Limited-run Marshall Crenshaw compilation The Bootleg Sounds reissued in October

Yep Roc is recirculating their limited-edition RSD vinyl release The Bootleg Sounds of Marshall Crenshaw on October 23. 

Here's the scoop:

Originally released by Yep Roc on brown vinyl for Record Store Day back in April, the 15-track Marshall Crenshaw archival compilation, The Bootleg Sounds of Marshall Crenshaw: 1984-1987, is being re-released by Yep on black vinyl on October 23rd. 

Marshall dug through his vast archives and assembled a collection of previously unreleased recordings, demos and live songs, including a cover of Buddy Holly’s “That’ll Be the Day,” featuring Garry Tallent and Max Weinberg, "The Blues Is King" recorded with Let's Active's Faye Hunter and Mitch Easter, and a Marshall-ized update of an overlooked Gene Vincent & The Blue Caps gem "Right Now,"  

One particularly cool artifact included here is a demo snippet featuring vocals by Kirsty McColl. Marshall had been working on a demo for the song, “(We’re Gonna) Shake Up Their Minds,” but had hit a block in writing it. According to Marshall, “ At one point when I was struggling to write it, I sent the backing tracks to Kirsty MacColl to see what might happen. She wrote her own song (‘All I Ever Wanted’) over the tracks; it wound up on one of her albums (and a UK single too, but not one of her hits unfortunately). I’m presenting this the way I found it on the tape reel- my demo, followed by the last bit of her demo, which I accidentally recorded over. 

The Bootleg Sounds LP provides a rare glimpse into an artist’s songwriting and recording process, as well as featuring some very fine recordings finally seeing the light of day.

The limited edition Record Store Day 2026 LP only release is now available on CD, and back in print, this time on black vinyl. Get a copy of The Bootleg Sounds of Marshall Crenshaw: 1984-1987 is available for pre-order via Bandcamp right here or use Marshall's own pre-order link. Just don't waste your time trying to get it fromYep Roc, they haven't updated their site in months. Check out the track list followed by an interview with Marshall along with a couple of live clips from a 1985 performance at The Ritz in New York below.  

The Bootleg Sounds of Marshall Crenshaw: 1984-1987

A1 They Will Never Know

A2 (We're Gonna) Shake Up Their Minds

A3 All I Ever Wanted (Excerpt)

A4 That'll Be The Day

A5 Little Wild One (No. 1) (TV Track)

A6 The Distance Between

A7 Blues Is King (TV Track)

B1 Right Now

B2 Vocal Test

B3 Town Without Pity

B4 Terrifying Karaoke

B5 Synsonics Go Berzerko!

B6 Reet Petite (Live)

B7 Try (Live)

B8 This Is Easy (Live)

One For The Weekend: Los Straitjackets

Watch the clip for "Polaris" off Los Straitjackets new album Somos Los Straitjackets out Sept. 19. Pre-order it here. 

Sloan shares Logan's Run-inspired trailer for "Live Forever"

"Live Forever" is taken from the forthcoming Sloan album "Based on the Best Seller" due in September from Yep Roc. 

Here's the scoop...
The brand new Sloan album is called "Based on the Best Seller" and will be released September 26th! Check the link (https://ffm.to/basedonthebestseller) to pre-order the vinyl & CD, to pre-save on streaming and to listen to the new song "Live Forever"... watch the trailer below. 

Los Straitjackets with Nick Lowe @ TD Music Hall, Friday

Those masked marvels of twang Los Straitjackets are joined by an energetic Nick Lowe for a lively frolic in Toronto tonight. 

Watch Dave Alvin & Jimmie Dale Gilmore live on KEXP

Check out Dave Alvin and Jimmie Dale Gilmore knocking out a few tunes from their Texicali album. 

Dave Alvin & Jimmie Dale Gilmore – TexiCali

Behind blistering blues licks, TexiCali doubles as a roadtrip across Grammy winner Dave Alvin and Grammy nominee Jimmie Dale Gilmore’s beloved home states and the memories within, honoring shared musical influences, friends gone too soon and all they’ve endured along the way. These folk heroes have now evolved their unbreakable bond into a fully-fledged musical and songwriting partnership. 

