This isn’t intended to be a comprehensive list of vinyl (or even just the cool vinyl) that’s come out over the last few months, but there have been some releases that definitely deserve to be highlighted.
Sony’s Legacy imprint re-issued several jazz classics on their intended format. Significant albums from Miles Davis’ catalog will finally be played as they were supposed to be played for generations who’ve only heard them on CD. While Sketches of Spain is clearly among the greatest jazz albums ever recorded, three others, when taken together are even more interesting. Nefertiti was Davis’ last album before he went electric and blazed a new trail called fusion. Following that is In a Silent Way, one of fusion’s earliest recordings. It also marks the beginning of Davis’ relationship with John McLaughlin, an artist almost as synonymous with the sub-genre as Davis himself. The freshness of In a Silent Way still shines through today and now, on vinyl, it’s as amazing as ever.
To complete Davis’ transition into fusion, Legacy re-issued Bitches Brew, considered by many to be fusion’s pinnacle. Now on vinyl, these three albums, taken together, can be fully appreciated and enjoyed by those who didn’t have the opportunity 40 years ago. Following that same path, Legacy also included two of Herbie Hancock’s contributions which helped cement his position in the fusion pantheon. While Hancock tends more toward funk than Davis, Head Hunters shares the same urgency and wild exploration with Davis’ first forays into fusion. Thrust sees things getting more refined and, while it’s well worth hearing, it just doesn’t have the same punch as Head Hunters. All of these albums are great to finally see back on a format worthy of them.
In addition to these jazz/fusion classics, Legacy is offering a variety of vinyl re-issues including:
Steve Vai – Passion and Warfare. I don’t know that this ever enjoyed a vinyl release, but the Zappa-protegé is in fine form here and it’s certainly worthy of being pressed.
Pearl Jam – Ten Redux. This features Brendan O’Brien’s mix as he’d hoped the album would have been released. While the difference is certainly not night and day, it may be of interest to the hardcore Pearl Jam fan.
Cheap Trick – At Budokan. The only way to really understand Cheap Trick is to see them live. In lieu of that, this album is your next best bet and what better way to connect with it than on vinyl.
Among No Idea Records’ (www.noidearecords.com) many great vinyl offerings is Chris Wollard (Hot Water Music) and the Ship Thieves’ self-titled album. The label is already a record collector’s dream, not only releasing the most beautiful colored vinyl (for cheap no less), but detailing the colors in each pressing of each album. With Wollard’s release, they offer it on regular weight or 180 gram vinyl. Hopefully, this becomes a regular option which will make the quality of the vinyl every bit as nice as its color. Oh yeah, the music’s not bad either! Wollard delivers the gritty punk rock honesty that has come to be expected from HWM’s members, both inside and outside the band itself.
In addition to that, No Idea’s #1 Reason to Move to Gainesville comp is worth checking out both for the collection of cool Gainesville bands as well as the package, which includes screen printed covers and colored vinyl for this hand numbered (limited to 500) Harvest of Hope benefit edition. Get it while they still have ’em.
Capitol Records has recently re-issued two Beastie Boys classics, Paul’s Boutique and Check Your Head, on LP. These are remastered originals of the Beasties in their prime and should sound great (though I’m a slacker and haven’t picked up my copies yet)! Ill Communication is scheduled to follow on July 14. Luckily, I already own the original on vinyl and won’t need to pick that up too, but if you don’t, this is a great opportunity to get these truly important albums on a format that will last!
The guys in Look Mexico offer up a slightly smoother version of their quirky punk zaniness on Grab Asp, the first release from new label Tiny Engines (http://www.tinyengines.net/). This was originally a digital EP via Lujo Records, but Tiny Engines put together a great package. Choose from green, blue or white vinyl. Blue and white also includes great foil lettering as well. If this is an indicator of what we can expect from Tiny Engines, I can’t wait to see what they have in store as they gather steam. Gasp Asp certainly indicates that these guys know what the vinyl fan is looking for.
City of Ships’ Live Free or Don’t Tour is a really fantastic slab of wax from the folks at Forcefield Records. Not only do you get walls of dissonant post-hardcore from the two earlier EPs collected here, but it comes on truly striking yellow/black swirl vinyl. Seriously, I took the record into a dark room thinking it might actually glow! You can’t lose with this one.
Evil Weevil Records (http://www.myspace.com/evilweevilrecords) recently released Everyone Everywhere’s A Lot of Weird People Standing Around. Not only does this little 7” remind us of why emo was once good, it also comes in a cool package. The heavy cardboard sleeve is more of a box and the vinyl itself comes in either blue or clear (100 of each, so jump on it before it’s gone).
Temporary Residence Limited often releases some great vinyl. Back in the Fall, they put out the split between Thursday and Envy and the package was phenomenal. The first 1000 came in a screenprinted, hand-numbered sleeve and silver/black or gold/black splatter vinyl (and a copy of the CD inside the sleeve to boot). I know stock on these was getting pretty low, so this special package may have sold out. Nonetheless, the label has plenty of quality music on vinyl from the likes of Mono, Young Widows and, coming in the Fall, the Blackheart Procession, so head on over and check them out.
