DROPS

Failure Will Follow Exclusive 2LP With Autographed Insert

A Newbury Comics exclusive color vinyl pressing. LP includes cover art print insert signed by the band.The Acacia Strain — vocalist Vincent Bennett; guitarists Devin Shidaker and Mike Mulholland; bassist Griffin Landa; and drummer Kevin Boutot — are pleased to announce their second new album of 2023, FAILURE WILL FOLLOW, out via Rise Records. Etching on side D.

I'll Never Forget CD (Autographed)

CD includes insert signed by Allan Clarke.After returning unexpectedly from a 20-year retirement with successful comeback album Resurgence in 2019, the voice of The Hollies – Allan Clarke - is back with a stunning new record.I’ll Never Forget reunites Allan with his old Hollies bandmate, Graham Nash of Crosby, Stills And Nash fame. The two old friends from Manchester began writing together during the pandemic after over 40 years, resulting in the effortlessly catchy Buddy’s Back, a tribute to the rock & roll great The Hollies were named after. Graham’s beautiful trademark harmonies are present throughout the album, but this is very much Allan’s record, tackling spirituality and redemption as well as romance in “The Presence Of You;” the first love song Allan has written for his wife Jennifer (the “Jennifer” in The Hollies’ classic “Jennifer Eccles”) after 59 years of marriage.As Allan says: “This album takes me back to the times when I started in music. I never thought I’d sing again. But I think these songs are good enough for me to try again, and I’ve enjoyed making them. I hope listeners can connect with the album and enjoy the same feelings I’ve experienced.”

Mystical Magical Rhythmical Radical Ride CD (Autographed)

CD includes cover art insert signed by Jason Mraz.JASON MRAZ is living full spiral. It’s not full circle, exactly, because he’s changed and his experiences have changed, but on his 8th studio album, MYSTICALMAGICAL RHYTHMICAL RADICAL RIDE, the musician has found himself returning to a familiar junction in space. Throughout the album, there are hints of MRAZ’s formative releases, including his 2002 debut Waiting For My Rocket to Come and 2005’s Mr. A-Z, but it ultimately finds a kinship with 2008’s We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things. The new songs, which are unabashedly pop, see MRAZ reuniting with numerous collaborators, including L.A. band Raining Jane and producer Martin Terefe, who helmed the 2008 breakout album. The songs grapple with the emotions and experiences that come with being in your mid-life, a time that is often ignored by pop songwriters. Its optimistic, inspiring sensibility reflects the musician’s overall approach to being in the world. It is, in fact, full spiral, reflecting the past but becoming something new.

Step Into The Light Exclusive LP With Autographed Insert

A Newbury Comics exclusive color vinyl pressing. LP includes cover art print insert signed by the band. The Acacia Strain — vocalist Vincent Bennett; guitarists Devin Shidaker and Mike Mulholland; bassist Griffin Landa; and drummer Kevin Boutot —are pleased to announce their new album STEP INTO THE LIGHT, out via Rise Records. The highly anticipated album was produced by Randy Leboeuf (Every Time I Die, Lorna Shore, Bad Omens). "Excited to finally be able to talk about the next chapter of The Acacia Strain," says Bennett. "As soon as you think you know what you're getting, we try to surprise you. Hold your breath for a bit — we might just surprise you again."

Queen Of Me CD (Autographed)

CD includes insert signed by Shania Twain.Five-time Grammy® award winning and multi-platinum selling icon, Shania Twain, announces her new album, Queen Of Me, out February 3, 2023 on Republic Nashville, a division of Republic Records. Her sixth original full-length album, Queen Of Me, is the superstar's most triumphant-feeling body of work; an album about standing in your own power and worshipping yourself. Its lead single “Waking Up Dreaming” was co-written and produced with BTS hitmaker David Stewart.

