Reckless Records

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Reckless Records is a group of three record stores in Chicago IL. We carry new & used CDs, DVDs games and loads of Vinyl (LPs & 7"s). We would love to have you visit us in person.
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DON'T FORGET: The Broadway location moved down the street from our old spot of 20 years! The new store is at 3126 Broadway, across the street and south about 1/2 a block (217 feet according to Google Maps) in the space formerly occupied by American Apparel.

Seven brand spankin' new songs from Louisville's post-punk heroes SHIPPING NEWS recorded live in Louisville & Tokyo but don't let the 'live' recording description fool you, the recordings sound incredible. This might be our favorite batch of SHIPPING NEWS songs yet. There's a darkness here that wasn't present on their earlier records. We can't help but wonder if Jason Noble's battle with cancer over the past few years has effected the mood of their music. The rhythm section features Todd Cook (FOR CARNATION, SLINT reunion) & Kyle Crabtree on drums & if you're not already familiar with these guys, they KNOW how to hold it down. Both Jason & Jeff Mueller's singing is stronger & more confident than ever. After all that these guys have been through, it's interesting that they've returned to such an aggressive style & it's really cool that they're better at it now than they've ever been. Godspeed SHIPPING NEWS & oh yeah, get well soon Jason.

The noise well is one that continues to give and give, and seems to show no sign of slowing. WOLF EYES and their peers have pushed things to the brink and now there is "pretty noise", best exemplified by BLACK DICE, GROWING and EMERALDS. These Ohio folks have whipped up an appealing sound that harkens back to excellent cerebral krautrock such as POPUL VUH, CLUSTER and CONRAD SCHNITZLER. I could listen to EMERALDS all day. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!! Vinyl reissue provided by Editions Mego.

This 2010 release from STEREOLAB consists of leftover tracks from the "Chemical Chords" album along with EMPEROR MACHINE & ATLAS SOUND remixes. This really seems more than an outtakes collection though as the song arrangement flows rather effortlessly. Supposedly the band is on indefinite hiatus but we're hoping that they get things rolling again soon.

"Heart Ache" is the first post-GODFLESH release from Justin Broadrick. 40 minutes (not much of a mini album is it) of droney, atmospheric pop sludgery. Imagine PELICAN with more minimal songs & vocals (duh) or SPIRITUALIZED with some balls. JESU is a Reckless Records staff favorite pretty much across the board along with the self-titled full length. Recommended listening situation: Dimly lit room, comfortable chair, glass of wine, fully packed "tobacco" pipe, nice headphones, volume up. Sounds good to me... --- This double disc version of Jesu's early material also contains the band's lost 2004 EP, "Dethroned." Remind yourself why Godflesh and pre-remix oriented Jesu is nearly perfect.

Excellent documentary about the 90's Norwegian black metal scene that should silence the rumor mill on many a message board. The film doesn't follow traditional music doc. guidelines & barely features any actual music. Instead the filmmakers focused on DARKTHRONE's Fenriz who comes across as an intelligent, funny & insightful artist who refuses to romanticize his part of the 90's scene. The film is shot with mostly hand held video shot in a Cinema Verite style with believe it or not, mostly mellow music by bands such as BOARDS OF CANADA & MUM providing the soundtrack. Not surprisingly, the most shocking interviews are with Varg Vikernes aka BURZUM who famously murdered his MAYHEM band mate, guitarist Euronymous aka Oystein Aarseth. The directors did an excellent job showing how the media turned a music scene involving troubled teenagers rebelling against what they saw as a Christian & American invasion on their culture into a Satanic cult. That being said, it's hard to blame them seeing that a few scene participants were responsible for torching multiple historic churches, committing multiple murders & spreading racist rhetoric. Deluxe DVD edition features a ton of bonus interviews not featured in the film & a 45 minute class on the history of black metal by Fenriz!

Very cool release from Dischord collects all 17 songs recorded by ARTIFICIAL PEACE in 1981. Only three of these songs were ever released (on the "Flex Your Head" comp), but now you can hear the entire session in all of its glory!

A different approach from the now legendary Western Saharan group known as GROUP DOUEH. Instead of the mindbending & smokin' guitar licks that were heard on their first two albums on Sublime Frequencies, this album is based in DOUEH's roots; Saharoui music taken from ancestral Mauritanian modes. On this recording DOUEH has exchanged their guitars & effects for traditional Moorish instruments such as the tinidit (3-string lute like instrument), ardin (kora, harp esque instrument), tbal (clay drum) & kass (tea glasses) with just a tiny bit of guitar & synth added in to keep things modern. The vocals of DOUEH wives Halima Jakani & Bashiri Touballi really sets this record apart from their previous releases. We hope these Sublime Frequencies releases never stop coming because we can't get enough.

