Vinyl Record News & Music Notes

this news from RiseRecords

Poison the Well Vinyl Re-Releases

Rise Records and Poison the Well are proud to announce the re-release of 'The Opposite of December' and 'Tear From The Red.'  These 2 classic albums (19 songs total) have been out of print for years and will finally get a proper re-release this summer which will include limited edition double 12" gatefold vinyl, deluxe CD and low-priced digital album. Both albums will be re-mastered as well.










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Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius To Release New Album

Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius' new album, THE NEXT WORLD is being released on May 24 through Steve Vai's Digital Nations and Joe's imprint D-Zone Entertainment. The band's acclaimed sound is a melodic mixture of progressive hard rock with jam band, funk, jazz, and Gypsy influences. The unique merging of these sounds can be heard on the album's fiery "Gods," the energetic power clash in "The Missing Link" and the glorious intro, "Release." The album's wide ranging instrumentals are the superfast "Road Rage" and the soulful "Ballad for Ding Bang," and the post-apocolyptic "Fleshbot." Joe & his band bend genres in the electronic/ska-inspired "Tech Support," the country rock ballad "Climbing," and the bluesy "The House Always Wins."

THE NEXT WORLD is chockful of dynamic musicianship, and creative energies of bandmates--leader Joe Deninzon on electric violin and lead vocals, French guitarist Aurelien Budynek (Cindy Blackman, Vernon Reid), bassist Jamie Bishop (The Syn, Francis Dunnery), and drummer Lucianna Padmore (praised by Modern Drummer Magazine for her “Deep grooves and serious fusion chops."

The album is dedicated to the memory of Bob Bowen, the bassist in both Stratospheerius and the Joe Deninzon Trio. Bob was killed in a bicycle accident in Manhattan in 2010. Bob's bass playing can be heard on "The House Always Wins." He was also a talented visual artist and drew the cover artwork for the album.

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this is all over the place (news wise) and got to admit i like his creative ways to use vinyl.....

Will Jack White Play The First Vinyl Record In Outer Space?

Jack White has recently revealed he has an ambition to play the first ever vinyl record in outer space.

The former White Stripes man was speaking to astronaut Buzz Aldrin in a feature for Interview Magazine and told Aldrin, who was the second ever man to walk on the moon, that he is working on a "secret project" to get one of the songs on his Third Man Records label to be the "first vinyl record played in outer space".

Asked how he planned to do it, White said he was planning "to launch a balloon that carries a vinyl record player.  And figure out a way to drop the needle with all that turbulence up there and ensure that it will still play."

do balloons really get to 'outer space?'

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this from our friends at VinylCollective

Sum 41 – All Killer No Filler Vinyl!

Asbestos Records is set to release Sum 41′s “All Killer No Filler” on vinyl June 15, 2012, which you can pre order now. The complete pressing is limited to 1,000 copies:

150 – Black (SOLD OUT)
300 – White (SRC Exclusive) AVAILABLE NOW!
550 – Blue (Sold OUT)

It would be a mistake to view Sum 41 as just another second-rate band cashing in on the early-'00s punk-pop boom, even if it did recruit Jerry Finn to produce All Killer No Filler. Just as Finn had done for both blink-182 and Green Day, he charges Sum 41's punk-pop with a razor-sharp edge, the sort of dynamic in-your-face sound that helps this music cross over to MTV and radio so well. Besides the notable production, a lot of credit should go to the band as well. Its songwriting is obviously more diverse here than it was a year earlier on its debut album, Half Hour of Power; for example, the group's rap and '80s metal influences rise to the surface more frequently here than on that first album and instill a fun sense of camp. "Fatlip" is perhaps the best example of how Sum 41 has made an effort to diversify the music with more than just power chords and melodic punk vocals.

Available for the first time ever on vinyl in North America, and contains the hit singles "Fat Lip" and "In Too Deep"

Order HERE

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interesting site, just found it today and looks like something i would like to learn more about, check it out.....OccupationRecords.com

Jubilee celebrations as Occupy movement to release ‘Folk the Banks’ album on 4 June

The upcoming Diamond Jubilee weekend is set to be a very special weekend as Occupation Records, a record label for the Occupy movement, releases its first album, Folk the Banks, with album artwork by Jamie Reid – famed for the iconic artwork of the Sex Pistols’ ‘God Save the Queen’ single released during Queen Elizabeth II’s Silver Jubilee in 1977.

The album features original and exclusive tracks from Ani DiFranco, Billy Bragg, Chris T-T, Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly, Peggy Seeger, Ryan Harvey and Tao Rodriguez-Seeger. An embeddable Folk the Banks ‘sneak peek’ is available

  
Jamie Reid said: “It was an honour to be asked to do this artwork for the Occupy movement. I have been involved with doing ‘protest’ visuals since the early 70′s, and I hoped with this image to incorporate ideas from this source, putting them into a modern context within the birth of a whole new form of protest and resistance, against the increasing corruption and corporate greed of current policies and economics. Learn from the past. Live in the present. Look to the future.”

With all profits from the record label donated to the Occupy movement, other artists on the Folk the Banks album include The Nightwatchman: Tom Morello, Martha Wainright, Anais Mitchell, Show of Hands, King Blues, Leon Rosselson, The Young-uns, Oysterband, Chumbawumba, Jim Moray and Eddie Morton.

Tom Morello said: “The wealthiest CEO’s reward themselves with million dollar bonuses while millions are out of work. What can we do about it? We can protest against it, fight back against it, and sing songs that do both.”

Folk the Banks will be available digitally from Bank Holiday Monday 4 June, including via the Occupation Records website on a pay what you want basis. From Wednesday 6 June, it will be in record stores across the UK on CD and on vinyl.

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got a laugh with this album cover art:

TANKARD: 'A Girl Called Cerveza' Cover Artwork Unveiled

German alcoholic thrashers TANKARD will release their their 30th-anniversary album, "A Girl Called Cerveza", on July 27 via the band's new label home, Nuclear Blast Records. The CD was recorded at Studio 23 in Frankfurt with producer Michael Mainx (ONKELZ, DER W, DISBELIEF, D-A-D).

Read more at  Blabbermouth

Ask Mr. Music by Jerry Osborne

FOR THE WEEK OF MAY 7, 2012

DEAR JERRY: I am a collector of novelty records, which includes songs about pop icons, such as Elvis and the Beatles.

I spotted one in a recent sales catalog, listed by the seller as "Beatle Bug Boogie." It sounds a bit like an instrumental, but either way, if it's about the Beatles I'd want it. They are asking $25.

Do you know anything about this record? If you think the price is fair, I'll order it.
—Jarrod Kneff, Rochester, N.Y.


DEAR JARROD: The asking price is okay for a used but not abused copy. One in near-mint condition could have a $50 price tag.

But wait! Don't call yet!

The price is irrelevant because, although a novelty in its own way, this record has nothing to do with the Beatles. In fact, it came out in 1954, about 10 years before anyone even considered recording a Beatles novelty.

Perhaps it is an innocent mistake on the seller's part, but the correct title of this tune is "Beetle Bug Boogie." That alone, however, would not rule out a legit Beatles connection.

Several authentic 1960s Beatles novelties intentionally spell their name as if they were insects (e.g., "The Beetle"; "Beetle Bebop"; "Beetle Bug"; "Beetle Bug Jump"; "Beetle Dance"; and "Beetle Mania").

"Beetle Bug Boogie" (Arcade 120), by Jimmy Collett, is a hillbilly bopper about the boogie-woogie goings on at "an old bee hive … the place where the beetle bugs meet every night at nine, and a doodle bug band plays the beetle bug jive."

Among the fun-loving, creepy-crawling regulars are: caterpillars; glow worms; spiders; flies; tater bugs; skeeters; centipedes; grasshoppers; Japanese beetles; June bugs; ants; and, since it's their hive, some honeybees.

It is no surprise to learn their dance of choice is the jitterbug.






