RSD Essentials

Indie Exclusive - Includes 2 Bonus Tracks! - 2014 marks the 10th anniversary of the 3rd studio album ‘Great Western Valkyrie’. Originally released in June 2014, this album propelled Rival Sons to Rock N Roll royalty featuring the fan favourites ‘Electric Man, ‘Open My Eyes’ & ‘Good Things’ . It became the first Rival Sons album to achieve Top 20 status in the UK Album charts (peaking at #14). This very special anniversary edition includes 2 bonus studio tracks from the original album sessions for the first time on vinyl.

Indie Exclusive - 20th Anniversary Pressing! - Decapitated’s third studio album, 'The Negation', is a high-octane, raw mix of death metal and technical metal. Released in 2004, this record boasts the unique and impressive musicianship that Decapitated are renowned for, making it a must-have in every metal music aficionado's collection. The band will headline Damnation festival this November, performing The Negation in it’s entirety to celebrate this anniversary.

Indie Exclusive - Highly sought after classic second album from Swedish Death Metal legends Entombed. Pressed on purple vinyl exclusive to RSD Essentials. Originally released in 1991, the record followed their huge breakthrough debut ‘Left Hand Path’ and cemented their place at the forefront of the early Death Metal scene. Includes fan favourite and video track ‘Stranger Aeons’.

Indie Exclusive - FIRST TIME ON VINYL - Armed to the Teeth is Swollen Members' fifth full-length release, released on October 27, 2009. The album features guest appearances by Talib Kweli and Tech N9ne. In the United States the album debuted at #146 on the Billboard 200 with 3,400 copies sold in its first week, making it their first appearance on that chart.

ThinkIndie Exclusive - Velvert Turner is largely known for being a protégé and student of Jimi Hendrix, who he met as a teenager in New York in the late ‘60s. The influence is immediately clear, with respect to both Turner’s guitar work and vocals. Some have even mistaken his only album for a “lost” Hendrix recording. Velvert Turner Group’s self-titled 1972 release, which aptly closes with a tribute to Hendrix (a cover of “Freedom”), is now back on vinyl, remastered by Dave Gardner. This reissue features an alternate mix of the first song, “Madonna (of the Seven Moons)”, as a bonus track.

Indie Exclusive - This record is a must have for anyone who likes to listen, surf or dance. Energetic and reworked covers from the celebrated Californian group, The Challengers, will make sure you’re on your feet. Experience 60s nostalgia, pressed on heavyweight sea-glass blue vinyl.

Indie Exclusive - Early Texas blues recordings from Grammy® winner and Blues Hall of Fame inductee Johnny Winter, one of Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time. Pressed on beautiful heavyweight blue vinyl.

Indie Exclusive - Produced by Grammy Award winning producer Paul Moak, ‘See Where The Night Goes’ is the 3rd studio album from Nashville Rock N Roll prodigies Goodbye June. 11 tracks of the very finest modern day Rock music with a twist of southern twang and washed down with a shot of blues.

RSD Essential 065 - 35th Anniversary Pressing! The revolutionary kings of death metal Morbid Angel with their seminal debut album Altars Of Madness. Features some of the most legendary Death Metal tracks of all time including Immortal Rites, Maze Of Torment and Chapel Of Ghouls.

Indie Exclusive - Vince Guaraldi’s score for “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving" came out for the first time ever for the special’s 50thanniversary and charted as a top Jazz, soundtrack and children’s album upon its release, selling out all available copies. The complete soundtrack to the celebrated animated holiday television special, written and created by Charles Schulz, directed by Bill Melendez and Phil Roman and produced by Melendez and Lee Mendelson, includes the long-awaited release of many of Guaraldi’s classic compositions and performances along with never-before-heard bonus material.

Newly re-discovered in LMFP’s vaults, the original recording sessions for Vince Guaraldi's beloved soundtrack have been remixed and remastered for audiophiles and Peanuts® fans everywhere. The album includes many previously unreleased tracks, several never heard since the Vince Guaraldi Quintet laid them down for the recording session in 1973. All the songs were remastered from the original 2" 16 track source tapes.

