Chain Gang and Don't Get Me Wrong.
- - Disc 1 -
- 1 Stop Your Sobbing (2018 Remaster)
- 2 Kid (2018 Remaster)
- 3 Brass in Pocket (2018 Remaster)
- 4 Talk of the Town (2018 Remaster)
- - Disc 2 -
- 1 I Go to Sleep (2018 Remaster)
- 2 Day After Day (2018 Remaster)
- 3 Message of Love (2018 Remaster)
- 4 Back on the Chain Gang (2018 Remaster)
- - Disc 3 -
- 1 Middle of the Road (2018 Remaster)
- 2 2000 Miles (2018 Remaster)
- 3 Show Me (2018 Remaster)
- 4 Thin Line Between Love and Hate (2018 Remaster)
- - Disc 4 -
- 1 Don't Get Me Wrong (2025 Remaster)
- 2 Hymn to Her (Single Edit) [2025 Remaster]
- 3 My Baby (2025 Remaster)
- 4 I Got You Babe (Feat. Chrissie Hynde) - By Ub40
Machina
Regular price $42.98 Save $-42.98Smashing Pumpkins - Machina - Vinyl 2 LP
25th anniversary edition. Newly remastered 180g vinyl reissue of this Pumpkins’ classic. Includes “The Everlasting Gaze," "Stand Inside Your Love" and "Try, Try, Try."
- - Disc 1 -
- 1 The Everlasting Gaze [2025 Remaster]
- 2 Raindrops + Sunshowers [2025 Remaster]
- 3 Stand Inside Your Love [2025 Remaster]
- 4 I of the Mourning [2025 Remaster]
- - Disc 2 -
- 1 The Sacred and Profane
- 2 Try Try Try [2025 Remaster]
- 3 Heavy Metal Machine [2025 Remaster]
- 4 This Time [2025 Remaster / 2025 Remix]
- 5 The Imploding Voice [2025 Remaster / 2025 Remix]
- - Disc 3 -
- 1 Glass and the Ghost Children [2025 Remaster]
- 2 Wound [2025 Remaster]
- 3 The Crying Tree of Mercury [2025 Remaster]
- - Disc 4 -
- 1 Speed Kills [2025 Remaster]
- 2 Age of Innocence [2025 Remaster / 2025 Remix]
- 3 With Every Light [2025 Remaster]
- 4 Blue Skies Bring Tears [2025 Remaster]
God Save The Animals
Regular price $25.00 Save $-25.00God Save the Animals is Alex G's fourth full-length for Domino and ninth overall. Giannascoli wrote and demoed these songs by himself, at home; but, for the sake of both new tones and "a routine that was outside of my apartment" during the pandemic, he began visiting multiple studios in greater Philadelphia. God Save the Animals consequently features the work of some half-dozen engineers whom Giannascoli asked to help him produce the "best" recording quality, whatever that meant. The result is an album more dynamic than ever in it's sonic palette.
- 1 After All
- 2 Runner
- 3 Mission
- 4 S.D.O.S
- 5 No Bitterness
- 6 Ain't It Easy
- 7 Cross the Sea
- 8 Blessing
- 9 Early Morning Waiting
- 10 Immunity
- 11 Headroom Piano
- 12 Miracles
- 13 Forgive
Tunnel Vision (Indie Exc., Baby Pink)
Regular price $31.98 Save $-31.98BEACH BUNNY / TUNNEL VISION - Indie Retail Exclusive: Baby Pink vinyl - Tunnel Vision, the third LP from Chicago indie band, Beach Bunny, finds them getting back to basics. Rocked by the pandemic, singer/songwriter Lili Trifilio, dealt with a lengthy bout of writer's block for the first time in the lead up to recording. As she regained her confidence, she turned inward to write about the quarter life crisis she was experiencing and the existential challenges her friends were facing. Trifilio's incisive lyrics and buoyant vocals are complimented by undeniably catchy guitar-based hooks, making it clear that Tunnel Vision is a modern power pop classic.
No Rain, No Flowers [Indie Exclusive Ruby Red LP]
Regular price $28.98 Save $-28.98The Black Keys - 13th Studio Album featuring the hit single “The Night Before” plus “No Rain, No Flowers” and “Babygirl.” Collaborating with iconic songwriters such as Rick Nowels, Daniel Tashian and legendary keys player Scott Storch, the GRAMMY winning Ohio band craft their most ambitious and adventurous album yet, braiding together the pair’s sprawling, eclectic musical influence.
Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
Regular price $27.98 Save $-27.98Limited 180 gram vinyl LP pressing. Digitally remastered edition. Sabbath Bloody Sabbath is the fifth studio album by English heavy metal band Black Sabbath, released in December 1973. It was produced by the band and Tom Allom and recorded at Morgan Studios in London in September 1973. Black Sabbath released Sabbath Bloody Sabbath on 1 December 1973. For the first time in their career, the band began to receive favorable reviews in the mainstream press, with Rolling Stone calling the album "an extraordinarily gripping affair", and "nothing less than a complete success". Black Sabbath was formed in Birmingham in 1968 by guitarist and main songwriter Tony Iommi, bassist and main lyricist Geezer Butler, singer Ozzy Osbourne, and drummer Bill Ward. Black Sabbath is often cited as pioneers of heavy metal music. The band helped define the genre with a clutch of groundbreaking albums in the '70s. They have sold over 70 million records worldwide. Black Sabbath were inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2005 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006.
- 1 Sabbath Bloody Sabbath 5:45
- 2 A National Acrobat 6:16
- 3 Fluff (Instrumental) 4:11
- 4 Sabbra Cadabra 5:59
- 5 Killing Yourself to Live 5:41
- 6 Who Are You 4:11
- 7 Looking for Today 5:06
- 8 Spiral Architect 5:29
Ring
Regular price $27.98 Save $-27.98DESCRIPTION
This first-ever widely available vinyl edition of Ring celebrates the 30th anniversary of the breakthrough album by The Connells. The biggest hit from the album was the single "'74-'75", which reached the Top 10 in 11 European countries, peaking at No. 1 in Norway and Sweden. The overnight global success of the album solidified the band as one of the most original songwriters in the jangle-pop wave of the early '90s.
- 1 Slackjawed
- 2 Carry My Picture
- 3 '74-'75
- 4 Doin' You
- 5 Find Out
- 6 Eyes on the Ground
- 7 Spiral
- 8 Hey You
- 9 New Boy
- 10 Disappointed
- 11 Burden
- 12 Any Day Now
- 13 Running Mary
Deluxe (Gatefold Jacket)
Regular price $54.99 Save $-54.99Hard to believe that this multi-platinum record-boasting the #1 Modern Rock single "Good"-has only seen a release on vinyl previously via an extremely limited run for Pledge Music (remember them?). Just like that edition, we're going gatefold with our 2-LP Real Gone reissue... originally self-released by Better Than Ezra in 1993 and re-released by Elektra in 1995, Deluxe provides a ticket back to that beloved jangle-pop, college radio sound. Also features the alternative hit singles "In the Blood" and "Rosealia."
The Cars (Brick & Mortar Exclusive, Hi-Fidelity)
Regular price $40.98 Save $-40.98Limited Edition 180g Vinyl LP!
AAA Cut from the Original Analog Master Tapes by Kevin Gray!
Pressed at Optimal Media!
Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums of All Time - Rated 353/500!
The Cars' 1978 debut brought a polished, hook-driven sound that reshaped rock radio. Featuring hits like "Just What I Needed," "My Best Friend's Girl," and "Good Times Roll," the album was an instant success, peaking at No. 18 on the Billboard 200 and going 6x Platinum. Widely regarded as one of rock's greatest debuts, it helped define the late '70s sound and earned a spot on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. Decades later, its sleek production and timeless hooks continue to inspire musicians.
Side One:
- Good Times Roll
- My Best Friend's Girl
- Just What I Needed
- I'm in Touch with Your World
- Don't Cha Stop
Side Two:
- You're All I've Got Tonight
- Bye Bye Love
- Moving in Stereo
- All Mixed Up
All Time Low - MTV Unplugged (IEX) Purple/ Black [Explicit Content]
Regular price $26.98 Save $-26.98"Unplugged proves that All Time Low's greatest strength lies not in their production-heavy anthems, but in the raw songwriting and vocal prowess that lies beneath. " - Alternative Press
"It's a testament to the band's songwriting chops that these songs can be stripped down to their bare bones and still sound so good. "- PopMatters "This is a record that shows off the band's musicianship and songwriting in a new light, and it's sure to please longtime fans and newcomers alike. "- Punknews. Org Baltimore-alternative/pop rock artist, All Time Low, has achieved a great deal in their career, from #1 radio hits, to late night TV performances, to gracing magazine covers, touring with bands like Fall Out Boy, Green Day, & Foo Fighters, and starring in film and TV. All Time Low stripped down their songs to just an essential heart-beat for a special MTV Unplugged performance. Shot in New York City during the summer of 2009, the band took their high-energy performance down a notch in the candle-lit studio for some very fortunate fans who intently sung along. For Fans Of: blink-182, Fall Out Boy, Sum 41 Vinyl Color: Purple & Black Swirl
- 1 Damned If I Do Ya (Damned If I Don't)
- 2 Coffee Shop Soundtrack
- 3 Remembering Sunday
- 4 Jasey Rae
- 5 Weightless
- 6 Dear Maria, Count Me in
Dock of the Bay
Regular price $26.98 Save $-26.98Otis Redding Dock of the Bay' on MONO LP here for the first time in a very, very long time. Old school heavy 180g vinyl as well! This album has both "(Sittin' On) the Dock of the Bay" and "Tramp"- true classics.