DEAR JERRY: Thanks to your piece about "Sioux City Sue," by Elton Britt, his is now my favorite version of this often recorded song.

But no matter whose I hear, from A (Gene Autry) to Z (Zeke Manners), they all make what I consider a geographical mistake.

Do you have any idea what I'm talking about?
—"Denver" Sue McBride



DEAR DENVER SUE: I think I do.

Every recording I have of "Sioux City Sue" begins with "I drove a herd of cattle down from old Nebraska way, that's how I came to be in the state of I-o-way."

Assuming traditional usage of "down" meaning south, and "up" indicating north, a cattle drive from anywhere in Nebraska to Sioux City would not involve going south.

Sioux City, separated by the Missouri River, borders the northeast tip of Nebraska.

A more geographically correct itinerary, while maintaining the one-syllable cadence, would be "I drove a herd of cattle IN from old Nebraska way, that's how I came to be in the state of I-o-way."

There is, however, another possibility.

Though the object of this cowhand's affection identifies herself as Sioux City Sue, not once is it said that either one of them is actually in or even near Sioux City.

If the rendezvous point is anywhere south of the Sioux City-Waterloo-Dubuque parallel, the thundering herd could indeed be heading "down."

Now let's see what's on Milwaukee Sue's mind:


DEAR JERRY: Imagine my surprise to be reading about my uncle, Trooper Jim Foster, in your column.

I used to visit him at his place, Foster's Lazy Acres, in Lutz, Fla. He had a small recording studio there and we used to listen to all his records. He also had a Sunday TV show, "Bring 'Em Back Alive," on channel 10 in Tampa.

After his Florida Highway Patrol career, he served 10 years in the Florida House of Representatives. He later worked for the Division of Forestry and the Dept. of Motor Vehicles and Highway Safety. He retired in 1988.

Jim died in 1996 while building his dream cabin in the hills of Tennessee. He was 62.

I am going to send the article to my dad, now 81, who still misses his only brother. Thank you for the opportunity to remember my uncle and smile. It is indeed a small world.
—Sue (Foster) Labinski, Milwaukee


IZ ZAT SO? Thousands of celebrity novelties exist, spoofing entertainers, politicians, sports figures, and anyone or anything in the news, yet rarely do you find them on the charts, much less among the Top 40.

In keeping with mention of Elvis and the Beatles, here are two exceptions: "The All American Boy," by Bill Parsons (a.k.a., Bobby Bare), about Elvis being drafted, which reached No. 2 in 1958, and "We Love You Beatles," by the Carefrees, No. 39 in 1964.

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 2012 Osborne Enterprises- Reprinted By Exclusive Permission

The Wallflowers Return With Highly Anticipated New Album for Release This Fall on Columbia Records

Select Tour Dates Announced To Kick Off in July!

LOS ANGELES, May 8, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The Wallflowers have announced they are back in the studio and putting the finishing touches on a long-awaited new studio album to be released by Columbia Records this fall. Currently recording in Nashville at Dan Auerbach's (The Black Keys) Easy Eye Sound studio, the new album finds frontman Jakob Dylan joining original band members Greg Richling (bass) and Rami Jaffee (keyboards), with Wallflowers' longtime guitarist Stuart Mathis and drummer Jack Irons (Red Hot Chili Peppers, Pearl Jam) rounding out the lineup. The album is being produced by Jay Joyce (Emmylou Harris, Cage the Elephant) and mixed by Rich Costey (Bruce Springsteen, The Shins).

The Wallflowers have taken their deep history and defining sound into new territory with the release of their upcoming album. The new record has the band doing what it does best while continuing to find new ground to cover.  "It's been a while since we've felt this energized and creative. We haven't changed our stripes so much as we're continuing to redefine the animal," said Jakob Dylan.
In addition to their new album, The Wallflowers have announced a series of tour dates that will kick off in select U.S. cities in July (please see dates below). On these dates the band expects to give fans a preview of the new material, which finds them rediscovering their sound while reflecting the varied influences they have accumulated over the years. 

Formed in Los Angeles, The Wallflowers rose to fame with their 4x platinum album Bringing Down The Horse, which featured four top charting singles including "6th Avenue Heartache," "One Headlight," "The Difference," and "Three Marlenas." The two-time Grammy Award winners went on to sell over 7 million records worldwide with a series of critically acclaimed albums before going on hiatus in 2007. During the group's break from recording, Jakob Dylan released two solo albums, 2008's Seeing Things and 2010's Women and Country, which also garnered significant praise.

The Wallflowers Tour Dates
7/20  Firefly Music Festival, Dover, DE
7/24  Bowery Ballroom, New York, NY (on-sale Friday, May 11th)
7/25  The Stone Pony, Asbury Park, NJ (on-sale Friday, May 11th)
7/27  Schubas, Chicago, IL (on-sale Saturday, May 12th)
9/23  De Luna Fest, Pensacola, FL

The Wallflowers will be announcing additional album details and tour dates in the coming weeks. For more information please visit:

www.thewallflowers.com

SOURCE Columbia Records

New Vinyl Record and Music Releases - May 8, 2012

 

ALO - Sounds Like This
Aaron Freeman - Marvelous Clouds 
Adaliah - Broken Families
Alex Clare - Lateness Of The Hour
Allegaeon - Formshifter
Allo Darlin - Europe
Angelus Apatrida - The Call
Animal Kingdom - Looking Away 
Apollo Brown & OC - Trophies
Barenaked Ladies - Stop Us If You've Heard This Before
Belleruche - Rollerchain
Ben Cantelon - Everything In Colour
Bermuda - The Wandering
Big K.R.I.T. - K.R.I.T. Wuz Here (reissue)
Big K.R.I.T. - Return of 4Eva (reissue)
Black Moth - The Killing Jar
Burning Love - Black Widow (EP)
CFCF - Exercises (vinyl)
Carina Round - Tigermending
Cattle Decapitation - Monolith Of Inhumanity
Chris Brown - Fortune
Count Your Lucky Stars - Old Wounds: Warmth in the Winter of 1914-1915
Cover Drive - Bajan Style
DZ Deathrays - Bloodstreams 
Damon Albarn - Dr. Dee
Dana Buoy - Summer Bodies
Danny Elfman - Dark Shadows: Original Score (soundtrack)
Daytrader - Twelve Years
Dead Mellotron - Glitter
Dee Snider - Dee Does Broadway
Deuce - Nine Lives
diSEMBOWELMENT - Transcendence Into The Peripheral (vinyl)
Donald Fagen - Nightfly (reissue) (vinyl)
Elite Gymnastics - Ruin 4
Exotic Animal Petting Zoo - Tree Of Tongues
Fela Kuti - Live in Detroit 1986
Fire & Ice - Not Of This Earth
Geoff Barrow and Ben Salisbury - Drokk: Music Inspired by Mega-City One
Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly - Maps
Glenn Frey - After Hours
Gorod - A Perfect Absolution
Greg Laswell - Landline
HUNG - HUNG
Heavy Blanket - Heavy Blanket 
Heavy Cream - Super Treatment
Hecuba - Modern 
Here We Go Magic - A Different Ship
Horseback - Half Blood
Huntress - Spell Eater 
iLiketrains - The Shallows
Infected Mushroom - Army of Mushrooms
JD McPherson - Signs & Signifiers
JD Samson & MEN - Time (EP) 
Jack Kerouac - The Complete Collection
Jimmy Edgar - Majenta 
John 5 - God Told Me To
Karmin - Hello
Katzenjammer - A Kiss Before You Go
Keane - Strangeland
Kindness - World, You Need A Change of Mind
King Charles - Loveblood
Led Er Est - The Diver
Lionheart - Undisputed
Luther Dickinson - Hambone's Meditations
M83 - Reunion EP
Mariah Carey - The Essential Mariah Carey
Marina and the Diamonds - Electra Heart (with bonus tracks)
Mass Icon - Mass Icon Discography
Matt Skiba & The Sekrets - Babylon
Michael Hearst - Songs for Unusual Creatures
Mixtapes - Somewhere in Trinsic (EP)  
Moon Duo - Mazes Remixed (reissue) (vinyl)
Moss Icon - Complete Discography
My Bloody Valentine - EP’s 1988-1991
My Bloody Valentine -  Isn’t Anything (reissue)
My Bloody Valentine – Loveless (reissue) 
Naam - The Ballad of the Star Child
Oddland - The Treachery Of Senses
Off! - Off!
PS I Love You - Death Dreams
Parlotones - Journey Through the Shadows
Pat Green - Songs We Wish We d Written II
Paul Thorn - What The Hell is Goin On?
Polar - Iron Lungs
Rachael Sage - Haunted By You
Richard Hawley - Standing At The Sky's Edge
Rita Wilson - AM/FM
Royal Headache - Royal Headache 
S. Carey - Hoyas (EP)
SBTRKT - Hold On (vinyl)]
SOiL - Re-LIVE-ing The Scars In London
Sara Watkins - Sun Midnight Sun
Sean Bones - Buzzards Boy
Sharon Van Etten - We Are Fine (vinyl)
Silversun Pickups - Neck Of The Woods
Sleep - Dopesmoker (reissue)
Sleep Party People - We Were Drifting on a Sad Song
speakers - New Frequency (EP)
St. Vincent - Stranger Mercy
Storm Corrosion - Storm Corrosion
Tank - This Is How I Feel
Tenafly Viper - The Queen, The Night & The Liars 
The Cribs - In the Belly of the Brazen Bull 
The Heartbreaks - One Time
The Residents - Fingerprince (reissue)
The Residents - Third Reich 'n' Roll
The Way Of Purity - Equate
The Wood Brothers - Live, Volume 1: Sky High (EP)
The Young - Dub Egg
Trevor Rabin - Jacaranda
Trioscapes - Separate Realities
Turing Machine - What is the Meaning of What
VHS or Beta - Diamonds & Dub 
Various Artists - Hall Of Fame: Rare And Unissued Gems From The FAME Vaults
Various Artists - The Hunger Games (soundtrack) (vinyl)
Various Artists - Avengers Assemble (soundtrack)
Video Love - Mon Ange
Virals - Coming Up With the Sun
Volcano the Bear - Golden Rhythm / Ink Music