TexiCali continues to bridge the distance between the two troubadours’ respective home bases of California (Alvin) and Texas (Gilmore). 

Its 11 songs also connect their shared fondness for a broad range of American music forms. On their own, both have been prominent artists for decades. A philosophical songwriter with a captivating, almost mystical voice, Gilmore co-founded influential Lubbock group the Flatlanders in the early 1970s. Alvin first drew attention as a firebrand guitarist and budding young songwriter with Los Angeles roots-rockers the Blasters in the early 1980s. 

They’re both quick to credit the musicians who joined them in the studio as crucial to the sound and spirit of the album. On Downey To Lubbock, they recorded primarily in Los Angeles with a crew that included ringers such as the late Don Heffington on drums and Van Dyke Parks on accordion. This time, though, Alvin’s longtime rhythm section of drummer Lisa Pankratz and bassist Brad Fordham played a larger role, along with guitarist Chris Miller and keyboardist Bukka Allen. 

“After the time we spent touring, Jimmie and I became members of this band,” Alvin says. “The band can play just about anything, which the album shows off.” 

TexiCali also found Alvin and Gilmore increasingly focusing on original songs. Among them are “Trying To Be Free,” which Gilmore wrote more than 50 years ago; “Southwest Chief,” a collaboration between Alvin and the late Bill Morrissey; and “Death of the Last Stripper,” which Alvin wrote with Terry Allen and his wife Jo Harvey Allen. 

Get a copy of Dave Alvin & Jimmie Dale Gilmore's TexiCali album right here. Watch their recent KEXP performance below. Catch Dave Alvin and Jimmie Dale Gilmore on tour with the Guilty Ones at The Sportsmen's Tavern in Buffalo on October 25 since they're not playing Toronto on the current swing. See a list of their upcoming tour dates below and follow this link: davealvin.net/tour for tickets.  

 

Dave Alvin & Jimmie Dale Gilmore on tour

10/22 - New York, NY - Grammy Museum at WNYC Greene Space

10/23 -  Homer, NY - Center for the Arts of Homer *

10/25 - Buffalo, NY - Sportsmens Tavern  *

10/26 - Pittsburg, PA - City Winery Pittsburgh *

10/27 - Charleston, WV - Mountain Stage Radio Show

10/29 - Columbus, OH - Natalies Grandview (Sold Out) *

10/30 - Ann Arbor, MI - The Ark (Sold Out)  *

10/31 - Cleveland, OH - Music Box Supper Club  *

11/1 - Three Oaks, MI - The Acorn #

11/2 - Chicago, IL - City Winery Chicago #

* with Carolyn Wonderland & Shelley King

# with Paul Cebar

Dave Alvin & Jimmie Dale Gilmore release great new TexiCali album

Dave Alvin & Jimmie Dale Gilmore just put out their new TexiCali record today. Check out the video for "We're Still Here" below.  

Here's the scoop...

Behind blistering blues licks, TexiCali doubles as a roadtrip across Grammy winner Dave Alvin and Grammy nominee Jimmie Dale Gilmore’s beloved home states and the memories within, honoring shared musical influences, friends gone too soon and all they’ve endured along the way. These folk heroes have now evolved their unbreakable bond into a fully-fledged musical and songwriting partnership. 

TexiCali continues to bridge the distance between the two troubadours’ respective home bases of California (Alvin) and Texas (Gilmore). Its 11 songs also connect their shared fondness for a broad range of American music forms. On their own, both have been prominent artists for decades. A philosophical songwriter with a captivating, almost mystical voice, Gilmore co-founded influential Lubbock group the Flatlanders in the early 1970s. Alvin first drew attention as a firebrand guitarist and budding young songwriter with Los Angeles roots-rockers the Blasters in the early 1980s. 

They’re both quick to credit the musicians who joined them in the studio as crucial to the sound and spirit of the album. On Downey To Lubbock, they recorded primarily in Los Angeles with a crew that included ringers such as the late Don Heffington on drums and Van Dyke Parks on accordion. This time, though, Alvin’s longtime rhythm section of drummer Lisa Pankratz and bassist Brad Fordham played a larger role, along with guitarist Chris Miller and keyboardist Bukka Allen. 

