New Release Round-Up 05-19-23

Def Leppard / Royal Philharmonic Orchestra - Drastic Symphonies�- Mercury
Strap yourselves in for the sonic ride of your life. Rock and classical royalty unite on brand new album Drastic Symphonies. Recorded at Abbey Road Studios in London, Def Leppard have drastically deconstructed and reimagined some of their biggest hits, collaborating with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. This bold new approach to the orchestral hits formula sees new vocal and guitar recordings from the band.

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Braxton Cook - Who Are You When No One Is Watching?�- Nettwerk Records
Braxton Cook's new album, Who Are You When No One Is Watching?, showcases his depth as an artist. Already named to OkayPlayer's "23 Albums OkayPlayer Can't Wait to Hear in 2023" and BET's "Most Anticipated Albums of 2023," the album features elegant, saxophone-driven instrumental tracks like "Indie" and smooth, progressive R&B songs like "90s" feat. Masego. Listeners will realize themes of love and relationships throughout the album, juxtaposed to songs inspired by the journey of an independent artist and the everyday violence and struggles Black men and women face in America. This body of work is a strong statement reflective of Braxton's life experience and inspirations.

Lewis Capaldi - Broken By Desire To Be Heavenly Sent�- Capitol
On the heels of his latest single �Forget Me,� Lewis Capaldi returns with his sophomore album, Broken By Desire To Be Heavenly Sent. It is the follow-up to his debut release, Divinely Uninspired To A Hellish Extent.

For more information on these and other releases out this week, check out our New Releases charts by week section.

UPCOMING RELEASES

AJJ - Disposable Everything�-�Hopeless Records
Phoenix-based indie punk band, AJJ, is back with their 10th studio album, Disposable Everything. After years of cult-like indie success and underground critical acclaim, AJJ has continued to evolve with each album, adding more layers and texture musically, while still maintaining their trademark wit and irreverent lyricism. Not every band can juxtapose apocalyptic despair with the warm comfort of an electric blanket, while hitting fans with rousing punk anthems one minute, and beautiful acoustic balladry the next. With Disposable Everything, AJJ has created an album that is both important and beautiful, that will make you feel better about everything while telling you just how terrible everything is, and will be sung loudly at shows for years to come.

Bayonne - Temporary Time�- Nettwerk Records
Deeply informed by a deliberate transformation of his musical process, Bayonne's third full-length Temporary Time ultimately makes for his most expansive work to date-an album of both painfully raw introspection and otherworldly beauty. On Temporary Time, Bayonne channels vast imagination into an elegant, yet wildly experimental form of electronic pop, equal parts meditative and mesmerizing. In the making of his latest body of work, the Austin-based artist/producer/multi-instrumentalist otherwise known as Roger Sellers found himself in even greater need of an outlet for his kinetic creative impulses, thanks to an intense convergence of events in his personal life: his father's diagnosis with and eventual death from cancer, the end of a significant relationship, and an overwhelming struggle with depression and anxiety. "Right Thing" and "Perfect" are focus tracks.

Steely Dan - Countdown To Ecstasy�-�Geffen Records
At long last, the classic Steely Dan catalog is back on vinyl. Led by Walter Becker and Donald Fagen, Steely Dan released 7 albums from 1972-1980. The vinyl series continues with Countdown To Ecstasy, the band's sprawling 1973 sophomore LP with standouts such as "Bodhisattva," "Show Biz Kids" and "My Old School."

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