Wax Idols - Schadenfreude (7")

Vinyl Record News & Music Notes

Welcome To All-About-VinylRecords.com

today i am adding a new link to my friends and blogging buddies All-About-VinylRecords.com  I'll let Danny explain what the site is about:

This site, all about vinyl records, reflects that passion for collecting vinyl records and albums. I grew up in the fifties and sixties when Doo-Wop was at its peak.

Fifty years later I still enjoy listening to Doo-Wop, Classic Rock, Country, Rockabilly and many other styles of music.

So...If you're a vinyl cover lover come on in, grab your favorite beverage, and pull up a chair...This could take a while.

Warning to music lovers, the site is full of interesting articles and wonderfully crafted music, so you may be there a while!!  A hearty welcome to all-about-vinylrecords.com from the CVR Blog!!!

Visit All-About-VinylRecords.com

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MORBID SAINT: Reissue Legendary Debut Album on Vinyl

Relapse Records is pleased to announce the vinyl reissue of MORBID SAINT’s criminally underrated debut album Spectrum of Death. Originally released in 1988, this death/thrash cult classic, produced by Eric Greif, was light years ahead of its peers, leaving posers crushed in a heap of destruction! The long out-of-print album has been repressed in celebration of the band’s reunion performance at this year’s
Maryland Deathfest X.

Spectrum of Death will see a June 19th re-release with pre-orders.  Order HERE















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Hopeless Records/ Sub City To Re Issue Thrice’s “Illusion Of Safety” Deluxe Vinyl

Hopeless Records and Sub City are excited to announce the vinyl re issue of Thrice’s album “The Illusion Of Safety”! Originally released in 2002, this past February marked the records 10 year anniversary of its release.  Fans will be able to choose between a standard and deluxe one time re-pressing.

The limited quantity deluxe pressing allows fans to choose between 3 colors; coke bottle clear, white or translucent red and will be pressed on 180 gram vinyl. This deluxe version will also include a download card of the album.  The first 500 sold will contain inserts signed by the band! A standard version will also be available in stores and online on June 19th.

A portion of the proceeds (equaling 5% of the suggested retail price) earned by the artists and Hopeless/ Sub City Records from the sale of this release will be donated to the non- profit organization A Place Called Home.**

Head over to HopelessRecords to check out bundles and to pre order!

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this from our friends at polyvinylrecords.com

Sonny and the Sunsets Longtime Companion Vinyl Release

Longtime Companion, will be released June 26th and is currently up for pre-order HERE (180-gram yellow vinyl / CD).  All pre-orders receive an instant MP3 download for the entire album at checkout!

The new Sonny & the Sunsets record is a country record. It’s a break up record. Love and Heartache. Every song was written during and is about his break up with his girlfriend of ten years.

The songs came fast and naturally so Smith let the next record be something different, he embellished his Sunsets with members of his country band The Fuckaroos. Recorded to tape in a musty beer stained basement, what transpired was a classic country record.

Smith grew up listening to old time music, his dad is a banjo player and his parents and friends played old time music. "It was around the house, but I didn't like it!" recalls Sonny. "My dad played banjo and his friends would come over and play fiddle and mandolin. But I would go watch tv or listen to AC/DC."

However, some kind of country strain sank in. Gene Clark, The Flying Burrito Brothers, Townes Van Zandt, a little Johnny Cash, even the countrier side of the Kinks – there are hints of all of these in the new record and yet ultimately it still remains a Sonny & the Sunsets sound through and through..

Order HERE

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this from up north of our border:

What goes around, comes around - vinyl records spinning again

By Misty Harris, Postmedia News

As with the end of the world and Lindsay Lohan’s comeback (arguably one and the same), we’ve all heard the stories before when it comes to the resurgence of vinyl. But this time, industry analysts have compelling numbers to prove it.

In 2011, more records were purchased than in any other year in the past two decades, with unit sales up 36 per cent, to 3.9 million, over 2010. And according to Nielsen SoundScan, LP album sales for 2012 are on pace to set the bar even higher, with year-to-date sales up 17 per cent over the same time last year.

Read the rest of the article at canada.com

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Jim McCrary dies at 72; photographer shot Carole King 'Tapestry' cover

Jim McCrary was staff photographer for A&M Records, shooting more than 300 covers for groups including the Carpenters and the Flying Burrito Brothers.

Read the rest at latimes.com

Vinyl Record News & Music Notes

i love the business sense of the band, but why would he ever say anything else but this quote?  they sell their records, don't they?

GENE SIMMONS Says New KISS Album Is 'One Of The Top Three Records We've Ever Done' 

KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons spoke to Billboard.com about the band's recently completed 20th studio album, "Monster", which is scheduled for release in July. The follow-up to 2009's "Sonic Boom" was again produced by KISS fronman Paul Stanley and was described by Simmons as "either the best or one of the top three records we've ever done.

Read the story at Blabbermouth

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STONE AXE Set To Continue The Rock N’ Roll Party With Live Album Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


Port Orchard, WA – Three years, two full length albums, an EP, countless appearances on compilations and 7” projects, deluxe re-issues of out of print albums . . . the only thing missing from the Stone Axe repertoire is a full length live album. Wait no longer! Stone Axe and Ripple Music will be releasing the first full length live album from the Washington based rock n’ roll preservationists on May 8th in North America (May 7th in the UK). Stone Axe: Captured Live! is a fifteen track time capsule from the 2011 edition of the Roadburn Festival held on an annual basis in Holland. This recording, indeed, captured the band in all of their rock n’ roll fury, steamrolling through a raucous set of music that has the crowd cheering, singing, and clapping along.