This soundtrack from the 1973 holiday classic includes Guaraldi hits from the original sources like the funky brass filled "Linus and Lucy," "Thanksgiving Theme," and the soulful "Little Birdie." You will hear timbres from instruments that were previously buried in the show mix. Furthermore, there are bonus tracks for "Thanksgiving Interlude" demonstrating how Guaraldi crafted his score for the special; an additional keyboard on "Linus and Lucy;" and Guaraldi whistling the melody for "Is It James or Charlie?"

Beyond the composer's piano playing, the quintet is made up of Mike Clark on drums; Seward McCain (longest touring bassist with Guaraldi - holding down the electric bass at Guaraldi's request); Tom Harrell on trumpet to class up the album; and Chuck Bennett on Trombone. This is some of the funkiest Guaraldi you'll hear as his quintet leaned into the East Bay Sound, a type of funk that Mike Clark helped pioneer in the early ’70s. Guaraldi even lends his bluesy voice to introduce Woodstock with "Little Birdie." The album was remix engineered by Terry Carleton, restored and mastered by Vinson Hudson, and produced by Sean and Jason Mendelson. All versions include liner notes by Sean Mendelson and artwork from the original special. This Indie Exclusive repressing comes in a limited and exclusive Purple Jelly Bean Purple variant.

Indie Exclusive - Sister Rosetta Tharpe was the first great recording star of gospel music and among the first gospel musicians to appeal to rhythm-and-blues and rock-and-roll audiences. Later being referred to as "the original soul sister" and "the godmother of rock and roll”, Sister Rosetta’s influence is omnipresent. Long overdue, Tharpe was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as an Early Influence in 2018. This set from 1960 has plenty of variety, lots of sincere feeling, and high levels of musicianship from the unique performer. Highlights include "He's Got the Whole World In His Hands," "Didn't It Rain," "The Gospel Train" and "Down By the Riverside." The album was remastered for vinyl by Dave Gardner and pressed at Furnace Record Pressing on Oxblood color vinyl for RSD Essentials.

Indie Exclusive - Tripsichord’s self-titled album, originally released on the Janus label in 1970, is a quintessential piece of late 1960s and early 1970s psychedelic rock. The band, originally known as Tripsichord Music Box before shortening their name, was part of the burgeoning San Francisco music movement. The record is characterized by swirling guitar riffs, intricate melodies, rich vocal harmonies, and a mystic sound that encompassed both guitar-driven psych rock and reflective, melodic folk. Though not widely commercially successful, the album has become a sought-after collector's item, celebrated for its authentic representation of the psych era.

RSD Essential 060 - Earth A.D./Wolfs Blood is the last album released by American horror punk band Misfits to feature founding member and lead vocalist, Glenn Danzig. Danzig released it on his Plan 9 label in December 1983, two months after he played his last concert with the band. It was noticeably harder and faster than their previous releases, showing more of a hardcore punk sound. Since its release it has often been referred to as simply "Earth A.D." amongst fans. Originally released as a 9 song LP, it was later issued with the three tracks of the Die, Die My Darling EP incorporated into the track listing: "Die, Die My Darling", "Mommy, Can I Go Out and Kill Tonight?" and "We Bite". Glenn Danzig has said that the tracks "Bloodfeast" and "Death Comes Ripping" were originally intended for Samhain's first release but were added to what would be the Misfits' final record in a last-ditch effort to save the band. 

RSD Essential 061 - 50th Anniversary Pressing - Big Star, considered to be among the founders of power pop, has been cited as an influence by many of the major alternative bands of the ’80s and ’90s, and continues to be a powerful presence in today’s musical landscape. Radio City is the second album from Big Star. Released in 1974, Radio City includes “September Gurls” and “Back of a Car” which remain some of the most famous Big Star songs. The legacy of Radio City has far exceeded the original commercial letdowns of the album, which is now considered to be a milestone in the history of rock by critics and musicians alike. Both Radio City and #1 Record made it onto Rolling Stone‘s 500 “Greatest Albums of All Time” lists, while tracks from each album (“Thirteen” and “September Gurls”) are also among the magazine’s 500 “Greatest Songs of All Time".

