Monday, May 23, 2011

Top 5 eBay Vinyl Record Sales - Week Ending 05/21/2011

The Mixed Feelings 45 made the list but got beat out of the top spot by the frequent flier Martzy Bach box set. The Beatles and Sex Pistols show up again with a "God Save The Queen" production acetate selling for almost $1500 more than an original "Love Me Do" promo 45 with the original sleeve.





1. LP - Johanna Martzy "Bach: The unaccompanied Violin Sonatas" Columbia Box set UK - $5,023.69

2. 45 - Mixed Feelings "Sha-la-la" / "Love Will Find A Way" United - $4050.00

3. 45 - Sex Pistols "God Save The Queen" Acetate - $3,684.36

4. 45 - The Beatles "Love Me Do" / "P.S. I Love You" Parlophone UK Demo - $2,200.56

5. 45 - The Pelicans "Aurelia" / "White Cliffs Of Dover" Parrot 793 - $3,484.34

More on this week's top 5 on Vinyl Record Talk, Tuesday 8:00PM Eastern / 5:00PM Pacific on Radio Dentata.

Vinyl Record News & Music Notes

the CVR Blog is being featured at teachstreet.com!

www.teachstreet.com



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a true dylan fan and his treasures!

Collector's 'labor of love' is a wonder to behold

By ANDREW KERSHAW

From the outside it's just another concrete building rising up nine or 10 stories on a downtown Tokyo street. Inside, it's no more impressive — until Shinichiro Tatsumi opens the well-secured door to his own, private Bob Dylan heaven.

What confronts the visitor, Dylan fan or not, is a breathtaking sight. Occupying a room some 15 meters long and 5 across, it is what Tatsumi confirms as being certainly the largest collection of Dylan material in Japan. And who's to say if not in the world.

Truly the eyes pop, and pop again and again, as the brain tries to take in the scale and scope of this trove. Over almost 35 years of collecting, Tatsumi, 49, has now assembled here a mind-boggling 2,500 copies of officially released vinyl albums by Dylan, including compilations and promo albums and ones related to his sidemen, as well as around 1,000 copies of comparative vinyl singles. And even though Tatsumi can instantly lay his hand on anything here, each and every item in this one-room cornucopia is also meticulously documented on his computer.

That's just as well, because along with those vinyl records from all over the world, there are some 2,000 officially released CDs, hundreds of DVDs and — wonder of wonders — nearly 450 bootleg CD albums which, together with CD-Rs, DVD-Rs, cassettes and DAT recordings, cover an incredible 2,500 of Dylan's roughly 3,000 concerts in the more than 55 years he's been performing in some 30 countries.

Read the rest of this indepth report at search.japantimes.co.jp

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great article about collecting music:

Old music, new ears: Louisvillian Nathan Salsburg helps carry on work of folklorist Alan Lomax

Written by Jeffrey Lee Puckett

The hard drives stacked on Nathan Salsburg's desk in his downtown Louisville office look innocuous enough, but they contain a life's work: thousands of songs collected over more than six decades of world travel, living histories of dozens of cultures.

The famed folklorist and ethnomusicologist Alan Lomax collected the material, which has now become the focus of Salsburg's work.

For 11 years, he has been part of small group of music obsessives who run the Association for Cultural Equity (ACE), a nonprofit founded by Lomax and based in Manhattan. Lomax, who died in 2002, actively cataloged the world's music for more than 60 years through field recordings and extensive documentation.

Salsburg is currently the editor of ACE's digital catalog, and curated the first five releases for Global Jukebox, a massive project first envisioned by Lomax that will compile thousands of hours of music from Lomax's archives to be released as digital downloads, LPs and CDs.

Read the rest at courier-journal.com

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is this possible?

Cassette tapes make a comeback

By Caitlin Curran

Four years ago, cassette tapes were headed toward their funeral. In 2007, British tabloid The Sun declared the death of the cassette, after the announcement that a major electronics retailer in the United Kingdom would cease selling cassette tapes. In 2009, the webzine Pop Matters bid cassettes good riddance: “Some mediums are just meant to die and never experience a revival. Cassettes seem destined to fall into this category.”

Then, last year, cassettes began to rise from the dead. In the fall, NPR reported that cassettes were having a “kind of” revival, with at least 25 labels in the United States putting out new music exclusively on tape. In a lengthy essay in Pitchfork, contributor Marc Hogan detailed examples of the “broader underground resurgence” of cassettes.

So, are cassettes at death’s door or enjoying a healthy renaissance? It depends on whom you ask. Cassette culture has never waned in certain circles, specifically among noise and experimental bands. But cassettes have gradually been popping up in non-underground places. Lady Gaga probably won’t be releasing music on cassette tape anytime soon, but well-known independent bands such as Animal Collective, Deerhoof and the Mountain Goats have all put out cassettes this year.

Read the rest at washingtonpost.com


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USA

Albums:
1. Adele :21
2. Various :Now 38
3. The Lonely Island :Turtleneck and Chain
4. Christina Perri :lovestrong.
5. Tyler The Creator :Goblin
6. Beastie Boys :Hot Sauce Committee Part Two
7. The Cars :Move Like This
8. Fleet Foxes :Helplessness Blues
9. Jennifer Lopez :Love
10. Jason Aldean :My Kinda Party

Singles:
1. Adele :Rolling In The Deep
2. Katy Perry feat. Kanye West :E.T.
3. Lady Gaga :The Edge Of Glory
4. Pitbull feat. Ne-Yo, Afrojack & Nayer :Give Me Everything
5. Black Eyed Peas :Just Can't Get Enough
6. Jennifer Lopez feat. Pitbull :On The Floor
7. Bruno Mars :The Lazy Song
8. Britney Spears :Till The World Ends
9. Chris Brown feat. Lil Wayne and Busta Rhymes :Look At Me Now
10. Jeremih feat. 50 Cent :Down On Me


UK

Albums:
1. Adele :21
2. Kate Bush :Director's Cut
3. Adele :19
4. Hugh Laurie :Let Them Talk
5. Bruno Mars :Doo-Wops & Holligans
6. Friendly Fires :Pala
7. Chase & Status :No More Idols
8. Jessie J. :Who You Are
9. Foo Fighters :Wasting Light
10. Caro Emerald :Deleted Scenes From The Cutting Room Floor

Singles:
1. Pitbull feat. Ne-Yo, Afrojack & Nayer :Give Me Everything
2. Bruno Mars :The Lazy Song
3. LMFAO :Party Rock Anthem
4. Aloe Blacc :I Need A Dollar
5. Chris Brown feat. Benny Benassi :Beautiful People
6. Lady Gaga :The Edge Of Glory
7. David Guetta :Where Them Girls At
8. Lady Gaga :Judas
9. Snoop Dogg Vs. David Guetta :Sweat
10. Jennifer Lopez feat. Pitbull :On The Floor


Europe

Albums:
1. Take That :Progress
2. Rihanna :Loud
3. Bruce Springsteen :The Promise
4. Shakira :Sale El Sol
5. Pink :Greatest Hits ... So Far
6. Bon Jovi :Greatest Hits
7. James Blunt :Some Kind Of Trouble
8. Susan Boyle :The Gift
9. Kings Of Leon :Come Around Sundown
10. JLS :Outta This World

Singles:
1. Jennifer Lopez feat. Pitbull :On The Floor
2. Rihanna :S&M
3. Adele :Rolling In the Deep
4. Lady Gaga :Born This Way
5. Black Eyed Peas :Just Can't Get Enough
6. Jessie J. feat. B.o.B. :Price Tag
7. Katy Perry :E.T.
8. Snoop Dogg Vs. David Guetta :Sweat
9. LMFAO :Party Rock Anthem
10. Bruno Mars :Grenade

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Vinyl records make a return

Melinda Newman - Los Angeles Times

Music on discs, the big, old-time kind, is popular again. Baby boomers and even kids seek it out. The industry responds.

When the doorbell rings at Monti Olson's Glendale home in the middle of the night, it can mean only one thing: Jeff Bowers, his partner in Original Recordings Group, has brought new album artwork for him to inspect. "I'll come out in my pajamas and look it over," Olson said. "He drives home, and I'll go back to bed."

Olson's doorbell is chiming more frequently these days. Since starting vinyl-only label ORG in December 2006 in Olson's kitchen, the label is bursting at the seams. "By the end of the year, we will have gone from making zero money to projecting that we will gross over $1 million," said Olson, who nevertheless has kept his day job as senior vice president of A&R at Universal Music Publishing Group.

The label, which primarily licenses material from Universal Music Group, will release 10 vinyl albums in 2008 and expects to put out twice that number in 2009. But ORG isn't the only one reaping the rewards. Many Southern California companies -- large and small -- are benefiting from this sonic boom.

