tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75380008549651970972024-03-05T19:12:19.908-05:00Weasel's Music & Vinyl CultureCelebrating my favorite music on vinyl and the artists that create it, from the independent record shops that sell it, to the artists that you should be listening to.Weaselhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15070221991398625389noreply@blogger.comBlogger87125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7538000854965197097.post-74646889045275568932019-05-02T16:42:00.000-04:002019-05-02T17:27:13.459-04:00The Cure - Disintegration [1989]<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7538000854965197097" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7538000854965197097" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7538000854965197097" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0O7eyPv-LixkvsnWUi2Wz1pD8hUjMEWTtIOKVLm0GLvThyihNvo7IN-1cbQwH3Mci8NuJl9DziP9MpehbhdyPGMnMjHrplaDsO6nggR40Jya2Ee4BhYyQUXbVt60482ZvFeGWEIqk0t06/s1600/20190502_152819.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title=""><img border="0" data-original-height="763" data-original-width="1600" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0O7eyPv-LixkvsnWUi2Wz1pD8hUjMEWTtIOKVLm0GLvThyihNvo7IN-1cbQwH3Mci8NuJl9DziP9MpehbhdyPGMnMjHrplaDsO6nggR40Jya2Ee4BhYyQUXbVt60482ZvFeGWEIqk0t06/s640/20190502_152819.jpg" title="" width="640" /></a></div>
<i>The Cure Disintegration alive in my collection</i></div>
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While everyone is still meme'ing that insipid "It's gonna be May" bullshit, I felt that it was time to remind the masses that good music exists in the world, even if it is 30 years old.<br />
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The Cure, Disintegration was released on this day back in 1989. I was about to turn ll, and for whatever reason, I vividly remember asking my mother why on earth she was playing so much Cure on this day because it did not sound like anything, I had remembered... Then... The reason for this is, The Cure as a group had gone from their Darkwave style rather dramatically over the years since their first album, Three Imaginary Boys, in 1979. Right up into 1982 with Pornography, they were the gold standard for Goth Rock/Darkwave/Gloom introspective culture. It would be a whole 10 years until I adopted that lifestyle, but when I did, you best believe that The Cure was my go-to when it was not Bauhaus, Siouxsie and The Banshees, Echo & The Bunnymen, OMD, and of course, The Smiths.<br />
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Disintegration was a full return to form for Robert Smith and the Cure. They had gone the long and dusty road of popish music and commercialism for the sake of mainstream success. As usual, in addition to alienating the core fans of the band, it sent Robert Smith back into the drug-induced haze that for better or worse, fueled the group's comeuppance. It is sad the price of success is sanity and health, but, in 1989, they went back to basics and purposefully went for the kind of dark that only someone who has seen some shit could talk about.<br />
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7538000854965197097" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7538000854965197097" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7538000854965197097" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/sS6t56U9tBg/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="366" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/sS6t56U9tBg?feature=player_embedded" width="420"></iframe></div>
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<b><i>Lullaby </i></b></div>
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It took The Cure 8 albums to create something that is widely considered to be <a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/500-greatest-albums-of-all-time-156826/" target="_blank">one of the greatest albums of all time</a>. Their first single, Lullaby, easily in my top 5 favorite songs of all time, (Ask me about that list sometime.), was their first single to ever reach #1 in the UK. Think about that for a minute... 8 albums with countless singles and it took one of the darkest songs they have ever done to reach #1!? In the states it was a different story, they had long been successful and popular, but it took songs like Fascination Street and Pictures of You to put this album over the top. (Figures, it would be the most commercial, least dark songs on the album... Yeah, I threw that shade.) In fairness though, Lovesong did become a #1 hit in the US, so I guess there was some hope there, right? Regardless, Robert Smith was actively looking to make an album darker than he has done before. He was in a very different headspace. The band was wildly popular for the wrong reasons and he was strung out. he was calling for the band to break up! Talk about not being able to handle fame. In the states, it was all stadium level shows at that point. Following the Prayer Tour that summer, after winning numerous awards and claiming to not want to tour or record anymore. Fortunately, or unfortunately that was not the case.<br />
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The Cure would go on to record 6 more studio albums, none of them reaching the success or popularity of Disintegration, but, all of them dragging pieces of it with them. So yeah... That is what we celebrate on this day...<br />
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7538000854965197097" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7538000854965197097" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7538000854965197097" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a>Just know, when you weren't listening to Madonna in her prime when Donny Osmond was a soldier when Jodie Watley was a 1 hit wonder, and when the Fine Young Cannibals were driving you crazy with that incessant song, there was the Cure. They came back to form with one of the greatest albums, ever.<br />
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<b>Information about this release pictured above:</b><br />