Brian McBride is one half of the Texas based drone duo STARS OF THE LID & his second solo release is the soundtrack to the documentary "The Vanishing Bees" which is about, well, vanishing bees. STARS OF THE LID albums are a rare occurrence so we're happy to say that McBride's album is quite similar to STARS OF THE LID. Slowing cascading strings, horns & synths that in our imagination would provide the perfect backdrop to a film about bees. The pieces are mostly fairly short probably to adhere to the film & this is the biggest difference between the album & STARS OF THE LID material. Instead of carefully crafted pieces that seem to take eons to progress, these 2 to 5 minutes pieces seem almost improvised or incidental compared to the work of that sleepy duo. Hopefully it won't be another five years before the next STARS OF THE LID album but this should provide enough for us to chew on until then.

First release from the production duo of Daniel Lopatin (Oneohtrix Point Never) and Joel Ford (Airbird/Sex Rehab) under the name Games. Deep, electronic grooves interspersed with lo-fi musings and vocals form a irresistable set of pulsing and rhythmic tracks! On Hippos In Tanks Records. --- Look for their 12" EP, "That We Play," on the same label.

We've been following this amazing Ukranian black metal band for some time & we've been mesmerized by almost every release. Admittedly their past few albums haven't progressed much but we were ok with it because nobody does this style of atmospheric black metal as good as DRUDKH. Thankfully the band has made a major shift on "Handful of stars", one that might cause a deep divide amongst their fans. Almost entirely gone are the cascading blast-beats & washy guitars. Instead the songs are mostly mid-tempo with dry production on the drums & guitars & a lot of start/stop rhythmic parts. When this reviewer was listening to the album for the first time, another employee walked in & asked 'is this HOT WATER MUSIC?' Well it doesn't sound THAT different but she wasn't that far off, there really is an almost post-rock approach to most of the songs. What keeps it all together though is Roman Saenko's growling vocals that remind you song after song that DRUDKH are still a black metal band. We suggest giving this one a few listens because this is up there with BURZUM, ENSLAVED, TRIPTYKON & NACHTMYSTIUM for best metal album of 2010 at Reckless.

"Lasted" is the third album from Portland based artist Thomas Meluch aka Benoit Pioulard. Meluch's songwriting style hasn't changed much for the album but we're just fine with that. Field recordings drenched in hiss & ambience permeate the album sometimes bleeding into the songs or playing out in the background of entire pieces. Meluch's acoustic parts can be busy at times but his technique is hidden by the lo-fi recording & ambient recordings. The Benoit Pioulard records have always reminded us a little of Elliott Smith & maybe even IRON & WINE but the rainy Portland vibe gives more of a GROUPER vibe to these melodic songs.

VULCAN is Lyle Steece, a one-man "band" from Spencer, Iowa, who claims to be an intergalactic space traveler who was visited by the ghost of JIMI HENDRIX. This is lysergic loner biker weirdo rock of the highest order. Effect-laden guitar, infused by the spirit of HENDRIX, this album was sold at only one retail store, but was later heavily bootlegged and enjoyed by the same 'heads' who also enjoyed WICKED LADY, DARK, HUMAN INSTINCT, etc. Absolutely great hard rock, from the middle of nowhere. This edition contains a whole LP worth of extra tracks that were missing until just recently. Also included are newly unearthed photos and an interview with the man himself. Imagine a heavy metal JANDEK who didn't get discovered and you've got VULCAN! A MUST for all STONER FREAKS!!! Hand-numbered and limited to 600.

Over the past few years, BRAIN IDEA has become one of Chicago's most exciting live bands, rockin' sweaty basements & clubs around town with their trusty giant lightbulb alongside them. This is a trio of music lovers & it bleeds into their songs. Hints of everything from early Homestead bands like LIVE SKULL & NICESTRONGARM to 80's New Zealand pop bands like THE CLEAN & VERLAINES, MISSION OF BURMA, RITES OF SPRING & even POPUL VUH-esque jams & ambience can be found on this impressive debut. Speaking of THE CLEAN, BRAIN IDEA does a mean cover of "Getting Older" on side 2 & it works perfectly among their songs. In our opinion, BRAIN IDEA is one of the best bands in Chicago in 2010 so do yourself a favor & pick up this excellent LP. Two-sided silk-screened insert included.

