New Arrival: Phillip Lewin’s “Am I Really Here All Alone” Finally gets a Reissue

386909a63c7a4a292258200fc38cb810e29d54d1


Phil Lewin’s homespun debut is a loner folk masterpiece; accidentally psychedelic, lit by heartbreak and timeless in its sadness and hope. – Jeff Conklin, WFMU

In his own words, today:

In 1967 I began my life in the student union of a university. In other words, I was in school. But, classes definitely took a back seat to people-watching and attempts at relationships. I would not say that I was particularly good at the latter, but I made a great observer. I even stayed near the school community for an extra year until an opportunity came up to move in with friends in Toronto, Canada, which turned out to be a pivotal opportunity for me.

I was once told that one should first write about one’s own experiences, then, expand to documenting the observed experiences of those around, and, finally write about what one imagines. Am I Really Here All Alone? encompasses all of the above. Something else I realized in writing lyrics is that sometimes it is good to be transparent about the meaning and others times, not so much. “Unusual Day” is an example of me being honest struggling to develop and maintain a relationship, but ultimately realizing it was not going to succeed. “Watercolours” documents a crushing experience, but is couched in metaphor. I hope that listeners will relate through their own experiences, and because my reality is implied, not specified, will not be limited to mine. “Sweet Georgia” is an example of me, as a writer, leaving my personal space. I think of it as an attempt to clone William Faulkner to Bobbie Gentry. “The Magic Within You” is actually a commission where I was asked to write a song for a benefit to be performed by Doug Henning, the groundbreaking stage magician and friend. I once heard John Prine complain that there was no point in writing a ‘train song’ because Steve Goodman had already written the perfect one with “City of New Orleans”. Naturally, I had to write “Back Home, To You”, my idea of a train song where I tried to capture the movement of the train in the rhythm of the guitar. As for the other six songs, to me, they all reflect realities, experienced, observed and imagined. Descartes said, “I think, therefore I am.” However my question is, “Am I Really Here All Alone?”

-Philip Lewin, 2017

Interested in purchasing the vinyl? Shuga Records has the 2017 Tompkins Square Reissue available on their website here.

 