The Love Still Held Me Near Exclusive 2LP (Autographed)

A Newbury Comics exclusive color vinyl pressing. LP includes postcard signed by Dallas Green.Produced by Green and longtime band member and collaborator Matt Kelly, the 12 songs that comprise The Love Still Held Me Near follow the most difficult period in Green’s life, including the tragic loss of his best friend in 2019.With six studio albums to date, City and Colour has amassed a legion of passionate fans worldwide who connect with the depth and intimacy of Green’s songs. The Love Still Held Me Near finds the songwriter revealing more of himself amidst new textures, arrangements and soundscapes not previously heard on City and Colour albums.

Radio Songs LP With Autographed Postcard

Purchase includes postcard signed by Dave Rowntree.Rowntree came to prominence as a founding member of the rock band Blur, one of the most successful British bands of the last two decades, Blur have won a total of five BRIT Awards, and were twice nominated for the Mercury Music Award. Announcing their debut album Leisure in 1991, Blur continued to revolutionise the sound of English popular music with second release Modern Life Is Rubbish (1993). Five successive UK #1 albums followed - with Parklife (1994) and The Great Escape (1995) helping to propel the band to mass popularity in the UK and beyond. The eponymous Blur was released in 1997 and seventh album Think Tank (2003). In 2015 the band returned with The Magic Whip It was the band's first studio album in 12 years.The album received acclaim from music critics. It debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart, marking Blur's sixth UK number-one album. It has been certified Gold by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) for sales of over 100,000 copies.In recent years, his film and TV composing work has included soundtracks for Netflix sci-fi series The One and BBC One’s technological crime thriller The Capture.

Radio Songs CD With Autographed Postcard

Purchase includes postcard signed by Dave Rowntree.Rowntree came to prominence as a founding member of the rock band Blur, one of the most successful British bands of the last two decades, Blur have won a total of five BRIT Awards, and were twice nominated for the Mercury Music Award. Announcing their debut album Leisure in 1991, Blur continued to revolutionise the sound of English popular music with second release Modern Life Is Rubbish (1993). Five successive UK #1 albums followed - with Parklife (1994) and The Great Escape (1995) helping to propel the band to mass popularity in the UK and beyond. The eponymous Blur was released in 1997 and seventh album Think Tank (2003). In 2015 the band returned with The Magic Whip It was the band's first studio album in 12 years.The album received acclaim from music critics. It debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart, marking Blur's sixth UK number-one album. It has been certified Gold by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) for sales of over 100,000 copies.In recent years, his film and TV composing work has included soundtracks for Netflix sci-fi series The One and BBC One’s technological crime thriller The Capture.

Personal Journals Exclusive 2LP With Autographed Postcard

A Newbury Comics exclusive color vinyl pressing. Includes postcard signed by Sage Francis. Originally released in 2002, Personal Journals blindsided the music industry with the deeply revealing, confessional lyricism of DIY stalwart Sage Francis. One of the best selling indie-hip hop records of all time, Personal Journals lead the charge into a fresh new era for the underground music world. Since the release of PJ, Sage has released 3 LPs on Anti-/Epitaph Records, sold over 100,000 albums, started his own independent label Strange Famous Records, and dropped two projects with his group Epic Beard Men. SFR is proud to present the 20th Anniversary limited edition reissue of this genre-defining classic on colored vinyl, including a full-size 16-page booklet, featuring the full album lyrics reprinted for the first time, plus never-before-seen photos and the behind-the-scenes journal entries from the original CD version of the album.

Sonder CD (Autographed)

CD includes insert signed by Dermot Kennedy.The announcement of Irish singer/songwriter Dermot Kennedy's sophomore album ‘Sonder’ has been anticipated by fans and critics alike since the global success of his million-selling #1 debut album ‘Without Fear.’ The title ‘Sonder’ defined as “the realization that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own," is reflected in a body of work that will have fans enthralled from start to finish.

