Rocksteady Records

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds magnificent “Wild God” LP is now in the Rocksteady racks.
Huge thanks to all who attended our listening event last night - it was pretty damn special.

Handshakes and hugs to Tom for getting the tech happening and for setting a couple of land speed records, to Callum for his deep dive on the decks and to all the PIAS/Inertia crew (especially Mari, Robbie, Scott, Pat and Alyssa) for banging the bits together.

Fresh from the always excellent Hobbledehoy Records, comes the long awaited second pressing of Luke Howard and Nadje Noordhuis, “Ten Sails”.

Ten exquisite miniatures written by Australian pianist/composer Luke Howard and Brooklyn-based trumpeter Nadje Noordhuis, recorded on Nils Frahm’s piano in a Berlin apartment in the summer of 2014.
Combining cinematic sweep, transportive emotion, and rich melodic grandeur. Noordhuis politely suggests: “If you will, choose a perfect time to take a listen. A cloudy day, a wistful moment, a contemplative stare out the window, mooning over a lost love or your tax bill.“

There are just 500 blue vinyl copies in this repress and you can grab one or two of them at Rocksteady Records Lvl 1 (Upstairs) Mitchell House 358 Lonsdale Street 9:30AM - 6PM

Finally, my very favourite Cocteau Twins (related) album receives a vinyl reissue. “The Moon and the Melodies” is a singular record within the Cocteau Twins’ catalogue - unusually ethereal, even by their standards, and largely instrumental, guided by the free-form improvisations of ambient pioneer, Harold Budd.
Building on the atmospheric bliss of “Victorialand”, released earlier in 1986, it signalled a possible future for the trio, yet it was a path they’d never take again. Now, almost forty years after it was first released, it’s reissued and remastered from the original tapes, by Robin Guthrie.

Descend into the drift at Rocksteady Records Lvl 1 (Upstairs) Mitchell House 358 Lonsdale Street 9:30AM - 6PM

Grab a copy of Fontaines DC’s “Romance” LP from Rocksteady Records this week and you’ll score the FDC showbag and be entered in the draw to win a numbered “Romance” test pressing and a slip mat.

If you’ve already collected your copy, you are in the draw.

Big thanks to Fontaines DC, Remote Control Records, XL Recordings and Inertia Music

If you’ve recently caught The Stems on their anniversary tour, you can recapture the rapture with a green vinyl copy of the just released “The Stems Official Live Recording” from Rocksteady Records.

On November 11, 2017, during the 3rd of a highly successful 6 show national tour, Dom Mariani, Julian Matthews and Dave Shaw, bolstered by Ashley Naylor (Even, Paul Kelly, The Church) and bonus Davey Lane (You Am I) took to the stage at the legendary Gov Hotel in Adelaide for what was to be a scintillating live set. This is that smoking set unleashed by Cheersquad Records

We have one copy left of “Bubblegum XX” - the 20th Anniversary box set of Mark Lanegan’s acclaimed sixth solo album, “Bubblegum” - an album that sees arguably the towering male vocalist of his time joined by Greg Dulli, Dean Ween, Josh Homme, Nick Oliveri, Izzy Stradlin, Wendy Rae Fowler, Alain Johannes, Duff McKagan and, most majestically, PJ Harvey.
The 4LP box contains a 64-page hardcover book with essays by Troy Van Leewuen, Josh Homme, Chris Goss, Alain Johannes, David Catching, Greg Dulli, Duff McKagan, and Brett Netson along with studio notes and striking previously unseen photographs by Steve Gullick. It includes “Bubblegum” which has been cut as a remastered 2LP, a remastered edition of “Here Comes That Weird Chill (Methamphetamine Blues, Extras & Oddities)” to which three bonus tracks have been added. The fourth LP contains demos and unreleased tracks, comprised of outtakes from the Bubblegum sessions and tracks recorded, produced and mixed by Troy Van Leeuwen in various hotel rooms.