New Vinyl Releases 2/24/17

new


  • All Them Witches – Sleeping Through The War (Deluxe LTD 2LP 150gm)
  • Andrew Bird – & The Mysterious Production of Eggs
  • Aquilo – Silhouettes
  • Baked – Farnham
  • Black Moon – Enta Da Stage (Deluxe 6LP Boxset Reissue)
  • Circa Survive – On Letting Go (10 Year Anniversary Gatefold, LTD to 2000)
  • Dams Of The West (Vampire Weekend’s Chris Tomson) – Youngish America
  • Damu The Fudgemunk featuring Raw Poetic – The Essentials Kilawatt Sessions (LTD White vinyl)
  • Destroyer 666 – Phoenix Rising (Transparent Clear vinyl, LTD to 250)
  • Destroyer 666 – Cold Steel…For an Iron Age (Opaque Grey vinyl, LTD to 250)
  • DNCE – S/T
  • Dude York – Sincerely (LTD Colored and Standard Black)
  • Electric Guest – Plural
  • The Feelies – In Between
  • Good Charlotte – S/T (LTD to 500 Reissue on Blue + Red Vinyl)
  • George Harrison – All Things Must Pass (Deluxe 180gm Remastered 3LP Boxset)
  • George Harrison – Dark Horse (Deluxe 180gm Remastered Gatefold LP)
  • George Harrison – Thirty Three & 1/3 (Deluxe 180gm Remastered Gatefold LP)
  • George Harrison – S/T (Deluxe 180gm Remastered Gatefold LP)
  • George Harrison – Cloud Nine (Deluxe 180gm Remastered Gatefold LP)
  • George Harrison – Brainwashed (Deluxe 180gm Remastered Gatefold LP)
  • George Harrison – Living In The Material World (Deluxe 180gm Remastered Gatefold)
  • George Harrison – Extra Texture (Deluxe 180gm Remastered Gatefold LP)
  • George Harrison – Electric Sound (Deluxe 180gm Remastered Gatefold LP)
  • George Harrison – Somewhere In England (Deluxe 180gm Remastered Gatefold LP)
  • George Harrison – Wonderwall Music (Deluxe 180gm Remastered Gatefold LP)
  • George Harrison – Live in Japan with Eric Clapton (Deluxe 180gm Remastered Gatefold LP)
  • George Harrison – Gone Troppo (Deluxe 180gm Remastered Gatefold LP)
  • Hippo Campus – Landmark (‘Indie Exclusive Yellow vinyl)
  • Immolation – Atonement
  • Jose James – Love In A Time Of Madness
  • King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard – Flying Microtonal Banana (‘Radioactive Yellow’ Pressing + Scratch n’Sniff Sticker + Zine while supplies last)
  • King Woman – Created in the Image of Suffering
  • Lemaitre – Afterglow (LTD Gold vinyl)
  • Phillip Lewin – Am I Really Here All Alone? (Remastered Reissue of v rare 1975 Psych Private Press LP)
  • Lupe Fiasco – Drogas Light
  • Lydia – This December; It’s One More and I’m Free (LTD Deluxe Gatefold Pressing w/Silk Screened D Side)
  • Meatwave – The Incessant
  • NE-HI – Offers (‘Shuga Exclusive’ Clear vinyl)
  • Paul Nice – Drum Library Vol. 15
  • Old 97’s – Graveyard Whistling (LTD Clear / Red / Blue / Green vinyl)
  • Phobocosm- Bringer of Drought
  • Pissed Jeans – Why Love Now (LTD Sub Pop ‘Loser Edition’ Colored vinyl)
  • Power Trip –  Nightmare Logic (Red vinyl, LTD to 500)
  • Psychedelic Witchcraft – The Vision (LTD Trans Purple vinyl)
  • Karriem Riggins – Headnod Suite
  • Shadow Band – Wilderness Of Love
  • Soundtrack / Score / Jed Kurzel – Assassin’s Creed
  • Unearthly Trance – Stalking The Ghost
  • Various / Rough Guide – Peru Rare Groove
  • Various Artists – Synthesize the Soul: Astro-Atlantic Hypnotica from Cape Verde 1973-88
  • Vision Of Disorder – Razed To The Ground
  • Watain – Casus Luciferi (Trans Red Reissue)
  • Xiu Xiu – Forget (LTD Light Blue of Standard Black vinyl)
  • Zeal & Ardor – Devil is Fine

16865167_1884131431834004_142805386479052751_n

 

REMEMBER TO CHECK THE WEBSITE FOR A LOOK IN REAL TIME OF EVERYTHING WE HAVE IN THE STORE! WWW.SHUGARECORDS.COM

New Vinyl Releases 2/17/17

a1ir4ucbpwl-_sl1500_

  • 3 Doors Down – The Better Life
  • Ryan Adams – Prisoner (LTD  ‘Indie Exclusive’ Red vinyl)
  • Black Sites – In Monochrome
  • CHVE – 10910
  • Deep Throat Choir – Be OK
  • Fufanu – Sports
  • Hanni El Khatib – Savage Times (LTD 3x 10″ Boxset with Slipcover)
  • Jesca Hoop – Memories Are Now (Sub Pop ‘Loser Edition’ Colored vinyl)
  • III Omen – Æ.Thy.Rift
  • Jai Wolf – Kindred Spirits
  • Alison Krauss – Windy City
  • Nikki Lane – Highway Queen
  • Lift To Experience – The Texas Jerusalem Crossroads (LTD 2LP Colored vinyl)
  • Lowly – Heba (Limited Edition Gold vinyl)
  • Middle Kids – S/T EP
  • The Orwells – Terrible Human Beings
  • Our Lady Peace – Clumsy (LTD Translucent Orange-Smoke vinyl)
  • Robert Randolph & The Family Band – Got Soul
  • Son Volt – Notes Of Blue
  • Strand of Oaks – Hard Love
  • Tash Sultana – Notion EP