According to the Recording Industry Assn., shipments of vinyl soared 36.6% from 2006 to 2007. That amounts to 1.3 million units nationwide. While the numbers are minuscule compared to CD shipments of 511 million for 2007, the news is much-welcomed by a faltering music industry.

"This is a little bright star," said Jane Ventom, vice president for Hollywood-based EMI Music Marketing. Next month, Capitol/EMI will launch "From the Capitol Vaults," with the release of 13 titles on vinyl, including Radiohead's "OK Computer" and Steve Miller Band's "Greatest Hits 1974-1978."

Baby boomers, many of whom had long tucked away their turntables, began to feel nostalgic for their youth and the warm sound of vinyl. Concurrently, a younger generation, raised on CDs and tinny, compressed MP3 files, traded in their earbuds for a less isolated music experience.

Long the provenance of indie record stores, vinyl can now be found at such mass marketers as Best Buy and Costco.

"I have family friends whose 10-year-olds are asking for turntables," said Tom "Grover" Biery, Warner Bros. Records' executive vice president of promotion and the Burbank-based label's vinyl guru.

Read the rest at sott.sott.net

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well, after reading the full page ad in the usa today on friday, i was convinced the world was coming to an end, well, maybe they will be right the next time they predict it :O)



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and in music history for today:

The Everly Brothers started a five-week run at #1 in the U.S. in 1960 with “Cathy's Clown.”

In 1964, The Beach Boys released "I Get Around" which will go on to become the group's first #1 hit, topping the US chart for two weeks.

The Beatles' "Paperback Writer" b/w "Rain" single was released in 1966.



In 1967, Pink Floyd went into the studio and recorded “See Emily Play,” the group's second single. Original frontman Syd Barrett wrote the song.

Iron Butterfly broke up in 1971.

In 1973, Jefferson Airplane were barred from playing Golden Gate Park in San Francisco after the city council banned electric instruments in public concerts.

In 1991, photographer Michael Lavine took what would be the publicity shots for Nirvana’s Nevermind album at Jay Aaron Studios in Los Angeles. The idea for the front cover shot of the baby swimming was taken after Kurt Cobain and Dave Grohl saw a TV documentary on water babies. Kirk Weddle was the photographer. Several babies were used; five-month old Spencer Eldon’s photo came out best.

Rosemary Clooney was born in 1928 (died 2002)

birthday wishes to Danny Klein (J. Geils Band) (65), Rick Fenn (10cc) (58), Luka Bloom (56) and Jewel (1974), just to name a few

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Michael Fremer Album Review

Talking Book
(reissue)
Stevie Wonder
Tamla/Mobile Fidelity MOFI 1-009 140g LP
Produced by: Stevie Wonder
Engineered by: Malcolm Cecil and Robert Margouleff
Mixed by: N/A
Mastered by: Paul Stubblebine at Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs
Recordists: Joan De Cola Austin Godfrey


MUSIC



SOUND





Mobile Fidelity Reissues Wonder's Post- Coming of Age Album
by Michael Fremer
May 20, 2011

No one before sang quite like Stevie Wonder does on this groundbreaking album, but everyone did afterwards. Wonder's tonality and phrasing on Talking Book were breakthroughs in soul/pop vocalizing.

An explosion of artists began singing the word "baby" the unusual and exaggerated way Wonder does here. Even if they sounded completely different on the rest of the song they were performing, when they got to the word "baby" it came out sounding like Wonder's exaggerated "baby."

You can hear from where Michael Jackson got his falsetto cackling. The slow, sticky, funky rhythm on "Maybe Your Baby" was startlingly new back in 1972 and it served as a template for an entire genre of music.

Wonder's shift from soul to rock and jazz also startled a generation as did his daring use of the then novel Moog synthesizer—far more prominent here than on Abbey Road to which the Cecil/Margouleff team also contributed.

But while many think of Talking Book as Wonder's "coming of age" album, they are forgetting about his previous album Music of my Mind, which was Wonder's launch into manhood much as Off the Wall, which preceded Thriller, was Jackson's.

The songwriting is as sophisticated as the production, particularly the gorgeous ballads "You are the Sunshine of My Life, "You and I," "Blame it on the Sun" and the finale, "I Believe (When I Fall in Love it Will Be Forever)."

These achievements almost get lost in the shadow of "Superstition," which combines a powerful message, an insistent funk beat, and that clavinet riff that was a new and sensational sound in 1972 and still grips today.

Let's not leave out the fact that Stevie also plays the drums, keyboards and other instruments. This album established him as one of the greats even were he not to follow up with Innervision and the others.

The album combines funk, social commentary, dramatic expressions of love, rock, a new sound paradigm and on and on.

No wonder it sounds as fresh and focused today as it does when it was released, though if you were there then, the seismic wave that rippled through the music community was gigantic on a scale that's difficult to appreciate if you came to this album much later.

Jeff Beck, Ray Parker, Jr. and Buzzy Feiton (misspelled "Feton" on the original LP) add the guitar licks and David Sanborn alto sax on "Tuesday Heartbreak." The contributions made by other musicians are equally important to the album and speaking of groundbreaking, don't forget the background singing and especially the background singing arrangements that have voices breaking through aggressively in ways that hadn't yet been heard.

Even the cover, with Wonder wearing African garb, his hair cornrowed, sitting in the dirt, announced a major shift in his world view, even if the songs mostly remained steeped in Tin Pan Alley style balladry.

While the original (Tamla T-319L) jacket features braille, Mobile Fidelity's reissue does not, nor do any of the other pressings I've got here. Otherwise, Mo-Fi has done a very nice job with the gatefold packaging, especially considering it's part of their less expensive "Silver Label" series pressed at RTI on 140g instead of 180g vinyl.

This was never a sonic spectacular. It was merely good. There are probably numerous overdubs and parts added in Europe and America and it sounds somewhat less than immediate and present on the George Marino mastered original (the initials M.B.G. on the lead out groove area must be George's way of "hiding" while taking credit. When he later joined Sterling Sound, he scribed nothing to indicate his mastering).

Motown began using RCA to plate and press its records from the beginning. In the early days when the label was pressing "Living Stereo" records this was a benefit for Motown and for record fans and audiophiles. Motown's records in those early days were beautifully pressed on thick vinyl.

That association became a curse by the early '70s when RCA went to thin "Dynaflex" vinyl. Motown's records became equally thin and many suffered "non-fill" at the outer extremes, which was evident as noise. Plus, by that time there was a vinyl shortage, which is probably what led RCA to begin producing such thin records.

Rainbo's Steve Sheldon related some stories of pressing plant desperation in those days when literally anything that could be melted was added to the pellets to make them go further. So it's not likely you'll find or own a quiet, clean original.

Mine original is pretty good but has some noise. There's an excellent German "two-fer" if you can find it, with this album plus Music of My Mind. What makes it particularly worthwhile is that both LPs were mastered by Marino and feature the same inner groove information as the original, so you get a cut from the fresh master tape and superb German plating and pressing.

If you can find that, don't pass it up but good luck finding it.

There was also a very good late '70s Japanese pressing (VIP 6003) that cost 3500 yen ($30) back then that's beautifully pressed and comes in a thick, leather-textured jacket, plus the mastering is very faithful to the original.

As for this MOFI reissue, it is very, very good. Understand that when you hear occasional vocal sibilance it's on the tape because it's also on every pressing I have here. Also, the drums on "Superstition" are somewhat dark and lacking in snap and presence. That's just the way the recording must sound since every version I have here sounds that way too.

However, it's also fairly safe to say this was issued on Mo-Fi's Silver Label series because the master tape wasn't available and that's not surprising. Universal lost a great deal of their masters in the disastrous Universal Studios backlot fire of June, 2008.

It's doubly tragic because there had been numerous fires at Universal yet management still chose to warehouse the audio tape masters along with a huge collection of video masters instead of putting them in a more secure location.

Fortunately, much of the jazz catalog, particularly the Verve material had been stored more securely on the East Coast and ironically many of the Impulse masters were out at AcousTech being mastered for vinyl reissues.

Most likely, a good deal of the Motown masters were lost in the fire, this being one of them.

Still, since most of the records we treasure from the "golden age" were cut from production cutting masters and not original tapes, reissues like this should sound close to as good as the originals minus whatever losses occur as tapes age.

In the case of this album, Paul Stubblebine did an excellent job of capturing the spirit of the original pressing, which was relatively warm, sweet and somewhat distant in parts, but with great presence and transparency in others—and sometimes it varies instrument by instrument on the same tune. Thankfully, he didn't try to "jazz it up" with high frequency EQ to "put back" what wasn't there to begin with.

Add a really quiet RTI 140g pressing and a $22.99 price tag and it adds up to a great reissue and a cause of celebration that Mo-Fi got to this before some of the overseas frauds cutting from CD and claiming to be "vinyl lovers."