Track List
- (Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay
- I Love You More Than Words Can Say
- Let Me Come On Home
- Open The Door
- Don't Mess With Cupid
- The Glory Of Love
- I'm Coming Home
- Tramp - with Carla Thomas
- The Huckle-Buck
- Nobody Knows You (When You're Down And Out)
- Ole Man Trouble
Wrong Turn To Jahannam (Live From Egg Studio)
Regular price $25.98 Save $-25.98Screaming Trees - Wrong Turn To Jahannam (Live From Egg Studio 1991)
- - Disc 1 -
- 1 Orange Airplane
- 2 Uncle Anesthesia
- 3 Alice Said
- 4 Ivy
- 5 Caught Between
- - Disc 2 -
- 1 Don't Look Down
- 2 Beyond This Horizon
- 3 Change Has Come
- 4 Ocean of Confusion
- 5 End of the Universe
Is This It - CD
Regular price $8.99 Save $-8.99Compact Disc
Clocking in at 36 minutes, Is This It? packs it's perfect length with stellar songs that draw inspiration from all over the map. Among the many highlights are Last Nite with it's insistent motown backbeat and choppy johnny thunders-like guitar solo, Barely Legal, sounding like 1980s-era Cure fronted by a saucy Iggy Pop, and the jangly Someday with it's hairshirt of vulnerability from a bad break-up. While frontman Julian Casablancas drawls like Lou Reed through a busted intercom, guitarists Nick Valensi and Albert Hammond Jr do Tom Verlaine and Richard Lloyd proud as their sinewy chords intertwine to great effect on the angular The Modern Age and equally neurotic Alone, Together.
- 1 Is This It
- 2 The Modern Age
- 3 Soma
- 4 Barely Legal
- 5 Someday
- 6 Alone Together
- 7 Last Nite
- 8 Hard to Explain
- 9 New York City Cops
- 10 Trying Your Luck
- 11 Take It or Leave It
Britny Fox - Limited 180-Gram White Colored Vinyl [Import]
Regular price $37.99 Save $-37.99Limited edition of 750 numbered copies on white coloured 180-gram audiophile vinyl. Britny Fox is the eponymous debut album by American glam metal band Britny Fox, originally released in 1988. It was met with critical acclaim and near Platinum sales. Their lead single "Long Way To Love" made heavy rotation on MTV and the band won Metal Edge magazine's Best New Band award in 1988. Britny Fox was formed in 1985 in Philadelphia, fronted by lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist "Dizzy" Dean Davidson. Other band members included Billy Childs on bass, and two former members of the band Cinderella; Michael Kelly Smith on lead guitar and Tony Destra on drums. Their debut album remains their most popular work to date.
- 1 Girlschool
- 2 Long Way to Love
- 3 Kick 'N' Fight
- 4 Save the Weak
- 5 Fun in Texas
- 6 Rock Revolution
- 7 Don't Hide
- 8 Gudbuy T' Jane
- 9 In America
- 10 Hold on
Wall Of Eyes
Regular price $33.98 Save $-33.98Radiohead's Thom Yorke & Jonny Greenwood + Sons of Kemet's Tom Skinner! / The Smile's 2024 album Wall of Eyes was recorded between Oxford and Abbey Road Studios, and is produced and mixed by Sam Petts-Davies. It features string arrangements by the London Contemporary Orchestra. Wall of Eyes is the follow up their 2022 debut LP A Light for Attracting Attention, which received critical acclaim from the likes of The Guardian, Pitchfork, The Observer, The Needle Drop, Rolling Stone, New York Magazine, Uncut and MOJO, and more.
