Alice In Chains, Aurora, Kneecap, Gurriers, Orbital, Blondshell, Frank Zappa + National Album Day coming soon

As autumn approaches it is the best time of year for new releases and this week doesn't disappoint. Here's a taster...

Kneecap - 3CAG

'Born in a hazy attic on Hawthorn Street in 2018, 3CAG first took shape with two young fellas in West Béal Feirste, staying one step ahead of the RUC. With help from the Conamara Cartel, they smuggled narcotics past shite sniffer dogs.

Then a madman from Free Derry, on the run, joined the fold and the trio became one. A new identity emerged, bringing linguistic somersaults rarely heard in the Irish language and pushing their sound into wilder, sharper territory.'

Squidgy black LP

As fictionalised in the film, the 3CAG mixtape was mastered by Ciarán Byrne in Dublin, after payment arrived in the form of a big hole dug in his garden. They broke every rule, except caol le caol.

'Originally performed and broadcast to a generation discovering electronic music in real time, Orbital’s set at Glastonbury ’94 became a defining cultural moment — not only for the band, but for dance music itself. At a time when electronic acts were still fighting for recognition on major festival stages, Orbital proved that dance music could be as emotional, cinematic, and powerful as any headline rock performance. The iconic headtorches, the energy of the crowd, and the sheer ambition of the performance helped cement the set as one of the most important live electronic shows ever witnessed. A gamechanger for the dance music scene.'

Available in various formats including blue and yellow 2LP

King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard - Alien

'Introducing ‘Alien Metal’, King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard’s 28th studio album. With this project the group have set their controls for the dark heart of electronic dance music. The album evolved from the "rave shows" King Gizzard debuted in 2025, and was sculpted largely via Eurorack modular synthesizers.

The 180g record itself is made from 100% recycled plastic via (the more energy efficient) injection-mold technology, making it one of the most sustainable LPs ever made.

It also comes with a large double-sided poster, in a high-gloss jacket and housed in a 100% recycled protective over bag.'

Dublin's Gurriers 'superb second album might be called Nobody’s Coming To Save You, then, but it could easily be subtitled ‘harder, better, faster, stronger’. Recorded at Donegal’s Attica Studios and Holy Mountain Studios in London with producers Mark Bowen of Idles and Loren Humphrey (Geese, Cameron Winter), alongside engineer Chris Fullard (Idles, Sunn O))) and world-renowned mixer John Congleton (St. Vincent, Modest Mouse, Swans), the crack team that readily assembled for LP2 speaks volumes of its quality from the off. This is Gurriers taking all the musical chemistry and smart, interrogational worldview that made them great in the first place, and souping it up to the next level.'

'Tears In Time is Peter Hammill's (Van Der Graaf Generator, London Saxophonic) first new work in five years. A collection of eleven unique, reflective songs recorded at various locations of his Terra Incognita studio between 1991 and 2026.

With a career spanning over five decades, Peter Hammill's music has continually challenged expectations, but it remains absorbing and emotionally resonant. Tears In Time sees Peter continue this creative path. It is a very special work by a unique artist.'

Frank Zappa & The Mothers of Invention - Freak Out - 60th Anniversary Edition

'5LP Box Set is comprised of the heretofore unreleased 2LP pre-master mix, long out of print 2LP mono master mix, 1LP of highlights from the 60th anniversary Super Deluxe Box Set including recordings live at The Fillmore in San Francisco (1966) + Mothers demos, expanded booklet with rare photos, new essays, a very special new section of even more “Relevant Quotes,” original double-sided fold-out Freak Out! Hot Spots Map by Frank Zappa, and litho print.'

5 CD and blu ray edition also available

'Since 2006 Californian rock band, Pierce The Veil unassumingly, yet consistently have climbed their way into the hearts of millions worldwide via an unshakable devotion to making honest and hypnotic hard rock. The San Diego quartet—Vic Fuentes [vocals, rhythm guitar, keys], Mike Fuentes [drums, percussion], Tony Perry [lead guitar], and Jaime Preciado [bass guitar]—staunchly uphold that tradition once again on their fourth full-length album, Misadventures. The record came out in 2016 through Fearless Records, peaking at #4 on the Billboard 200 and featuring hits like "The Divine Zero" and "Texas Is Forever."