Gothic Luxury Exclusive 2LP With Autographed Insert

A Newbury Comics exclusive color vinyl pressing. Purchase includes 4.5" square insert signed by Meechy Darko.Meechy Darko, an artist who has achieved both critical acclaim and commercial success as one-third of Brooklyn hip-hop group Flatbush Zombies, is well aware that the “crazy shit, crazy-colored hair, and psychedelics” of his group are imprinted in the brains of many fans, but on his solo debut album Gothic Luxury (executive produced by Dot Da Genius) there is a through line of brutal honesty and catharsis which prove him to be one of the rawest and most candid rappers in the game.

A Song For You CD (Autographed)

Luke Evans

Insert signed by Luke Evans included in sealed CD.Luke Evans returns with his upcoming album A Song For You, including 12 beautiful covers and 2 original tracks. The originals 'Busy Breaking Yours' and 'Horizons Blue' are the first tracks Luke has written to be released and are co-writes with Amy Wadge - one of the UK's most successful contemporary songwriters with songs written for/with artists including John Legend, Kylie, Janelle Monae, Keith Urban, James Blunt, Dua Lipa, and of course her long established writing partnership with Ed Sheeran.

Blood Harmony LP With Autographed Postcard

Purchase includes postcard signed by Larkin Poe.Blood Harmony affirms Larkin Poe as an essential force in shaping the identity of Southern rock‘n’roll, breathing new energy into the genre with both forward-thinking perspective and adecidedly feminine strength. In a departure from the self-contained approach of past albums like 2020’s Self Made Man–praised by American Songwriter as “pumped up for arena-sized consumption without compromising any of its stripped-down command and intensity”–Larkin Poe co-produced the new album alongside Texas-bred musician Tyler Bryant (also Rebecca’s husband). With Megan handling harmony vocals, lap steel, and resonator guitar and Rebecca on guitar and keys, Larkin Poe also enlisted members of their longtime live band, including drummer Kevin McGowan and bassist Tarka Layman. Mainly recorded at Rebecca and Tyler’s home studio, the result is an electrifying new work that fully harnesses the fiery vitality they’ve shown intouring across the globe, imbuing their songs with equal parts soulful sensitivity and thrilling ferocity. From the feverish guitar work of “Bad Spell” to the soul-stirring “Southern Comfort” and smoldering title track, Blood Harmony reveals a band in complete touch with their formidable intuition, their storytelling fortified with a blues-heavy sound that hits right in the heart.“When steering by your own stars, you never quite know where you’re going to wind up,” says Larkin Poe. “Our true north is unique to us, and in followin

Blood Harmony CD With Autographed Postcard

Purchase includes postcard signed by Larkin Poe.Blood Harmony affirms Larkin Poe as an essential force in shaping the identity of Southern rock‘n’roll, breathing new energy into the genre with both forward-thinking perspective and adecidedly feminine strength. In a departure from the self-contained approach of past albums like 2020’s Self Made Man–praised by American Songwriter as “pumped up for arena-sized consumption without compromising any of its stripped-down command and intensity”–Larkin Poe co-produced the new album alongside Texas-bred musician Tyler Bryant (also Rebecca’s husband). With Megan handling harmony vocals, lap steel, and resonator guitar and Rebecca on guitar and keys, Larkin Poe also enlisted members of their longtime live band, including drummer Kevin McGowan and bassist Tarka Layman. Mainly recorded at Rebecca and Tyler’s home studio, the result is an electrifying new work that fully harnesses the fiery vitality they’ve shown intouring across the globe, imbuing their songs with equal parts soulful sensitivity and thrilling ferocity. From the feverish guitar work of “Bad Spell” to the soul-stirring “Southern Comfort” and smoldering title track, Blood Harmony reveals a band in complete touch with their formidable intuition, their storytelling fortified with a blues-heavy sound that hits right in the heart.“When steering by your own stars, you never quite know where you’re going to wind up,” says Larkin Poe. “Our true north is unique to us, and in followin

YUNGBLUD CD (Autographed)

Purchase includes insert autographed by YUNGBLUD. YUNGBLUD is the self-titled third album by 24-year-old singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist YUNGBLUD (Dominic Harrison). Following the success of 2018’s 21st Century Liability and 2020’s weird!, his third record is simply titled YUNGBLUD: it’s a reclamation of his own narrative and the consolidation of his artistic identity.