“Captured Live! was recorded during our appearance at the Roadburn Festival, which was also the last night of our 2011 UK/European tour,” explains multi-instrumentalist and band leader, Tony Reed. “We’d been on the road for a long time, we were worn out, and we were playing a million miles an hour – just on the fringe of losing all control. It was an awesome and exhilarating experience and we think this recording captures the emotions of the night, as well as the weeks leading up to it.”

Stone Axe: Captured Live! is available through Nail Distribution in North America naildistribution.com

In addition to this release, Stone Axe were recently handpicked by the editors of Metal Hammer to have their song "Old Soul", from Stone Axe II - Deluxe Edition (available now from Ripple Music), included on a special issue covermount CD. This special issue pays homage to Black Sabbath is entitled 'The Sons of Sabbath' and will be available at the end of May!

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album cover art of the day:

CARDIAC ARREST To Release 'Vortex Of Violence' 

Following up the bulldozer that was 2010's "Haven For The Insane", Chicago-based death metal purists CARDIAC ARREST are set to return this spring with their highly-anticipated fourth full-length album. On the aptly titled "Vortex Of Violence", CARDIAC ARREST once again demonstrates what true death metal is all about with a vicious and relentless assault of grinding intensity and neck-snapping aggression.

Read more at Blabbermouth

Ask Mr. Music by Jerry Osborne

FOR THE WEEK OF APRIL 30, 2012

DEAR JERRY: Is it possible that a soundtrack LP was never issued for "Casablanca"?

Lots of people recorded "As Time Goes By," but who, if anyone, had a hit with it? Maybe the one who sings it in the movie?

"Casablanca" is an award-winning classic, repeatedly shown for 70 years. How could its music, with numerous instrumentals and vocals, not have been issued by someone.
—Leslie Robinson, Hagerstown, Md.

DEAR LESLIE: Someone did, but not until 55 years later, and still not on LP (i.e., vinyl).

From 1942 until 1997, most of the original "Casablanca" recordings were presumed to be lost forever.

Then, while looking for something else, a Warner Brothers employee unearthed those "missing" optical nitrate "Casablanca" recordings.

From that discovery, Turner Classic Films teamed with Rhino Records to produced a 20-track soundtrack CD (Rhino 0034X).

In the film and on the album, "As Time Goes By" is performed by Arthur "Dooley" Wilson. He also sings "Knock on Wood"; "Dat's What Noah Done"; plus a medley of "It Had to Be You" and "Shine."

The two most commercially successful singles of "As Time Goes By" are tunes you are not likely to hear in the mainstream media: by Rudy Vallee (Baritone with Orchestra) (Victor 20-1526), and Jacques Renard & His Orchestra (Brunswick 6205). Though not credited, the Renard Orchestra's vocalist is Frank Munn.

"As Time Goes By" may be perpetually associated with "Casablanca," but Herman Hupfeld originally wrote the tune for the short-lived Broadway musical "Everybody's Welcome."

This show opened at the Schubert Theatre on October 13, 1931, and closed four months and 139 performances later (February 13, 1932).

On that stage, Polly Bascom sang "As Time Goes By" in Act 1, then is joined on the Reprisal by Biny Hatfield in Act 2.

Meanwhile, one mile south at Tin Pan Alley, Hupfeld's song was snatched up by both Rudy Vallee (Victor 22773) and Jacques Renard (Brunswick 6205).

Renard's track is the same as reissued 12 years later to coincide with "Casablanca," but Vallee's 1931 waxing is completely different than on his 1943 single. That original even features this rarely-heard, one-minute intro:

This day and age we're living in gives cause for apprehension
With speed and new invention, and things like third dimension
We get a trifle weary with Mr. Einstein's theory
So we must get down to earth at times, relax … relieve the tension
No matter what the progress, or what may yet be proved
The simple facts of life are such, they cannot be removed

Most singers of "As Time Goes By" omit these lyrics, but not Rod Stewart. His 2003 remake, billed as the lead track on the "Great American Songbook, Volume II," faithfully reproduces Rudy Vallee's 1931 intro.

"Casablanca," the 1943 Academy Award winner for Best Picture, is the legendary Humphrey Bogart's screen debut in a romantic lead role. He previously specialized in portraying gangsters.



IZ ZAT SO? "Casablanca is not the only film starring Humphrey Bogart to have a soundtrack caught up in unexpected and out of the ordinary events.

In 1954, "The Caine Mutiny" soundtrack LP (RCA Victor LOC-1013) was withdrawn and destroyed before all but a few copies made it out of the plant, all caused by squabbling and disagreements over the content.

Because only a handful survived, an authentic original can now fetch in the neighborhood of $10,000.

Adding to "The Caine Mutiny" lore is RCA Victor's official catalog at the time, announcing a seven-inch EP (extended play) containing selections from the 12-inch album.

Based on nothing other than no one seems to have ever seen one, most in the industry assume none were produced in this format.

Still, should a copy of the EP (EOD-1013) surface, its value would easily exceed that of the LP.

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 2012 Osborne Enterprises- Reprinted By Exclusive Permission

 

Vinyl Record News & Music Notes

Grace Potter & the Nocturnals New Album Cover Art

Grace Potter & The Nocturnals have recently revelaed the album art for their new album called 'The Lion The Beast The Beat.' The album’s cover was designed by LA-based artist Deedee Cheriel.

“I wanted the cover art to reflect all the themes within this album without being overwhelming,” Potter says of the album’s art. “I grew up in a family of artists so when it comes to cover art…I’m pretty tough. I was ready for a long, drawn out process, but Deedee Cheriel’s artwork fell perfectly in step with where I wanted to go. Her work seems ancient and immediate all at once. A beautiful combination of sacred and subversive. And if that’s too art-schooly for you, let’s just say there are animals puking laser rainbows…which is just plain awesome”

The Lion The Beast The Beat is scheduled for release on June 12.









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MALADIE Announce Release Album Cover Artwork

German black metallers MALADIE have just announced that their new album 'Plague Within' will be released on July 20 via Apostasy Records.





















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Bilocate Reveals New Cover Artwork

Jordanian dark metallers Bilocate have recently revealed the album cover artwork for 'Summoning the Bygones,' their upcoming new album. The artwork was designed by Matthew Vickerstaff of Darkwave Art in the United Kingdom, who is working with Listenable Records and Peaceville Records.

The album's official release date worldwide is on the 11th of June 2012 via Code666 records (Aural Music).
















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Smashing Pumpkins Reveal New Album Cover and Tracks

The Smashing Pumpkins are back with their first studio album since 2007.

Rolling Stone announced that the band will release 'Oceania,' its seventh studio album, on June 19th.  It is part of "Teargarden by Kaleidyscope," a 44-song work-in-progress released song-by-song since 2009, but will stand on its own.

NME.com reported that lead singer Billy Corgan said in December that 'Oceania' was the band's strongest album since 'Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness' released in 1995.

The album features new drummer Mike Byrne, guitarist Jeff Schroeder and bassist Nicole Fiorentino, all new since "Zeitgeist" was released in 2007.

Tracklist
"Quasar"
"Panopticon"
"The Celestials"
"Violet Rays"
"My Love Is Winter"
"One Diamond, One Heart"
"Pinwheels"
"Oceania"
"Pale Horse"
"The Chimera"
"Glissandra"
"Inkless"
"Wildflower"





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this seldom seen video (12 views, although that makes me #13....uh oh) about vinyl should get more views, i like the presentation!