- - Disc 1 -
- 1 Wall of Eyes
- 2 Teleharmonic
- 3 Read the Room
- 4 Under Our Pillows
- - Disc 2 -
- 1 Friend of a Friend
- 2 I Quit
- 3 Bending Hectic
- 4 You Know Me!
Villains
Regular price $44.98 Save $-44.98Hundreds of epic shows, memory lapses, unexplained injuries, one yearlong detour with Iggy Pop and multiple Grammy nominations later, Queens Of The Stone Age reemerge from the desert newly scarred and somehow strangely prettier with lucky seventh album, Villains, out on Matador Records. "The title Villains isn't a political statement," explains frontman Joshua Homme. "It has nothing to do with Trump or any of that shit. It's simply 1) a word that looks fantastic and 2) a comment on the three versions of every scenario: yours, mine and what actually happened...Everyone needs someone or something to rail against – their villain – same as it ever was. You can't control that. The only thing you can really control is when you let go."
Produced by Mark Ronson and co-produced by Mark Rankin and mixed by Alan Moulder, Villains is the first full album offering from Queens Of The Stone Age since 2013's ...Like Clockwork gave the band its first #1 album in the U.S. Like the stunning artwork of returning illustrator Boneface, the sonic signatures of the lineup that took ...Like Clockwork' around the world and back – founder/guitarist/vocalist/lyricist Homme, Troy Van Leeuwen (guitar, keys), Michael Shuman (bass), Dean Fertita (keys, guitar), Jon Theodore (drums) – are as unmistakable as ever, though coexisting with sufficient new twists to induce recurring double takes. As Homme himself puts it, "The most important aspect of making this record was redefining our sound, asking and answering the question ‘what do we sound like now?' If you can't make a great first record, you should just stop – but if you can make a great record but you keep making records and your sound doesn't evolve, you become a parody of that original sound."
Of his role working within such a closed and confident ecosystem as Queens Of The Stone Age, Ronson says, "Queens are and have always been my favorite rock n roll band ever since I walked into Tower on Sunset and bought ‘Rated R' in the summer of 2000, so it was incredibly surreal to be welcomed into their secret, pirate clan – or the ‘jacuzzi' as Josh likes to call it. I also knew that my super fandom alone would not keep me in the jacuzzi. There were moments during the making of the album in which I was aware I was watching my musical heroes craft something that was sure to become one of my favorite moments on any Queens album. And to have some part in that felt like being in a dream – a very heavy, dark, wonderful dream."
Longtime Queens cohort co-producer Mark Rankin added, "After the baptism of fire that was ...Like Clockwork, I was excited to get into the studio again with the challenge of pushing the sound for this record, especially with the the addition of Ronson into the creative mix. We wanted to evolve the production to be processed in a modern way yet be totally organic and still performed fully live, like lifting a veil and what you thought was electronic is actually live and things are not as they first appear...What we've made is forward looking yet unmistakably Queens."
- Feet Don't Fail Me
- The Way You Used To Do
- Domesticated Animals
- Fortress
- Head Like A Haunted House
- Un-Reborn Again
- Hideaway
- The Evil Has Landed
- Villains of Circumstance
Chutes Too Narrow (20th Anniversary Remaster)
Regular price $28.98 Save $-28.98Tri-fold, deluxe, anniversary edition. This 2023 edition of The Shins' beloved second album, Chutes Too Narrow, celebrates the album's 20th anniversary with a fresh remaster by Adam Ayan, supervised by band leader James Mercer, and lovely new packaging for the vinyl.
Chutes Too Narrow was recorded in James' basement home studio, with later mixing assistance from Phil Ek (Built to Spill, Modest Mouse, David Cross, Les Savy Fav, etc.). And, with 10 songs, clocking in at just over 30 minutes, Chutes Too Narrow is a brief yet entirely scintillating glimpse at chiming, reflective and perfectly skewed pop innovation. It was released to widespread acclaim in 2003, garnering Pitchfork's Best New Music, four stars from Rolling Stone, and raves from the New York Times, MOJO, the Village Voice, SPIN, and tons more. It subsequently made best-of-the-decade lists from The AV Club, NME, Paste, Pitchfork, and Uncut.