In The Groove CD With Autographed Postcard

Purchase includes postcard signed by Mickey Hart.Grammy-winning global percussion collective Planet Drum reunite to make their first music in 15 years with In the Groove, out August 5th. Here is an inside look at the creation and inspiration behind In the Groove, featuring renowned global rhythm masters Mickey Hart (USA), Zakir Hussain (India), Giovanni Hidalgo (Puerto Rico) and Sikiru depoju (Nigeria) in the studio.Planet Drum's message of unity is needed now more than ever. In a world rife with conflict and division, Planet Drum leads by example with In the Groove, symbolizing the idea of bringing different cultures together to create one collective rhythm.Planet Drum's groundbreaking self-titled original release, which remains one of the most successful percussion recordings of all time, topped the Billboard Charts for 26 weeks. and won the first-ever Grammy Award for Best World Music Album, completely changing the perception of percussive world music. Their second effort, 2007's Global Drum Project earned their second Grammy Award for Best Contemporary World Music Album in 2008.

Chaos In Bloom CD (Autographed)

Purchase includes CD booklet signed by the Goo Goo Dolls.Marking the first album of their career to be produced by frontman John Rzeznik, the record finds the band at the top of their game and continuing to constantly evolve just as they have for nearly four decades together. Consisting of 10 tracks, Chaos in Bloom is an album of biting sarcasm, stadium-ready choruses, and the type of spear-sharp songwriting that’s led them to becoming one of the most influential alternative rock groups of all time.While Chaos in Bloom isn’t necessarily an album borne out by the pandemic, many of the tracks reflect on all of the things in daily life that became amplified while everyone was isolated from one another and sequestered at home. “Chaos in Bloom reminded us how special this whole thing is and to cherish the relationships that we have together,” says Rzeznik about the album. “Where we’ve been, and where we’re going.” Oscillating from personal reflections on the state of the world to societal commentaries, the songs on the album grapple with observations about our dystopian modernity while searching for optimism and pushing for a more empathetic world. “I’ve been trying to have a relationship with the bigger picture,” adds bassist and songwriter Robby Takac, “and refining happiness and what it means from that perspective.”To record the album, Rzeznik and Takac retreated to Dreamland Studios just outside Woodstock, New York during the pandemic. An environment as remote as it is rich wi

Songwriter CD (Autographed)

Richard Marx

Purchase includes 5"x5" album art card signed by Richard Marx.

Ride CD With Autographed Postcard

Purchase includes postcard signed by Walter Trout.The last time we saw Trout stepping out, he was on the road in support of 2020's Ordinary Madness. The campaign ended in frustration, when Covid rendered live work too dangerous, both for this liver-transplant survivor and his fans, condemning Trout to an enforced downtime in Denmark that he hadn't known in a half-century. The 30th solo album from blues-rock guitarist Walter Trout, Ride, provides an emotional release-valve - both for it's creator and his loyal listeners - perhaps this veteran artist can reconcile with his past, accept his future and live in the present as it unfolds. "I think you can interpret this album title a few different ways," he concludes. "I mean, this album is definitely a musical ride and I certainly tried to cover a lot of ground. But, really, life is kind of a ride too, isn't it? And I want to live mine to the fullest."