2010 is going to go down as a great year for music, if for nothing else than this record. DEERHUNTER have been hinting at a truly unforgettable record for a while now: that elusive "classic" that this generation will have a hard time generating, now that music has as much value as the customer is willing to pay. Here is that classic - simple but not simplified songs, with the usual noise bursts played down, decorated tastefully with reverb and orchestrated beautifully. Repeated listening will reveal richer sonic and lyrical detail - this is one to obsess over. HIGHEST RECOMMENDATION!

One of the best metal bands in the world right now, ENSLAVED is back in 2010 with their 11th album. The band has been pushing the limits of progressive & black metal since their 2003 album "Below the Lights" (arguably since 2001 with "Mardraum") gradually adding new weapons to their armory to become the metal force that they are today. The most noticeable difference here is the prominence of clean vocals, mostly provided by keyboard player Herbran Larsen. It may seem distracting at first but after a few listens their necessity becomes quite clear. Don't fret though, ENSLAVED has by no means gone soft, in fact some of the heaviest riffs that these guys have recorded in years exist on this album & lead vocalist Grutle Kjellson's growl is as guttural & raspy as ever. There's even a surprising (though brief) keyboard interlude sounds like an outtake from "Kid A" or something. We'll admit, we were skeptical during the first few listens but as it often is with the best records, a little patience reveals the subtleties that make you want to listen to album over & over again.

We're going to get this out of the way at the beginning, "Le Noise" is the best Neil Young album since "Silver & Gold" which came out way back in 2000. We're not saying that he hasn't released anything good in 11 years, but this one really is head & shoulders above the rest. Neil plays electric on most songs & the tones are dense, sort of a mix of the "Dead Man" guitar sound & heavier Crazy Horse tunes. Legendary producer Daniel Lanois recorded Young's performances live & added delay & looping effects during the takes. Young's lyrics add to the haunting nature of the album with themes of aging & death as well as drug addiction featured in the 30+ year old song "Hitchhiker" that Young finally finished for this album. At 64, Young's voice isn't as strong as it used to be but it actually helps some of the songs seem more desperate. Do yourself a favor & give this one a chance, this one's a grower.

Volume 3 of the amazing "Guitars from Agadez" series on Sublime Frequencies brings the second album from Niger's GROUP INERANE. There's been some recent tragedy in the Tuareg guitar scene & unfortanely it's hurt GROUP INERANE deeply. Adi Mohammed, the group's original second guitarist was killed in the seemingly neverending rebellion that plagues their country. They've brought in Koudede Maman who is considered to be one of the leaders of the second wave of the Tuareg guitar scene. The repetitive & 'straight' nature of the music might surprise you at first. There's a heavy blues vibe, kind of like "Electric Mud" era Muddy Waters, early CAPTAIN BEEFHEART, some hints of Robby Krieger & the lo-fi quality might even remind you of the VELVET UNDERGROUND a bit. The soloing is less up front & everything is more structured. This is definitely worth picking up if you've been following this series or any of the releases on SUBLIME FREQUENCIES, easily one of our favorite labels at Reckless.

Slow, tumbling guitar lines unfurl to form this next volume in the Mississippi Records story. The National A Orchestra was founded by the new government at Mali's independence and was led by Keletigui Diabate a multi-instrumental virtuoso. This is the second in a series of six we can expect from Mississippi Records from the Sterns label. Amazing guitar work, vocals, African percussion, and saxophone makes this album a through and through great listen. R E C O M M E N D E D!

Debut 7" from Philadelphia's LEATHER (featuring former members of BIRTH CONTROL). This burner is full of Greg Ginn-esque guitar shredding, overdriven bass and pummeling drums which bring to mind POISON IDEA covering a CIRCUS LUPUS record put out by AMPHETAMINE REPTILE. What sets LEATHER apart from the crowd is frontman Alex Agran, whose dark, desparate howls are reminiscent of Keith Morris, Mike Saunders of ANGRY SAMOANS, and Sean McCabe of INK & DAGGER rolled into one bile spewing ball of rage. This e.p. is totally relentless and might just be the best punk record of the year. No need to go all the way to WaWa to pick up a copy, get it here at Reckless. H I G H L Y R E C O M M E N D E D

Back story, finding this album began with a foray into a tangled forest on the blackest of evenings. Stumbling across a gathering of enchantresses and conjurers there was a sound created by one true necromancer which caught my attention. Lindsay Powell (also of Ga'an) summoned lush, layered synth incantations and performed various songs that were described to me as being delivered from the pocket of a rider of a dark horse. I was in the good graces of this group of palmists and predictors long enough to capture these recordings and bring them back to the mainland and ultimately the Midwest. For those interested in Kate Bush, Cocteau Twins, or White Magic assemble your sentimental and enchanted fixtures, sacred stones, books on zodiac studies, and raise the dead with this one. Limited to 300 marble vinyl copies housed in silk-screened sleeves by the wonderful Mr. City Press. On Catholic Tapes.