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GRIMEY'S BEST SELLERS 4/23 - 4/29, 2012

Vinyl Top 25:

1. Jack White - Blunderbuss
2. JEFF The Brotherhood - Upstairs At United Vol. 3
3. The Flaming Lips - And Heady Fwends
4. The White Stripes - Hand Springs 7"
5. Dr. John - Locked Down
6. Caitlin Rose - Piledriver Waltz 7"
7. Arcade Fire - The Sprawl II 12"
8. Justin Townes Earle - Nothing's Gonna Change The Way You Feel... 7"
9. Diamond Rugs - Diamond Rugs
10. The Mynahbirds - It's My Time 7"
11. Ty Segall & White Fence - Hair
12. James Brown - Live At The Apollo 7"
13. Metallica - Beyond Magnetic
14. Paul Simon - Graceland
15. Little Richard - Here's Little Richard
16. Brendan Benson - What Kind Of World
17. Bruce Springsteen - Rocky Ground 7"
18. The Shins - Port Of Morrow
19. Martian Denny Orchestra - Crossfire 7"
20. Lee Hazelwood - LHI Years
21. Devo - Live In Seattle 1981
22. Townes Van Zandt - At My Window
23. Grace Potter & The Nocturnals - Live At Sun Studio
24. Uncle Tupelo - No Depression
25. Soundtrack - Empire Records
  
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Spin-Clean® Introduces Archival Record Sleeve, The “Yellow Jacket”

Spin-Clean® International, manufacturer of the largest-selling vinyl record-cleaning device in the world, has introduced a high quality, 45 RPM record sleeve for audiophiles, vinyl enthusiasts, and record collectors who are looking for a better way to preserve their vinyl archives.
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Pittsburgh, PA (PRWEB) April 25, 2012 - Spin-Clean® International, manufacturer of the largest-selling vinyl record-cleaning device in the world, has introduced a high quality, 45 RPM record sleeve for audiophiles, vinyl enthusiasts, and record collectors who are looking for a better way to preserve their vinyl archives.

The new sleeve, known as the “Yellow Jacket,” is reminiscent of original, archival-grade sleeves manufactured in the 1970s by Record-Rama Sound Archives.

Made from 60 lb., acid-free, archival storage-quality paper, the Yellow Jacket is unique in that its physical paper properties do not fade or degrade over time, unlike many of the archival “green sleeves” available some 30 years ago.

The Yellow Jacket also allows one to record historical information about the single on the sleeve itself, further helping to preserve the history of the 45 RPM contained within the sleeve.

According to Mark Mawhinney, owner of Spin-Clean® International, “There’s nothing else like it on the market. Just like Spin-Clean® Record Washers are one-of-a-kind, so is the Yellow Jacket.”

Spin-Clean® International has become a household name in the vinyl record industry since 1975, providing affordable record-washer / record-cleaning units, such as the Spin-Clean® Record Washer MKII, to the marketplace. Well-respected audio magazines such as Stereophile, Goldmine, and Absolute Sound have lauded the Spin-Clean® Record Washer MKII as an effective, inexpensive way to remove dust and dirt from LPs and 45s, unlocking the full dynamic range of vinyl recordings.

With the advent of the Yellow Jacket, Mawhinney believes the sleeve will quickly become a highly desirable companion piece to Spin-Clean’s® Record Washer MKII, because of its ability to endure the test of time.

“We have some of the original Yellow Jackets that are 30 years old and they still look and feel the same as they did back then,” remarks Mawhinney. “Obviously any 45 housed by them are reaping the benefits of such a strong archival sleeve.”

Spin-Clean® currently offers the Yellow Jacket in packages of 50 and 100, priced at $37.50 and $67.50 respectively.

Those interested in learning more about the Yellow Jacket or the Spin-Clean® line of vinyl cleaning products can call Spin-Clean® directly at 1-800-931-5850.

"I Am An Elvis Fan" Campaign Launched To Compile Ultimate Fan Collection

FANS VOTE FOR THEIR TOP 3 SONGS IN 7 GENRES: '50s, '60s, COUNTRY, MOVIES, LOVE SONGS, GOSPEL, AND IN CONCERT

VOTING TO TAKE PLACE ONLINE FROM MAY 1st TO MAY 12th, WITH TOP 21 SONG RESULTS TO BE ANNOUNCED ON JUNE 15th

21-song album available everywhere July 31, 2012, through RCA/Legacy

NEW YORK, May 1, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Legacy Recordings in conjunction with Elvis Presley Enterprises (EPE) announces the launch of "I AM AN ELVIS FAN," a new campaign which encourages fans, from die-hards to casuals, to vote for their favorite recordings by Elvis from seven musical genres to be provided by Legacy. The top-scoring songs will determine the tracklist for I AM AN ELVIS FAN, a new 21-song collection that will be available starting July 31st through RCA/Legacy, a division of SONY MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT.

The seven categories are '50s, '60s, Country, Movies, Love Songs, Gospel, and In Concert. The categories and tracks (all listed below) will be posted at www.iamanelvisfan.com where fans will be able to select their three top choices per genre. Facebook and Twitter users will be provided with links to share and spread the experience.   

Voting begins today and all votes must be received by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on May 12th. The results will be announced on June 15th. For a limited time, and as a bonus, those who pre-order the I AM AN ELVIS FAN album within the voting period (May 1 - May 12) will have their names included in the package, as space permits. Fans can pre-order the album and submit their name for inclusion in the package at www.iamanelvisfan.com.

The comprehensive "I AM AN ELVIS FAN" campaign, which can be experienced at www.Elvis.com/ElvisFan, encourages fans to "Create, Upload and Wear." In addition to the creation of the album, fans can also upload a photo of themselves to be used in an Elvis photo mosaic by EPE licensee Fan Mosaics. Those thousands of images in the fan mosaic will also be used on the I AM AN ELVIS FAN album cover. Photos can be uploaded now through June 1st. The cover art and song results will be revealed on June 15th. EPE will also create a limited edition "I AM AN ELVIS FAN" t-shirt which will be available for purchase at www.Elvis.com/ElvisFan beginning today. 

"I AM AN ELVIS FAN" – MUSICAL CATEGORIES

'50s – Selections: 1. That's All Right * 2. Good Rockin' Tonight * 3. Baby Let's Play House * 4. I Got A Woman * 5. Hound Dog * 6. Don't Be Cruel * 7. Mystery Train * 8. Blue Suede Shoes * 9. Money Honey * 10. Heartbreak  Hotel * 11. Shake, Rattle & Roll * 12. All Shook Up • 13. Lawdy, Miss Clawdy.

'60s – Selections: 1. In The  Ghetto * 2. Suspicious Minds * 3. Gentle On My  Mind * 4. Don't Cry Daddy * 5. Surrender * 6. Good Luck Charm * 7. Devil In Disguise * 8. She's Not You * 9. Suspicion * 10. The Girl Of My Best Friend * 11. His Latest Flame * 12. Love Letters * 13. Memories.

GOSPEL – Selections: 1. Peace in the Valley * 2. Crying in the Chapel * 3. How Great Thou Art * 4. If I Can Dream * 5. Amazing Grace * 6. Swing Down Sweet Chariot * 7. Joshua Fit The Battle * 8. Take My Hand Precious Lord * 9. Lead Me, Guide Me * 10. He Touched Me * 11. Milky White Way * 12. You'll Never Walk Alone * 13. Where Could I Go But To The Lord.

LOVE SONGS – Selections: 1. I Want You, I Need You, I Love You * 2. Any Way You Want Me * 3. You Don't Have To Say You Love Me * 4. One Night * 5. Can't Help Falling In Love * 6. Love Me Tender * 7. Always On My Mind * 8. Are You Lonesome Tonight? * 9. Unchained Melody * 10. Loving You * 11. You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling * 12. It's Now Or Never * 13. The Wonder Of You.

MOVIES – Selections: 1. King Creole * 2. Jailhouse Rock * 3. Trouble * 4. Return To Sender * 5. A Little Less Conversation * 6. Viva Las Vegas * 7. G.I Blues * 8. Follow That Dream * 9. Bossa Nova Baby * 10. Rubberneckin' * 11. Blue Hawaii * 12. Loving You * 13. Teddy Bear.