Unless you can find that German "Milestones" series two-fer (Tamla-Motown 5C 184-50371/72) or a clean, quiet original (good luck with either), this numbered, limited edition is the one to have.


Thanks to Michael over at www.musicangle.com   for the exclusive rights to reprint this material. Stop by MusicAngle.com for more reviews and features.

©2011 MusicAngle.com & Michael Fremer - - All rights reserved

Reprinted by Permission





Vinyl Record News & Music Notes

this from the uk, glad to see vinyl is doing well in britian!

New record shop gets vinyl fanatics in a spin

As the internet puts music shops across the country out of business a vintage store has turned back the clock and opened a vinyl record shop upstairs.

Everything from Blondie to Bruce Willis can be found among more than 5,000 records on the first floor of Sellars Secondhand Allsorts in Lower Street, Kettering.

And the huge range collected over six months is proving a big hit with customers.

Daz Sellar, 41, who opened the vintage and retro shop two years ago, said: “It has been really good.

Read the rest at northantset.co.uk

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music store in mississippi closing down

BeBop closing after 36 years

Cassandra Mickens

Jennifer Chesler could think of no better way to spend her day off than browsing the aisles of BeBop Record Shop.

But Wednesday as she approached the independent music store at Maywood Mart, a row of signs taped to the windows stopped her in her tracks.

STORE CLOSING. EVERYTHING MUST GO.

"I was just floored. This is like the main CD store I come to," said Chesler, a 25-year-old drummer and budding violinist who moved to Jackson in 2007 from Atlanta. "I'm not from Mississippi, but I know this place is a staple for Mississippi."

After a 36-year run, BeBop will close its doors May 28, said co-owner Kathy Morrison, who's quick to remind people that BeBop has always been, always is and always will be about the music.

Read the rest of this sad story at clarionledger.com

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interesting take and opinions on the vinyl revival, although how can anything be taken seriously (for me anyway) by a man who calls himself 'peanut butter wolf?

Peanut Butter Wolf on His History with 45s and Why the Vinyl Comeback Is Overhyped

By Christina Li

Bay Area native Chris Manak, aka Peanut Butter Wolf, is best known for his distinctive production style of jazz, hip-hop, and funk-soul beats. Starting out his career in the early '90s with emcee Charizma, the then-teenage duo found instant success but never chose to conform to outside pressures. Gaining notoriety without releasing an album, they seemed unstoppable, opening for artists including Nas and the Pharcyde. But with Charizma's untimely death in 1993, everything changed. Three years later, Peanut Butter Wolf decided to start Stones Throw Records......

Read the rest at blogs.sfweekly.com

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and in music history for today:

In 1955, Chuck Berry recorded his first single, “Maybellene,” at the Universal Recording Studios in Chicago. According to Berry’s partner, Johnnie Johnson, the song was a reworking of the traditional “Ida Red,” renamed “Maybellene” after producer Leonard Chess spotted a mascara box in the studio bearing that name. The song hit #5 on the U.S. pop charts and #1 on the R&B charts.

In 1956, during a performance at the Municipal Auditorium in Topeka, Kansas, Elvis Presley had to make a hasty exit when 2,500 fans stormed the stage. The Topeka Daily Capital reported, “With movements which would put a burlesque queen to shame, Elvis squirms out his songs. He keeps himself so breathless from the physical contortions that the pleasant timbre of his lower baritone notes can seldom be detected.”

In 1957, 16 year old Paul Anka records "Diana" at the ABC-Paramount studios in New York. The song would reach #1 in the US the following September and became the first of his 33 US Top 40 hits. It was also a chart topper in the UK.

In 1963, 13 year old Little Stevie Wonder recorded a song that would be his first number 1 hit, "Fingertips Pt. 2" at a concert in Detroit. The 7 minute song was later edited into two parts for radio play.

In 1969, John Lennon and Yoko Ono began a ten-day "bed-in" in Montreal's Queen Elizabeth Hotel.
John Lennon Merchandise

Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young recorded "Ohio" in 1970.



Paul McCartney released "Ram" in 1971.

birthday wishes to Ronald Isley (Isley Brothers) (70), Leo Sayer (63) and Roger Hodgson (Supertramp) (61), just to name a few....

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Vinyl Record News & Music Notes

Nick Mason Thought That Many of Pink Floyd's Rarities Had Been Lost

Nick Mason of Pink Floyd didn't think that something like their upcoming expanded versions of the band's albums would ever be released as he assume that many of the rare recordings had been lost.

The drummer with the legendary band is pleased to be unveiling remastered versions of their 14 albums, as well as multi-disc sets containing many alternate takes and unreleased tracks, and one particular version of their song Wish You Were Here, recorded with late violin virtuoso Stephane Grappelli particularly sparked his interest.

Read more at vintagevinylnews.com

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Lineup For 2011 Heavy MTL Festival Announced

Death metal veterans Morbid Angel have announced that they will be joining in on the upcoming edition of the Heavy MTL festival. Heavy MTL 2011 is scheduled to take place on July 23rd and 24th at Parc Jean-Drapeau in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Here is the entire festival lineup.

Saturday, July 23:

DISTURBED
GODSMACK
BILLY TALENT
IN FLAMES
TRIVIUM
MACHINE HEAD
UNEARTH
SUICIDE SILENCE
KINDGOM OF SORROW
ALL SHALL PERISH
RED FANG
STRAIGHT LINE STITCH
BLACKGUARD
CRYPTOPSY
DEAD & DIVINE
NECRONOMICON
SLAVES ON DOPE
MASS MURDER MESSIAH
GRIMSKUNK

Sunday, July 24:

KISS
MOTÖRHEAD
MORBID ANGEL
ANNIHILATOR
OPETH
ANTHRAX
CHILDREN OF BODOM
AS I LAY DYING
THE SWORD
TIMES OF GRACE
DEVILDRIVER
DIAMOND HEAD
GIRLSCHOOL
ENDAST
GORGUTS
LAZURUS A.D.
LES GUENILLES
THE CATALYST
ANONYMUS

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B-N music lover opens record store

By Ryan Denham

BLOOMINGTON -- A Twin City man's lifelong passion for collecting music has led him to open a record store specializing in the resurgent market for vinyl albums.

Reverberation Vinyl, 1302 N. Main St., had its grand opening Saturday, said owner John Anderson of Normal. The store specializes in selling new and used LPs, 45s and other formats. It also buys and offers trade credit on record collections and vintage audio equipment such as turntables and eight-track tapes.

Anderson, 38, said he has been buying and trading music since he was a teenager, with his personal passion psychedelic rock. In the digital age, he said the lure of vinyl is its distinctive "three-dimensional" sound.

"With an LP, it's a physical diamond needle digging into the groove of a record," Anderson said. "It's more of a soulful experience."

Read the rest at pantagraph.com

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Blondie Announces New Album, Releases Video

Blondie will release their ninth studio album, Panic Girls, in September via their own imprint.

Panic Girls was produced by Jeff Saltzman (The Killers) and Kato Khandwala (Paramore), and was predominately recorded in Woodstock, N.Y. This is the band’s first studio album in eight years, with a few new members including Leigh Fox, Tommy Kessler and Katz-Bohen who join Debbie Harry, Chris Stein and Clem Burke on their latest effort.

Here is the video from their first single, “Mother,” below.



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OBLITERATION To Release Nekropsalms On Vinyl Via Forcefield Records

The four apocalyptic hellraisers of OBLITERATION have teamed up with Richmond, VA powerhouse, Forcefield Records, to release the vinyl edition of these death metal maniacs' Nekropsalms LP. A limited pressing will be available on black (334 available), yellow with black haze (55), and yellow vinyl (134).











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and in music history for today:

In 1958, Bobby Darin released the single, “Splish Splash.” The song was co-written by New York City DJ Murray the K’s mother, Jean Kaufman (credited as Jean Murray), who suggested the song’s opening line and title. The song went to #3 on the U.S. charts. It was released as the first eight-track master recording pressed to a plastic 45-RPM disc.

Also in 1958, Ritchie Valens records the self-penned "Come On, Let's Go" for Del-Fi Records in Los Angeles. The song would peak at #42 on the Billboard singles chart the following October.

In 1960, Alan Freed and seven others were indicted for accepting money from six record companies in exchange for air play.

In 1960, the Drifters recorded "Save The Last Dance For Me", which will top the US chart the following October.



In 1965, FBI agents visit Wand Records to investigate the lyrics to "Louie Louie" by The Kingsmen. They would eventually release a statement that said that it was impossible to exactly decipher the lyrics from "the unintelligible rendition as performed by The Kingsmen."

In 1967, the Beatles had a party at Brian Epstein's house to launch Sgt. Pepper.

In 1969, Coleman Hawkins, one of the most influential saxophonists in the history of jazz, died of pneumonia at the age of 64.

In 1973, Paul Simon released the single, “Kodachrome,” which became a hit in the U.S., but was banned from airplay in the U.K. because it contained a brand name.