Now for the 10th anniversary, we’re offering represses of the White LP and the Silver with Red Splatter LPs, as well as a brand-new Picture Disc featuring the album’s cover artwork.'

'Originally recorded in 1996, Alice In Chains MTV Unplugged captures one of the most powerful and intimate performances of the era. The set showcases Alice In Chains' signature blend of haunting melodies, acoustic arrangements, and raw emotional depth. Recorded at Brooklyn Academy of Music in NYC, the performance finds the band reimagining fan favorites including "Nutshell," "Down in a Hole," "Rooster," "Would?," and "Brother" in a stripped-back setting that highlights the strength of their songwriting and harmonies.'

'Ten years after the release of All My Demons Greeting Me as a Friend, Norwegian singer songwriter AURORA reflects on the world of her landmark debut with a new companion album, All My Demons Greeting Me as a Friend - The Moth Tapes.

Built from six intimate early recordings, demos and unreleased tracks from the original era, it offers a deeper look into the creative foundations of the album that introduced AURORA to the world and continues to define her artistry today.'

'Violins, the third album from LA based indie rock singer Blondshell, finds Sabrina Teitelbaum digging in. Following her acclaimed 2023 self-titled debut and 2025's If You Asked For A Picture, the 11-track Violins trades the veil of bad romantic relationships for something braver, asking how we balance the world's violence with its beauty across songs about troubled friendships, religion, the body, and the long, unglamorous work of healing. It's an album of grandeur, drama, and tragedy, built on virtuoso hooks, swelling guitars, and big lead lines, pulling in fresh touchstones from Gang of Four, Teenage Fanclub, The Go-Betweens, and Sade, alongside lyrical nods to Leonard Cohen and Pavement. From the anthemic frenemy portrait of "Heart Has To Work So Hard" to the sunny, insomniac daydream of "Lucky" and the disarming closer "Fur Elise," Violins captures the sound of an artist who has stopped overexplaining and started rendering art on her own terms.'

Various Blue Note releases in store this week including American Jazz multi instrumentalist Eric Dolphy's Out To Lunch

Also out this week releases from The Go Betweens, Lancey Foux, Gilla Band, The Intermittant Signal, The Yummy Fur, Toy Story 5 OST

Browse all these new releases and more on our website now: https://offthebeatentracks.co.uk/collections/new-releases

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Coloured vinyl used to be a novelty, now you can choose between coloured vinyl and black vinyl for almost every new release - what's your preference?

Here's a recent article from Discogs discussing the pros and cons...

https://www.discogs.com/digs/collecting/black-vs-color-vinyl/?utm_source=Homepage&utm_medium=Discogs&utm_campaign=mono-vs-color-vinyl_collecting

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National Album Day - the day that celebrates the art of the album is taking place on Saturday 17th October. This year's theme is Icons and almost 100 iconic albums will be reissued on vinyl especially for the day.

You will be able to browse these releases on our website next week. 'The list of titles includes a reissue of George Michael’s timeless classic, Listen Without Prejudice, the 40th Anniversary edition of The Pretenders’ iconic Get Close, Elbow’s acclaimed Asleep In The Back 25th anniversary release (on marble vinyl), Goldie’s 1995 debut Timeless, Sade’s monumental Lovers Rock album. The Who are celebrating the 60th anniversary of My Generation (on red vinyl), and Phil Collins is celebrating 30 years of his iconic Dance Into The Light. Suede’s much-loved Coming Up from 1996, will be specially presented in a Zoetrope format. Iconic albums celebrating their 50th anniversaries include Bob Dylan’s renowned album Desire (on Cypress Green marbled vinyl), and Billy Joel’s highly acclaimed album Turnstiles (on Subway Token Gold vinyl.' You can buy in store and online on the 17th October.

https://www.nationalalbumday.co.uk/