Friday, January 7, 2011

Music News & Notes

Within Temptation Reveals Cover Artwork For New Album

Dutch metal vets Within Temptation have revealed the cover art for their forthcoming studio album 'The Unforgiving.' The artwork can be viewed here. "The Unforgiving" is scheduled for release in spring of 2011 through Roadrunner Records











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Enjoy The Ride Records To Release The Starting Line Vinyl

Enjoy The Ride Records will be releasing The Starting Line's 'Make Yourself At Home' EP and 'With Hopes Of Starting Over' EP on 10" vinyl in March.

The release will be limited to 500 and will be available to pre-order in February.

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Low Anthem Reveal Details New Album

The Low Anthem have revealed the cover art for their new album, 'Smart Flesh,' which will be released February 22 via Nonesuch. The first 5,000 CDs will come in letterpress printed packages with a bonus disc featuring three unreleased tracks from the 'Smart Flesh' recording sessions. In addition, the first 5,000 vinyl copies will come in exclusive letterpress packages.










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Victoria record store celebrates 25 years in business

Midnite Rambler Collectibles is a music library in vinyl form. Rows of records line the shelves, while the overflow sits piled wherever there is room.

It might appear to be a sort of chaos, but it's an organized chaos. Owner Ruben Flores said he knows what he has in stock and where to find it.

That's the sort of savvy that comes naturally after years in the biz.

The business just celebrated its 25th anniversary.

Read the rest HERE

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Thrill of the dig

Tacoma is home to many avid record collectors, some who also happen to be hip-hop producers

As far as the masses are concerned, vinyl records were eclipsed by tapes decades ago. But records still hold a special place in hip-hop culture. Producers use them to "sample," which is to cut brief segments out of a record and piece them into a beat - a common method made mainstream by producers like Kanye West and Just Blaze.

These days, finding rare records is a hobby all in itself - one many in Tacoma call their passion.

Read the rest HERE

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Vinyl Fever Announces Closing

Everything for sale, including that Rolling Stones autographed guitar

PRLog (Press Release) The end of an era. After serving the Tampa Bay area for almost 30 years, Vinyl Fever, located at 4110 Henderson Blvd. in South Tampa, will close its doors at the end of February. Known for its knowledgeable staff and extensive, eclectic selection of new and used CDs, vinyl records and related merchandise, Vinyl Fever has drawn customers from across the state and beyond. Recently voted one of the Top 25 record stores in the country by Rolling Stone magazine, Vinyl Fever (http://www.vinylfevertampa.com/) endured in no small part because its crew lives and breathes music, passionately providing customers with information and an experience they cannot get at other stores.

“It has been a great run,” says Owner/Manager Lee Wolfson. “We feel honored and fortunate to have lived such a long business life doing what we love. We would have liked to make it to 33 and 1/3 [years], but the combination of industry changes, a difficult economy, and the upcoming expiration of our lease has forced our hand.”

A CELEBRATION BEGINS

“We plan to celebrate and commemorate our 30 rocking years in Tampa. We’ll thank our customers and the community with blowout sales and special events, and hopefully leave everyone with great memories.”

Everything in the store will be sold, including the famous guitar autographed by the Rolling Stones that’s had a “Not for Sale” sign on it for years. For now, most items will be 30%-50% off.

THE BALLAD OF VINYL FEVER

As the independent music scene grew in the late 1970's, two idealistic bohemians named Sam and Dave pooled their personal record collections, music knowledge, and a few hundred bucks to open Singing Dog Records in Columbus, Ohio. Through their store they met Mike, who managed a similar store in Cleveland. Mike had lived in Tampa, was eager to return, and helped open Vinyl Fever in 1981. A Tallahassee store soon followed.

Dave's brother Lee followed in Dave’s footsteps. Starting out at Singing Dog, Lee transferred to Tallahassee in 1984 and took charge of all of the stores in 1987. Over time, Vinyl Fever Tampa split from its sister stores, still managed by Lee and an amazing crew of music aficionados.

LOCATION & STORE HOURS
Vinyl Fever Tampa, 4110 Henderson Blvd. (West of Dale Mabry), Tampa
Monday – Friday: 11am – 9pm
Saturday: 10am – 9pm
Sunday: Noon – 7pm

CONTACT:

Lee Wolfson
727-463-6531
Lee@vinylfevertampa.com
http://www.vinylfevertampa.com/

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Vinyl Records Still Got it Going On

Sound Stage Direct elaborates on why the love of vinyl is more visible and audible than ever today even with digital music format hogging the airwaves.

PRLog (Press Release) – Jan 06, 2011 – Doylestown, Pennsylvania – From the homes of baby boomer folks to college dorm rooms, it appears that an antique music medium has slowly been resurfacing amidst today’s modern age. Vinyl’s got its groove back, it seems, and Sound Stage Direct couldn’t be happier.