In 1978, Dire Straits released their first major label single, “Sultans of Swing.”



In 1979, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Ringo Starr, Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker and Mick Jagger jammed together at a party at Clapton's home to celebrate his marriage to Patty Boyd. and no one recorded any of this??

In 1989, Ron Wilson, The Surfaris' drummer who recorded Rock and Roll's most influential drum solo, "Wipe Out", died of a brain aneurysm at the age of 49.

birthdays today include Pete Townshend (Who) (66), Phil Rudd (AC/DC) (57) and Dusty Hill (ZZ Top) (62); among many others

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Ask Mr. Music by Jerry Osborne

FOR THE WEEK OF MAY 16, 2011

DEAR JERRY: In 1959, as a 16-year-old sophomore, I had my first date with a wonderful girl from my school.

Even with trillions of informative pages on the internet, the answer to my question cannot be found.

What I did get from Bing and Google is a way to contact you, which may be all I need.

I'm trying to identify the specific songs where Elvis hits his lowest and highest notes, which would also provide his range.

With about 700 songs, it would be like finding a needle in a haystack for me, and would take years.

Please help me if you can.
—Vickie Payson, Bloomington, Ind.


DEAR VICKIE: As of now, thanks to your curiosity and my good friend Terry Mike Jeffrey, this information will forever be available online.

Terry is the only singer-musician I personally know who can identify any note by simply hearing it, or in many cases, from just his amazing memory!

Of what exists on recordings, Terry Mike's low-note pick is the live version of “I Got a Woman,” the second track on “Elvis Recorded Live on Stage in Memphis.” Specifically it is the first of five wells (“well, well, well, well, well”) that precede Elvis' comment about an ecstatic fan, “she's louder than I am, but I've got the microphone.” On that “well,” Elvis hits an E2, or the second E below middle C (C4).

The other extreme is on the “America” CD, at the very end of “America the Beautiful.” Elvis' usual note at this point is a G4, but for this performance he soars to a C5, a full octave above middle C.

This of course is in full voice and not falsetto, though in “Blue Moon” he hits this same note (C5) in falsetto.

I then double-checked these findings with another professional pianist, Lisa Lanza, who said Terry Mike's note analysis was exactly correct.

This establishes Presley's range (E2-C5) as just two notes shy of three full octaves (E2-E5), and more expansive than most pop singers.

We know thousands of Elvis books and magazines exist, yet I believe this is the first time in print for such a noteworthy examination.


DEAR JERRY: Having abandoned new music over 20 years ago, I doubt I would even recognize more than just a few of the artists currently in the Top 100.

Once the rap crap became popular, I couldn't get away fast enough.

Which makes me wonder how many, if any, of those pre-1990 stars have a hit song or album now?

Might there even be someone from the 1950s-'70s?
—Harold Jones, Biloxi, Miss.


DEAR HAROLD: The answer is either none or 11, depending on which format we examine.

Using the most recent charts available as of this writing (May 14), among the current Top 100 singles are a few names you might recognize, though more from being in the tabloids than for their music. One is Britney Spears.

This former Mouseketeer's first hit, “...Baby One More Time,” came along in November '98; however, two others have seniority over Spears: Usher and Kenny Chesney.

Usher (one man, not a group) first made the Top 100 (singles and albums) in September 1994, and precedes Kenny Chesney's LP chart debut by two years (September 1996).

Now for some more familiar names. There are 11 in the Billboard Top 100 albums that you should recognize.

In order of their first chart hit (with significant earlier appearances noted), they are:

1955: Elvis Presley; Johnny Cash; 1968: Creedence Clearwater Revival; 1970: Eric Clapton (1965 with Yardbirds; 1967 with Cream; 1969 with Blind Faith); 1972: Paul Simon (1957 as Tom & Jerry; 1962 as Tico and the Triumphs; 1963 as Jerry Landis); 1973: Lynyrd Skynyrd; Aerosmith; 1974: Bad Company; 1975: Willie Nelson (1962 on C&W charts); 1975: Emmylou Harris; 1977: Foreigner.


IZ ZAT SO? Here are the current (May 14) rankings and titles of the pre-'80s stars. Only the Paul Simon and Emmylou Harris albums are newly recorded. The others are repackages of 20th century recordings.

10: “So Beautiful or So What” Paul Simon
18: “Hard Bargain” Emmylou Harris
56: “VH1 Storytellers” Johnny Cash / Willie Nelson
74: “The Best of Eric Clapton - 20th Century Masters (The Millennium Collection)
75: “The Best of Lynyrd Skynyrd - 20th Century Masters (The Millennium Collection)
82: “Extended Versions” Bad Company
88: “An Afternoon in the Garden” Elvis Presley
90: “Extended Versions” Creedence Clearwater Revival
92: “The Best of Aerosmith - 20th Century Masters (The Millennium Collection)
97: “Extended Versions” Foreigner


Jerry Osborne answers as many questions as possible through this column.  Write Jerry at: Box 255, Port Townsend, WA 98368  E-mail: jpo@olympus.net   Visit his Web site: www.jerryosborne.com.

All values quoted in this column are for near-mint condition.

Copyright 2011 Osborne Enterprises- Reprinted By Exclusive Permission



Vinyl Record News & Music Notes

John Lennon's 'Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds' Lyrics Sell at Auction

John Lennon's handwritten lyrics for "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds" have recently sold at auction for $237,132. The single sheet also contained the opening words for 'She's Leaving Home,' another track from the Beatles' 1967 album 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.'

The lyrics for "Lucy" were apparently a work in progress, with plenty of crossings out, though there is no word on whether they help solve that eternal question for conspiracy-seeking fans -- that in the song title, was Lennon making a sly reference to the drug LSD, something he always denied. The editing supports the idea that, while the song was originally inspired by a drawing by Lennon's four-year-old son Julian, 'Lucy' was composed over several hours in the studio with some input from Paul McCartney.

It is intriguing to have lines from "She's Leaving Home" on the same page, as that song was mainly McCartney's composition and recorded after "Lucy." Also, rather than a piece of Lewis Carroll-style whimsy, the other tune is based on the true newspaper story of a girl running away from her parents.

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Alice Cooper Plots New Nightmare

Michael Leonard

Alice Cooper is 63, loves to play golf and is looking forward to grandchildren. But he is not done with rock ’n’ roll horror just yet. He is working on a sequel to his best-selling 1975 solo album Welcome to My Nightmare… with three guitar players.

“What would Alice’s nightmare be 35 years later?" Cooper asked the Vancouver Sun. “Well, there’s technology. Alice is a technotard. Disco is still a big enemy of his, so disco would be in there. But I allowed this album to have a great sense of humor, even though there’s some very, very dark moments.”

Read the rest at Gibson.com

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nice review and opinion of this famous lp

Only Rock 'n Roll

“Melodic. B” – 40 years of Bridge Over Troubled Water

Mervyn Dendy

A few weeks ago, late in March, a 40th anniversary edition of Bridge Over Troubled Water by Simon and Garfunkel was released. The package incorporates a copy of the original album, beautifully remastered, together with the separately available Live 1969, culled from the duo’s November 1969 series of concerts, and a DVD containing Simon and Garfunkel’s hour-long TV special Songs of America, which aired on the CBS network in 1969 and has been unavailable until now, and a documentary filmed in 2010 about the making of Bridge Over Troubled Water, featuring new interviews with Paul Simon, Arthur Garfunkel and co-producer Roy Halee, none of whom (it must be said) have aged as well as, say, contemporaries Paul McCartney or Mick Jagger.

Read the rest at newstime.co.za

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POWERWOLF: New Album Title, Artwork Unveiled

Multinational metallers POWERWOLF have set "Blood Of The Saints" as the title of their fourth album, due in Germany, Austria and Switzerland on July 29; and August in the rest of Europe via Metal Blade Records in Europe. The CD will be released as a regular CD, a limited-edition digibook 2-CD (exact content to be revealed shortly) and on vinyl. The cover art was created by POWERWOLF guitarist Matthew Greywolf.

Read more at Blabbermouth
















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Paul McCartney to release covers album early next year

Paul McCartney is scheduled to release a covers albums in early 2012. It was recorded in Los Angeles and he has said it is comprised of covers from the "pre rock" era.

Speaking to Rolling Stone about the release, he said: "It's my dad's style of music. I've wanted to do that kind of thing forever, since The Beatles days. But then Rod went mad on it. I thought, 'I have to wait so it doesn't look like I'm trying to do a Rod.'"

The album, which does not yet have a title, will feature a number of songs with jazz singer Diana Krall and McCartney has said each song is one "He admires" and that the album is "Get-home-from-work music."

He said: "They're just songs I admire. I'm trying to steer away from the obvious ones. It's get-home-from-work music. You put it on and get a glass of wine."