- 1 Kissing the Lipless
- 2 Mine's Not a High Horse
- 3 So Says I
- 4 Young Pilgrims
- 5 Saint Simon
- 6 Fighting in a Sack
- 7 Pink Bullets
- 8 Turn a Square
- 9 Gone for Good
- 10 Those to Come
The Dirty Boogie
Regular price $37.00 Save $-37.00Brian Setzer Orchestra - The Dirty Boogie (Limited Edition Seafoam Melt Vinyl) The Brian Setzer Orchestra (sometimes known by it's initials BSO) is a swing and jump blues band formed in 1992 by Stray Cats frontman Brian Setzer. In 1994 they released their debut album which was followed up in 1996 with Guitar Slinger. In 1998, for their breakout album The Dirty Boogie, the group covered Louis Prima's "Jump, Jive an' Wail", which originally appeared on Prima's 1957 album The Wildest!. The BSO's follow up single, appearing on the album Vavoom!, was "Gettin' in the Mood." Now get The Dirty Boogie from the Brian Setzer Orchestra for the first time on vinyl since 1998. Remastered on 180g vinyl in two amazing Limited-Edition Colors with expanded gatefold. There are only 300 of the Red Multi-Color Splatter and 700 of the Seafoam Melt. The Dirty Boogie is the third release from the Brian Setzer Orchestra and was their breakout album featuring "Jump, Jive an' Wail".
- - Disc 1 -
- 1 This Cat's on a Hot Tin Roof
- 2 The Dirty Boogie
- 3 This Old House
- 4 Let's Live It Up
- 5 Sleepwalk
- 6 Jump Jive An' Wail
- 7 You're the Boss
- - Disc 2 -
- 1 Rock This Town
- 2 Since I Don't Have You
- 3 Switchblade 327
- 4 Nosey Joe
- 5 Hollywood Nocturne
- 6 As Long As I'm Singin'
Bloom (Black Splatter Vinyl)
Regular price $26.98 Save $-26.98Larkin Poe, the dynamic sister duo known for their electrifying blend of Southern rock, blues, and Americana, emerges once again onto the musical landscape with their eagerly anticipated album, 'Bloom'. Following their Grammy-winning success with 'Blood Harmony' in 2024, the duo has ventured deeper into their musical journey, crafting a collection of songs that resonate with introspection, authenticity, and a profound connection to their roots in American music. The album "Bloom" marks a significant evolution in Larkin Poe's creative journey. All the songs were born from collaborations between Megan, Rebecca, and co-producer Tyler Bryant, reflecting a synergy that extends beyond mere musical partnership. As Rebecca observes, "'Bloom' is about finding oneself amidst the noise of the world, about wholeheartedly embracing the flaws and idiosyncrasies that make us real." This theme of self-acceptance is central to the album's narrative: celebrating individuality against a backdrop of contemporary blues and rock influences. Reflecting on the album's thematic core, Megan explains, "In one way or another, pretty much all of the songs on this album are about finding yourself, knowing yourself, and separating the truth of who you are from societal expectations." This sentiment permeates through the first song, "Mockingbird", a contemplative piece on personal growth and staying true to oneself amidst life's twists and turns. Rebecca adds, "'Mockingbird' is a tender reflection on the perpetual journey of becoming. When viewed through a reductive lens, the inevitable countless missteps I've taken in my life can feel disheartening - but looking too long in the rearview can be harmful to one's future. Choosing to find the hidden meaning in the pitstops and messy detours that life sometimes demands has felt like a very important perspective shift." Known for their sincere songwriting, the Lovell sisters place a spotlight on storytelling with 'Bloom'. Each track unfolds like a chapter, with lyrics that wind deeper and deeper towards the heart of Larkin Poe. Rebecca reflects, "Songwriting takes center stage with this record; the lyrics hit home in a real way." Their influences from '70s Southern rock are unmistakable, yet woven into a modern context that feels simultaneously nostalgic and fresh. The album's lead single, "Bluephoria", captures the essence of Larkin Poe's genre-bending exploration. Rebecca describes, "It's a rock 'n' roll rumination on the duality of the human experience, where suffering and joy intertwine to create meaning." With lyrics inspired by blues legend Furry Lewis, the track exemplifies their ability to blend personal narratives with universal themes; while the riff-heavy, psychedelic-flavored musical underpinnings make it primed for take off into the stratosphere on the live stage. Another standout track, "If God Is A Woman", melds lush sonic landscapes with lyrics that ground listeners in contemporary questions through the blues-soaked sounds of the Mississippi hill country; while the gritty rock anthem and punk energy of "Pearls" addresses the challenges of maintaining authenticity in a digital age where public personas are under constant scrutiny. It's a testament to Larkin Poe's willingness to confront modern realities while staying true to their musical heritage. Closing the album is "Bloom Again", a poignant love song in the style of the Everly Brothers, showcasing the sisters' harmonies in a deeply personal light. Megan fondly recalls, "One of our friends and heroes, Mike Campbell suggested we write a song following in the footsteps of Phil and Don Everly to showcase our sister harmonies; we took his counsel to heart, and 'Bloom Again' was born." It's a fitting finale that leaves listeners with a sense of catharsis and a desire for more. With their distinctive blend of poetic lyricism, masterful instrumentation, and soulful harmonies 'Bloom' not only cements Larkin Poe's status as musical innovators, but also reaffirms their commitment to crafting meaningful, soul-stirring music. As modern torchbearers of American roots music, the Lovell sisters continue their journey of self-discovery and celebration of the authentic self. With this album, Larkin Poe invites us to bloom alongside them, embracing the beauty of growth and the richness of their American, musical heritage.