COUNTRY – Selections: 1. I Washed My Hands In Muddy Water * 2. Kentucky Rain * 3. For The Good Times * 4. Guitar Man * 5. Blue Moon of Kentucky * 6. Just Because * 7. Long Black Limousine * 8. I'll Hold You In My Heart (Until I Can Hold You in My Arms) * 9. She Thinks I Still Care * 10. I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry * 11. Welcome to My World * 12. Funny How Time Slips Away * 13. There Goes My Everything.

IN CONCERT – Selections: 1. Polk Salad Annie * 2. Suspicious Minds * 3. Just Pretend * 4. You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling * 5. Bridge Over Troubled Water * 6. See See Rider * 7. Walk A Mile In My Shoes * 8. I Can't Stop Loving You * 9. You Gave Me A  Mountain * 10. An American Trilogy * 11. Burning Love * 12. My Way * 13. A Big Hunk of Love.

www.facebook.com/elvis

SOURCE Legacy Recordings

George Harrison: Living in the Material World & Early Takes Volume 1 Out Now!

Universal Music Enterprises is excited for the release of Martin Scorecese's documentary George Harrison: Living in the Material World on DVD and Blu-Ray as well as Early Takes Vol. 1, the companioin music collection of unreleased George Harrison on CD, LP and Box Set.

The Martin Scorcese directed documentary takes viewers on the musical and spiritual voyage that was Harrison’s life, much of it told in his own words. The result is deeply moving and touches each viewer in unique and individual ways.

Early Takes Volume 1 features previously unreleased material like demo versions of  "All Things Must Pass," "My Sweet Lord" and more. The album is a pivotal companion piece to the documentary and is a must have for any fan.

EARLY TAKES Volume 1 will also be released independent of the Deluxe Edition in CD, digital and 180-gram vinyl formats. EARLY TAKES is a pivotal companion piece to this critically acclaimed documentary and features previously unreleased recordings from Harrison. Included are rare, early takes of “I’d Have You Anytime” and “Awaiting On You All,” plus unheard demo versions of “Behind That Locked Door,” “All Things Must Pass,” “Run of the Mill” and “My Sweet Lord,” all later featured on Harrison’s 1970 chart-topping album All Things Must Pass. Other unreleased tracks include demos of “The Light That Has Lighted the World,” “Let It Be Me,” Bob Dylan’s “Mama You’ve Been on My Mind,” and an early take of “Woman Don’t You Cry For Me.”

Early Takes Vol. 1 Tracklist:

1. My Sweet Lord (demo) 3:33
2. Run Of The Mill (demo) 1:56
3. I'd Have You Any Time (early take) 3:06
4. Mama You've Been On My Mind (demo) 3:04
5. Let It Be Me (demo) 2:56
6. Woman Don't You Cry For Me (early take) 2:44
7. Awaiting On You All (early take) 2:40
8. Behind That Locked Door (demo) 3:29
9. All Things Must Pass (demo) 4:38
10. The Light That Has Lighted The World (demo) 2:23

Early Takes Vol. 1 - Order the Vinyl HERE

Vinyl Record Talk News

norm and jane over at Vinyl Record Talk have this news about grading vinyl.  my preference is a rating of 1-10, with 10 being the best (this goes for album covers as well)  I feel that a numeric system tells me more about a record than VG++, although that is up to debate.  However, taking a look at the proposed system, I think it will work out well for both buyers and sellers, take a look and start the debate!:

Grading Vinyl Records - A Proposal For An Expanded Set Of Standards

norm and jane also give us our weekly look at Ebay sales and now are offering a new feature, a weekly breakdown of Beatles records sold on eBay:

Top 5 eBay Vinyl Record Sales - Week Ending 04/28/2012

This week only one record has made the Top 5 before, and that's the Ricardo Marrero LP on the TSG label, whose records never made it out of a garage until after the tax evasion charges.  TSG was a short lived tax scam label for the purposes of taking inventory losses against another enterprise on quantities of records that were never actually pressed.  Though often the music on these records was terrible and the recording poor, there were some exceptions like this week's #1.

This week's Top 5 is the first the will not include The Beatles.  The Beatles will have their own Top 5 list starting this week.  Beatles collectibles of all kinds, teeth included, have become very popular, and records are no exception.  If we were to continue including The Beatles in a single weekly Top 5 list, it's likely there would be less and less room for all the other great records that are top tier collectibles.

1. LP - Ricardo Marrero and The Group "A Taste" TSG - $3,700.00

2. LP - Grannie "self-titled" SRT - $2,971.37

3. LP - Bodkin "self-titled" Private Pressing - $2,706.64

4. LP - Bob Marley & The Wailers "Soul Revolution Rhythm Part 3 Dub Album" Upsetter - $2,650.00

5. LP - Joe Harriott / Amancio D'Silva Quartet "Hum Dono" Columbia UK Pressing - $2,518.16

Vinyl Record Talk is Live on Radio Dentata on Tuesdays at 9pm ET / 6pm PT at RadioDentata.


drumroll please....now the beatles top sellers!

The Beatles Vinyl Records Top 5 eBay Sales Week Ending 04/21/2012

This is the launch of the new Beatles Top 5 vinyl record sales.  We will be posting it here and discussing the Beatles Top 5 on Vinyl Record Talk, Tuesdays at 6pm PT.

This first week's #1 is a signed mono "Please Please Me" with the Dick James credits which sells for a whopping $24.7k.  A recently signed Capitol 70s reissue sells for $3.6k.  Another "Please Please Me" and two UK mono "White Albums" round out the list.

1. LP - The Beatles "Please Please Me" UK Parlophone Black & Gold Mono Pressing with Dick James credits and signed by all four Beatles (Perry Cox) - $24,675.00

2. LP - The Beatles "Help" Capitol Red Label signed by Ringo Starr and George Martin in 2009 - $3,600.00

3. LP - The Beatles "Please Please Me" UK Parlophone Black & Gold Mono Pressing with Dick James credits (1N/1N) - $3,344.82

4. LP - The Beatles "White Album" UK Mono Pressing #0093290 - $1,706.51

5. LP - The Beatles "White Album" UK Mono Pressing #0020949 - $1,149.58


The Beatles Vinyl Records Top 5 eBay Sales Week Ending 04/28/2012

Another impressive week for Beatles vinyl, with a "Love Me Do" demo selling for almost $20k.  eBay has a new section under music memorabilia which is dedicated to Beatles vintage vinyl.  This new section might be pushing prices up higher on its own. Then again The Beatles market itself if exploding for every kind of collectible, including teeth.

The most interesting item on this week's list is an India 78 RPM of "I Saw Her Standing There".

1. 45 - The Beatles "Love Me Do"/"P.S. I Love You" UK Parlophone Demo pressing. First beatles 45 and has Paul's last name misspelled "Mcartney" - $19,646.77

2. 45 - The Beatles "I Want To Hold You're Hand" / "This Boy" UK Parlophone Demo pressing - $1,331.43

3. 78 - The Beatles "I Saw Her Standing There" / "Hold Me Tight" India Pressing Parlophone - $1,256.05

4. LP - The Beatles "White Album" UK Parlophone Stereo #0523796 - $1,229.00

5. LP - The Beatles "Magical Mystery Tour" Mono Sealed - $1,150.00

be sure to stop by the Vinyl Record Talk blog  and tune in for Vinyl Record Talk at RadioDentata.com