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Rhino Remasters Ramones Vinyl at Bernie Grundman's

Analog Master Tapes Used for Albums from the Seventies & Eighties

Rhino Records has booked the cutting room at Bernie Grundman Mastering for the vinyl reissue of classic Ramones albums from the late 70s and early 80s. Included in the first series are "Ramones" (1976), "Leave Home" (1977), "Rocket to Russia" (1977), and "Road to Ruin" (1978). Release date is July 19, 2011.

Rhino Records' Asset/Media Supervisor Charles Benson joined mastering engineer Chris Bellman in the disc cutting studio to cut lacquers from the original 1/4" analog Dolby stereo masters. Songs to be reissued include "Blitzkrieg Bop," "Beat on the Brat," "Pinhead," "I Wanna Sniff Glue," and "Teenage Lobotomy."

"There has definitely been a renewed interest and resurgence in vinyl releases," remarked Benson. "The young audience is happy to have something they can hold onto in this analog format with large graphic album covers, and something that gives you more of an experience than an mp3 file."

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AUSTRALIAN MUSICIAN TEAMS UP WITH LEGENDARY PROG-ROCK ARTIST

After 12 months of tweaking, Brisbane’s Ben Craven is finally ready to release his new album with the finishing touches being made by renowned UK artist Roger Dean.

Craven’s new album, entitled “Great & Terrible Potions” is a modern day progressive rock album that has been 5 years in the making. However like all good prog-rock (progressive rock) albums, the final touches are vital.

Enlisting the assistance of Roger Dean seemed a natural progression given the heavy influences of 70’s prog-rock bands within Craven’s music.

Roger Dean, who rose to fame in the 70’s and 80’s through his designs for prog-rock band “Yes” is credited with transforming the status of album covers from mere packaging to works of art.

Uncovering and updating an unreleased piece of art, Dean has provided a cover that will go down in the halls of prog-rock history alongside his most famous work for musicians and bands such as “Yes”, “Asia”, “Uriah Heap”, Rick Wakeman and Alan White.

Dean, whose bubble logo for the band “Yes” is part of rock history, also designed Craven’s new logo. Craven said, “It is an honour to be working with an artist whom I’ve grown up with and surreal to believe that he appreciates my work enough to put his name (in art) to it”.

To celebrate the release, Craven and Liquid Online Media will also be selling limited edition vinyl copies of the album complete with a traditional gatefold sleeve featuring the Roger Dean artwork.

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i'm always on the look out for new, catchy music. well, this from the band, i'm from barcelona, fits the bill. an infectious cut, you'll be hooked after the first listen! for more info on the band go to imfrombarcelona.com

Always Spring



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USA

Albums:
1. Adele :21
2. Beastie Boys :Hot Sauce Committee Part Two
3. Various :Now 38
4. Fleet Foxes :Helplessness Blues
5. Jennifer Lopez :Love
6. Stevie Nicks :In Your Dreams
7. Sade :The Ultimate Collection
8. Musiq Souchild :musiqinthemagiq
9. Mumford and Sons :Sigh No More
10. Sixx: A.M. :This Is Gonna Hurt

Singles:
1. Adele :Rolling In The Deep
2. Katy Perry feat. Kanye West :E.T.
3. Jennifer Lopez feat. Pitbull :On The Floor
4. Black Eyed Peas :Just Can't Get Enough
5. Bruno Mars :The Lazy Song
6. Britney Spears :Till The World Ends
7. Lady Antebellum :Just A Kiss
8. Pitbull feat. Ne-Yo, Afrojack & Nayer :Give Me Everything
9. Rihanna :S&M
10. Chris Brown feat. Lil Wayne and Busta Rhymes :Look At Me Now


UK
Albums:
1. Adele :21
2. Hugh Laurie :Let Them Talk
3. Adele :19
4. Bruno Mars :Doo-Wops & Holligans
5. Fleet Foxes :Helplessness Blues
6. Jessie J. :Who You Are
7. Glee Cast :Glee: The Music Presents The Warblers
8. Sade :The Ultimate Collection
9. Chase & Status :No More Idols
10. Rihanna :Loud

Singles:
1. Bruno Mars :The Lazy Song
2. LMFAO :Party Rock Anthem
3. David Guetta :Where Them Girls At
4. Snoop Dogg Vs. David Guetta :Sweat
5. Chris Brown feat. Benny Benassi :Beautiful People
6. Lady Gaga :The Edge Of Glory
7. Jennifer Lopez feat. Pitbull :On The Floor
8. Snoop Dogg Vs. David Guetta :Sweat
9. Aloe Blacc :I Need A Dollar
10. Jessie J :Nobody's Perfect


Europe
Albums:
1. Take That :Progress
2. Rihanna :Loud
3. Bruce Springsteen :The Promise
4. Shakira :Sale El Sol
5. Pink :Greatest Hits ... So Far
6. Bon Jovi :Greatest Hits
7. James Blunt :Some Kind Of Trouble
8. Susan Boyle :The Gift
9. Kings Of Leon :Come Around Sundown
10. JLS :Outta This World

Singles:
1. Jennifer Lopez feat. Pitbull :On The Floor
2. Rihanna :S&M
3. Adele :Rolling In the Deep
4. Lady Gaga :Born This Way
5. Black Eyed Peas :Just Can't Get Enough
6. Jessie J. feat. B.o.B. :Price Tag
7. Katy Perry :E.T.
8. Snoop Dogg Vs. David Guetta :Sweat
9. LMFAO :Party Rock Anthem
10. Bruno Mars :Grenade

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GRIMEY'S BEST SELLERS 5/09 - 5/15, 2011

Top 25 Vinyl:

1. Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues
2. Manchester Orchestra - Simple Math
3. Antlers - Burst Apart
4. El Obo - Oxford Basement Collection
5. Tyler The Creator - Goblin
6. Cy Barkley & The Wayoutsiders - Rock Together 7" EP
7. Explosions In The Sky - Take Care, Take Care, Take Care
8. Radiohead - King Of Limbs
9. The Cars - Move Like This
10. Booker T. Jones - The Road From Memphis
11. Thee Oh Sees - Castlemania
12. Man Man - Life Fantastic
13. Foo Fighters - Wasting Light
14. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
15. Raphael Saadiq - Stone Rollin'
16. Adele - 21
17. Natural Child - 1971
18. Tune-Yards - WHOKILL
19. The Civil Wars - Barton Hollow
20. The Black Keys - Brothers
21. Mumford & Sons - Sigh No More
22. Wax Idols - All Too Human 7"
23. Okkervil River - I Am Very Far
24. Paul Simon - So Beautiful Or So What
25. Terry Malts - I'm Neurotic 7"

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and in music history for today:

In 1959, Wilbert Harrison's recording of Leiber and Stoller's "Kansas City" rose to the top of the Billboard singles chart. Cover versions by Hank Ballard and The Midnighters, Rocky Olson, Rockin' Ronald & The Rebels, and Little Richard all appeared in March of 1959, but the Harrison version was by far the most popular. Further success for Harrison would have to wait until 1970 when "Let's Work Together" made it to number 32 in the US.

In 1963, after hitting #22 the previous year with "Twistin' Matilda", Jimmy Soul reached #1 on the Billboard chart with "If You Wanna Be Happy", a song about the benefits of marrying an ugly woman. It would prove to be his final entry as the follow-up "Treat 'Em Tough" flopped completely, after which Jimmy entered the US Army.



A riot broke out at a Rolling Stones concert in Scotland in 1964 after 4,000 fans showed up with forged tickets.

In 1966, the Castiles (with Bruce Springsteen on vocals) made their first recordings at Mr. Music Inc in Brick Town, New Jersey. They cut two Springsteen songs, “Baby I” and “That’s What You Get.” The songs were cut directly to disc, of which seven or eight test pressings of the studio takes were made.

In 1967, the Beatles were selected to represent the U.K. for the first-ever global-wide satellite broadcast. The group agreed to be shown in the studio recording a song written especially for the occasion, scheduled for June 25. John Lennon wrote “All You Need is Love,” which was thought to sum up the 1967 “Summer of Love” and The Beatles' sympathies. With the satellite broadcast being transmitted to many non-English-speaking countries, the BBC asked The Beatles to “keep it simple.”

In 1968, the North California Rock Festival was held with the Doors, the Grateful Dead, the Steve Miller Band, Taj Mahal, Big Brother & the Holding Company, Country Joe & the Fish and the Jefferson Airplane.

In 1975, country singer Tammy Wynette was at #1 on the U.K. singles chart with “Stand by Your Man.” Originally recorded and released as a single in 1968 in the U.S, it proved to be the most successful record of Wynette's career and is one of the most covered songs in the history of country music.

The movie The Buddy Holly Story with Gary Busey premiered in Dallas, TX in 1978.

