Today Only: Post Rock/Experimental sale vinyl

Review: Liverpool's Courting are a breath of fresh air, totally breaking from the received traditions of their home city with an overarchingly alt-rock album, New Last Name, with sounds distinctly informed by the emo and punk sounds known to have developed in the USA, though in reality it weaves between indie and dance-pop too. New Last Name is unabashed in its melodic sensibility and high-fantasmic references; unrestrained and chaotic, the album always meanders stylistically but always brings it together, largely by way of its notable use of autotune on every track on Sean Murphy O'Neill's vocals. An amazing sophomore record to complement 2022's Guitar Music.

Review: New Zealand's foremost, fearless noise rock outfit The Dead C transmitted their dirt-caked sound to the world through a trio of albums in the 90s. Nowadays they're aligned with NYC label Ba Da Bing!, who deemed it high time these seminal slabs got a bigger audience. Originally recorded in the winter of 1994, The White House is a shade more direct than its gnarly predecessor The Operation of the Sonne, but only by a fraction. The trio's sound is pointedly inward looking and actively pursuing a fidelity which renders voice, guitar and drums as one coagulated beast. The fact it still kicks on the likes of 'Pitcher' despite this rejection of clarity is testament to the formidable playing and intent of the band, and perhaps the benefit of a fresh but considered remaster.