Friday, September 12, 2014

Vinyl Record News & Music Notes


from our friends at Insound

The Unicorns 'Who Will Cut Our Hair When We’re Gone?' Remastered Pre-Order Available

WWCOHWWG? was the third and final full- length album by the Canadian indie rock act The Unicorns, and was originally released in 2003. The album gained wide and immediate praise, with broad critical and commercial acclaim from outlets as diverse at NME, Pitchfork and The Village Voice. This cult affection is probably best summarized in the album’s involvement as the premise for the CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother? i.e., the basis for the lead character falling in love with said “mother” being their mutual love of the obscure Who Will Cut Our Hair…?.

The Unicorns disbanded shortly after the release of WWCOHWWG?, with founding member Nick Thorborn going on to create the band Islands, and perform in various projects. The Arcade Fire shows are the first time The Unicorns will be performing in over a decade.

Pre-Order at Insound



GRMLN 'Soon Away' (Colored Vinyl) PRE-ORDER

Comes on blue vinyl and includes a download code! With Soon Away, GRMLN veers from the pop-punk-rooted road the band started on with last year’s Empire. It’s an aggressive album, darker and heavier than what’s come before. While it carries these characteristics, there is also a certain peace to Soon Away, thanks to songwriter Yoodoo Park’s personal growth.

 The album grapples with letting go and getting used to goodbyes. “Find a way to be wanted and here for someone else/ Break away from the notion, the poison in my head,” Park sings on the cathartic “Faux.” The singer-guitarist sees the constant changes of life allowing people to embrace the true nature of living. The teachings of Krishna were an inspiration to Park while writing the record and it’s a force that helped define Park’s perspective in these songs. Still, there’s an intensity to these guitar-driven tracks. “Go, but you're breaking without me/ When days can crawl around/ To waste myself away,” Park sings on opener “Jaded,” which is built around one of GRMLN’s catchiest riffs.

Pre-Order at Insound



I Am King 'Code Orange Kids'

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania's Code Orange Kids remind us off our own embryonic days in the aggressive music scene. They do things their way, creatively cutting their own path through it all. Unconcerned with the direction of other artists, their brand of gritty hardcore/punk is simply refreshing. Merging cryptic melody, dirty hardcore power, and intense dirge into their own uniquely inspired sound.

Order at Insound


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from our friends at BrutalPandaRecords

LADDER DEVILS: Announce New Album Via BrutalPanda

Philadelphia, PA noise rock quartet Ladder Devils make their long awaited return with Clean Hands, the first proper full-length for the band.  Featuring former members of hardcore heroes The Minor Times, the group previously released a series of EPs and splits with Helms Alee, Kowloon Walled City and Fight Amp, leading up to the recording of this album  With tighter songwriting and cleaner production, the band mix the punk urgency of Nirvana with the sonic experimentation of The Pixies to create a sound that is all their own.  Fans of post-hardcore, noise rock, grunge and loud indie rock will surely embrace the rattling sounds of Ladder Devils.

1st Pressing:
 -6 Test Presses
 -300 White

**A limited number of low priced packages with Ladder Devil’s previous full-length Nowhere Plans and split 7? with Helms Alee are available while supplies last**

***NOTE:  THIS IS A PRE-ORDER AND IS EXPECTED TO SHIP ON OR BEFORE NOVEMBER 4th***

Order at BrutalPandaRecords

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East River Pipe 'The Gasoline Age' Reissued On Vinyl

On October 7, we will celebrate our long relationship with East River Pipe by releasing their critically acclaimed fourth album The Gasoline Age on vinyl.

Saluted by Rolling Stone as “the most gifted of the new loners,” F.M. Cornog, aka East River Pipe, originally released The Gasoline Age in 1999. Named Album of the Year by both The New York Times and England’s The Independent, The Gasoline Age was inspired in large part by nighttime drives on New Jersey’s seedy Route 22. Automobile imagery appears throughout the album: cybercars, stolen cars, pimpmobiles. The cars all seem to carry with them a romanticism that emphasizes even further Cornog’s gift of creating a lyrical mood without tying his flights of fancy down to specifics.