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I picked this up sealed from <a href="https://www.academy-records.com/">Academy Records in NYC</a>. It's the 2010 remastered reissue, which kind of throws me given the hype sticker on the front. I mean, technically, they're not wrong. It <i>is</i> the first time it's been issued on 2LP's, but, it's certainly been released on vinyl before, many times actually. Polydor did it and did it well along with Electra back in 1989. You can find an original for around $30+ depending on condition. Curiously, the reissue is significantly less depending on where you get it and what condition it is. Expect anywhere from $15-30. As if I had to mention it, on vinyl.Weaselhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15070221991398625389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7538000854965197097.post-28674501534922942542019-04-09T14:05:00.000-04:002019-04-09T14:05:03.620-04:00{Sigh} What's Your Record Store Day Plan?<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I am not about to begin to shill for
<a href="https://recordstoreday.com/Home" target="_blank">RSD</a>. This is not what this post is about. I am also not going to
dwell too long on why I am not a huge fan of it anymore, but, I kinda have to
defend myself a bit before I begin to talk about why I am still going out for
it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In a nutshell, years ago RSD was a cool
idea. It spotlighted independent music stores at the beginning of the
vinyl resurgence, and drove people into the stores often for the first
time. The idea, like many good ideas obviously expanded to encompass independent
artists and many different types of media. At some point however, it became
more about the money and a lot less about music. That is my
issue. I am all for getting in line to make a purchase for something I
really, really want. 15-20 years ago, it was concert tickets at Jones Beach,
10-11 years ago, it was records. It was awesome to follow your favorite
artists that a lot of people have never heard of and find out that they were
releasing a new album just for you on a special day that non vinyl witch folk
would even know about. Getting caught up with other fans of music while
waiting for the store to open and hearing the stories and anecdotes of what
brought them here and why one store is better or worse than another and how
many different record stores you were going to try to get to on that
day... All if it! It was a great time. Even over time as the
day became less indie and more commercial it was kind of tolerable. You
were getting larger artists releasing or reissuing their work on that 1 day
giving more fans reasons to come out to more stores to make the day more
successful.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">At some point, probably within the
last 5/6 years or so, that came to a grinding halt. Now, RSD is lost in a
myriad of gimmicky releases and reissues that only a handful of stores, <i>might</i>
carry at premium prices for the truly hardcore that need the heart shaped,
liquid and or blood filled, glow in the dark album inside of a scratch and
sniff jacket with a lenticular cover. (Ok, that does sound a little
dope.) It is completely unnecessary, and not at all representative of the
culture of music or vinyl. It is more of a yearly expo in how artists and
stores can out do themselves and much less about what fans want and
expect. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Then you have the rules that the
stores need to abide by. A list gets made annually and from that list,
people get hyped, stores order "X" amount of an album that they <b><i>think</i></b>
their customers would want, receive half of that order and then one of the following
is true;</span></div>
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<ul type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">They are unable to sell a chunk of what they received
because demand for an already over pressed album just is not there and it
was too expensive anyway.</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">They sell out almost immediately because of flippers*</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This is not only frustrating for
fans and customers, but it breads a measure of distrust from the store right up
through the ranks of the RSD organizers. So, to that I say, do not
believe the hype. This is the first year in a while where I cannot find 1
album on <a href="https://recordstoreday.com/SpecialReleases" target="_blank"><i>"The List"</i></a> that I'm even a little excited about.
(Okay, Maybe the Weezer Teal album, cause, reasons....) Really though, I
generally have a better time going out later in the afternoon or the following
week seeing what was overlooked and maybe getting it at a discount. That
said...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I have got a whole day to kill on
Saturday, and I fully plan on being in at least 1 record store at some point,
mostly the truly independent stores that really are not doing too much around
RSD. Also, I am not aiming to discourage you from supporting your local
record store. If you're in the Northeast region of the United States, I have a
few suggestions of places you should check out if you can.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://redscrollrecords.com/" target="_blank">Red Scroll Records</a> Wallingford, CT</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Above all, this is consistently my
most favorite record store in the Northeast by. They had their big annual
sale a week ago ahead of RSD to clear out space this year and it was, as usual,
awesome. This year I am assuming as per usual, you line up out back, go
through the tent of all the RSD offerings and if none of that does it for you,
they store is open for general shopping. They have live music; giveaways
and they generally make a part out of it. Why are they getting top
mention? Well, they are pretty much the ONLY record store I have seen around
that somehow manages to get the European RSD exclusives in addition to the
domestics. I snagged a dope Hooverphonic UK release here on RDS a couple
of years ago. In general, you never know what you are going to find in
Red Scroll, but you'll never leave without something. Get here if you
can.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/devinylhifi/" target="_blank">Village Vinyl</a> Brookline, MA</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I love this store. Jonathan,