New Vinyl Record and Music Releases - May 1, 2012

ABBA - Visitors (2 CDs)
Ad-Libs - The Complete Blue Cat Recordings
Airiel - Kid Games (EP)
Allo Darlin' - Europe
Anders Osborne - Black Eye Galaxy
Ane Brun - It All Starts With One
Archie Powell & the Exports - Great Ideas in Action
B.o.B. - Strange Clouds
Ben Sollee - Live at the Grocery on Home
Bobby Conn - Macaroni
Brian Wilson - I Just Wasn't Made for These Times (reissue) (vinyl)
Bright Eyes - Fevers and Mirrors (reissue) (vinyl)
Bright Eyes - There Is No Beginning to the Story (reissue) (vinyl)
Burial - Street Halo / Kindred
Callaghan - Life In Full Colour
Carina Round - Tigermending
Carrie Underwood - Blown Away
Cheap Time - Wallpaper Music
Climax Blues Band - Flying the Flag
Climax Blues Band - Lucky for Some
Climax Blues Band - Real to Reel
Climax Blues Band - Sample & Hold
Climax Blues Band - Shine On
Cradle of Filth - Midnight in the Labyrinth
Dirty Dozen Brass Band - Twenty Dozen
Dot Hacker - Inhibition
Eddie Rabbit - 13 Original #1 Hits
Factories - The Supreme Cosmic Consciousness Births a Star Child into Negative Space at Absolute Zero
Father John Misty - Fear Fun
Geoff Barrow and Ben Salisbury - DROKK
George Harrison - Early Takes Volume 1: Music From The Martin Scorsese Picture Living In The Material World
Girlyman - Supernova
Gojira - L’Enfant Sauvage
Grateful Dead - Dick's Picks Vol. 30: Academy of Music, New York City, NY, 3/25 and 3/28/72 (4 CDs)
Grateful Dead - Dick's Picks Vol. 31: 8/4-5 Philadelphia Civic Center PA 8/6/74, Roosevelt Stadium, Jersey City, NJ (4 CDs)
Gravenhurst - The Ghost In Daylight
Hey Rosetta! - Seed 
Hope For Agoldensummer - Life Inside the Body
Howth - Newkirk
Hurt - The Crux
J. Blackfoot - Very Best of J. Blackfoot
JK Flesh - Posthuman 
Jenny Berkel - Here on a Wire
Kwes - Meantime (EP)
K’Naan - Country, God or the Girl
LL Cool J - Icon
Lazersword - Memory
Lee Hazlewood - LHI Years: Singles Nudes & Backsides 1968-71 (remastered)
Light Asylum - Light Asylum
Little Hurricane - Homewrecker
Lost Sounds - Lost Lost Demos, Sounds, Alternate Takes & Unused Sounds
Lower Dens - Nootropics
Marilyn Manson - Born Villain
Marriages - Kitsune
Mel McDaniel - Baby's Got Her Blue Jeans On His Original Capitol Hits
Melechesh - Mystics Of The Pillar II
Mitch Ryder - Never Kick a Sleeping Dog
Moby - Destroyed Remix
Monkees - The Birds, the Bees & The Monkees (reissue)
Naama Kates - The Unexamined Life
Norah Jones - Little Broken Hearts
Patrick Watson - Adventures In Your Own Backyards
Paul Brady - Dancer in the Fire: A Paul Brady Anthology (2 CDs)
Pennywise - All Or Nothing
Portland Cello Project - Homage
Ramona Falls - Prophet
Ravens and Chimes - Holiday Life (vinyl)
Red Hot Chili Peppers - We Salute You (EP) 
Reptar - Body Faucet
Rufus Wainwright - Out of the Game
SMASH Cast - Blown Away
Santigold - Master of My Make-Believer
Sea of Bees - Orangefarben
Serj Tankian - Figure It Out 
Siddhartha - IF IT DIE
Skip The Foreplay - Nightlife
Skyharbor - Blinding White Noise: Illusion & Chaos
Soso - That Time I Dug So Deep I Ended Up In China
Spinto Band - Shy Pursuit
Swans - The Burning World (reissue)
The Brian Jonestown Massacre - Aufheben
The Lumineers - The Lumineers
The Mowgli - Sound The Drum
The Rapid Whole - Refuge
The Spinto Band - Shy Pursuit
The Spring Standards - Yellow//Gold
Thin Lizzy - Fighting: Deluxe Edition
Thin Lizzy - Nightlife: Deluxe Edition
Todd Snider - Time As We Know It: Songs of Jerry Jeff Walker
Various Artists - NOW 42
Various Artists - Avengers Assemble (soundtrack)
Various Artists - Yes Family Tree
When Tigers Fight - Death Songs
Wild Hunt - Before The Plane Of Angles

Audiophile Audition Vinyl Reviews

B.B. King – Singin’ The Blues – Crown Records (1957)/ Pure Pleasure Records vinyl

The early career of the King Of Blues is captured on audiophile vinyl.

Published on April 26, 2012

B.B. King – Singin’ The Blues – Crown Records (1957)/ Pure Pleasure Records (2011) CLP 5020 180-gram audiophile mono vinyl ****1/2:

(B.B. King – guitar, vocals; Red Callender – bass; Maxwell Davis – tenor saxophone; Jewel L. Grant – alto saxophone; Billy Hadnot – bass; Ralph Hamilton – bass; Lorenzo holden – alto saxophone’ Willard Mc Daniel – piano; Jack McVea – tenor saxophone; Bumps Meyers – tenor saxophone; Jake “Vernon” Porter – trumpet; Jesse Price – drums; Jesse Sailes – drums; Maurice Simon – tenor saxophone; Floyd Turnham – alto saxophone, baritone saxophone; Charles Waller – tenor saxophone)

It is difficult to fathom the breadth of B.B. King’s legacy. Widely considered to be one of the most influential guitarists of all time, he is the embodiment of the blues connection to modern music. In the forties, he began his recording career with none other than future Sun Records founder Sam Phillips. His legend is steeped in historical and anecdotal contexts.  (As a dance hall was burning, King rushed back into the blaze to rescue his beloved guitar, which he then named Lucille after the woman who inspired the incident.). During the 1950s he became a fixture on the R&B circuit with a succession of hits including “Everyday I Have The Blues”, “Sweet Little Angel” “3 O’clock Blues”, You Know I Love You” and “Woke Up This Morning”.

King became a legitimate crossover success with the release of “The Thrill Is Gone” (off his 1969 album, Completely Well. The single charted on both the pop and R&B charts. That year he opened for the Rolling Stones, and everyone became familiar with King. He was an icon to the rock and roll establishment, recording with U2 (Rattle and Hum) and Eric Clapton (Riding With The King). He has recorded and performed with the finest of jazz, blues, folk and world musicians. Not surprisingly, he was inducted into the Blues Hall Of Fame (1980) and The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame (1987). At eighty-six years of age…he still performs!

Singin’ The Blues, originally released (on Crown records) in 1957 is a compilation of King’s early rhythm and blues career. More than a retrospective, it is a glimpse into the golden age of this unique hybrid genre. The opening track, “Please Love Me” introduces the jagged guitar and high pitched vocals that define blues. The relation to jump music is evident on “You Upset Me Baby”. Reminiscent of Louis Jordan or Ray Charles, the musical flow swings, and is augmented by a saucy tenor saxophone run. King’s signature fluid string-bending solos established a template for most guitar players over the next twenty years. There are plenty of horns on the arrangements. “Woke Up This Morning” has a latin or calypso groove. The horn chorus could be from a piece by Ellington or Basie.

There are slower vamps like “3 O’clock Blues” which manifests a mournful New Orleans vibe. The sole cover, Memphis Slim’s “Everyday I Have The Blues,” is gritty with a barrelhouse piano and nasty guitar licks. This is jukebox music…concise and dynamic. “Blind Love” is indicative of the urban context of the music. Again King delivers a blistering solo.  It is easy to see the emergence of an important musical figure.

As with many blues artists, there is a mysterious, shared writing credit (Most likely, this is attributable to label executives angling for royalties). Pure Pleasure Records has maintained the grainy tone of the original mono recordings. But King’s passionate singing and vibrato-laced guitar work is preserved. Singin’ The Blues is more than an album…it is an historical document!

TrackList:
 Side One: Please Love Me; You Upset Me Baby; Every Day I Have The Blues; Bad Luck; 3 O’Clock Blues; Blind Love
 Side Two: Woke Up This Morning; You Know I Love You; Sweet Little Angel; Ten Long Years; Did You Ever Love A Woman; Crying Won’t Help You

–Robbie Gerson

Buy At AMAZON


The Sound of Jazz – Soundtrack from 1957 CBS-TV Special – [TrackList follows] Columbia/ Pure Pleasure Records vinyl

The stereo soundtrack version of the most perfect hour of jazz ever carried on national TV.