In 1980, Joy Division singer Ian Curtis hanged himself in the kitchen of his house in Macclesfield, England at the age of 23. Curtis had the Iggy Pop album, The Idiot, playing on his stereo and left a note that said, “At this very moment, I wish I were dead. I just can't cope anymore.”

In 1985, the Scottish rock band Simple Minds make their breakthrough in North America when "Don't You (Forget About Me") tops the Billboard singles chart. The song was written specifically for the film The Breakfast Club and was only the second tune recorded by the group that they did not write.

In 2006, Freddie Garrity, the lead singer of the 1960s band Freddie and the Dreamers died at the age of 65 after receiving treatment for what were described as circulation problems.

birthdays today include Albert Hammond (1944) and Rick Wakeman (1949), among others.


Monday, May 16, 2011

New Vinyl Record and Music Releases - May 17, 2011

New music this week includes Dog Is Blue with Tortoise, Girls in Trouble's Half You Half Me, Danger Mouse & Daniel Luppi with Rome, Weekend Nachos with Worthless, the self-titled effort from Bachelorette and The Elected with Bury Me in My Rings, just to name a few.

Reissues include a treasure chest by Queen with the 40 Limited Edition Collector's Box Set, which contains the remastered editions of the band'sA Day at the Races Queen II, A Night at the Opera Queen II, Queen Queen II, Queen II, Sheer Heart Attack albums (all with bonus CDs) and a bunch of remastered albums from Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds (Let Love In,  Murder Ballads, No More Shall We Part and The Boatman's Call).

Vinyl reissues are plentiful this week with Black Sabbath's Master of Reality, two from Bob Dylan (Greatest Hits and John Wesley Harding), Crosby & Nash with Another Stoney Evening, several from Mickey Newbury (Better Days, Frisco Mabel Joy, Heaven Help The Child and Looks Like Rain), Humble Pie's Live at Winterland and the Hollies' Lost Recordings and Beat Rarities (10 LP set).

Please support the CVR Blog by purchasing your vinyl at SoundStageDirect.com, in fact, if you add the code CVR at checkout, you get 5% off!



13 & God - Own Your Ghost
ABBA - Super Trouper
A Storm of Light - As The Valley of Death Becomes Us
Across Tundras - Sage
Adelitas Way - Home School Valedictorian
Agoria - Fabric 57
Alexander Turnquist - Hallway of Mirrors
Alison Krauss & Union Station - Paper Airplane (vinyl)
Amor de Dias - Street of the Love of Days
Anaal Nathrakh - Passion
Andrew Belle - Ladder
Arsonists Get All The Girls - Motherland
Art Blakey - The Jazz Messengers (vinyl)
Atlanta Rhythm Section - With All Due Respect
Austra - Feel It Break
Bachelorette - Bachelorette
Bahamas - Pink Strat
Bela Fleck & the Flecktones - Rocket Science
Ben Harper - Give Till It's Gone
Billie Holiday - The Essential Rare Collection (vinyl)
Black Sabbath - Master of Reality (reissue) (vinyl)]
Bob Dylan - Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits (reissue) (vinyl)
Bob Dylan - John Wesley Harding (reissue) (vinyl)
Bob Seger - Live Bullet
Bob Seger - Nine Tonight
Breaking Laces - When You Find Out
Cat's Eyes - Cat's Eyes
Chad VanGaalen - Diaper Island
Company of Thieves - Running From A Gamble
Crass - Yes Sir I Will (reissue with bonus CD)
Crosby & Nash - Another Stoney Evening (vinyl)
Damon & Naomi - False Beats And True Hearts
Danger Mouse & Daniel Luppi - Rome
Deftones - Around the Fur (vinyl)
Dispatch - Dispatch (EP)
Dog Is Blue - Tortoise
Dylan Champagne - Love Songs Of The Apocalypse, Vol. 1
Egypt Central - White Rabbit
Elvin Bishop - Raisin' Hell Revue
Emilie Simon - The Big Machine (vinyl)
Enabler - Year One
Endstille - Infektion 1813
Face To Face - Laugh Now, Laugh Later
Falcon - Disappear
Fonzi Thornton - Pumpin'
Girls in Trouble - Half You Half Me
Glasvegas - Euphoric /// Heartbreak \
Glenn Hughes - Live in Wolverhampton (2 CDs)
Glorie - Glorie
Go-Go's - Beauty & The Beat: 30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition (vinyl)
Gold-Bears - Are You Falling In Love?
Guillemots - Walk the River
Hank Williams III - Hillbilly Joker
Hollies - Lost Recordings and Beat Rarities (vinyl)(10 LPs)
Humble Pie - Live at Winterland (vinyl)
Ian Gillan, Tony Iommi & Friends - Out of My Mind / Holy Water (Single)
Iggy Pop - Roadkill Rising: The Bootleg Collection 1977-2009 (4-CD box set)
Il Volo - Il Volo
Ilaiyaraajah - Solla Solla
J Rawls - The Hip-Hop Affect
Jay Reatard - Teenage Hate (reissue)
Jesse Sparhawk and Eric Carbonara - Sixty Strings
Joan Baez - Play Me Backwards (remastered) (vinyl)
Junior Kimbrough and The Soul Blues Boys - Do The Rump! (reissue) (vinyl)
Kate Bush - Director's Cut
Kate Bush - Hounds of Love (reissue)
Kid Congo & The Pink Monkey Birds - Gorilla Rose
Killer Mike - Pl3dge
LCD Soundsystem - London Sessions (vinyl)
Laura Stevenson and the Cans - Sit Resist
Legend - The Pale Horse
Let's Wrestle - Nursing Home
Levon Helm - Ramble At The Ryman (vinyl)
Living With Lions - Holy Shit
Louis Armstrong - The Great Chicago Concert 1956 (3-LPs) (vinyl)
MC Lars - 21 Concepts (But a Hit Ain't One)
Mai Doi Todd - Cosmic Ocean Ship
Marilyn Monroe - Greatest Moments (reissue) (vinyl)
Marv Johnson - I'll Pick A Rose For My Rose: The Complete Motown Recordings 1964-1971
Marvin Gaye - What's Going On: 40th Anniversary (vinyl)
Matraca Berg - The Dreaming Fields
Matt Baldwin - Night in the Triangle (vinyl)
Melba Moore - A Lot of Love
Mercury Rev - Deserter’s Songs
Metal Mother - Bonfire Diaries
Mia Doi Todd - Cosmic Ocean Ship
Michael Grimm - Michael Grimm
Mickey Newbury - An American Trilogy (4-CD box set)
Mickey Newbury - Better Days (remastered) (vinyl)
Mickey Newbury - Frisco Mabel Joy (remastered) (vinyl)
Mickey Newbury - Heaven Help The Child (remastered) (vinyl)
Mickey Newbury - Looks Like Rain (remastered) (vinyl)
Miracle Fortress - Was I The Wave?
Moby - Destroyed
Nader Sadek - In the Flesh
Nancy Wilson - This Time the Dream's
Necrophagia - Deathtrip 69
Neek the Exotic and Large Professor - Still On the Hustle
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Let Love In (remastered)
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Murder Ballads (remastered)
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - No More Shall We Part (remastered)
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - The Boatman's Call (remastered)
Nodzzz - Innings (reissue)
Other Lives - Tamer Animals
Owl City - All Things Bright and Beautiful
Patti Austin - Sound Advice
Paul Lawrence - Haven't You Heard
Pet Shop Boys - Battleship Potemkin
Pet Shop Boys - Concrete
Planningtorock - W
Presidents - 5-10-15-20-25-30 Years of Love: The Greatest Hits
Queen - Queen 2 (3 CDs)
Queen - Queen 40 Limited Edition Collector's Box Set (10 CDs)
Queen - Sheer Heart Attack (2 CDs)
Queen - A Day at the Races Queen II (remastered with bonus disc)
Queen - A Night at the Opera Queen II (remastered with bonus disc)
Queens of the Stone Age - Queens of the Stone Age (remastered)
R.L. Burnside - Sound Machine Groove (reissue)(vinyl)
Ran Blake - Grey December: Live in Rome
Replacements - Don't Tell a Soul (reissue)(vinyl)
Ricky Nelson - Million Sellers / Rick Is 21
Romi Mayes - Lucky Tonight
Ronnie Milsap - Country Again
Rory Gallagher - Notes From San Francisco (2 CDs)
Ruth Gerson - Deceived
Ryan Garbes - Sweet Hassle
Sarah Jarosz - Follow Me Down
Scar Symmetry - The Unseen Empire
Screens - Dead House
Seether - Holding Onto Strings Better Left to Fray
Sick Puppies - Tri-Polar Deluxe
Socalled - Sleepover
Steve Singh - Two Halves Short of a Whole (EP)
Supremes - Let Yourself Go: The '70s Albums, Vol. 2: 1974-1977 - The Final Sessions (3 CDs)
Swimming With Dolphins - Water Colours
Tancred - Capes
The Duke Spirit - Bruiser
The Elected - Bury Me in My Rings
The Long Ryders - Native Sons (remastered with bonus tracks)
The Rentals - Resilience
The Sanctuaries - Annette
The Soulless - Isolated
The Waterboys - In A Special Place
The Wilderness of Manitoba - When You Left the Fire (vinyl)
Tinie Tempah - Disc-Overy
Turner Cody - Gangbusters!
Various Artists - A Nod to Bob 2: An Artists Tribute to Bob Dylan on his 70th Birthday
Various Artists - Brand New Wayo: Funk, Fast Times & Nigerian Boogie Badness 1979-1983
Various Artists - It's A Happening! Texas Girls Of The 60's
Venetian Snares - Cubist Reggae (vinyl)
Warrant - Rockaholic
Weekend - End Times
Weekend Nachos - Worthless
Wild Beasts - Smother (vinyl)
Willie DeVille - Come a Little Bit Closer
Witches - Forever
Yael Naim - She Was a Boy
Zachary Cale - Noise of Welcome
Zombies - Breathe Out Breathe in

