It’s July! A month of fireworks, cookouts, and days at the beach. Fun times, but even more fun with a little music. For the seventh month of 2014, The Pier has 11 new album releases to help build that perfect summer playlist.
Featured this month are five records that are sure to contain the perfect blend of music for the summer. There’s one legendary record that’s always the go-to choice for those summer time vibes, as well as that one record that’s sure to contain the next hit song of the summer. There’s one record to rock out to in the car, and one record to laugh and sing-along to all summer long. As the summer heats up, be sure to chill out with these new tunes, below…
If there are any albums we missed, drop them in the comments below or on our Facebook or Twitter.
Check out the Album Releases from prior months:
July 2014 Album Releases
Bob Marley –Legend 30th Anniversary Edition
Release Date: July 1st
On July 1, 2014, Universal Music Enterprises alongside Island Records and Tuff Gong, are celebrating the 30th Anniversary for one of the most infamous releases, with Legend 30th Anniversary Edition, a deluxe anniversary re-issue of Legend, packaged as a CD/Blu-ray Pure Audio Disc™ combo set, as well as a tri-color vinyl LP. Paired with the originally released version of Legend, this new deluxe version offers the record’s 14 iconic hits and several others rarities, all upgraded to surround sound, mixed in 5.1 by the Grammy® Award winning producer Bob Clearmountain on Blu-Ray Pure Audio Disc™.
Read more about the album by clicking HERE!
You can pick up Legend 30th Anniversary Edition on Amazon now, by clicking HERE!
Zvuloon Dub System – Anbessa Dub
Release Date: July 1st
Consisting of an 8 piece band, the Tel Aviv-based Zvuloon Dub System tune their music to blends of roots reggae and dub, with influences from a variety of music style including Ethiopian Jazz, Soul, Funk and Jazz from the US, as well as Israeli Oriental music. Following their debut album, 2012’s Freedom Time, the group put together a piece that merges the cultures and sounds of Jamaica, Ethiopia, and Israel, titled Anbessa Dub.
Anbessa Dub is filled with the atmosphere of vintage Jamaican roots Reggae, mixing old Ethiopian songs arranged in the Zvuloon style. Blending Reggae’s offbeat sound with horns and chord changes from Ethiopia, they refined the sound till it felt natural, using analogue equipment for an authentic sound. Even using a krar, an Ethiopian lute, and a maskino, a one-string violin, for certain sounds.
In all, the album contains 10 tracks, including one featuring Mahmoud Ahmed, the voice behind so many legendary tracks in the Golden Age of Ethiopian music.
Sample the album by heading to the Zvuloon Dub System Bandcamp page.
Read more about the album by clicking HERE!
You can pick up Anbessa Dub on iTunes now, by clicking HERE!
Dirty Heads – Sound of Change
Release Date: July 8th
The Dirty Heads new record, Sound of Change, dropped July 8th and includes 13 total tracks and guest appearances by Tech N9ne, B-Real of Cypress Hill and Ward 21. Announced back in February after sessions in the Texas Sonic Ranch Studio, the band has been hyping the record with a string of single releases, giving fans a sample of a sound how the Dirty Heads continue to grow.
As told best by the band, “We have A lot more hip hop on this album, so it’s a lot more samples and big beats and stuff like that…its an evolution of the band, it is definitely going to be different than the last albums……we have done 3 albums, and we have done this beachy summery thing that we have kind of always have… So now we are going to go a little different a little different direction… I don’t think our fans hate that… I think they will actually be stoked that we are doing something different this time around because it isn’t going to get repetitive.”
Read more about the album by clicking HERE!
Read The Pier’s review of Sound of Change by clicking HERE!
You can pick up Sound of Change on iTunes now, by clicking HERE!
Maxi Priest – Easy To Love
Release Date: July 8th
After selling 15 million albums worldwide as well as a No. 1 US Billboard hit & Grammy Nomination, Maxi Priest will release his new album Easy To Love via VP Records. The new album waves the flag of lovers’ rock blending Reggae, R&B & Dancehall, aimed at a universal appeal. Lead single, “Easy to Love”, was a Number 1 hit on Reggae charts last summer & the song features legendary Jamaican drum & bass duo Sly & Robbie, who’ve played on some of Maxi’s biggest hits, including “Wild World”, “Some Guys Have All The luck”, “Close To You” and “House Call” as well as the new album track “Every Little Thing.”
Read more about the album by clicking HERE!
You can pick up Easy To Love on iTunes now, by clicking HERE!
77 Jefferson –Let Me Know EP
Release Date: July 8th
Following 2012’s Truth & Love and 2013’s Rarities, Vol.2 a second assortment of acoustic tracks, remixes & dubs collaborations. This summer, the Midwest Reggae-Rock outfit continues to release original tunes. Titled Let Me Know and released on July 7th, the EP feature five new songs including the single “Rocksteady” along with “Stay With Me,” the title track “Let Me Know,” “Don’t Hold Your Breath” and finally “Another Love Song.”