the owner, just within the past week moved from the smaller more cramped store
in Brookline Village Massachusetts to a much roomier location at Coolidge
Corner about 1/2 mile up the street. The biggest draw here is, in
addition to him being an awesome person, of all the used vinyl in the store,
literally none if it is in bad shape. The problem with a lot of record
stores is conditioning. It is my biggest knock against the local Boston
favorite In Your Ear. What's the point of having a decent selection of
records if the condition is pure shit? At Village Vinyl, most if not all
the records are in plastic sleeves, the media is in VG+ and higher. The
organization is on point, it is easy to shop, it is bright and it is
roomy. I cannot wait to hit this store weekly once he gets up and running
at full speed. He'll be open on RSD and I believe he hinted at doing
something cool. Bonus about this shop, I have never seen so many sealed
records in a used shop before. (Not in the states anyway.) If you
are in Boston, you need to go here above all else.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/The-Record-Exchange-1405959716325639/" target="_blank">Record Exchange</a> Salem, MA</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This place is one of the, if not the
oldest record store in Massachusetts. When you get off the train in
downtown Salem and look to the hill, you can kind of see it like a
beacon. As you make the trek through downtown Salem past Harrisons
Comics, up through the highway and climb just a little higher to that wooden
nirvana of vinyl, you get filled with all the history the town has to offer
just before you open the door to this shop. Then you get slapped with so
much more. The wall displays alone are awe inspiring. Almost floor
to ceiling records front facing from an era where rock was king. Some of
the most rare and hard to find bits of music are just around you. Then
you start digging and flying through the racks. Thousands, and thousands
more records in all kids of conditions that you've been looking for have
somehow all ended up here through the years. As you get a stack of music
that you plan on buying you strike up a conversation with the guys that work
there an realize that they're only there for the same reason. They love
it and cannot picture themselves doing anything else. You ask if they can
hold that Black Sabbath Vertigo pressing of Black Sabbath, you look back and it
is gone. I love this store. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="https://www.bullmoose.com/" target="_blank">Bull Moose</a> Various Spots Through ME and NH</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I'm not a fan for commercial chains
if I can help it, but these guys somehow managed to retain their
identity. Unlike Newbury Comics, which is full on the Bull Moose dark
twin as it were, Bull Moose as a company is run very much like and reminds me a
lot of Tower Records. The people that work there proves this. They
are passionate about the music, the movies the games, all of it.
Depending on which store you head into, you'll see a completely different
selection of vinyl depending on where you are at great non screw you
prices. The selection is also generally always fresh. I have never
seen much the same stuff lingering in the used and new sections twice.
The biggest bonus about Bull Moose? This is where Record Store Day began
and it shows. They still maintain the founding beliefs of what it should
be. All about the music and the support. Get to one if you are
anywhere north of Massachusetts.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://www.roughtraderecords.com/" target="_blank">Rough Trade</a> Brooklyn, NY</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Best new vinyl store in all of New
York! I cannot go back home without stopping in there at least
once. It makes me need to the original in the UK. This place has it
all from UK releases to domestic indie. I mean, everything. It is a
living repository for all genres of music. It is to new what Red Scroll
is to used. You'll never go in here without coming out with
something. Sure, it is a little out of the way, but where better to get
turned on to something new that you cannot get from an average record store in
the Unite States that isn't Amoeba? When I head down in a couple of weeks
for the WFMU Record Show, you best believe I'm hitting this place like I'm mad
at it. Right after....</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AcademyRecordsAnnex/" target="_blank">Academy Records Annex</a> Brooklyn, NY</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Remember that scene in Pulp
Fiction where Mia Wallace does a line of coke in the bathroom, jerks her head
up and says, "I said GODDAMN! GODDAMN, GODDMAMN!" Yeah,
that's the reaction you get when you walk into the Brooklyn location. It’s
bigger than the home location on the Lower East side, and for that you see a
lot cooler stuff. I mean, you can go into any record store and see great things
on the wall that are rare and necessary for your collection, but, here, you
want it all. Most used records stores tend to be left with a lot of
"filler" albums to the point where you get the feeling that it's been
"picked." Here, that just does not happen. The quality and curated
availability of the vinyl here is so far above average, you almost do not need
to shop anywhere else for anything ever. It's a crime that they'll be
right around the corner from the WFMU show. I have a feeling that if anyone
stops here first, they'll go broke before they get to the show. </span></div>
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posting record for all of 2018! Maybe I'm serious this time. Have
fun out there this weekend.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: magenta;"><b>*</b></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><b> Mother Fuck Flippers</b>. <i> </i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><i>They are more than 50% of the reason that RSD has become a raging joke. Please don't buy anything from these ass-hat profiteering price-gouging dicks. <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/vinyl/" target="_blank">Visit /r/vinyl</a> and try to see if anyone is willing to grab something for you if you're not in an area or not around a store that has what you're looking for this RSD. I'm sure someone there will be more than willing to grab you a copy at a reasonable price, whatever the fuck that is for RSD, and ship it to you without you having to get it inflated on eBay or something similiar. </i></span></div>
Weaselhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15070221991398625389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7538000854965197097.post-81223839427188383512019-04-08T21:09:00.001-04:002019-04-09T11:06:39.993-04:00"Damn The Man! Save The Empire!" Happy Rex Manning Day!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Damn the man! Save the empire!</span></b></div>
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Holy hell! I honestly started off reposting last year with every intention of regular updates once again. Clearly, I didn't uphold my end of the deal. To be honest, life happened. I know it's not an excuse, but, I also know that I am not exactly an internet destination spot for music and culture. It's always been about the music and the vinyl. It still is. Since my last update back in June, I have increased my vinyl collection by about 1/3. I mean, you can only work for so much. It would be silly to believe that I wasn't out in all of my favorite record stores and attending all of the shows from Maine to Long Island over the past 10 months not collecting. The fact that I keep hitting that wonky IRStoGO app daily waiting for my tax return so I can buy what I'm considering my <a href="https://www.discogs.com/Eric-Clapton-Reptile/release/2889290">holy grail of records</a> speaks volumes of my commitment.<br />
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I really wanted to update a lot. Literally every time I bought a new record home. Then the prospect of deciding which one to listen to and write up first hit. Then the superficial issues like lighting for pictures, the exhausting time it takes to get my draft(s) back from my friend the editor and so on. As if that wasn't enough, and it wasn't, the sheer will to commit the time after pulling a 10-15+ plus day in a job I wasn't terribly fond of didn't leave me with a lot of creativity to write about much. What it did leave me with was a lot of alone time to listen to all of my music. Over the past 10 months, I had a spot where it was just me, my system, hundreds of records with a bunch of new ones in queue, in my Poang, with a dimly lit diffused purple smart bulb on and that's it. (Ok, sometimes a drink.)<br />
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Over the past 10 months, I've picked up everything from an original <a href="https://www.discogs.com/Pink-Floyd-The-Dark-Side-Of-The-Moon/release/10559200" target="_blank">Pink Floyd Dark Side of The Moon</a>, (Sounds too fucking incredible), to a Japanese pressing of <a href="https://www.discogs.com/Klaus-Nomi-Klaus-Nomi/release/3382926" target="_blank">Klaus Nomi's masterpiece</a>. I've stumbled on ridiculously undervalued gems such as <a href="https://www.discogs.com/Zappa-Joes-Garage-Acts-I-II-III/release/11344348" target="_blank">Zappa's Joe's Garage Acts 1-3</a>, and music I've overpaid for but needed like <a href="https://www.discogs.com/The-Cure-Disintegration/release/2323894" target="_blank">Disintegration from the Cure</a>. (How have I knot owned that!?) Now, all that and more is neatly cataloged and shelved just waiting for me to show it off to whoever is willing to sit there and listen to them or to me obsess over them. I can't wait to talk about a lot of them right here.<br />
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At some point, I will. This weekend may be a perfect time. It's <a href="https://recordstoreday.com/" target="_blank">Record Store Day Weekend</a>! Frankly, it doesn't mean much to me, not anymore. My personal bias aside, it is a great day for those that appreciate the sounds of analog. It gives me a great excuse to get out and support a local record store or two, (or 3 or 4!). I don't need a special day though to go out and shop. It may be fun to watch people go insane over some over the top repress of something no one asked for though. (I'm still waiting for Cake to reissue <a href="https://www.discogs.com/Cake-Fashion-Nugget/release/2470107" target="_blank">Fashion Nugget</a>, guys WTAF already!?)<br />
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All that said, I'm going to get back into this fully committed. While I may not guarantee Vinyl "Monday", "Tuesday", "Wednesday", and so on... I will promise more entries. It may be once a week, or once a month. Hell in my mind I can think of at least 3 entries I can write between now and Saturday! I really don't know how professional bloggers do it daily. Oh, wait... It's their job.<br />
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This is truly a site born of my hobby. I don't get paid for it, nor do I want to. <span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Ok, there are ad's on this page, and I suppose that means it's monetized. It's not. With the amount of volume I generate, minus the ad-blockers, and the fact that people don't click on them, I don't get anything, so let's ignore that, but please tell me if they get annoying.</i></span> I'm simply doing this because no one will listen to me IRL about my records or the music I like, so I'll just leave it here and perhaps someone will. You're not getting Rolling Stone or Pitchfork quality here, but, I sincerely thank all of you who do read this. I'm glad that someone enjoys the musings of a guy with a lot of wax on his mind.<br />
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<a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=rex+manning+day&ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Esearch" target="_blank">Happy Rex Manning Day!</a> </div>
Weaselhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15070221991398625389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7538000854965197097.post-33211677389866301172018-06-03T17:24:00.000-04:002018-06-03T17:25:13.080-04:00Khruangbin - Con Todo El Mundo (2018)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'm going to briefly explain how a Houston based trio, manages to build a career on making some of the most unique Surf, Psychadellic, Thai-Funk music in the history of the world. Oh, you don't think it's possible? What part? The part where they're from Houston Texas and sound like this?<br />