Remember, if you are a record company and have new releases or know of any I missed (especially vinyl), please email me and I will add your music to the list. I also do reviews of new vinyl, email me for more information.
Have new music for the list? Email me at rbenson30@wi.rr.com

Vinyl Record News & Music Notes

great review of the new lp from fleet foxes:

Fleet foxes back in the hunt

The band's second album marks a more mature but just as sonically satisfying effort as their debut

A successful debut album can be both a blessing and a curse for a band. With the achievement comes high expectations, not only to maintain the standard, but also to put out an even better follow-up. Many bands have fallen under the pressure and suffered from the second-album slump. For Fleet Foxes, the weight of expectation was even greater because their 2008 self-titled album was such an unexpected and phenomenal success _ a tough act to follow.

''It was at times difficult to make this record,'' Fleet Foxes' frontman Robin Pecknold admits in the press release about the making of Helplessness Blues.

In following up their critically adored, platinum-selling Fleet Foxes, the Seattle-based sextet have gone though a long and painstaking creative process, plagued with writer's block, second-guessing, illness, tour exhaustion _ neatly summed up by Pecknold as a ''tonne of sh**''. Multiple songs were rewritten and re-recorded. The album was mixed twice because they weren't happy with the sound.

FIVE FAST FACTS ABOUT THE FLEET FOXES

1. FOX FUNDAMENTALS Let's start with a bit of background. Fleet Foxes were started by high school friends Robin Pecknold and Skye Skjelset, who were later joined by Josh Tillman, Casey Wescott, Christian Wargo and Morgan Henderson. Originally they were called Pineapple, but after a name clash with a local band they opted for Fleet Foxes. The reason behind the name? Pecknold simply thought it brought to mind ''some weird English activity like fox hunting''.

2. SMELLS LIKE INDIE SPIRIT For their latest album, Fleet Foxes worked at many studios in different locations from Seattle to New York. But in the early stages of recording, they rented space in a building in Seattle, taking over the lease from indie rock band Death Cab for Cutie. The place has been a studio since the 1970s and it was where Nirvana recorded their debut album, Bleach.

3. ANIMAL URGES Pecknold seems to have a thing for animals and folk music. When he is not fronting Fleet Foxes, he goes under the moniker White Antelope for his solo project. Actually, ''hobby'' seems a more fitting word to describe White Antelope than ''solo project''. The 25-year-old artist simply covers any folk songs he feels like and posts them on his MySpace page, all for his own personal enjoyment. Pecknold isn't interested in releasing a solo album whatsoever.

4. ACE OF BASS Henderson was the bassist of post-punk band Past Lives, and formerly of Blood Brothers. He befriended Pecknold as they worked on a 15-minute pretend film score together during a Fleet Foxes' break _ Pecknold's way to keep his creativity flowing. Henderson helped out on the making of Helplessness Blues and officially become a member of the band earlier this year.

5. FIRST IMPRESSIONS Cover art has always been an important to complement Fleet Foxes' music. The cover of their first album, featuring Pieter Bruegel's 1559 painting Netherlandish Proverbs, won the Best Art Vinyl Award 2008. The cover of Helplessness Blues evokes the same homespun nostalgia. A collage of memories, landscapes and dreams, the cover is illustrated by Seattle artist Toby Liebowitz and painted by Christopher Alderson.

Read the rest at
bangkokpost.com

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Van Dyke Parks Combining Vinyl and Art For First New Music in 15 Years

Van Dyke Parks has always been a bit eclectic for the general public and he is carrying that image through in his first release of new material in 15 years.

Starting in August, Parks will start issuing a series of vinyl 7" records with new songs but that won't be the only draw. He has brought in artists like Art Spiegelman, Frank Holmes, Charles Ray, Billy Ed Wheeler, Sally Parks and Ed Ruscha to do special pieces that will be printed on the vinyl of the releases and Parks feels that the art is as important as the music.

Read the rest at our blogging friend
vintagevinylnews.com

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Danger Mouse Rome to be released on vinyl through Third Man Records

by Pierce King

As an unknown American musician Brian Burton spent years pulling pints in London and soaking up the atmosphere of seedy New Cross.

But in the past few years as Danger Mouse has enjoyed more adventures than his 80s comic alter ego, producing artists such as Gorillaz, Beck and U2, and scoring a worldwide number one in 2006 with Crazy as half of Gnarls Barkley with Cee Lo Green.

Burton is known for being a speedy worker, but his new album, Rome, took five years of painstaking effort to complete.

Recorded in the Eternal City as a self-financed labour of love, Rome reunites musicians who appeared on the much-loved soundtracks of the 60s and 70s Spaghetti Westerns.

With new compositions and contemporary singers such as Jack White and Norah Jones it makes for an album based around retro elements that sounds excitingly fresh

Read the rest of the story at
purplerevolver.com

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this from our friends at www.vinylcollective.com

Top 10 albums at Shop Radio Cast for the week of May 9, 2011 – May 16, 2011:

1. La Dispute / Koji – Never Come Undone LP
2. The Wonder Years – Suburbia I’ve Give You All And Now I’m Nothing LP
3. Touce Amore – Parting The Sea Between Brightness And Me
4. Fireworks – Gospel
5. Balance and Composure – Separation
6. Rise Against / Face To Face Split 7″
7. Black Lips – Arabia Mountain LP + 7″
8. Deftones – Adrenaline LP
9. Devil Wears Prada – Plagues LP
10. The National – Cherry Tree EP 12″

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A Tribute From Burton Cummings to Producer Jack Richardson (1929-2011)

Legendary Canadian record producer Jack Richardson passed away on Friday after a long illness at the age of 81.

Richardson broke into the record business in 1968 when he approached the Coca-Cola company to produce an album that could be obtained by turning in bottle caps. On one side was the Guess Who while the other had a group known as the Staccatos (later the Five Man Electrical Band).

Read more at
vintagevinylnews.com

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RONNIE JAMES DIO Remembered On One-Year Anniversary Of His Death

Legendary heavy metal vocalist Ronnie James Dio, best known for his work with BLACK SABBATH, RAINBOW and his own band DIO, died of stomach cancer one year ago on Monday (May 16) at the age of 67.

A three-minute Artisan News Service report in which Dio's BLACK SABBATH and HEAVEN & HELL bandmate Geezer Butler, Ronnie's cousin David "Rock" Feinstein (both played in ELF) and wife/manager Wendy remember the heavy metal legend can be viewed below.

Butler said that Dio was so special "because he had an incredible voice; he was blessed with it. And he loved his fans. He'd talk to his fans after every show until there was nobody left. He was so genuine."

Read more at Blabbermouth

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Dave Stewart's New Album 'The Blackbird Diaries' Details

THE BLACKBIRD DIARIES, the new solo album by EURYTHMICS co-founder DAVE STEWART is scheduled for release on June 28, 2011. The new record features duets with STEVIE NICKS, COLBIE CAILLAT, and MARTINA McBRIDE, along with one-track co-written by BOB DYLAN.

"This was my favorite time ever in the studio. I wrote most of the songs on the spot and recorded all of them in one incredible session lasting 5 days and nights!" Dave remarks. "I made an unusual film of the process that not only features all the musicians and performers but also gives away some of my writing secrets which involves both a well known fortune teller and hypnotist who allowed themselves to be filmed in session with me."