REMEMBER TO CHECK THE WEBSITE FOR A LOOK IN REAL TIME OF EVERYTHING WE HAVE IN THE STORE! WWW.SHUGARECORDS.COM

New Vinyl Releases 2/10/17

new


  • 311 – From Chaos
  • Beach Slang – Here I Made This For You Mixtape Vol. 2 ( Cassette Tape)
  • Big Star – Complete Third Vol. 2: Roughs to Mixes
  • Bing & Ruth – No Home of the Mind (2LP White vinyl)
  • Bush – Razorblade Suitcase (in addition) Deluxe 2LP on Black + White Swirl vinyl
  • Vic Chesnutt – Drunk
  • Chevelle – This Type Of Thinking (Could Do Us In)
  • Daedelus – Baker’s Dozen
  • Denmark Vessey – Martin Lucid Dream
  • The Dillinger Escape Plan (w/Mike Patton) – Irony is a Dead Scene
  • Immolation – Failures For Gods (Transparent Red Vinyl, LTD to 500)
  • Immolation – Here in After (Transparent Red Vinyl, LTD to 500)
  • Immolation – Close To A World Below (Transparent Red Vinyl, LTD to 500)
  • Jeezy – Trap Or Die 3
  • Kid Koala (feat. Emilliana Torrini) – Music to Draw to: Satellite
  • London O’Connor – Ο∆ (Circle Triangle) on Pantone Yellow vinyl
  • The Other People Place – Lifestyles of The Laptop Cafe
  • Palberta – Bye Bye Berta
  • Panic At The Disco – Pretty. Odd.
  • Parkway Drive – Horizons
  • Parquet Courts – Captive of the Sun (feat. Bun B) 12″ Single Limited to 550!
  • Queen – Greatest Hits II
  • Will Sessions + Amp Fiddler – Lost Without You / Seven Mile 7″
  • Sinkane – Life & Livin’ It (Limited Edition Yellow vinyl)
  • Six by Seven – The Closer You Get + Peel Sessions
  • Sleep – The Clarity (Limited Edition Etched 12″ on Red vinyl)
  • Sleep – The Clarity (Limited Edition Etched 12″ on White vinyl)
  • Sleep – The Clarity (Limited Edition Etched 12″ on Orange vinyl)
  • Soundtrack / Eskmo – Billions
  • Ten Fe – Hit The Light
  • Various Artists – Ultimate Block Party Breaks (Vol. 3)
  • Various Artists – The Hamilton Mixtape
  • Terrace Martin – Velvet Portraits
  • The Weeknd – Starboy (2LP Transparent Red vinyl)
  • Weltesser – Crestfallen (LTD Clear / Yellow Swirl vinyl)
  • Wiegedood – De Doden Hebben Het Goed II

sleep

REMEMBER TO CHECK THE WEBSITE FOR A LOOK IN REAL TIME OF EVERYTHING WE HAVE IN THE STORE! WWW.SHUGARECORDS.COM

New Vinyl Horoscopes (Feb 2017)

horoscope

By: Raegan Bird

Gemini (May 21 -June 20)

The cold dreary days indoors may be getting to your head Gemini. Don’t worry, The sun is in your 9th house, aka the house of philosophy, until February 18th. Get active, reach out to others and join a new band or organization. People will be drawn to your active, go-getter attitude.

Check out Surfer Blood – Snowdonia, Tracks like Frozen will keep you motivated through the gray skies. Get out of the city if you need to. Add it to your next road trip playlist, we know you love traveling.


Cancer (June 21 -July 22)

Mars enters your 10th house on January 28th and will stay there until early March. This means success for you Cancer! You will likely feel an increase in energy towards climbing up the career ladder. While you’re up working late nights pop on Muna – About U. (The track Crying on the Bathroom Floor will deeefinitely resonate with cancers.)