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<i><b>Maria También</b></i></div>
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It's kind of easy really. The same way a lot of indie groups figure out their sounds, maybe this one is slightly different. Instead of meeting in college or on a concert circuit, they met in church. Not just any church in Texas though. This was St. John's Methodist Church in Houston. Yep, the same church that gave rise to some little group called Destiny's Child. The guitarist, Mark Speer, and drummer Donald Ray started out there playing for the church group. It wasn't until a little while down the road that Speer met up with Laura Lee and taught her to play the bass that Khuangbin was born. </div>
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Their first EP back in 2010 was nothing short of a tease. It was a collection of 3 tracks that sounded much more like a DJ set/sampler. It spanned everything from soul to deep psychedelia to shades of an Afgan that frankly I doubt anybody in Texas had ever heard of before. While it was brilliant, and the people needed to hear more it wasn't until almost 5 years later that they came out with their first album, The Universe Smiles Upon You.</div>
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<i><b>People Everywhere (Still Alive)</b></i></div>
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<i><b>Evan Fins The Third Room</b></i></div>
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It's kind of fun to listen to all of their music and see where they drew influence from. I could swear that I've heard shades of west coast hip-hop, European jazz, funk for sure, and definitely some 60's/70's soul. For an instrumental heavy group, it's cool to hear these guys with such a wide reach, both in their inspiration and hearing their music in the wild. There's no doubt that with this current album, they're going to become a whole lot more popular. As a matter of fact, I think, if you really listen hard enough, you'll recognize some of their music. </div>
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As usual, I had to get this album the day it dropped. I snagged the white edition from Newberry Comics, only because the edition I wanted from <a href="https://latenighttales.co.uk/" target="_blank">Late Night Tales </a>was sold out in the weeks leading up to its release. Keep an eye on Late Night Tales, those guys have<a href="https://latenighttales.co.uk/collections/the-series" target="_blank"> a bunch of artists and series</a> of DJ album's that you're just not listening to and you really should be. </div>
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Here are some links:</div>
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<a href="https://khruangbin.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank">Khruangbin on Bandcamp</a><br />
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<a href="https://twitter.com/Khruangbin?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor" target="_blank">Khruangbin on Twitter</a><br />
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And in case you missed the link on the left sidebar, their NPR Tiny Desk concert from May 19th</div>
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I'll be back, maybe in a few days. I'm kind of on vacation, not too far from the world famous Red Scroll Records. Something tells me, I'm going to hit that store like I'm mad at it this week. Also, if there's anyone in the NYC area that hasn't heard, you're really missing out by not going to Academy records in either Brooklyn or their East Village shops. You never know what gems you'll find there. Like that awesome Siouxsie and The Banshees album, I'm coveting on their wall in Brooklyn right now. </div>
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Weaselhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15070221991398625389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7538000854965197097.post-42052722014055806422018-05-20T19:36:00.000-04:002018-05-20T19:36:02.730-04:00Gum - The Underdog (2018)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I know what you're thinking, this is a surprise. You're right, it is. I'm not going to begin to justify why I haven't written or updated my corner of the web, mainly because I doubt anyone would care. That said, I should at the very least let you in on what I've been doing since I've been away...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Buying and listening to records of course! Since I last updated, I've added over 100 amazing vinyl albums to my collection! Far and away one of my favorites that I added fairly recently Jay Watson's, (AKA, Gum), newest album, The Underdog. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Australian Multi-instrumentalist singer and songwriter Jay Watson, known as Gum when he's not performing with his associate groups, Tame Impala, and Pond, finally granted us some new psychedelic hotness in the way of a new album back on April 6th. The Underdog is his 4th studio album since beginning with The Delorian Highway back in 2014. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now, you would think that as much of a fan of Tame Impala that I am, I would have discovered Gum a long time ago. He didn't enter into my consciousness until the late summer last year when I took on an unhealthy obsession with Pond and their hot as fuck album, The Weather, which I will certainly talk about in a future post. None of that would have happened unless I wasn't mindlessly trusting Google Play Music to guide me through new artist suggestions. Seriously! The progression from Tame Impala leads to The Unknown Mortal Orchestra, which exposed me to Methyl Ethel, whom I saw in concert last fall, to Pond, to Gum. Listening to the opening of The Delorian Highway and then his following 2 alums made me obsess just a bit. I finally understand why Tame Impala is so good. The sum of their parts, while possibly greater than the whole, is built on some of the most progressive and talented minds in music. Indeed, Kevin Parker is a gifted artist, but let's be honest, after his work in 2015 with Mark Ronson on Uptown Special, I think we can agree that Kevin is a really good producer. Jay Watson is still all about the music. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Underdog is a focused collection of psychedelic prog, I'm even throwing in some synth-pop into the mix simply because of the chords and highly polished use of electronic instrumentals no doubt driven by someone who knows how to use them. From the introduction, titled, Introduction, you get a feeling that you're in for an album full of soaring riffs and chill out music reminiscent of Lonerism with a lot fewer experiments and a lot more groove. I'll again mention his other group, Pond and their album, The Weather. </span></div>