- 1 Mockingbird
- 2 Easy Love Pt. 1
- 3 Little Bit
- 4 Bluephoria
- 5 Easy Love Pt. 2
- 6 Nowhere Fast
- 7 If God Is a Woman
- 8 Pearls
- 9 Fool Outta Me
- 10 You Are the River
- 11 Bloom Again
Big Game (Clear Vinyl, Gold, Limited Edition, Gatefold LP Jacket)
Regular price $39.98 Save $-39.98- "Goin' Home Tonight" 4:57.
- "Dirty Woman" 3:27.
- "Little Fighter" 4:23.
- "Broken Home" 4:59.
- "Baby Be Mine" 4:10.
- "Living on the Edge" 5:02.
- "Let's Get Crazy" 4:52.
- "Don't Say It's Over" 4:04.
For Melancholy Brunettes ( & Sad Women ) - Frosted Shadow [Explicit Content]
Regular price $24.98 Save $-24.98After a decade making the most of improvised recording spaces set in warehouses, trailers and lofts, Japanese Breakfast's fourth album, For Melancholy Brunettes (& sad women), marks the band's first proper studio release. Produced by Grammy Award winner Blake Mills, the record sees front-woman and songwriter Michelle Zauner pull back from the bright extroversion that defined it's predecessor Jubilee to examine the darker waves that roil within, the moody, fecund field of melancholy, long held to be the psychic state of poets on the verge of inspiration. The result is an artistic statement of purpose: a mature, intricate, contemplative work that conjures the romantic thrill of a gothic novel.
For Melancholy Brunettes follows a transformative period in Zauner's life during which her 2x GRAMMY nominated breakthrough album Jubilee and her bestselling memoir Crying In H Mart catapulted her into the cultural mainstream, delivering on her deepest artistic ambitions. Reflecting on that success, Zauner came to appreciate the irony of desire, which so often commingles bliss and doom. "I felt seduced by getting what I always wanted," she says. "I was flying too close to the sun, and I realized if I kept going I was going to die." The plight of Icarus and other such condemned ones lends For Melancholy Brunettes it's most persistent theme, the perils of desire. Like light dispersed, it's spectral parts take the album's characters through cycles of temptation, transgression and retribution. On "Orlando in Love" - a riff on John Cheever's riff on Orlando Innamorato, an unfinished epic made up of 68 ½ cantos by the Renaissance poet Matteo Maria Boiardo - the hero is a well meaning poet who parks his Winnebago by the sea and falls victim to a siren's call, his 69th canto (even in the lofty realm of classical myth Zauner has a soft spot for innuendo). "Honey Water" plumbs the quiet rage of a woman married to an unfaithful man, watching him cede again and again to lust like a base insect perpetuating it's own demise. Sadness is indeed the dominant emotional key of this record, but it is sadness of a rarified form: the pensive, prescient sadness of melancholy, in which the recognition of life's essentially tragic character occurs with sensitivity to it's fleeting beauty. Zauner finds space enough inside it for glimmers of hope. They are the consolations of mortals that poets before her have called out to and that poets after will continue to rediscover: love and labor, and though they run like tonic resolutions through the record's many episodes, they sound most saliently on it's final song, "Magic Mountain," an engagement with Thomas Mann's famous novel of the same name. For her, making any work feels like scaling a mountain, but from the perch of For Melancholy Brunettes, she surveys the future.
- 1 Here Is Someone
- 2 Orlando in Love
- 3 Honey Water
- 4 Mega Circuit
- 5 Little Girl
- 6 Leda
- 7 Picture Window
- 8 Men in Bars
- 9 Winter in la
- 10 Magic Mountain