Published on April 27, 2012

The Sound of Jazz – Soundtrack from 1957 CBS-TV Special – [TrackList follows] Columbia/ Pure Pleasure Records 180gr. audiophile mono vinyl CL 1098 *****:

(Henry “Red” Allen All-Stars, Billie Holiday with the Mal Waldron All-Stars, Mal Waldron solo, Jimmy Giuffre, Pee Wee Russell, Count Basie All-Stars with Jimmy Rushing)

In early December of 1957 the most perfect hour of jazz ever on TV was telecast. Four days before that, all the musicians (except Gerry Mulligan, who reneged because he wasn’t paid extra for it) assembled in Columbia’s 30th Street studios in NYC to record, in early stereo, the same selections that would be featured on the live TV show four days later. It was such an excellent hour of jazz TV because CBS had the good sense to leave everything to two jazz experts: Whitney Balliett and Nat Hentoff. They decided from the start to concentrate on the music and forget about the usual TV show trimmings. Everyone dressed casually, the cameras, mikes, lights and wires were visible. Media critic John Crosby was the relaxed host, who only introduced the hour and gave credits at the end of it. The way Billie looks at Lester Young during closeups in her tune is priceless; within two years both were gone. (The DVD is available; get it!)

I wish I could be more positive about this audiophile LP.  A number of times in the past I had identified and complained about CD reissues (mostly on the Fantasy label) which were only released in mono and yet I owned perfectly fine actual stereo LPs of the same material. This one is the reverse—there is a fine Columbia/Legacy stereo CD reissue of The Sound of Jazz. Not only does it add an eight-minute double-length alternate take of “Wild Man Blues,” but it is also burned as a CD-R, which if done right can sometimes be superior fidelity to a pressed CD. Audiophile vinyl reissue labels request the best possible master from whomever they are licensing the material from, and both Pure Pleasure and myself deduce that Sony Music must have found some damage—dropouts, for example—on the original stereo tapes. (But that seems strange because Sony Music has supposedly archived all their analog masters to DSD—that’s what they invented it for in the first place—and surely the stereo version of the best hour of jazz on TV ever would be one of the first things to be so preserved.)

Anyway, what I had to compare was this mono audiophile vinyl with the Columbia/Legacy stereo CD. Switching back and forth, the vinyl sounds a bit rolled off in the treble compared to the more distant-sounding but more harsh and somewhat metallic stereo CD. Mal Waldron’s solo piano on “Nervous” (misidentified at Wikipedia as Thelonious Monk—though he does sound a lot like Monk here) actually sounds better on the mono vinyl. More natural and placed at dead center of the soundstage of course. The stereo CD suffers from the too-wide-piano mike pickup which so many piano recordings suffer from. (And the first few years of jazz stereo recordings generally suffer from this “hole-in-the-middle” miking.)

However, on nearly everything else the early stereo adds a tremendous impact and boost to the sonics—especially of the Allen and Basie Bands. Hearing the brass on one side answer the winds on the other is a kick. Even on intimate tracks such as the Jimmy Giuffre Trio, it is a pleasure to hear the guitar on the left, doublebass in the center and Jimmy’s clarinet on the right—rather than all coming out of the center speaker in mono. Both vocals with the bands’ backing—by Billie and by Rushing—are a delight and probably the highlights of the hour. Considering not only stereo but the price difference, the CD reissue gets my vote here. Both formats reprint the original liner notes by Eric Larrabee, which originally appeared in Harper’s Magazine.

TrackList:
 Wild Man Blues; Rosetta – Red Allen, Fine and Mellow – Billy Holiday with Waldron All-Stars, Blues – Giuffre & Russell, I Left My Baby – Jimmy Rushing with Basie All-Stars, The Train and the River – Giuffre Trio, Nervous – Mal Waldron, Dickie’s Dream – Basie All-Stars

—John Sunier


Buy At AMAZON

Copyright © Audiophile Audition  

Special thanks to John at www.audaud.com for the exclusive rights to reprint this material.

AUDIOPHILE AUDITION focuses on recordings of interest to audiophiles and collectors, with an accent on surround sound for music, and on all hi-res disc formats.  Over 100 SACD, DVD Video/Audio and standard CD reviews are published during each month, and our archives go back to January 2001.

Michael Fremer Album Review

Cult item resurrected for good reason?

Homemade Ice Cream (reissue)

Tony Joe White

• Warner Brothers/Analogue Productions APP-2708 200g LP
• Produced by: Tom Dowd and Tony Joe White
• Engineered by: Stan Hutto
• Mixed by: Stan Hutto
• Mastered by: Kevin Gray and Zan Zanev at Cohearent Mastering

 

MUSIC

 

SOUND

White's Sixth Chosen For AAA Reissue 

by Michael Fremer
March 01, 2012

I’ve heard and read complaints about the unadventurous reissues coming from Analogue Productions, especially now that the parent company Acoustic Sounds owns its own pressing plant, Quality Record Pressing.

Yes, they are doing many titles previously issued by Classic Records, along with the titles from the Blue Note, Verve and Impulse jazz catalogs among others, so here’s one that doesn’t fit into that ungrateful narrative.

Oak Grove, Louisiana native Tony Joe White is best known for his oddly titled hit “Polk Salad Annie” as well as “Rainy Night in Georgia.” Both have been well-covered and no doubt White lives comfortably off of his songwriting royalties.

But White’s mainly a performer who’s also recorded numerous albums, first for Monument and then three for Warner Brothers, with this highly underappreciated one coming last.

Perhaps it was bound for commercial failure because record store owners couldn’t figure out what bin to put it in. It’s country, but it’s also kind of hippie-folk too. Then again, it’s got country soul all over it too!

While the opener “Saturday Nite in Oak Grove, Louisiana” gives you as fine a sense of what it must have been like coming of age there in the early ‘60s, and so would appeal to the Southern pick-up truck country crowd, White’s ecological plea “Ol Mother Earth” that makes Joni Mitchell’s “Big Yellow Taxi” line “paved paradise and put up a parking lot” sound shallow and uncommitted in comparison, probably wasn’t what the country boys wanted to hear.

“For Ol Times Sake” moves the usual country break-up “poor me” complaint to a higher, more sensitive and introspective level of personal pain that would have made the country audience even more uncomfortable, but would have been fine for the sensitive singer-songwriter crowd that bought Warner Brothers product, were they able to get past the opener!

“For Ol Times Sake” like “Takin’ The Midnight Train” are two of the most sensitive, heartfelt songs about personal pain you’re likely to ever hear in any musical genre.

White looked back then something like Elvis and he kind of sang like him too, minus the bravado and over the top drama and tendency towards the operatic. In fact White often sounds here as if he’s ready to break down and cry, which makes it that much more compelling.

He plays guitar and harmonica, backed on this exceptionally intimate sounding recording by a dream team of Southern musicians: Reggie Young on guitar, Crazy Horse producer David Briggs on keyboards, Norbert Putman on bass and Kenny Malone on drums.

Not a song on this album is less than compelling and some are downright searing. White’s vulnerability and ability to convey heartbreak and hurt put him in Roy Orbison’s class, though he expresses these feeling less bombastically.

The production is intimate and direct, the sonics warm and "you are there" “analog-y” so it’s no wonder Louisiana born Chad Kassem would want to reissue this little known gem. The sound starts out really good but just gets better as it goes, with side two's final four tracks being astonishingly transparent and intimate-sounding—as if you're sitting on the other side of the microphones.

So to those who accuse the label of only reissuing the tried and true, here’s one that’s anything but yet very easy to recommend. Put this on late at night and you’re sure get way involved in the music and the sound. This is an easy one to recommend as is packing some Kleenex in your pocket when you first listen!

The Quality Record Pressings pressing quality is state of the art.

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.

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