Nova Exclusive LP With Autographed Postcard

A Newbury Comics exclusive color vinyl pressing. Purchase includes postcard signed by Mat Kerekes.Mat Kerekes, founder and vocalist of the band Citizen, has announced his upcoming solo LP called ‘Nova’, which will be released on August 5, 2022.The album’s title was inspired by two places - an early 2000s PC game and the state where he’s living. He’s been splitting time between his hometown Toledo, Ohio and Woodbridge in North Virginia—NoVa to locals. A rerelease of the fantasy hack-and-slash game Diablo 2 brought the second iteration with a character’s special attack called ‘frost nova.’ The stars had aligned: ‘Nova’ would be the next record.If this sounds like a shockingly chill way to name a record, that’s the point. The new album is brimming with imagination, humor, romance, balls, and whimsy. ‘Nova’ isn’t a record that feels like our grave, endlessly serious historical moment; it’s a record that escapes it.Kerekes recorded and engineered the record in the basement of his Virginia house, but after tracking drums he discovered a new pet peeve: his own drum style. To redo the drums, he called up his friend, Turnstile drummer Daniel Fang. The pair worked together over two days in Toledo with Steve Warstler, who mixed and mastered the record. At one point, Fang was blasting out drum fills while they were taking levels from his kit. Kerekes hit record. The result is track five, a nine-second percussion meltdown titled “Daniel Fang.” “I thought it was funny, so I put it on the r

No Luck Exclusive LP With Autographed Postcard

A Newbury Comics exclusive color vinyl pressing. Purchase includes postcard signed by Death Lens.Death Lens are an alternative/punk band from Los Angeles, CA who have become a staple of the DIY scene in LA. Over the years, they have built an impressive resume including a split EP with The Frights, shows with Enjoy, Cherry Glazerr, Together Pangea, Sad Girl, Jasper Bones, and Tijuana Panthers, press features with Discover Mag (U.K.), OC Weekly, ABC 7 San Diego, and numerous sync placements including the James Franco film Memoria, Vice's King of the Road, Vans, DC Shoes, GoPro, Tony Hawk's Ride Channel and more.

Arkhon Exclusive LP With Autographed Print

A Newbury Comics exclusive color vinyl pressing. Purchase includes LP print signed by Nika. There is a way a voice can cut through the fascia of reality, cleaving through habit into the raw nerve of experience. Nika Roza Danilova, the singer, songwriter, and producer who since 2009 has released music as Zola Jesus, wields a voice that does that. When you hear it, it is like you are being summoned to a place that’s already wrapped inside you but obscured from conscious experience. This place has been buried because it tends to hold pain, but it’s also a gift, because once it’s opened, once you’re inside of it, it can show you the truth. Zola Jesus’s new album, Arkhon, finds new ways of loosing this submerged, stalled pain. On previous albums, Danilova had largely played the role of auteur, meticulously crafting every aspect of Zola Jesus’s sound and look. This time, she realized that her habitual need for control was sealing her out of her art. Arkhon sees Zola Jesus’s first collaboration with producer Randall Dunn (Sunn O))),Earth, Mandy soundtrack, Candyman soundtrack) and with drummer and percussionist Chamberlain, whose prior work appears on albums by Fiona Apple, Bob Dylan, and David Bowie. Arkhon runs the spectrum from songs whose weight lies in their bare simplicity, like “Desire,” an elegiac piano composition about the end of a relationship that was recorded acoustically in a single take, to towering, groove-oriented tracks like “The Fall” and the tight, interlocking p

Incubo Exclusive LP With Autographed Trading Card

A Newbury Comics exclusive color vinyl pressing. Purchase includes trading card signed by SURFING.The second S U R F I N G album, originally released in 2018. Mastered professionally and especially for vinyl at 24-bit, with a more dynamic range.