Dig the dark and tender stuff at Rocksteady Records Lvl 1 (Upstairs) Mitchell House 358 Lonsdale Street 12 - 5PM

Naarm/Melbourne melody mavens, Quivers deliver the goods with “Oyster Cuts”, their debut album for Merge Records and their third overall. This is the tough and tender stuff with each track a polished diamond that’ll slice and dice the hardest heart.

Surrender to the melodic muscle with a copy from Rocksteady Records Lvl 1 (Upstairs) Mitchell House 358 Lonsdale Street 9:30AM - 5PM

We’ve got a couple of the Fontaines DC “Romance” show bags still available at Lvl 1 (Upstairs) Mitchell House 358 Lonsdale Street 9:30AM - 7PM.

Lots of other New Releases, Reissues and restocks hitting the racks.

Mighty excited to announce that DAN KELLY Featuring REGIONAL CRISIS will be performing at Rocksteady Records from 4PM on Saturday September 7.

It’s a free, all-ages gig to celebrate the release of the new album, “Goldfeels”.
Copies of the new album will be available at the instore performance.

The regional launch show is at The Bridge Hotel, Castlemaine on Sunday, September 8.

This instore event will be taking place on the lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin nation. We pay our respects to elders past and present, and we acknowledge that sovereignty was never ceded.

Honoured to be stocking “Nothing To Declare”, the new album by Baggage Handler.
Baggage Handler is the outcome of a unique collaboration between musician Dom Mariani (The Stems, Datura4, The Majestic Kelp etc) and renowned visual artist Jon Tarry who works with sculpture, drawing, painting and film.

The artists generate an interweaving, sonically diverse, spatial experience. Evoking narrative and non-narrative film scores, each track of “Nothing To Declare” embodies memory of transition, gliding, or free falling into dimensions of the uncanny where imaginations are released.

If Jon Hassell, Juliana Barwick, Ry Cooder, Brian Eno and Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith are on your dream team, “Nothing To Declare” is the record for you and you can get one at Rocksteady Records

Straight from Absorb Music, “Thought Makes Music” is the highly anticipated LP by gi, solo moniker of sonic explorer, Gigi De Lacy (Optic Nerve).

Across eight tracks, this is electronic music less concerned with narrative so much as with landscape as gi employs a set of recurring samples, melodies and drums to conjure the atmosphere that permeates the record. Fascinatingly, the repetition constantly rearranges itself via generative drum programming and resampled modulation. This impulse for repetition snowballs into a prominent exploration into feedback both subtle and overt throughout the album.

Engage with the process with a copy from Rocksteady Lvl 1 (Upstairs) Mitchell House 358 Lonsdale Street 9:30AM - 6PM

Following a revelatory chat with Peter Milton Walsh, I’ve recently been spending a lot of time re- exploring Jessica Pratt’s “Here In The Pitch”. The beguiling quality of her voice is apparent from the first listen. Recent spins have revealed that the lyrics and settings have the ability to seemingly stretch time in a manner similar to Dylan, Gillian Welch, Scott Walker and Peter himself. There’s also a lovely echo of Tracey Thorn in a song or two.

Take the deep dive on “Here In The Pitch” - you won’t regret it.

Copies available at Rocksteady Records 12 - 5PM today.

All the groove groups are here so dig in to Triple R’s Radiothon.

Subscribe and/or donate during Radiothon for your chance to win some mouthwatering prizes, and most importantly, help support community radio that supports you.
PLUS Triple R subscribers receive a DISCOUNT at Rocksteady Records and a huge number of other supporting businesses and services.
Subscribe and/or donate now at rrr.org.au and we’ll see you in the sonic soup.

Radiothon artwork by Siobhan McCarthy.

Here’s an album guaranteed to hit you hard in the head, hips and heart: Proud First Nations artists Dallas Woods, N***y and Angus Field make up 3% and “Kill The Dead” is their debut album.