“After the time we spent touring, Jimmie and I became members of this band,” Alvin says. “The band can play just about anything, which the album shows off.” 

TexiCali also found Alvin and Gilmore increasingly focusing on original songs. Among them are “Trying To Be Free,” which Gilmore wrote more than 50 years ago; “Southwest Chief,” a collaboration between Alvin and the late Bill Morrissey; and “Death of the Last Stripper,” which Alvin wrote with Terry Allen and his wife Jo Harvey Allen. 

Dave Alvin & Jimmie Dale Gilmore's new album TexiCali is out today (June 21st) via Yep Roc Records  – get a copy right here. Check out the video for "We're Still Here" along with an audio clip of "Southwest Chief" following the track listing below. 

Dave Alvin & Jimmie Dale Gilmore – TexiCali

1. Borderland

2. Southwest Chief 

3. Broke Down Engine

4. Trying to Be Free

5. Blind Owl

6. Death of the Last Stripper

7. Roll Around

8. Betty and Dupree

9. Why I'm Walking

10. Down the 285

11. We're Still Here 

Alejandro Escovedo previews new Echo Dancing album with "Bury Me"

Alejandro Escovedo's forthcoming album Echo Dancing is due out March 29th via Yep Roc. Check out "Bury Me" below. 

Here's the scoop from Alejandro...

I am thrilled to announce that my new album, Echo Dancing, will be released on March 29 via Yep Roc Records. The first single "Bury Me" is out now— a song I first wrote in the early '90s, fittingly released today on my 73rd birthday. 

You can pre-order the album and stream "Bury Me" here: https://yeproc.ffm.to/echodancing

My original idea was to record an album of new material. But then I changed my mind and thought that revisiting songs from my various albums would be more interesting. I always feel that a well-written song can withstand a lot of abuse. Turning a past song inside out leads to the discovery of new ideas you might not have understood. The songs never seem to be complete. They are always evolving.

The greatest gift is getting to share my music with you all— I hope you enjoy the song and can't wait for you to hear the full record.

Check out the new recording of "Bury Me" followed by a live performance of the song from 2015.

The No Ones (Scott McCauhey & Peter Buck) release My Best Evil Friend on March 31

The No Ones get vocal assists from The Bangles' Debbi Peterson, Teenage Fanclub's Norman Blake and Death Cab's Ben Gibbard. 

Here's the scoop...

"No one is defined as nobody. An example of no one is how you would describe who is in an empty house. Not one person, nobody. The logical negation of someone." 

OK, that makes sense. The No Ones are also defined as "not a single person" and that's fine too. In this case there are but four No Ones, and you can put them all in one room, though not very often at the same time. They are, alphabetically: 

Peter Buck - R.E.M., Minus 5, Filthy Friends, Baseball Project, Luke Haines, etc. Countless songs -- you can only hope to contain them! Double-LPs and pizza. Hound Dog Taylor, Raspberries and Sault. Warm weather and walking. Made three amazing and fucked-up solo albums that are available only in an alternate analog world. 

Arne Kjelsrud Mathisen - I Was A King, Rural Tapes, etc. Drums, keyboards, percussion, vocals, etc. Arne played the controversial piano solo on "Turn Again" from first No Ones long-player. He loves forest green, his Korg MS-10, Can, and Raymond Scott. Rural Tapes (solo/collaborative instrumental project) release 2nd album Inner Space Music November 2022. 

Scott McCaughey - Young Fresh Fellows, The Minus 5, R.E.M., Baseball Project, Filthy Friends, etc. Primary lyricist, plus bass, keyboards, guitars and vocals. He enjoys coffee in his spare time, and dreams of Neil Young and Irma Thomas fronting Sun Ra's Arkestra, with Nice As Fuck opening. Casablanca and The Florida Project are required viewing. Scott The Hoople is his solo side-career. 