The Elephants Of Mars CD With Autographed Postcard

Purchase includes postcard signed by Joe Satriani.It moves, it swings, it rocks! Satriani and his touring band, who all recorded remotely in separate areas of the world during lockdown, deliver an album-length journey that never dulls. The Elephants of Mars crackles with an exciting new energy, briskly traveling through stylistic roads that feel freshly updated, viewed through new eyes.The guitarist had an aim to create a “new standard” when it came to crafting an instrumental guitar record. He strove to openly challenge himself to move away from what he describes as “the classic rock” tone of the past few albums he’s put out, replacing that with a new platform of his own design. “I do want to show people that the instrumental guitar album can contain far more complexity of creative elements than I think people are using right now.”From the gripping, sci-fi madness of “Through A Mother’s Day Darkly,” to the isolation felt in a decaying urban landscape, as depicted in “Sahara”, to the general endorphin levels that peak as the elephants finally roar in the title track, The Elephants of Mars will stampede across your mind, leaving a sonic imprint that doesn’t fade.Thanks to the pandemic removing all time constraints, The Elephants of Mars truly represents the album that Satriani himself hoped he could deliver with his band. And ultimately, The Elephants of Mars stands as one of the most intriguing and interesting albums of Satriani’s career.“We did everything. We tried the crazi

WHO CARES? CD With Autographed Art Card

Purchase includes 5"x5" album art card signed by Rex Orange County.WHO CARES? is the eagerly anticipated new album from Rex Orange County. This new album was announced and launched with the single, and video, “KEEP IT UP.”WHO CARES? was made in close partnership with musician Benny Sings, over the course of a few sessions in Sings’ Amsterdam studio. After spending the bulk of 2020 quarantined back home in the UK due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Rex made the trek to Amsterdam that fall to record with Sings. What started as sessions without expectations turned into an incredibly productive 48-hour window of recording with Benny, prompting a follow-up trip to Amsterdam. The subsequent 10 days of work together produced his fourth album, made in close partnership with Benny, that is a playful record by an artist in a playful mood. The album also finds Rex reunited with Tyler, The Creator, who contributes a verse to "OPEN A WINDOW," which marks the first time the two have collaborated since Tyler's 2017 album Flower Boy.WHO CARES? is Rex’s first studio album since 2019’s critically acclaimed album, PONY.

Misery Made Me Exclusive LP With Autographed Postcard

A Newbury Comics / Impericon exclusive color vinyl pressing. Purchase includes postcard signed by the band.Recorded at Jukasa Studios (February 1 to 4, June 1 to July 10, 2021) on the traditional territory of Haudenosunee Peoples, located on Six Nations of the Grand River Reserve (Ohsweken, ON, Canada).

Second Nature Exclusive LP With Autographed Insert

A Newbury Comics exclusive color vinyl pressing. Purchase includes LP insert signed by the band. Every Lucius song is an act of enchantment, a spell cast by the indelibly harmonized voices of Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig. Onstage, the performance becomes an invitation to be witness to their transformation; the dance between two individuals becoming one voice, one vision and bound by psychic symmetry. And while the effect of this spectacle is hypnotic and gloriously strange, the songwriting continues to be the hand that reaches out from behind the curtain to hold the audience, bringing together everything that makes you nostalgic for the past, while looking to the future. After spending 4 years touring their critically-acclaimed albums Wildewoman and Good Grief with bandmates Dan Molad and Peter Lalish, they toured the world singing on Roger Waters’ Us and Them Tour. Lucius continue to earn adoration from fellow musicians, with Wolfe and Laessig lending their vocals to albums by artists as eclectic as Nathaniel Rateliff, Harry Styles, Sheryl Crow, John Legend, Ozzy Osborne and The Killers. Second Nature is the 4th LP from Lucius, out in April 2022 with Mom + Pop record. The album was produced by multi-grammy winners Dave Cobb and Brandi Carlile and follows on the success of 2013's Wildewoman, 2016's Good Grief, and 2018's Nudes. The album was written by Lucius and a team of collaborating writers including writer/producer Jenn Decilveo, Lori McKenna, Trent Dabbs, and Eli Teplin