Their name is a nod to their people who make up just 3% of the Australian population. “3% is that connection we can all have regardless of how different our tribes and countries are,” says N***y

“Kill The Dead” explores themes of Indigenous deaths in custody, closing the gap and reclaiming stolen land. Fusing the soaring vocals of Field with the skills and songwriting talents of Woods and N***y, “Kill The Dead” is an essential debut.

S***k your ear-bones with a coloured vinyl copy from Rocksteady Records.

Always a celebration when The Orbweavers uneveil a new album. “New Moon/Silver Moon” is a nuanced and moving response to the many layered histories of two places: Narrm / Melbourne, and Broken Hill on Wilyakali Country, and surrounding Barkindji Country. The songs of New Moon/Silver Moon ponder waterways, ecosystems and industrial history, along with personal stories and reflections from the present.

Unleashed by the always excellent Mistletone Records, “New Moon/SilverMoon” is one of the finest albums of 2024 and you can let a copy into your life at Rocksteady Records

Unleashed by the unyielding Legless label, Billiam’s “Animation Cel” shakes up the Ramones, Screamers and bits of Wire in a blistering blend of Lo-fi synth-punk and top notch power-pop. Nail down your turntable and secure your speakers before you come grab one from Rocksteady. Make it quick - only 300 copies pressed.

Album cover art: Sam McKenzie

What happens when you put two frustrated gay record label nerds together from opposite ends of the world? You get The Male G**s - cross-continental DIY q***r pop from Guy Blackman, label boss of Melbourne, Australia’s long-running Chapter Music, and Bart McDonagh, stalwart of London’s legendary Domino Records and owner of his own imprint Amour Foo. 
On their debut release, a limited three song 7” EP, Bart and Guy sing in wobbly voices about rejecting q***r cynicism, the need to rid the world of white boys wielding guitars (which includes themselves, naturally) and the difference between being outpunk and being an actual punk. 

The Male G**s single includes valuable musical contributions from Australian guitarist Alex Macfarlane (Twerps, the Stevens), Porto/London stringsmith Ana Rita de Melo Alves and Melbourne flute virtuoso Hank Clifton Williamson (Sarah Mary Chadwick). Mikey Young (Total Control, Eddy Current Suppression Ring) mixed and mastered the recordings. 
The cover art is by Milwaukee artist Bob Stocki, originally made for 1970s gay publication GPU News. 

Be kind to yourself and secure a copy from Rocksteady Records 9:30AM - 6PM at Lvl 1 (Upstairs) Mitchell House 358 Lonsdale Street

Always a good time when DJ Davis drops by for a chat and to pick up some tunes. Brother D is pretty keen on “Flight b741”, the new album from King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard. If you can conjur the sound of Creedence Clearwater Revival jamming with Thin Lizzy in Marc Bolan’s garage, you’d be pretty excited too.
Grab the grooves good at Rocksteady Records Lvl 1 (Upstairs) Mitchell House 358 Lonsdale Street 9:30AM - 6PM

Styling by Off The Top Of My Head

Always a cause for joy when A Tribe Called Quest’s “The Low End Theory” is back in the racks. Filled with hip hop high water marks and hits like ‘Check The Rhime’, ‘Jazz (We’ve Got)’, ‘Scenario’ and ‘Buggin’ Out’; my current obsession is penultimate track, ‘What’ - 2:29 of minimalist perfection and a little mystery.
Check it out 12 - 5PM at Rocksteady Records Lvl 1 (Upstairs) Mitchell House 358 Lonsdale Street

Pre-order or purchase a copy of Fontaine D.C.‘s imminent “Romance” LP from Rocksteady Records and you score a Fontaines D.C. showbag.
Hit me here with a DM to register your pre-order or grab a copy in the shop from the August 23 release date (while stock last).

Big thanks to Fontaines D.C., XL Recordings, Remote Control Records and Inertia Music

Overjoyed to have Alex Albrecht’s new release “Aurora” back in the racks.