The Gasoline Age explores the suburban landscape and turnpike stretches outside Cornog’s door and calmly runs down bleak facts over the gentle pulse and chorused strums Cornog has been perfecting since his early singles. Some of the songs are built on merely six concise lines of clear-eyed warning, though sometimes (“Hell Is an Open Door”) he sounds like he might actually be looking forward to the darkness on the horizon. On other tracks, like the ironically titled “Party Drive,” it sounds as though Cornog is barely going to make it to the curb. But for the character in the song, going on that drive is the only thing that makes it seem like “we’re gonna be OK.”

The disconnect between the unsettling dead ends Cornog sings about and the peaceful swells of the keyboards and the glimmering guitars is what brings emotional weight to the entire album. One doesn’t get the sense that a whole lot has changed in the last 15 years for the characters inhabiting this world.

Pre-Order at MergeRecords

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upcoming releases from our friends at MusicOnVinyl

VARIOUS ARTISTS - DIGGIN' DEEPER VOL.1: THE ROOTS OF ACID JAZZ

This first installment in the Diggin' Deeper: The Roots of Acid Jazz series, which collects Funk, Jazz, Soul, Fusion, and Disco sides from the deep Columbia/Epic/Sony catalog, includes such gems as "Also Sprach Zarathustra" by Deodato, Ray Barreto – Pastime Paradise, Mongo Santamaria's "Cloud Nine", Bill Withers' "Kissing My Love" and many more.

Whatever it is or isn't, acid jazz is full of groove DNA and even when chilled, it makes the feet move. This set moves and grooves from end to end, and even listeners with little interest in the Acid Jazz movement that surfaced some two decades after most of these tracks were recorded will find a great little alternative dance album lurking here.

We're giving the first pressing of Diggin' Deeper: The Roots of Acid Jazz vol.1 a special run of 500 numbered copies on red/gold vinyl!
  • 180 gram audiophile vinyl
  • First pressing of 500 numbered copies on solid red/gold vinyl



VARIOUS ARTISTS - DIGGIN' DEEPER VOL.2: THE ROOTS OF ACID JAZZ

The second installment in the Diggin' Deeper: The Roots of Acid Jazz series, which collects Funk, Jazz, Soul, Fusion, and Disco sides from the deep Columbia/Epic/Sony catalog, includes such gems as "Use Me" by Esther Phillips, Ramsey Lewis' cover version of "Living For The City", Herbie Hancock's "Just Around The Corner" and "Sugar Loaf Mountain" by George Duke.

Whatever it is or isn't, acid jazz is full of groove DNA and even when chilled, it makes the feet move. This set moves and grooves from end to end, and even listeners with little interest in the Acid Jazz movement that surfaced some two decades after most of these tracks were recorded will find a great little alternative dance album lurking here.

We're giving the first pressing of Diggin' Deeper: The Roots of Acid Jazz vol.2 a special run of 500 numbered copies on flamed blue/black vinyl!
  • 180 gram audiophile vinyl 
  • First pressing of 500 numbered copies on flamed blue/black vinyl



MEDESKI/SCOFIELD/MARTIN/WOOD - JUICE

Two funky forces of nature reunite on stage as Jazz guitar giant John Scofield joins the endlessly inventive organ trio Medeski, Martin & Wood for an incendiary evening of greasy grooves.

Keyboardist John Medeski, bassist Chris Wood and drummer Billy Martin came together in 1991 for gigs at New York's Village Gate and never looked back, touring relentlessly and issuing a succession of stimulating recordings that embraced Soul-Jazz, Bebop, Funk, R&B, DJ culture and the avantgarde, often at the same time.

A master improviser with a trademark distortion-tinged tone, Scofield cut his teeth with Chet Baker, Gerry Mulligan, Charles Mingus and Gary Burton before his work with Miles Davis catapulted him into the limelight in the 1980s. Since then, he's become universally known as one of the greatest figures in Jazz guitar history.

The blueprint for their 2014 album Juice was found in a compilation of African-derived music put together by drummer Billy Martin and shared among the ensemble. "We all love music from Brazil, the Caribbean, and Latin America, and it has always been intertwined with jazz," explains Medeski. "We got together and started exploring that connection in our own way." "This is our version of different African-based forms," Scofield echoes. "Or, at least, that's what we started with…eventually we said, 'This is the outline, but we can do whatever the hell we want.'"
  • 180 gram audiophile vinyl 
  • Gatefold sleeve
  • Brand new album!
  • Highly anticipated return to the studio of these groove masters
  • European tour coming up in 2014


SANTANA - CARAVANSERAI

Caravanserai is the fourth studio album by Santana released in October 1972. It marked a major turning point in Carlos Santana's career as it was a sharp departure from his critically acclaimed first three albums. Caravanserai reached number eight in the Billboard 200 chart and number six in the R&B Albums chart.