The company caters to the vinyl-appreciating crowd which, compared to track records from early on, are enjoying a slow but steady increase of supporters. According to Seth Frank, the unattractive audio quality from mp3 players has made audiophiles turn to other mediums to enjoy their music and have found a rare gem in vinyl records.

“Sales are up. We see purchases for new and old vinyl releases from music fans across various ages and music genres.” says Frank. This is a bit surprising, considering how much the art of listening to music has changed through the years.

Music shops have cassette tapes and CDs, and the internet offers mp3 music files, most of them for free. So why would anyone bother to pore through stacks of bulky old albums that won’t even fit inside his pocket? Yet this is exactly why vinyl records appeal to music enthusiasts who are looking for the perfect listening experience.

Vinyl record collectors are in it not just because of the warm nuanced feel of each track from a vinyl album. The cover of a vinyl record, for one, is something tangible and allows the listener to go over the song lyrics of each track, hold it with his hands, and admire the artistry unique only in vinyl album cover art.

Listening to a vinyl record is indeed not only a musical experience but a social phenomenon as well. It offers an opportunity for fans of the same artists to convene in a room and comment on the vinyl record foldout photos. Fans of artists like The Doors or the more modern The White Stripes can talk openly with something tangible in their hands, making the vinyl listening experience more socially interactive, as opposed to listening to a track alone with an mp3 player.

Vinyl’s still got it going on, and from the way it looks and sound it will take a lot more than just digitalized music to stop vinyl enthusiasts from showing their appreciation for vinyl.

# # #

SoundStage Direct, LLC is an online independent store based in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. SSD has the largest selection of new releases and vinyl reissues online. And you don’t want to miss amazing closeout deals available at our LP outlet! We have vinyl LPs in every genre and in a variety of formats available ready to be shipped at your doorstep.

Contact:
Seth Frank
SoundStage Direct, LLC
212 Decatur St Doylestown, PA 18901
1-877-WAX-TRAX
http://www.soundstagedirect.com/

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Jack White and Third Man Records News



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2011 Grammy Nominees Album

Tracklisting and cover art for this year's Grammy nominees compilation have been unveiled by the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences. The album includes 19 hit singles from 2011 nominated musicians and will be made available for purchase across United States on January 25.

A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the album will benefit the MusiCares Foundation and the Grammy Foundation, two charitable organizations established by the Recording Academy.









1. Cee-Lo - "Forget You" - Record of the Year, Song of the Year
2. B.o.B ft. Bruno Mars - "Nothin' on You" - Record of the Year
3. Katy Perry ft. Snoop Dogg - "California Gurls" - Album of the Year
4. Lady GaGa ft. Beyonce Knowles - "Telephone" - Album of the Year
5. Eminem ft. Rihanna - "Love The Way You Lie" - Record of the Year, Album of the Year, Song of the Year
6. Lady Antebellum - "Need You Now" - Record of the Year, Album of the Year, Song of the Year
7. Arcade Fire - "Ready To Start" - Album of the Year
8. Adam Lambert - "Whataya Want From Me" - Best Male Pop Vocal Performance
9. John Mayer - "Half of My Heart" (with Taylor Swift) - Best Male Pop Vocal Performance
10. Michael Buble - "Haven't Met You Yet" - Best Male Pop Vocal Performance
11. Bruno Mars - "Just The Way You Are" - Best Male Pop Vocal Performance
12. Michael Jackson - "This Is It" - Best Male Pop Vocal Performance
13. Ray LaMontagne and The Pariah Dogs - "Beg Steal or Borrow" - Song of the Year
14. Miranda Lambert - "The House That Built Me" - Song of the Year
15. Sade - "Babyfather" - Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals
16. Paramore - "The Only Exception" - Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals
17. Train - "Hey, Soul Sister" (Live) - Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals
18. Maroon 5 - "Misery" - Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals
19. "Glee" cast - "Don't Stop Believin' " (Regionals Version) - Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals

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Just a bit of trivia for you:

The Artists With the Most U.S. Number One Singles

1 The Beatles 20
2 Elvis Presley 18
3 Mariah Carey 15
4 Michael Jackson 13
5 The Supremes 12
6 Madonna 12
7 Whitney Houston 11
8 Stevie Wonder 10
9 Janet Jackson 10
10 George Michael 10
11 Elton John 9
12 Paul McCartney 9
13 Bee Gees 9
14 Rolling Stones 8
15 Phil Collins 7
16 Pat Boone 6
17 Hall and Oates 6
18 Diana Ross 6
19 Paula Abdul 6
20 Eagles 5
21 Four Seasons 5
22 Prince 5
23 KC & the Sunshine Band 5
24 Olivia Newton-John 5
25 Barbra Streisand 5
26 Lionel Richie 5
27 Bon Jovi 5
28 Boyz II Men 5
29 Puff Daddy 5

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