The Overload LP (Color) With Autographed Sleeve

Ryan Needham

'Tall Poppies' black and red vinyl pressing packaged in a numbered, screen-printed sleeve exclusive to Newbury Comics signed by the band.Yard Act formed in Leeds in September 2019 when Ryan Needham found himself temporarily living in James Smith's spare bedroom. Settling into a system of programming, looping and layering, the alchemy between the two created a base from which to build their complex and ever expanding narrative world. “Ryan is a vibe guy, whereas I overthink everything,” laughs Smith. “It’s been the greatest creative partnership I've ever had. When you find a groove that works, it just kind of looks after itself.”With just three hometown shows under their belt, world events intervened. But rather than letting the pandemic derail them Yard Act set up their own imprint, Zen F.C. and across the course of 2020 and into early 2021 released four increasingly coruscating, hilariously dark singles.Now expanded to a four-piece, joined by Sam Shjipstone (guitar) and Jay Russell (drums), they’ve announced their debut album “The Overload”, set for release on 7th January 2022. Their inherent wit has been sharpened down into something that speaks to the times we live in, creating a statement of intent that survives on nuance, that manages to poke fun at society without punching down from a place of left-wing superiority or right-wing anger. The Overload is a political record, but in the same way that all great observations of human nature are – a messy, complex, knowingly hy

I Dream Of Christmas CD (Autographed)

Purchase includes CD booklet signed by Norah Jones.Norah Jones has been a steady voice of warmth and reassurance for nearly 20 years since her cozy 2002 debut album Come Away With Me became a familiar musical companion for millions of people around the world. Now the 9-time GRAMMY-winning singer, songwriter, and pianist has released her first-ever holiday album with I Dream Of Christmas, a delightful and comforting collection of timeless seasonal favorites and affecting new originals that explore the complicated emotions of our times and our hopes that this holiday season will be full of joy and togetherness.“I’ve always loved Christmas music but never had the inclination to make a holiday album until now,” Norah says. “Last year I found myself listening to James Brown’s Funky Christmas and Elvis’s Christmas Album on Sunday’s during lockdown for a sense of comfort. In January 2021, I started thinking about making a Christmas album of my own. It gave me something fun to work on and look forward to.”On the album’s opening track, Norah’s original “Christmas Calling (Jolly Jones),” she expresses a deep desire for holiday cheer and companionship. “I wanna hear the music play / I wanna dance and laugh and sway / I wanna happy holiday for Christmas.”“When I was trying to figure out which direction to take, the original songs started popping in my head,” Norah explains. “They were all about trying to find the joys of Christmas, catching that spark, that feeling of love and inclusion

Get Yourself A Friend CD With Autographed Postcard

Purchase includes postcard signed by Ultra Q.Not to add to the deluge of artistic clichés brought on by the Global Event Which Shall Not Be Named, but spending more or less a year in the house offers plenty of time for reflection, reevaluation, and revision. Though there was a lot to process already in those months, it was an opportune time to try and get your shit together, whatever that may mean for you. For Jakob Armstrong—in addition to many other things like the rest of us—part of it meant fine- tuning a collection of songs first recorded in late 2019. A prolonged process leading to five of the seven songs on Get Yourself a Friend retooled into their better-than-even final form.Jakob Armstrong—youngest son of Green Day frontman Billie Joe—began playing guitar at seven years old and honed his craft privately until about sixteen, playing in bands in and around Oakland after meeting friends with like-minded tastes in music. Soon enough, with the memories of Ultraman action figures fighting in his mind, he and a group of friends he cultivated from those years playing around and pouring over records, formed Ultra Q (its name inspired by an Ultraman prequel series).Opening double-shot “Pupkin” and “It’s Permanent” soar to the heights of Ultra Q’s powers in much different ways; the former a black-clad romp through a rainy graveyard, the former pushing straight to the clouds with its soaring chorus. “Straight Jacket” veers pleasantly close to the jangle-pop of the Go-Betweens.