First single from the upcoming Cloudland Canyon full-length LP, "Fin Eaves" (coming out on Holy Mountain) With all the dreamy soundscapes a contemporary shoegazer lover could want, both tracks here supply reverbed and disorienting effects in the same vein as Wooden Shjips, Atlas Sound, or Wild Nothing. On Bathetic Records. This 7" is limited to 300, colored vinyl copies.

The legendary Japanese hard rock group LES RALLIZES DENUDES formed in 1967 & only released one official record despite playing deep into the 1990s. A few live recordings exist that have been bootlegged countless times over the last few decades including this Phoenix vinyl edition. The band is known for their feedback laden guitar fuzz with bluesy tendencies. Think BLUES CREATION, HIGH RISE, STOOGES, MC5, VELVET UNDERGROUND & even some GRATEFUL DEAD jamming. Currently bands like WOODEN SHJIPS are carrying the 'RALLIZES' torch with their repetitive jams & echoed vocals. These are definitely some of the most exciting LP reissues of 2010 so don't miss out on these noise-rock classics!

Heavy duty completism for NEU fans here. All three classic albums plus the previously unreleased (until 2010 that is) '1986' LP & a 17 minute 12" of rehearsal material from 1972 limited to this box. A 36 page book is also included with oodles of photos & texts for your perusal.

Chris Connelly (REVOLTING COCKS/ MINISTRY/ HIGH CONFESSIONS) makes his debut in the fiction world with "Ed Royal." Set in early 80's Edinburgh, the book follows two teenagers whose lives become intertwined in obsession & drugs. These are signed first editions.

This is the third release from Chicago's BOTTOMLESS PIT & without a doubt the most focused group of songs these guys have put to tape. Ex-SILKWORM members Tim Midgett & Andy Cohen have been playing together for quite awhile now & they're musical interactions are so fluid & make so much sense that it's easy not to notice how complicated the playing actually is. Fidelity has been a concern for these guys since the SILKWORM days & all the BOTTOMLESS PIT records sound great but this one in our opinion sounds the best. Many of the songs feature clean guitars with tightly recorded drum sounds & dry-as-they-can-be vocals. There are a few rockers though with Cohen straining his voice at times & the group waving their Crazy Horse flag proudly. This album has a lot of variety & you'll find that it's ending just as you're getting into it, a true sign of an excellent record. Yeah, some of this reminds us of SILKWORM, some things going all the way back to "Libertine" but we want to make clear, this is album is 100% BOTTOMLESS PIT & it's one of the best indie rock records that will come out in 2010. The band spared no expense on the beautiful vinyl edition with a thick gatefold sleeve, 45RPM LPS for optimum fidelity & full-color printed inner sleeves.

The French black metal unit that is BLUT AUS NORD has confounded us all with their frequent genre flipping (at least within the confines of black metal) and they've again chosen a new path on this vinyl only release "What Once Was...Liber I." The group's last album "Memoria Vetusta II: Dialogue with the Stars" was a big surprise with its many melodic & shimmery clean guitar passages & beautiful melodies. "What Once Was..." is a darker affair with deep & crushing detuned guitars, low growling vocals & a much more lo-fi production value. Some of the recordings sound as if they were possibly slowed down which gives the album an extra demented edge. The vibe is oppressive & this album would provide a fitting soundtrack to a Lovecraft reading in a dank & moldy basement. Supposedly "What Once Was..." is the start-off point for a new line of recordings & we're excited to hear what they come up with next. If you're into "Work Which Transforms God" era or stuff like CELTIC FROST & even LURKER OF CHALICE then you need to hear this.

Previously unissued material from one of the most important Deutsch rock bands, NEU. Sadly, Klaus Dinger passed away in 2008 so we wasn't able to see this material finally released but thanks to Michael Rother, the music is finally seeing the light of day. The technology of the time is noticable here, especially the drum machine sounds but within the first few seconds, this is undoubtedly a NEU record. We're not sure what the deal is with the high prices on this & the reissues but they are imports & it is 2010 afterall, F'd economy & all.

New material from Chris Connelly (Ministry), Steve Shelly (Sonic Youth), and Sanford Parker (Nachtmystium) all recorded by Jeremy Lemos. Dark, reflective tracks all lock together here to form an ominous album of bleak imagery and amazing musiciansip. Scott Walker like vocals, industrial meanderings, heavy-handed percussion create a soundscape of sizeable proportion. An exciting release by equally impressive artists - this is a must! On Relapse Records.