By JOHN DALY
There is strong interest in 1980s nostalgia these days and record labels are stepping up with eagerly anticipated releases in the first quarter of 2019.
Punk and alternative titles are strong in the first three months of the year. Records by The Flesh Eaters, Soul Asylum and Hunt Sales kick off what is expected to be a strong year for both new and reissued music.
The Flesh Eaters’ I Used to Be Pretty brings together legendary musicians from The Blasters, X and Los Lobos to create a record that gets to the heart of punk’s early California roots.
Read The Flesh Eaters review here.
Soul Asylum’s punk years are captured and remastered with While You Were Out combined with Clam Dip and Other Delights from Omnivore. There are a few unreleased gems in this collection originally recorded in the mid-1980s.
Fat Possum releases the Hunt Sales Memorial album Get Your Shit Together on its Big Legal Mess label and it marks the first solo album from the sideman to David Bowie, Iggy Pop and Todd Rundgren. Sales has done a lot of living and tells his stories on the new album.
Check out The Flesh Eaters ‘My Life To Live’ video here:
Anticipated Q1 2019 Releases
January 18, 2019 – The Flesh Eaters – I Used to Be Pretty (Yep Roc) – reunion album features Chris D., Dave Alvin, John Doe, Steve Berlin, Bill Bateman, D.J. Bonebrake
January 19, 2018 – Soul Asylum – While You Were Out/Clam Dip & Other Delights (Omnivore) – expanded reissue of the band’s pre-major Twin/Tone years
January 25, 2019 – Hunt Sales Memorial – Get Your Shit Together (Blg Legal Mess/Fat Possum) – rockin’ debut of new band from Bowie/Iggy/Rundgren/Tin Machine member, now based in Austin
January 25, 2019 – Amelia White – Rhythm of the Rain (self-released) – East Nashvillian’s seventh album, produced by Dave Coleman (The Coal Men) with a co-write with Lori McKenna
Watch Choice Releases on the CaliforniaRocker.com Video Playlist “Cool Tunes” here:
February 1, 2019 – Van Duren –Van Duren — Waiting: The Van Duren Story Original Documentary Soundtrack (Omnivore) – obscure even by Big Star standards, this Memphis pop artist from the ‘70s is celebrated in new film documentary and Omnivore soundtrack
February 8, 2019 – Charlie Faye & the Fayettes – The Whole Shebang (self-released) — modern-day retro-pop from Austin’s Charlie Faye, BettySoo and Akina Adderley, plus guest appearances by Bill Kirchen and Pete Thomas (The Attractions).
February 22, 2019 – Luther Russell – Medium Cool (Fluff & Gravy) of Those Pretty Wrongs with Jody Stephens; also a 7-inch single
March 8, 2018– Leo Bud Welch – The Angels In Heaven Done Signed My Name (Easy Eye) –his final album, produced by Dan Auerbach
March 1, 2019 – 3/1 – Dennis Coffey – Live At Baker’s (Omnivore) – archival recording from legendary Motown/Funk Brothers guitarist, live at the Detroit jazz venue
March 22, 2019 – Leroy Jodie Pierson – Rusty Nail (Omnivore) – blues from the legendary Nighthawk label’s founder
March 29, 2019 – Uncle Walt’s Band – Uncle Walt’s Band (Omnivore) – debut album from legendary Spartanburg/Nashville/Austin band that spawned Walter Hyatt, David Ball and Champ Hood.