The Naarm/Melbourne based composer and sound designer returns with five tracks of woozy melodies intertwined with skittering drums and sinuous grooves. The bountiful bonus is a remix of the title track by Roza Terenzi, who entirely reworks ‘Aurora’ with her signature club ready grooves.

You could spend a weekend in “Aurora” so grab a copy from Rocksteady. Lvl 1 (Upstairs) Mitchell House 358 Lonsdale Street 9:30AM - 7PM

To mark their anniversary tour, legendary Western Australian band The Stems have unleashed a new single. 
“Falling from the Sky’ is the band’s first recording since their 2007 album ‘Heads Up’ and features original member Dom Mariani with long termers Julian Matthews, Dave Shaw and current guitarist Ashley Naylor (Even, The Church, Paul Kelly).
‘Falling From The Sky’ blends a monster throbbing groove, a wild fuzz tone hook and ringing vocals to be a more than worthy addition to The Stems stellar catalogue.
Catch a Limited Edition purple copy at Rocksteady Records and get The Stems in front of you when they sweep the nation on their celebratory tour.

Big thanks to Merryn Jeann (fresh from the Jesus & Mary Chain tour) for dropping by with copies of her latest album, the sublime DOG BEACH.
Recorded with the renowned Rob Ellis, DOG BEACH finds Merryn confidently twisting and turning genres, employing multiple viewpoints within lyrics to bring apparently disparate ideas together in a playful yet meaningful whole.

Let yourself off the leash with a signed copy from Rocksteady Records Lvl 1 (Upstairs) Mitchell House 358 Lonsdale Strret 9:30AM - 6PM

Sliding some slices of nice into the secondhand section.
See you here at Lvl 1 (Upstairs) Mitchell House 358 Lonsdale Street 9:30AM - 6PM

It’s been a while since we’ve had these heavy hitters in stock. Come grab ‘em at Lvl 1 (Upstairs) Mitchell House 358 Lonsdale Strret 9:30AM - 6PM

Diving deep within a revelatory discovery in the Tinariwen archives, Kel Tinariwen is an early cassette tape recorded in the early 90s that never received a wider release, and sheds new light on the band’s already rich history.

Not having yet developed the fuller band sound that they became internationally established with, Kel Tinariwen features their trademark hypnotic guitar lines and call-and-response vocals weaving in between raw drum machine rhythms and keyboard melodies that almost evoke an Arabic take on 80s synth-pop.

Take the tape trip today from 12 - 5PM at Lvl 1 (Upstairs) Mitchell House 358 Lonsdale Strret

A bunch of restock shipments hit the racks late on Friday. Glide on by to top up your tune tank at Lvl 1 (Upstairs) Mitchell House 358 Lonsdale Street 9:30AM - 5PM

Secret squirrel release from The Smile: Extremely limited two- track 12”, ‘Don’t Get Me Started’ / ‘The Slip’.

Limited copies in stock at Rocksteady Records. No holds, come grab one at Lvl 1 (Upstairs) Mitchell House 358 Lonsdale Street 9:30AM - 7PM

Sliding some sweet sevens into the secondhand section at Lvl 1 (Upstairs) Mitchell House 358 Lonsdale Street 9:30AM - 6PM

“Spit Polish,” the second studio album by melody maven and cultural attaché, Tim Rogers, emerges from the vaults to celebrate its 20th anniversary. Originally released in 2004, this red vinyl release presents a long-awaited opportunity to revisit a beloved classic.
On “Spit Polish,” Rogers is joined by The Temperance Union, which features the talents of the late Stuart Speed, Rebecca Barnard, Ian Kitney, Lisa Miller and Shane O’Mara. Together, they voyage beyond mere rock, country, and folk to struggle ashore at a near mythical land carved out of “Let It Bleed’ and “All Shook Down”.

It’s a perfect Winter warmer and you can get one at Rocksteady Records