RSD Essential 062 - AVAILABLE FOR THE FIRST TIME ON VINYL! - All the Brenton Wood classics, all in one album! Featuring hits like “The Oogum Boogum Song,” “Gimme Little Sign,” “Baby You Got It,” and many more, the quintessential compilation Brenton Wood’s 18 Best was initially released 1992 and serves as a showcase of Wood’s smooth, sure-handed delivery that cemented his place as one of the finest soul singers of his generation. This pressing marks the album’s vinyl debut.

RSD Essential 063 - “Czartificial Intelligence” debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Top New Artist Albums chart when it was released in November and was the #2 most-added at Hip-Hop That also makes it the #1 debut on the chart. The wins keep coming as the record also debuted on the genreless Top 200 chart, coming in the top half of all records and a top 10 debut for the week! The third full week of airplay for the LP saw 3s all around as it earned a third week on the Hip-Hop chart and another top 3 appearance! Over at NACC top 200, the record cracked into the Top 50, 40+ spots up to a new peak and one of the top 10 greatest gainers for the week! The album peaked at the NACC 200 in Week 4, just outside the Top 40! That week it also hit a peak at Earshot, topping that chart at #1! The album earned 5 weeks at #1 NACC Hip-Hop, the record so far for the 2024 NACC Hip-Hop Chart!
CZARFACE debuted with their self-titled album in 2013 though 7L, Esoteric and Inspectah Deck first worked together on the 12" single “Speaking Real Words” in 1999. The three continued to stay in touch, periodically working together and, in 2013, Esoteric approached Deck about a possible full-length project centered around a superhero character called
“CZARFACE."
What they thought would be a one-off mixtape-type project has now seen multiple albums featuring collaborations with the likes of MF Doom, Ghostface Killah, Roc Marciano, Conway the Machine, Mayhem Lauren, Method Man, Action Bronson, Vinnie Paz, Frankie Pulitzer, GZA and more. 

Indie Exclusive - Emerging from the late 1960s underground music scene, Clark-Hutchinson's collaborative masterpiece "A=MH" broke new ground in psychedelic rock. Guitarist Mick Hutchinson and drummer Andy Clark's fusion of blues, rock, and Eastern influences created a captivating sonic journey. The Underground Impresarios label brings this limited edition LP reissue on heavyweight red and black splatter effect vinyl.

Indie Exclusive - Lee Mendelson Film Productions (LMFP) is thrilled to announce the release - from recently rediscovered tapes - the complete Vince Guaraldi soundtrack to "It Was a Short Summer, Charlie Brown," the timeless 6th animated Peanuts® special, from writer and creator Charles Schulz, director Bill Melendez and producers Melendez and Lee Mendelson. Originally the special aired on September 27, 1969 on CBS-TV.

The album includes the original recordings that comprise the cues from the Special across twenty-six tracks, plus another 6 alternative tracks that have never been released or heard before.

Guaraldi lovingly created the soundtrack for the summer camp adventure where Charlie Brown and his gang face off against the girl’s camp lead by Peppermint Patty. The large jazz combo album also includes the best rendition of Guaraldi classic, "Love Will Come (Nova Bossa)" as well as the first use of additional percussion in Victor Feldman.

The recording features Guaraldi (piano), Monty Budwig (double bass), Jack Sperling (drums), Conti and Pete Candoli (trumpet), Frank Rosolino (trombone), Victor Feldman (percussion), Herb Ellis (guitar), Willian Hood and Peter Christlieb (woodwind), and John Scott Trotter as the orchestra leader. The soundtrack was produced by Sean and Jason Mendelson and restored and re-mastered by Vinson Hudson.

The album comes with liner notes that give a track-by-track analysis by Derrick Bang (author of "Vince Guaraldi at the Piano") and notes from Sean and Jason Mendelson, sons of Peanuts® producer Lee Mendelson. The album packaging also includes images from the special and images of historical documents from the found tapes.