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<i>The Blue Marble</i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The first single, The Blue Marble popped up and surprised me somewhere as just that, a single. I initially thought there was no way this was the prelude to a new album having just released Flash In The Pan in 2016. How wrong was I? After putting this song on repeat more times than I would like to admit, I found out in about 15 minutes that there was, in fact, a new album on the horizon and it would be out in about a month. Unfortunately, true to form like his previous 3 releases, it would be released on vinyl, only in Australia. The humanity! I had to go through some hoops to secure this album, but it was too worth it. So, shout out <a href="http://www.rockinghorse.net/" target="_blank">Rocking Horse Records</a> in Brisbane Australia for having this. Since I don't own any of Gums other releases, as they're far too expensive, and again, only available in Australia, it's good to know that indie record stores are thriving all over the world.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As usual, if getting this hotness on vinyl isn't for you, (And I gotta ask why the hell not?), you can snag it from Google Play Music or iTunes, or perhaps Spotify. Though I gotta vinyl shame you here for a bit. You're never going to appreciate the sound of this album, it's synths, it's soul, and it's character until you've listened to it balanced and analog. To that end, check out <a href="https://spinningtopmusic.com/" target="_blank">Spinning Top Music</a> and of course <a href="http://www.rockinghorse.net/" target="_blank">Rocking Horse Records</a>. Perhaps they'll have a copy or two to send your way.</span><br />
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<i>The Underdog</i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Gum</b>: <a href="https://twitter.com/jay_w_watson">@jay_w_watson </a><br /><b>Spinning Top</b>: <a href="https://twitter.com/Spinning_Top">@Spinning_Top</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Looking ahead, I've got some awesome vinyl from the U.S. Girls, XTC, Pond, Jack White, Parliment, Depeche Mode, Tricky, and a whole ton more. In the meantime, what's that that I spy on deck beside Gum?</span></div>
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<br />Weaselhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15070221991398625389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7538000854965197097.post-30022591197319463342017-06-16T14:10:00.000-04:002018-01-09T18:09:06.671-05:00Sofi Tukker - Soft Animals (2016)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTilemoPEtZ5OF4A_THE6HO5YS0Bm6dnthIliMvisMIUodKLh6U-huuEfTuAg8eP9usSbC5HdeHTOhSUuOR6QwY2tiJIaDGtw-p1o8VK1XWExN0KwghHgDPqaqFzz4qDf_nyvewkeBJvXC/s1600/IMG_20170615_165114.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTilemoPEtZ5OF4A_THE6HO5YS0Bm6dnthIliMvisMIUodKLh6U-huuEfTuAg8eP9usSbC5HdeHTOhSUuOR6QwY2tiJIaDGtw-p1o8VK1XWExN0KwghHgDPqaqFzz4qDf_nyvewkeBJvXC/s640/IMG_20170615_165114.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I was turned on to this band after listening to the Coachella stream on a long car ride home back in April. The crazy thing about this group is, I was resigned to slog through whatever the act was before the one I really wanted to hear, Future Islands, (I'm posting them next.). I had no idea what to expect. SiriusXMU is definitely trying to focus on indie artists, but more often than not end up playing the same pseudo-mainstream artists under the guise of indie. Sorry, Father John Misty is not indie. Though that's part of a much larger post full of bias on my part, none of which has anything to do with the point at hand. That point being, Sofi Tuckker's Soft Animals, is one of the best albums that I've bought all year. I'm kicking myself for not knowing about them sooner.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Sofi Weld and Tukker Halpern got together and collided with Brazilian culture to come up with what has got to be the most incredible menagerie of NYC attitude and Portuguese dance -ever. I mean, come on... Just. Look.. At... This!</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Drinkee - Live at Coachella 2017 Sunday, April 16th</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As for their album, it's full of what I would call Brazilian Funk, and lyrics that are so razor sharp, you may even mistake this album as a message to someone. I haven't heard a modern album this well collected since the 90's. These guys put together 6 songs that are so far beyond their years, you would think that this was a best of the album. Of course, I've only heard it on vinyl, so maybe it just sounds a lot better in general. If you're looking for that summer vibe, this is it. I can't wait till they come back to the Northeast.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Lastly, and I almost never agree when an artist lends their art to a corporation, ever, but, if you were ever wondering who's music it is behind the current Old Navy campaign, well. Remember, as usual, I was into it long before it was "in". ;-)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Check them out: <a href="http://www.sofitukker.com/" target="_blank">Sofi Tukker</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Follow them on Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/sofitukker?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor" target="_blank">@SofiTukker</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Hear them from time to time on <a href="http://www.siriusxm.com/siriusxmu">Sirius XMU</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Buy their album through their website, or <a href="https://play.google.com/store/music/album/Sofi_Tukker_Soft_Animals?id=Bvwc6xts2khfbdpy4yxcphxmrse&hl=en" target="_blank">stream it here</a>, and support indie artists!</span></div>