Frode Strømstad - I Was A King, Rider, etc. Master of melodies as well as guitars, capos, chords, and vocal cords. He parties down with GBV and Elf Power. I Was A King releases its 8th album Follow Me Home in September 2022. 

So, making music comes naturally to this band, despite the obstacles. Conceived above the Arctic Circle, split by thousands of miles, and compounded by ridiculous schedules and pandemics... Thirty-plus songs later and we have My Best Evil Friend (out March 31 via Yep Roc Records), the band's third release and follow-up to 2020's exceptional (by definition) The Great Lost No Ones Album. 

My Best Evil Friend was realized in the way it was required, bouncing tracks back and forth from studios in Norway to the Dungeon Of Horror in Portland, Oregon, with a few other helpful home-recorders. Arne and Frode were able to track live guitars and drums together in Oslo, which somehow gives the vibe of a combo rockin' a high school gym -- owing much to the engineering work of Bård Ingebrigtsen, who also did the final mixes. 

Whereas Great Lost Album was imagined as being discovered in 2054 by a retro-hipster-scribe in Mojo ("The Last Magazine"), the latest is a blurry tribute to our own LP collections and memories, the artists that populate our turntables, and those that continue to inspire us. Not exactly in linear or transparent ways, but you'll find shadows of Plastic Ono Band, Joe Tex, Sugar Pie de Santo, Nick Lowe, beat poet Michael McClure, Blind Tom, Pamela Polland, Dean Martin, and on and on. There are even outright paeans to George Harrison, Jenny Lewis, and Phil Ochs, among others. And once again the quartet has enlisted contributions from generous friends, through the voices of Debbi Peterson (Bangles), Norman Blake (Teenage Fan Club), Ben Gibbard (Death Cab For Cutie), as well as 'lead bass' from Camper Van Beethoven's Victor Krummenacher, and strings from Marin Ballemo Bakke. 

With a 2020 tour of Norway repeatedly Covid-canceled, as well as lost appearances at Roskilde and other festivals, you might think it makes sense to hang it up. Well, it does, but that's not the way it works. When downtime is forced upon you, the committed musician just turns it into more songs, more records, more life. The No Ones still hope to meet you all in person, but for now, let's hope that My Best Evil Friend can at least pull you into their orbit, like a beacon from RKO.  – Robert Stove, The Electric Bird Digest, THE Quarterly Magazines for Amateur Electrobirds 

Get a copy of The NoOnes' My Best Evil Friend via Bandcamp right here. Listen to the first three tracks shared from the new album, "304 Molino Way." "Phil Ochs Is Dead" and "Song For George" 

Daddy Long Legs joined by Wreckless Eric on new Street Sermons album

Daddy Long Legs' new Street Sermons LP was produced by The Black Lips' Oakley Munson who adds piano, organ and jug parts

Here's the scoop...

New York City's most diabolical Rhythm & Blues street gang, DADDY LONG LEGS, have just released their eagerly anticipated new album Street Sermons via Yep Roc Records. 

The band's fourth studio album represents a wellspring of bottled-up feelings and emotions that need to be taken to the streets. 

Produced by Oakley Munson of the Black Lips at Old Soul Studios in Catskill, NY the band expands upon a sound that’s all their own and features guest appearances from Punk Rock legend Wreckless Eric providing backing vocals on "Nightmare" and "Silver Satin" and The Lovin' Spoonful's John Sebastian on "Ding-Ding Man," In dark times DADDY LONG LEGS continue to shine their light everywhere they go, leaving a piece of themselves on stage every night because it’s in them and it’s got to come out. 

Over the last decade these gentlemen have burned down houses the world over with their explosive fire ceremony and have amassed a cult-like following all their own with a tough to beat reputation for being one of the finest live acts on the road today. Written and recorded against a backdrop of political tension, riots in the streets and a deeply uncertain future, Street Sermons is a testament to triumph over adversity.

Get a copy of Street Sermons via Bandcamp right here. Check out the album release trailer, "Nightmare" and a couple of performance clips below. 