The sound contrasted greatly with Santana's trademark fusion of Salsa, Rock, and Jazz, and concentrated mostly on jazz-like instrumental passages. All but three tracks were instrumentals, and consequently the album yielded no hit singles. The album is the first among a series of Santana albums that were known for their increasing musical complexity, marking a move away from the popular rock format of the early Santana albums towards a more contemplative and experimental jazz sound.

It was the last Santana album to feature Gregg Rolie and Neal Schon, who went on to form Journey the following year.   180 gram audiophile vinyl



MILES DAVIS - MILES SMILES

The wonderful Post-Bop album Miles Smiles (1967) was recorded by Davis's second great quintet, which featured saxophonist Wayne Shorter, pianist Herbie Hancock, bassist Ron Carter, and drummer Tony Williams. The album showcases Davis' deeper exploration of modal performance with looser forms, tempos, and meters. Although it did not follow the conventions of Bop, the album did not follow the formlessness of Free Jazz.

Miles Smiles received critical acclaim upon its release, and was praised for its original compositions, the quintet's chemistry and playing, and Davis's phrasing. The album was a.o. called 'essential...one of the quintet's best albums' and cited "Footprints" and "Dolores" as 'all-time great jazz compositions'.

Miles Smiles is certain to remain an important part of the Davis discography, both for the trumpeter's persistent brilliance and for the lesson by Williams and Carter in how the functions — and the dynamic range — of the jazz rhythm section are being explored and changed.   180 gram audiophile vinyl

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ARCA ANNOUNCES DEBUT ALBUM  XEN

OUT NOVEMBER 4th, 2014 ON MUTE

Arca has today revealed details of his highly anticipated debut album. Titled Xen, the album will be released on November 4th, 2014 on Mute, following a recently inked deal with the iconic label.

Xen will be available on CD, LP and download, and features stunning artwork from long time Arca visual collaborator Jesse Kanda. A limited edition vinyl format will also be available. Limited to just 500 copies, this special format will be hand-numbered and sealed in black PVC and will also include a bonus 10” record of exclusive Arca material, continuing Arca’s tradition of producing highly sought-after vinyl recordings (the recent vinyl version of his &&&&& mixtape sold out within days of going on sale).

Order HERE

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very useful guide:


How to Do Your Vinyl Record Collection Right











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Vinyl record sales have jumped to 6 million







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great write up:













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cool read from the great state of michigan:


Local record store owner reflects on music trends among generations







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The Beatles' complete mono catalog released on vinyl LPs






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Bill Burr will release Live at Andrew’s House vinyl, will chronicle his Carnegie Hall performance










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Lost James Brown / Bootsy Collins album surfaces for limited vinyl release this autumn






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‘Wolfcop’ Soundtrack Coming To Digital, Vinyl, And Cassette







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Grimeys BEST SELLERS 9/01-9/07, 2014




Vinyl Top 25

1. Jack White - Lazaretto
2. Tweedy - Summer Moon 7"
3. Spoon - They Want My Soul
4. Can - Tago Mago
5. Can - Ege Bamyasi
6. The War On Drugs - Lost In The Dream
7. Pink Floyd - Dark Side Of The Moon
8. Code Orange Kids - I Am King
9. Shovels & Rope - Swimmin' Time
10. Sinoia Caves - Beyond The Black Rainbow
11. Cocteau Twins - Heaven Or Las Vegas
12. The New Pornographers - Brill Bruisers
13. White Fence - For The Recently Found Innocent
14. Arctic Monkeys - AM
15. Coldplay - Viva La Vida
16. Can - Soundtracks
17. Spacemen 3 - Live At The New Morning
18. Pallbearer - Foundations Of Burden
19. Lucero - Live In Atlanta
20. Sturgill Simpson - Metamodern Sounds In Country Music
21. Widespread Panic - Widespread Panic
22. OST - The Great Gatsby
23. Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin II
24. Jimmy Eat World - Clarity
25. The Beatles - Abbey Road

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album cover art of the day:


Julian Casablancas + The Voidz Release "Where No Eagles Fly" Video, Awesome Single Artwork - From the forthcoming album Tyranny