Read more about the album by clicking HERE!
You can pick up Let Me Know EP on iTunes now, by clicking HERE!
The Resolvers – Nate’s House & Bigger is Better
Release Date: July 15th
On July 15th The Resolvers released both a prequel and sequel to their breakout record, giving fans a panoramic view of the evolution of the 10-piece Reggae/Funk/Soul band. Nate’s House, recorded in 2010 at the home of The Resolver’s then drummer, documents the experiment of adding a horn section and dense vocal harmonies to an already popular local reggae act. In 2012, The Resolvers went into the studio to record the follow up, Bigger is Better. The two records are available below as well as on most digital download and streaming sites and on CD.
Sample the album by heading to the Soundcloud page.
You can pick up the two albums on iTunes now, by clicking HERE!
Pennywise – Yesterdays
Release Date: July 15th
Aptly titled Yesterdays, the new album by Pennywise is just that, a collection of tracks written over the bands 25 year past. For their 11th studio record, Pennywise modernly recorded tracks originally formulated back in the 1980’s with the bands original bassist, the late Jason Thirsk. The 12 tracks of Yesterdays are available July 15th on Epitaph Records.
Sample the album by heading to the Epitaph Records Youtube page.
Read more about the album by clicking HERE!
You can pick up Yesterdays on iTunes now, by clicking HERE!
Lovd Ones – Thicker Than Blood
Release Date: July 15th
With 15 songs that feature an array of guest appearances that include Sizzla, Luciano, Hor!zen, E.N Young, Leilani Wolfgramm, Sonny Sandoval of P.O.D. & Gonzo of Tribal Seeds, you have one of the years best reggae albums by Lovd Ones with Thicker Than Blood. Lovd Ones hail from Orlando, Fl and with such an overwhelming eclectic reggae sound, we’re surprised that they’re not on more headlines or bigger tours. The production is solid – there’s not much else we can say about this album without sounding repetitive – just got pick it up on iTunes!
Read more about the album via our MP3 Leak of the Week feature by clicking HERE!
You can download their 7 song EP titled Mountains & Valleys inside our MP3 Massive section by clicking HERE!
Weird Al – Mandatory Fun
Release Date: July 15th
This summer, prepare for Mandatory Fun! Polka Pop Parodist Weird Al Yankovic is a veteran at cleverly crafting ridiculous renditions of mainstream successes. Now, Yankovic is set to release his 15th studio record. His first record in over three years, this is a follow up to 2011’s Alpocalypse which includes 12 new parody covers, including what seems to be the traditional Polka medley. While the track names have been unveiled, the actual songs they are based on have been left for fans to discover as they listen. Yankovic has also announced eight music videos to accompany the record release. Starting July 14th, Yankovic will premiere one per day. Mandatory Fun, which Yankovic has said may be his last “conventinal” album, will also be available on vinyl in August.
You can pick up Mandatory Fun on iTunes now, by clicking HERE!
RX Bandits – Gemini, Her Majesty
Release Date: July 22nd
One of the greatest moments in following the ska/punk scene of the 1990s was witnessing the transformation of the Rx Bandits. They began close to the genre of third wave ska, but experimentation took control and the fast paced skanking turned into a medley of positive musical energy coupled with intelligent and thought provoking lyrics.
On July 22nd, RX Bandits will drop their third release under the band’s own Mash Down Babylon Records and Sargent House with new album, Gemini, Her Majesty. The album was recorded at Praire Sun Recording Studios in Sonoma, California and produced by Jason Cupp.
“In the past, our aim was to bridge the gap between our recorded music and our live performances,” explained vocalist/guitarist Matt Embree. “But this time around we really didn’t ever consider that. We almost willingly ignored it. It was really nice to make a record that we didn’t apply live performance constraints to. That said, now we’re going to have the hefty task of figuring out how we want to arrange and play these new songs live. We love the challenge.”
Read more about the album by clicking HERE!
You can pick up Gemini, Her Majesty on now, by clicking HERE!
Clear Conscience – Captain EP
Release Date: July 29th
Originally announced as an album titled “Native Jane”, Clear Conscience is set to drop it’s anchor with an EP titled Captain. The EP was recorded & produced, all in San Diego with Producer E.N Young at Imperial Sound Recording Studio; In fact, the EP is being put out via Roots Musician Records, E.N Young’s label. For this project the band recorded several tracks including, “She’s One” Featuring Gonzo of Tribal Seeds & Captain will also feature Joel Castillo of 77 Jefferson. The idea is that the success will lead to a full 12 track album by years end.
The Captain EP will be released on July 29th. Only 500 copies of the EP will be pressed and each are signed and numbered!
You can pick up the Captain EP on now, by clicking HERE!
Article By: Aaron Solomon