Daddy Long Legs: lead vocals, blues harmonica, resonator guitars, piano, banjo, kazoo 

Josh Styles: drums, percussion, backing vocals 

Murat Aktürk: electric, acoustic & baritone guitars, percussion, backing vocals 

Additional Musicians: 

John Sebastian: baritone guitar on Ding Ding Man

Wreckless Eric: backing vocals on Nightmare and Silver Satin 

Oakley Munson: piano, organ, jug, backing vocals 

Tovey Halleck: saxophone on Rockin’ My Boogie and Two Dollar Holler 

Peter Case's Let Us Now Praise Sleepy John getting vinyl release!

It took 15 years but Yep Roc has finally decided to issue Peter Case's Let Us Now Praise Sleepy John album on vinyl. 

"This is one of the best records that I’ve made, and I’m proud of the fact it was nominated for a Grammy. Richard Thompson and I start the album off with a rollicking guitar and vocal duet on Every Twenty-Four Hours, and the song Ain’t Gonna Worry No More continues to be one of the most popular songs in my live sets. I’m so happy this one is coming out on vinyl." – Peter Case

Here's the scoop...

Singer-songwriter Peter Case challenges listeners to be more attuned to the world through his politically-fueled lyricism and intricate finger-style acoustic guitar in Let Us Now Praise Sleepy John. The record showcases his abilities as a solo artist and folk singer-songwriter beyond his power-pop and rock n’ roll songwriting and performance during his time in The Plimsouls and The Nerves.

This Grammy-nominated album includes a collection of original songs from Case and a cover of the traditional blues tune “Get Away Blues.” The album features guest musicians Richard Thompson, Duane Jarvis, Carlos Guitarlos, and Norm Hamlet.

For the album’s 15th anniversary, Let Us Now Praise Sleepy John is now being released on vinyl for the first time. Pre-order a copy right here. Listen to "Get Away Blues," "That Soul Twist" and a Folk Alley performance of "Ain't Gonna Worry No More" from 2012 below. 

Eli 'Paperboy' Reed previews new Merle Haggard salute with "Mama Tried"

Eli 'Paperboy' Reed puts a soulful spin on Merle Haggard's country classics on Down Every Road out April 29th.

Here's the scoop...

Eli “Paperboy” Reed pays homage to country legend Merle Haggard by putting a soulful spin on some classic tunes on Down Every Road set for release April 29th via Yep Roc. Recorded in Brooklyn with longtime collaborator Vince Chiarito (Black Pumas, Charles Bradley), Reed taps into all the heartache of Haggard’s iconic catalog and channels it into explosive, high-octane performances that blur the lines of genre, geography, and race to reveal the common, distinctly American threads tying them all together. 

You can pre-order Down Every Road right here. Listen to "Mama Tried" and "I'm Gonna Break Every Heart I Can" followed by the tracklisting.

Eli 'Paperboy' Reed – Down Every Road (Yep Roc) 

1. Mama Tried 

2. I'm Bringing Home Good News

3. Somewhere Between

4. Teach Me to Forget

5. It's Not Love, But It's Not Bad

6. If We Make It Through December

7. Silver Wings

8. I'm Gonna Break Every Heart I Can

9. I'm a Lonesome Fugitive

10. One Sweet Hello

11. Workin' Man Blues

12. Eli Paperboy Reed featuring Sabine McCalla & Sabine McCalla - Today I Started Loving You Again

One For The Weekend: Phil & Dave Alvin

Here are Phil and Dave Alvin performing "World's In A Bad Condition" off their Lost Time (Yep Roc) album from 2015. 

Season's Greetings from Scott McCaughey & The Minus 5

Here's a spirited yuletide ripper from Scott McCaughey off the Minus 5's Dear December album from 2017. 

You can still get the Minus 5's Dear December album from Yep Roc or your fave streaming platform right here.  

90s Nostalgia: Trailer Bride

To mark the 25th anniversary of Trailer Bride's 1996 debut, Yep Roc has made it available again – well, digitally, sans pics & notes. 

Here's the scoop...

