PRE-ORDER OKNOTOK 1997-2017

Radiohead’s landmark album, OK Computer, is set to be rereleased in a special 20th anniversary pack on Friday 23 June, and our music and DVD manager Dave Clarke is extremely excited.

He writes: ‘The year is 1997. I have just turned 29, I am obsessed with something called Saturn Return’s, and with an album by English alternative rock group Radiohead. That album is OK Computer, and it became my constant companion while considering major life decisions. It was the album of the 90s for people of my generation. From the album’s intelligent visual imagery, to Thom Yorke’s mysterious lyrics, I was hooked. The album is about to turn 20 and I am closer to 50. Older than I care to think about.

In 1997 I was freaking out about entering my 30th year. I feel much more sanguine about aging now. It happens, you can’t do much about it. I am not about to buy a red sports car, or change jobs or partner. Nor any of those cliché things people (men) do in their middle age. I am however going to buy the new version of this album which they have dubbed OKNOTOK 1997-2017 and once again immerse myself in its timelessness and power. It is set to be released in a 2CD or 3LP format with extra tracks, all remastered from the original analogue tapes.’

Pre-order your copy of OKNOTOK 1997-2017 (in whichever format) here.

STAFF MUSIC PICKS OF THE MONTH

St Kilda music buyer Declan Murphy recommends…

1. The Texas- Jerusalem Crossroads by Lift to Experience
Long unavailable on either CD or vinyl, this masterpiece from the Texan three piece has finally been given a richly deserved reissue. The band made only one record and promptly imploded, but what a record!

2. Dave Godin’s Deep Soul Treasures (Taken From The Vaults…) by various
A collection of deep soul classics compiled by the man who coined the term: Northern Soul. ‘Nuff said.

3. Nilsson Schmilsson by Harry Nilsson
There was and only ever will be one Harry Nilsson. This is a special release of his 1971 classic on yellow and white vinyl for Record Store Day 2017.

St Kilda music specialist Mike Skinner recommends…

1. In The Same Room by Julia Holter
On this 2017 release Holter and her touring band re-imagine some of the best cuts from her last two studio albums, stripping back her experimental dream-pop to its core elements. The result is an excellent live recording that reveals the restless, wandering quality of Holter’s compositions and the dynamism of her band.

2. Unhalfbricking by the Fairport Convention
The Fairport Convention released three classic albums in 1969; Unhalfbricking, for my money, is the most arresting and varied of the three. It was here – on tracks such as 'A Sailor’s Life’ – that the band transformed British folk ballads into slow-burning jams, with Sandy Denny’s vocals hovering eerily above the squall. The album also contains Denny’s near-perfect ‘Who Knows Where the Time Goes?’, later covered by Nina Simone.

3. Front Row Seat To Earth by Weyes Blood
Natalie Mering – AKA Weyes Blood – spent her formative years playing in the Portland experimental rock scene, a musical history that tinges her chamber-pop with shimmering drones and bursts of psychedelic noise. This album, her second full length, brings Mering’s lyrics and vocals to the fore, creating an album that’s rich in both production and song craft. Weyes Blood is always on high rotation at Readings St Kilda!

4. Jon Savage’s 1967: the Year Pop Divided by various
Have you ever wished for an expertly curated mix-tape of underground 1960s gems? Jon Savage delivers just that on this brilliant and weird collection of soul, garage rock and psychedelic pop. Though the two-disc set covers a range of genres, Savage teases out the musical threads connecting these disparate styles: fuzzed-out guitars, gritty production, and blistering, one-take performances. It’s also the perfect musical companion to Jon Savage’s recent book, 1966: The Year the Decade Exploded.

St Kilda shop manager Amy Vuleta recommends…

1. Navigator by Hurray for the Riff Raff
Hurray for the Riff Raff is one of those bands that seem to have passed somewhat under the radar in the mainstream, but I don’t think that will remain the case for long. This new album, Navigator, is a force beyond expectations – it starts with gentle folk tracks, beguiling lyrics, and then the vocals crescendo to a precise and impassioned intensity that will stop you in your tracks. Check this band out. Their previous release, Small Town Heroes, is equally impressive and affecting.

2. Pleasure by Feist
I’ve been waiting for a new album from Feist since 2011’s release of Metals, which was one of my favourite albums of the past decade. Her latest release is Pleasure, in store for about a week now, and rapidly making its way onto our high-rotation playlist. Most people would know Feist from her hit single ‘1234’ from 2007’s The Reminder. Her more recent releases have been less pop-driven, and have extended the richness of Feist’s depth of sound and her incredibly powerful vocal range.

3. Half Mile Harvest by The Teskey Brothers
We were incredibly lucky to have local band The Teskey Brothers play in store on Record Store Day last month, and since seeing them do their thing live, I’ve been listening to their new album, Half Mile Harvest. The album is soulful blues, played with skill and heart and love for the music. If you get a chance to catch these boys playing live, be sure to check them out; until then, get your hands on a copy of this album and listen loud!

FREE EVENTS FOR MUSIC LOVERS

Our Hawthorn shop is pleased to offer Readings customers a rare chance to experience a live performance by the Grigoryan Brothers! Slava and Leonard will play songs from their new album, Songs Without Words, at 11am on Saturday 13 May.

This event is free but please book here.

(Also for classical music listeners, make sure you check out our classical music picks for May here.)

On Melbourne’s north side, our Carlton shop is hosting an in-conversation event with Triple J Unearthed winner Ali Barter at 6.30pm on Thursday 11 May. Come along to hear her discuss her latest album, A Suitable Girl with rock journalist Michael Dwyer.

This event is free, but please book here.