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Weaselhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15070221991398625389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7538000854965197097.post-63833948437547706532017-06-03T23:53:00.001-04:002017-06-03T23:54:45.914-04:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In 2 weeks, I'll be back with content. It's been a year since I've been here. Don't think I actually stopped spinning. What do you think I've been doing since I've been gone? Listening to CD's!?<br />
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Gone is the Wrath, I'm coming back with the Weasel. I'll bring back the Sirius/ly posts from SiriusXM. There's tons, of new to me, and almost certainly new to you, vinyl. <br />
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I've been to some epic record shows and stores up and down the Northeast this past year from Long Island NY, my home, to Maine. I've also been to some not so good, and I'll tell you all about it.<br />
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I'm still going to spotlight the indies. There's tons of amazing music out there that you're not hearing on the radio... That's a crime really. If you're not listening to FKA Twigs, Tao and The Get Down Stay Down, Bearchild, or The Black Angels... You're really missing a lot.<br />
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Stay tuned.... See you June 12th.Weaselhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15070221991398625389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7538000854965197097.post-60650486167472085922016-06-20T18:53:00.003-04:002016-06-20T18:53:58.910-04:00Gary Clark Jr. - The Story of Sonny Boy Slim (2015)<br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Even if it's a bit <span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; line-height: 22.4px;">cliché, I love it when an album opens with a track that suits its mission or the mission of the artist. For Gary Clark Jr.'s 2nd album, The Story of Sonny Boy Slim, the song, The Healing, is perhaps the most prophetic way to lead off a most excellent record.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; line-height: 22.4px;"><i>The Healing</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px;">The Texas native Gary Clark Jr. is perhaps one of the most under the radar Blues musicians active right now, mainstream anyway. His first major label full-length album, Blak and Blu back in October of 2012 established him as a Neo-Soul, Blues, guitar playing master. Who would have guessed that there was even a way to fuse that many seemingly related styles of music so well. While that album brought Gary to our consciousness, The Story of Sonny Boy Slim from last year is the album that brought it all together perfectly. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px;">His influence didn't just become realized because he made a good album. Back in Eric Clapton and Buddy Guy were both taken back by Clarks style and talent. So much so that Clark became one of the youngest headliners at Clapton's Crossroads concert in 2014.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>Cold Blooded</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The Blues as a whole is a crazy genre of music that somehow over time has managed to evolve, unlike most music. Sure music evolves all the time, rock in the 1950's differs vastly from the 80's and the 2000's Blues is just a little different. It's almost impossible for any form of music to maintain its roots, tell the same stories, and continue to be influenced by its originators all the while progressing to take on new elements from other sources. Confusing right? Consider R&B music, I only bring this up because of the recent death of Prince Be from the great 90's R&B duo PM Dawn, R&B in the 90's was beginning to become less about R&B and more about Hip-Hop. R&B came from Blues and Soul, at some point in the 80's, let's call it the Luther Vandross era, R&B shifted away from the Blues and picked up elements of Jazz in its absence. However, it wasn't until PM Dawn and the general rise of Hip-Hop in the 90's that R&B became what it is for the most part what it is today, Hip-Hop & R&B. It's so blatant that most award shows actually categorize that as a genre. Seriously. The two couldn't and by all rights shouldn't be similar, but it's an evolution. What does that have to do with Blues? Well, everything regarding modern music comes back to Blues. Whenever a new artist, particularly a Blues artist comes on the scene, a true Blues musician will play their music with the sound of their influences. You'll hear Robert Johnson, John Mayall, Eric Clapton, Buddy Guy, and others. You'll hear blues rocker influences like Jack White, Jeff Beck, and John Mayer. Here's where Gary Clark Jr. Comes in. He's got the influence of Jimmy Vaughn and Eric Clapton and a style all his own. The music that Gary Clark Jr. put out on this album while having shades of everything from Gospel to Hip-Hop to Blues to Rock, is ultimately a pure modern Blues exposition.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> <i>Down To Ride</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I was made aware of Gary Clark Jr. about 2 years ago while I on vacation in Chicago appreciating their Blues scene and of course, buying records. At first, I didn't really love it. I only had his first album to work with on mp3. Up until about 2 weeks ago, I had actually forgotten him until I saw his performance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert where he performed a great version of Cold Blooded with Jon Batiste and Stay Human. I immediately thought that it sounded familiar. I used my trusty Google Music search, and sure enough, I had Gary Clark Jr. Tagged from back in 2014. I figured this time that I should really listen to this newer album a bit more closely. After about 3 listens, I bought this beautiful double 3-sided record at Exile on Main Street in Branford CT and I've been listening to it non-stop for days. Partially because for whatever reason it came with 2 DL codes. Regardless, this album is truly a must own for any fan of the Blues, Rock, R&B, and or Funk. Here's the bonus about getting it on vinyl, remember what I said about it being a 3-sided release? Well, check out the B-side of the 2nd record. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Yeah but that etching tho!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Just go get it! Get it now!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">I'm thinking... Who wants a digital copy of this album?</span></div>