Leo (July 23 -August 22)

Family and emotional health was a priority for you towards the end of January but you will need to watch out for yourself in February. The lunar eclipse happens in leo on the 10th and you may be extra effected by it. Eclipses always bring about an ending of some sort, but not always for the worst. Brace yourself, but don’t get too paranoid, put on The Avalanches – Since I Left You and get some work done on your latest creative project. Their upbeat sample-driven disco-pop is sure to keep you energized and strong. This is the cheaper black vinyl but I know you’d love to splurge on the blue one.


Virgo (August 23 -September 22)

The lunar eclipse this month will bring you some pretty vivid dreams virgo. Pick up the ambient album of Eluvium – Talk Amongst the Trees and play it as you drift into sleep and let the cosmos do the rest. Keep a journal closeby as they may lead you to some interesting discoveries.


Libra (September 23 -October 22)

Someone is standing in your way and you are pissed off about it! Fueling the fire is mars is opposite your natal Sun, this will last from February 3rd-11th. Don’t act before you think, you may need some sort of compromise. Let out that steam by listening to Iron Reagan – Crossover Ministry at max volume. Let the thrash carry your frustrations far away.


Scorpio (October 23 -November 21)

You might be feeling restless at home, set aside time to fix up your place. Throw out or donate all of the stuff you don’t need, deep clean everything and try not to sting your roommate too hard over the dirty dishes. Throw on Ron Gallo – Heavy Meta, a new release that will have you dancing with the dustbuster and a few brews.


Sagittarius (November 22 -December 21)

Hey things are looking up for you Sagittarius! As Mars moves your fifth house of love, Venus will soon follow making this month one to tell that special someone how you’re feeling. Kick off your shoes and put on Soft Machine – Live at the Paradiso. If you wanna get down this 1969 release is perfect for you. As one of the four mutable signs, you know how to go with the flow. While you’re at it pre-order Elliott Smith’s – Either / Or for yourself. It’s named after the work of Kierkegaard and Sagittarius is the philosopher of signs of course. We’ll have it in March 10th.


Capricorn (December 22 -January 19)

Mars entered your 4th house, the house of the home, on on January 28th, so you’ve been thinking a lot about your family or roots. The aggressive energy of mars will call you to action. You’re ruled by Saturn the planet of restrictions so you’re generally pretty conservative but you may have been feeling stubborn about that lately. Luckily we’ve got 2 releases by Emperor out this month, Emperor (self-titled) and Anthems to the Welkin. Guaranteed to bring some quality aggression into your home.


Aquarius (January 20 -February 18)

The new moon of January 27th brought some relief to you, use this time wisely to think of what you want to get done this year. Drops of Jupiter are transiting your beliefs corner, just in time for Train’s new album A Girl A Bottle A Boat! (okay yeah this one’s a stretch but just check it out, they did bring you your fav karaoke song ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ )


Pisces (February 19 -March 20)

It’s going to be a productive month for you Pisces! The lunar eclipse February 10th will work in your favor to close a project you have been working on for a while. Take a break and treat yourself to Moon Duo’s- Occult Architecture. You’ll appreciate it because it takes two of your favorite things, darkness and psychedelia, on an enchanting lunar exploration sure to mesmerize.


Aries (March 21 -April 19)

Mars in Aries has you feeling especially aggressive lately. You know what you want and are ready to go for it. This could be a very busy time for you but you have the energy to fuel it. With Venus moving into Aries February 3rd you’ll be happily melting into a few months of romance. Get ready, invite your honey over and drop Syl Johnson, We Do It Together on the turntable. Just in time for Valentine’s day.


Taurus (April 20 -May 20)

Mars Venus and Neptune in your 11th house of friends will have you feeling social this month. You may be busy but will have no problem getting together friends to discuss what’s on your mind. Have a potluck and start up Black Sabath – The Ultimate Collection, sure to appeal to your senses.