Trailer Bride’s 1996 self-titled record is a long-lost relic of the blooming Chapel Hill, NC music scene of the ‘90s. The group combined the worlds of indie rock and alt-country with a gothic, lo-fi sound that centers around Melissa Swingle’s atmospheric vocals and cryptic lyrics. Swingle started Trailer Bride following the demise of her band Pussy Teeth and would later go on to form the indie rock duo The Moaners with Laura King (Bat Fangs, Speed Stick), but the dark, southern sound that defines Trailer Bride’s debut record provides a mystifying listening experience a quarter-century later. No Depression said it best in their 1997 review: "They’re impossible to describe, but whatever you wanna call it, they sound really good.”

Sez Melissa Swingle:

Hey friends, this album will be coming out for the first time ever in digital release Friday (November 5) at 9 AM on Bandcamp. This is the very first Trailer Bride album that came out 25 years ago. It was lost to history and the guys that played with me on this Bryon Settle, John Goolsby, and Robert Mitchener were and are such talented musicians! This came out on a long now- defunct lable Walt Records out of New York and few copies were pressed. This was recorded at The Yellow House with Bryon and Mike Beard and my sister Amy Deevers Long sang some harmonies. Thanks to Yep Roc Records for helping facilitate. You can download it (Friday Nov.5) at https://ffm.to/trailerbride/bandcamp.

Listen to "Sorry Times," "Trailer Bride" and "Trains At Night" below. 

Happy Birthday Peter Zaremba!

Cheers to the hexbreakin' Peter Zaremba still getting down SuperRock™ style with The Fleshtones after 45 years on stage. 

LINKS

WNYU-FM Interview with The Fleshtones, 1980

Alejandro Escovedo's La Cruzada album gets wider release

La Cruzada, the Spanish-language version of Alejandro Escovedo's acclaimed album The Crossing, is out Aug 27 via Yep Roc.  

Sez Alejandro...

“I began developing this story about a southern Italian boy named Salvo and a young boy named Diego from Saltillo, Mexico, who meet in Galveston, Texas while working in an Italian restaurant,” says Escovedo. “They set out on a journey in search of the America created by beat poets, rock ‘n’ roll savants, new wave films, and the underground garage. The America they discover is a very divided and unwelcoming land filled with racism and unrest. La Cruzada is the realization of a dream that I’ve always had to record an album in Spanish in honor of my father’s heritage, and it has finally come to life.”

Pre-order La Cruzada from Yep Roc Records right here. Check out "Algo Azul" followed by a list of upcoming fall tour dates. 

Nick Lowe vs. Dave Barker

Nick Lowe just shared a cover of the Garnet Mimms gem "Quiet Place" right here. Check out the original and Dave Barker's cuts.

Watch the Young Fresh Fellows' creepy video for "Becky Doll"

"Becky Doll" feat. Coco Hames is off The Young Fresh Fellows' Toxic Youth album out now. Get it right here. 

 

The Fleshtones release Face of the Screaming Werewolf LP

Just in time for Halloween, the RSD edition of The Fleshtones' new album comes with a mask – check the discussion below. 

Dave Alvin previews From An Old Guitar rarities set with Dylan cover

Watch the new video for Dave's version of "Highway 61 Revisited" off From An Old Guitar out November 20th on Yep Roc.

Here's the scoop...

Dave (on vocals and electric guitar) was joined in studio by Greg Leisz (electric guitar), Gregory Boaz (bass), and Don Heffington (drums). "I called the musicians, figured out an arrangement somewhere between Mose Allison and Little Milton, plugged in my guitar and went for it," says Dave. "The guys and I had an absolute blast re-imagining this version of Mr. Dylan’s classic, and I sincerely hope you enjoy listening to it as much as we did playing it." Watch the video created by Victor Krummenacher below. Pre-order a copy of Dave Alvin's From An Old Guitar directly from Yep Roc right here. 

Dave Alvin – From An Old Guitar: Rare and Unreleased Recordings

Link of Chain

Highway 61 Revisited

Variations On Earl Hooker’s Guitar Rhumba

Amanda

Albuquerque

Mobile Blue

Perdido Street Blues

On The Way Downtown

Inside

Krazy And Ignatz

Peace

Man Walks Among Us

Beautiful City ‘Cross The River

Dynamite Woman

Who’s Been Here

Signal Hill Blues