The Tracklist:

1. So Long Ago
2. Beast Called Fame
3. Magic In The Blues
4. All Messed Up (featuring Martina McBride)
5. Stevie Baby
6. Cheaper Than Free (featuring Stevie Nicks)
7. The Gypsy Girl and Me
8. One Way Ticket To The Moon (featuring The Secret Sisters)
9. Bulletproof Vest (featuring Colbie Caillat)
10. Worth The Waiting For
11. The Well
12. Country Wine (featuring The Secret Sisters)

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Vinyl records make a comeback

Although digital still rules, vinyl is making a steady comeback due to its unique audio quality and artwork



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and in music history for today, may 16:

In 1964, 21 year-old Mary Wells led the Billboard Pop chart with the Smokey Robinson written "My Guy". The record was Wells' 9th Top 40 entry and would prove to be her highest charting US single.

In 1965, the Beach Boys appeared on the "The Ed Sullivan Show" and performed "Help Me Rhonda."


The Beach Boys album "Pet Sounds" was released in 1966.

In 1967, the Monkees' third LP, "Headquarters" was released. It was their first LP recorded primarily by the four members of the group and would reach #1 in the US for one week before being relegated to second place for eleven consecutive weeks by "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band".

Tony Joe White recorded "Polk Salad Annie" in 1968.



In 1969, Pete Townshend of The Who spent a night in jail in New York City after being charged with assault. The group was performing at the Fillmore East when a fire broke out at a supermarket next door. A plainclothes policeman leapt onto the stage to warn the crowd and Townshend, thinking the cop was a member of the audience, booted him off.

Randy Bachman left the Guess Who in 1970.

In 1980, Dr. George C. Nichopoulous was indicted in Memphis on 14 counts of overprescribing drugs to Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis and nine other patients. good...

In 1981, "Bette Davis Eyes" by Kim Carnes rocketed to the top spot on Billboard's singles chart, where it would remain for six weeks. Carnes received a personal thank-you letter for the song from actress Bette Davis, saying that it had impressed her young grandson. this song was so overplayed....i can't stand to listen to anymore....

In 1983, the television special "Motown 25: Yesterday, Today and Forever" aired. It was a taping of the first time that Michael Jackson performed the moonwalk for a live audience.

In 1985, a royalty cheque totaling $6.5 million from the sales of "We Are The World" is handed over to the USA for Africa Foundation by Columbia Records executive Al Teller. The total raised would eventually rise to over $50 million. freaking cool!

In 1990, Sammy Davis Jr. died of throat cancer at the age of 64. Davis was a member of The Rat Pack, along with Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Peter Lawford and Joey Bishop and had several US Top 40 hits including "Something's Gotta Give", "Love Me or Leave Me", "That Old Black Magic", "The Candy Man" and his signature tune, "I've Gotta Be Me".

Also in 1990, Jim Henson, the Muppets creator who scored two US Top 30 hits with "Rubber Duckie" in 1970 and "Rainbow Connection" in 1979, died of Streptococcal Toxic Shock Syndrome at the age of 53.

The Britney Spears album "Oops!..I Did It Again" was released in 2000.

In 2010, Ronnie James Dio, the powerful voice for Elf, Rainbow, Black Sabbath, Dio and Heaven & Hell, lost his battle with stomach cancer at the age of 67.



Also in 2010, Paul McCartney told Scotland's Sunday Mail newspaper that he is convinced The Beatles would have reformed in recent years if all their members had survived, because they would have signed up for a reunion "just for a laugh". He pointed out that the band was asked to reunite shortly after they split, but said "It wasn't really a good idea then, but I think if this much time had elapsed, I could easily see it happening. Somebody would have said, 'Oh go on. Just for a laugh.'" man, if only........

birthdays today include Janet Jackson (1966), Krist Novoselic of Nirvana fame (1965) and the inventive Robert Fripp (1946

Top 5 eBay Vinyl Records Sales - Week Ending 05/14/2011

Several rare jazz/funk records make the list this week, with Brazil's Arthur Verocai's self-titled record getting the #1 spot. A blues 78 makes the list, the first time for "Black Birds Of Paradise" record. And the test pressing for Sprinsteen's "Born To Run" which used a different script in the title than the released version makes the Top 5 for the second time, the first being in 2008.




1. LP - Arthur Verocai "self titled" continental Brazil Pressing - $5,100.00

2. 78 - Black Birds Of Paradise "Muddy Water" / "Sugar" Gennett 6211 - $4,500.00

3. LP - Uncle Funkenstein "Together Again" - $4,060.00

4. LP - George Szell "Beethoven Choral Symphony" Columbia SAX 2512/3 UK Pressing

5. LP - Bruce Springsteen "Born To Run" Test Pressing Script jacket - $2,125.00


More on this week's top 5 on Vinyl Record Talk, Tuesday 8:00PM Eastern / 5:00PM Pacific on Radio Dentata

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Vinyl Record News & Music Notes

hello folks, 

i have been doing this blog for several years and i can't remember not making a post for a couple of days....i always try and get the latest vinyl record news and stuff that interests me posted every day. 

i apologize for the lacks of posts recently, but i have been quite ill and certainly away for the computer. that said, after some poking, prodding and giving them enough blood to feed a small village of vampires, i am feeling better. 

i thank you for your patience and please visit the CVR Blog everyday to see what's going on in the vinyl record world!

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Vinyl Sales Show Steady Yearly Increase!
  • Vinyl sales increased 37 percent in the beginning of 2011 over the same period last year. Vinyl sales also rose 14.2 percent in 2010, although they only accounted for 1.2 percent of physical sales.
  • 2011 saw the most successful Record Store Day in the event’s four-year history. Album sales at independent record stores increased over 39 percent the week of Record Store Day (April 16) from the prior week – an increase of 180,000 units – and 12.7 percent compared to 2010. 
  • Rock is the most popular genre of music, with 32 percent album share, while pop music represents 40 percent of all current digital tracks sold. 
  • Ninety-three of the 100 best selling vinyl albums in 2011 fall within the Rock or Alternative genres.
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GRIMEY'S BEST SELLERS 5/02 - 5/08, 2011

Top 25 Vinyl:

1. Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues
2. The Clutters - Under Suspicion 7"
3. Mumford & Sons - Sigh No More
4. The New Mastersounds - Masterology
5. TV On The Radio - Nine Types of Light
6. The White Stripes - Let's Shake Hands 7"
7. The White Stripes - Lafayette Blues 7"
8. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
9. Thee Oh Sees - Singles Collection 1 & 2
10. KORT - Please Don't Touch 7"
11. Crystal Stilts / Comet Gain - Working Circle Explosion 7"
12. Adele - 21
13. The Civil Wars - Barton Hollow
14. Explosions In The Sky - Take Care, Take Care, Take Care
15. Brandi Carlile - Live At Benaroya Hall
16. Radiohead - King Of Limbs
17. Various - The Wuxtry Record
18. The New Mastersounds - So Many Pies 7"
19. J Dilla - Donuts
20. Miles Davis - Kind Of Blue
21. LCD Soundsystem - This Is Happening
22. Sufjan Stevens - Illinois
23. Cheap Time - Immediate Future 7"
24. Daft Punk - Tron Legacy (import)
25. Talib Kweli - Gutter Rainbows

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and in music history for today:

In 1955, Bo Diddley's tune "Bo Diddley" debuts on the US R&B chart on its way to #2. The song will become his most successful record and introduces what will be known as the Bo Diddley beat.

Jan and Dean began recording "Little Old Lady From Pasadena" in 1964.

In 1966, The Kingsmen's "Louie Louie" enters the Billboard Hot 100 for the ninth time. It only stayed on the charts for two weeks, going to #97. When it was first released in 1963, it made it to #2.

In 1968, Paul McCartney and John Lennon were guests on NBC's "Tonight Show" (with guest host Joe Gragiola).

Also in 1968, the Rascals recorded "People Got To Be Free", a song written by the group because of the assassinations of Dr. Martin Luther King and Bobby Kennedy. It will become their fourth and final million-selling single.

In 1976, 33 year-old Keith Relf, former lead singer for the Yardbirds, was electrocuted while tuning a guitar which was not properly grounded. The accident happened in his West London home where he was found by his eight year old son, still holding the plugged-in electric guitar. His voice can be heard on such British Invasion classics as "For Your Love", "Heart Full of Soul", "I Ain't Got You", and "Shapes of Things".

In 1988, Atlantic Records celebrates its 40th anniversary with a star-studded bash at New York's Madison Square Garden. The show features reunions of Led Zeppelin, The Bee Gees, The Rascals, Genesis, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Wilson Pickett, The Coasters, Yes, Foreigner, and many others.

In 1993, the acoustic guitar that Elvis Presley used to make his first recordings, "That's All Right Mama" and "Blue Moon of Kentucky" in 1954, sold for $152,000 at an auction in London, England.

In 1998, Frank Sinatra died after a heart attack at the age of 82.

lots of birthdays today including Jack Bruce of Cream (1943) the great Bobby Darin (1936), the innovative David Byrne of the Talking Heads (1952), Ian Astbury of the Cult (1962), C.C. DeVille of Poison (1962) and Mike Inez of Alice in Chains (1966), among others.