Indie Exclusive - AVAILABLE FOR THE FIRST TIME ON VINYL! -  It Takes A Thief is the 2010 compilation from the Electronic duo, Thievery Corporation. The album is a collection of tracks specially selected by Rob Garza and Eric Hilton for longtime fans and for music lovers who have heard of Thievery Corporation but may have never listened to the band. It Takes a Thief features 'Lebanese Blonde,' the beautiful track used on the Grammy award-winning Garden State Soundtrack, as well as 'Sound the Alarm', the funk-infused track that has become a
staple opening track for the band's live shows. Now released on vinyl for the first time – this exclusive RSD Essentials variant is available on coke bottle green vinyl.

Indie Exclusive - Coalmine Records digs into their storied discography to unveil their ten-year anniversary reissue of Highway Robbery, the collaborative concept album from Detroit’s heavyweight emcee Guilty Simpson and Philly beat smith Small Professor. Weighing in at 11 tracks, the project places the listener in a seemingly post-apocalyptic Detroit where the mentality is feast or famine. Highway Robbery plays as one long narrative of Guilty’s day-to-day survival in Detroit’s concrete jungle, all set to the tone of Small Professor’s foreboding, percussion heavy production. Featuring guest appearances from Detroit’s Boldy James, A.G. (of D.I.T.C.), Elucid and Castle, the album is further highlighted with the meticulous turntablism of both Statik Selektah and DJ Revolution. This reissue also boasts the Zilla Rocca remix of “Go” which features Audible Doctor on the cuts. A decade removed from its original release, Highway Robbery remains a gratifying listen and strong addition to anyone’s hiphop record collection with its high-level lyricism, avant-garde production value and overall creativity.

Indie Exclusive - From 2006-2010 Shane Bunting aka Madchild was on a kamikaze run with the drug oxycontin that pushed him to the brink of oblivion. Hitting rock bottom, his addiction spiraled out of control and destroyed everything the successful emcee had worked so hard to build with is platinum selling hip-hop group Swollen Members. The fancy cars, lavish houses and rock star luxuries were all gone, as his addiction had consumed over 3 million dollars worth of assets and finances in just over four years. Clean from drugs for the first time in his adult life, Madchild removed himself from temptation by walking away from his previous social life and bunkered down in his home studio secluded from the outside world. For the next 10 months, Madchild feverishly wrote and recorded his first ever solo album, 2012's Dope Sick.

Indie Exclusive - Pickin’ On Green Day is a collection of some of the biggest and best-loved songs from the legendary East Bay punks reinterpreted through the framework of classic bluegrass instrumentation and vocal stylings. Three groups from the Pickin’ On roster – The Sidekicks, Honeywagon and Cornbread Red – provide different shades of bluegrass to Green Day’s singular songwriting. Each track showcases what one always suspects listening to the great pop-punks – that underneath the distortion and attitude are classic, enduring hooks that transcend style.

Indie Exclusive - The Jazz Rewind label is back with another first edition recording by two American jazz giants, Sonny Stitt and Red Holloway. This saxophone duo regularly performed and recorded together since 1967. Sonny Stitt sadly passed away in 1982. This Cobden’s Place set from Manchester UK, 4 March 1981 is previously unreleased on any format. They perform alongside other jazz musicians including Vinny Parker (Piano), Pete Glennon (Bass) and Ron Parry (Drums). Enjoy this first edition LP on heavyweight orange colored vinyl.

Indie Exclusive - The Jazz Rewind label brings this rare concert recording to vinyl for the first time. Part of the Las Vegas Union series of live recordings from 1963. Personnel here includes Gerry Mulligan (Baritone Saxophone), Bob Brookmeyer (Trombone), Gus Johnson (drums) and Bill Crow (bass). The musical partnership of Gerry Mulligan and Bob Brookmeyer was quite special. In 1963, Mulligan was well on his way to becoming the best known baritone-saxophonist of all time while Brookmeyer was arguably the finest valve trombonist in jazz history. Both had complementary styles, witty ideas, very fluent technique and easily identifiable sounds. Enjoy this first edition LP on heavyweight blue colored vinyl.