Now Hear This! - January 2022

Jacob Bryant Bar Stool Preacher American Roots Records Buy Now After losing his mother in 2010, the budding singer-songwriter battled depression and anxiety, self-medicated with alcohol and cocaine and ultimately suffered a heart attack at the age of 19, but he transformed the pain into passion. As Bryant explains, "Music is healing. As simple as that sounds, the process of creating my art about life experiences I have had is my therapy." Pip Blom Welcome Break Heavenly/PIAS Buy Now Pip Blom's self-assured sophomore release is not afraid to speak out, take lead and instigate a liberated revolution-come-bliss-out. Actively seeking out moments of creative-authenticity, be it via a slightly-out-of-tune guitar or proudly-fuzzed vocals, Welcome Break goes full-circle within its eleven-tracks, resonating with about as much decisive allure as its precursor, but this time with a bit more contemporary chaos to boot. Jelly Roll Ballads of The Broken Broken Bow Buy Now On Ballads, Jelly Roll, the genre-bending singer/songwriter/rapper dives deeper into his current season of life and his growth�personally and sonically, marking the first time he does not rap on any track of the album. Says Jelly, "Pain is an international language�everybody shares it to some degree� being out on the road and meeting fans, I've learned that the more open you are in talking about it, the more people can relate to it." Grace Cummings Storm Queen ATO Buy Now Grace Cummings's second album Storm Queen has its own unruly climate, governed only by the singular force of her devastating vocals. Over the course of 11 feverishly composed folk songs, the Melbourne-based singer/songwriter explores a vast and volatile emotional landscape, approaching each track with both exquisite control and unfettered abandon. John Mellencamp Strictly A One-Eyed Jack Republic Buy Now John Mellencamp's 25th studio album was written and produced by Mellencamp, recorded at his Belmont Mall Studios in Indiana, and�recorded/mixed by GRAMMY-award winner David Leonard. It features a number of longtime band members while also featuring three collaborations with�Bruce Springsteen, including the landmark duet "Wasted Days." Ed Sheeran = Atlantic Buy Now The fourth installment in Sheeran's symbol album series, =, is Ed's most accomplished work yet. A body of songs that were made over a four-year period following his seminal � album era, thematically, =finds Ed taking stock of his life and the people in it, as he explores the varying degrees of love, loss, resilience and fatherhood, while also processing his reality and career. Brandi Carlile In These Silent Days Elektra Buy Now Inspired by the mining of her own history while writing this year's #1 New York Times Best Selling memoir�Broken Horses, In These Silent Days chronicles acceptance, faith, loss and love and channel icons like David Bowie, Freddie Mercury, Elton John and Joni Mitchell - the latter two who, by some sort of cosmic alignment of the stars, have turned out to be close friends in addition to being her biggest heroes and inspirations. Mammoth WVH Mammoth WVH Kartel Buy Now Mammoth WVH is the debut, self-titled album of Mammoth WVH � the band created by Wolfgang Van Halen. In addition to writing and singing every song, remarkably Wolfgang plays every instrument. "The name Mammoth is really special to me." says Wolf. "Not only was it the name of Van Halen before it became Van Halen, but my father was also the lead singer. Ever since my dad told me this, I always thought that when I grew up, I'd call my own band Mammoth, because I loved the name so much." ABBA Voyage Capitol Buy Now One of the most successful music groups of all time returns with their first new material from since December of 1982. Accompanying the album will be a concert series that will see singers Agnetha F�ltskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad and instrumentalists/songwriters Benny Andersson and Bj�rn Ulvaeus performing digitally via avatars with a live 10-piece band in a purpose-built arena in London in Spring of 2022. Halsey If I Can't Have Love, I Want Power Captiol Buy Now Halsey's fourth studio album If I Can't Have Love, I Want Power is a career-defining body of work. Produced By Trent Reznor And Atticus Ross, the album is a bold concept record that pushes creative boundaries. If I Can't HaveLove follows Manic, which debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's Top Albums chart. *Available on Indie Exclusive Limited Edition Clear Orange Vinyl.* Femi Kuti & Made Kuti Legacy+ Partisan Records Buy Now The legendary Afrobeat originator Fela Kuti's legacy spans decades and genres, touching on jazz, pop, funk, hip-hop, rock, and beyond. While this impact can be felt in Nigeria and the entire world, it also greatly affected Fela's sons Femi and Made, both of whom carry his legacy as torchbearers for change. These two albums from Femi and Made, now packaged together as Legacy+, are steeped in the tradition of Afrobeat invented by Fela, while also offering their own unique vision. Low Hey What Sub Pop Buy Now The ten pieces of Hey What�each built around their own instantaneous, undeniable hook�are turbocharged by the vivid textures that surround them. The ineffable, familiar harmonies of Alan Sparhawk and Mimi Parker break through the chaos like a life raft. Layers of distorted sound accrete with each new verse - building, breaking, colossal then restrained, a solemn vow only whispered. Nick Cave Carnage AWAL Buy Now The first studio album from Nick Cave & Warren Ellis outside of the Bad Seeds and their many collaborations, Carnage developed amidst the downtime of a long, anxious, global emergency. Showcasing Cave & Ellis' typical sonic and lyrical adventurism shot through with moments of distilled beauty resonating with an almost defiant sense of hope, Carnage stands as a quintessential record for these uncertain times. Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak) An Evening With Silk Sonic Atlantic Buy Now One late-night, mid-tour jam session in 2017 unlocked immediate chemistry between super stars Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak. Years later, Bruno called Anderson: "Remember that idea we had? Let's do it." One studio session grew into to a months-long collaboration, culminating the "setlist of doom." The legendary Bootsy Collins (and "special guest host") christened them � and introduced the world to � Silk Sonic. Allison Russell Outside Child Fantasy Buy Now Born and raised in Montreal, Allison Russell imbues her music with the colors of her city � the light, the landscape, the language � but also the trauma that she suffered there. It is a heartbreaking reflection on a childhood no one should have to endure, and at the same time a powerful reclamation � asserted from a place of healing, of motherhood, of partnership � and from a new home made in Nashville. St. Vincent Daddy's Home Loma Vista Buy Now "It's stories of being down and out in downtown NYC. Last night's heels on the morning train. Glamour that's been up for three days straight," says Annie Clark (aka St. Vincent). "The album was inspired by the classic records of the 70's. Stevie, Sly, Stones, Steely Dan, Chords, Groove. The days when sophisticated harmony and rhythm didn't sound heady - they just sounded and felt good. Lots of guitar. But warm sounds, not distortion and chaos. Hopefully a turn nobody will see coming" Yola Stand For Myself Easy Eye Sound Buy Now Stand For Myself, produced by Dan Auerbach, is a sophisticated and diverse sonic mix of symphonic soul and classic pop, tracing an expansive musical thread to Yola's most eclectic musical inspirations. Her inimitable vocals share nuanced stories of allyship, black feminine strength through vulnerability, collective awakening and loving connection from the sexual to the social. For Yola, living is more than merely surviving. Arlo Parks Collapsed in Sunbeams Transgressive/PIAS Buy Now One of the albums of the year from London-based musician and poet Arlo Parks. It's a series of vignettes and intimate portraits surrounding her adolescence and the people that shaped it. Heartbreak, beautiful poetry, betrayal and hope, all inspired by Allen Ginsberg, Sylvia Plath, Jim Morrison and Fela Kuti. One listen and you will fall in love, like when you first heard Frank Ocean, King Krule or Lilly Allen. Paul McCartney McCartney III Capitol Buy Now 50 years following the release of his self-titled first solo album McCartney, featuring the artist playing every instrument and writing and recording every song, Paul McCartney released McCartney III. An eclectic collection of spontaneous songs, it's a stripped back, self-produced and, quite literally, solo work marking the opening of a new decade, in the tradition of 1970's McCartney and 1980's McCartney II. Jon Batiste We Are Verve Buy Now We Areis a career-changing album from musician and activist Jon Batiste. We Are celebrates Black American culture and music while exploring themes of lineage, authenticity, excellence and evolution. This album is about honoring roots and traditions, while looking forward to the future and constantly evolving. Featuring Mavis Staples, Zadie Smith, PJ Morton, Trombone Shorty, Kizzo, Autumn Rowe, Steve Jordan, and many more... One Night In Miami� Various Artists ABKCO Buy Now Tony-award and Grammy-award winner Leslie Odom Jr. Performs Sam Cooke's most celebrated repertoire in the film (directed by Regina King) and on the soundtrack album including "You Send Me," "Chain Gang," "Good Times" and "A Change Is Gonna Come." Apart from his performance of the Sam Cooke material, the soundtrack includes "Speak Now," a powerful original song co-written and performed by Odom. LISTEN HERE LISTEN HERE The Lumineers Brightside Dualtone Buy Now Coming off the success of their darkly cinematic third record�III, Wesley Schultz and Jeremiah Fraites' latest work is their most spontaneous and joyous yet, featuring their ever-more-sophisticated songwriting and arranging and production from longtime producer and friend Simone Felice. Touching on themes of love and American life, the album features the foot-stomping, anthemic, arena-filling sound the band has become beloved for worldwide. The Coalition of Independent Music Stores (CIMS) is a national level organization comprised of the best independent record stores in America. CIMS was founded in 1995 with the goal of uniting like minded independent store owners, giving them a more powerful voice in the music industry. The stores that make up CIMS are all very different, but we share the same desires � to be the heart of our communities, to super-serve our customers, to support and develop artists, and to share our love of music. For more information about CIMS and the stores in our organization, please visit cimsmusic.com or find us through social media with the #cimsmusic hashtag. And please remember to always shop local by supporting your neighborhood record store.