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Weaselhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15070221991398625389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7538000854965197097.post-36067556961988842822016-05-07T12:43:00.000-04:002016-05-07T12:43:22.252-04:00Word Up! New From Eric Clapton, Mari And Other News.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I had tweeted this earlier, but it's worth noting and even adding a little more to it. Eric Clapton was profiled in the Wall Street Journal for a new single that he kinda released ahead of his 23rd studio album due out later this month. The crazy thing about this single, Spiral, he improvised the whole damn thing. Check it out when you can. It's the WORD! Obviously, I'll be buying the hell out of this album when it hits the street Friday, May 20th.</span><br />
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Listen to Eric Clapton's 'Spontaneous' new song 'Spiral' (exclusive) <a href="https://t.co/q1sDkqVwmq">https://t.co/q1sDkqVwmq</a> via <a href="https://twitter.com/WSJ">@WSJ</a></div>
— (@WMVCulture) <a href="https://twitter.com/WMVCulture/status/727508499077410816">May 3, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In other news, I just wanted to post another apology for the lack of updates. Simply put, I've been really preoccupied with everything except enjoying my free time. You should know however, that what little free time I do have, I've been spending it inside of a bunch of record stores. Since my <a href="http://goo.gl/wBP6EO">RJD2 post back on April 9th</a>, I've managed to increase my vinyl collection by about 33%. I bought a new Pioneer turntable from the awesome folks at <a href="http://www.iye.com/html_index.cfm?page=home" target="_blank">In Your Ear Records</a>. I acquired new speakers from a good buddy and augmented them this past weekend. Why I have a 7.1 surround sound system in a room that's roughly 150/sq is anybody's guess, but damn. It's fantastic! Try listening to Tame Impala's Currents on a 7.1 surround system and tell me that doesn't make you hot. All of that has contributed to me settling into a newer space and getting more comfortable with my surroundings which are things I haven't been able to do since the holidays. </span><br />
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Over the next few weeks up through late June:</span><br />
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<li><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I have a lot coming up and going on. I'll be traveling in, around, through, and back and fourth about CT for a while, so look out, I'm going to<a href="http://redscrollrecords.com/" target="_blank"> Red Scroll Records</a> to do some damage! I'll also be in and out of <a href="http://www.exileonmain.com/" target="_blank">Exile On Main Street</a> to soak up something new.</span><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span></li>
<li><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">My birthday is coming up and there's no better way to celebrate than buying myself <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Still-2-LP-Gram-Vinyl-Download/dp/B01BWIVHS2?ie=UTF8&qid=&ref_=tmm_vnl_swatch_0&sr=&tag=smarturl-20" target="_blank">that new Clapton record</a>. </span></li>
<li><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I have a few concerts in June down in NYC and my long awaited vacation whereupon I'll definitely get some writing going on. </span></li>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">All that said, this time last year it looked as if I would be blowing through all of the vinyl that I owned posting once a week, now, if I actually were to stop collecting, I could run this blog weekly for another 2 years and you'll never see the same record twice! </span><br />
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Of course, I missed a lot by not posting, and that's not because I couldn't, it's because I made a conscious decision not to. I purposefully didn't post for Record Store day because the original post that I made, I did so out of anger. I actually condemned RSD because of its effects on music, record stores, indie artists, and the lack of quality releases. I still have a draft of it, and perhaps I'll revisit it, until then I choose to stay positive. Besides, I did end up supporting a few local record stores, and that's what's really important.</span><br />
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I also didn't post regarding the death of Prince mainly because what I had written devolved into an angry post about vinyl flippers and how they were seizing the moment and profiting off of the genius that was Prince. Frankly, owning 2 of the greatest albums that he ever made, (IMHO), knowing that I'll never sell them nor be tempted to makes me happy. I think that there are quite a few people out there that just don't give a fuck about music and too many fucks about money to appreciate music and vinyl. So to that end, when I clean up that post, if I clean up that post, and make it 98% about the artist and his music, I'll post it. </span><br />
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I also had 2 other posts that I had started and subsequently shelved because I wasn't happy with the pictures that I took! Needless to say now that I have a better sound system in place, with really bad lighting, I'll do a little more work and get those posts in the cannon over the next few weeks.</span><br />
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Finally, I do need to answer one of the comments that I had received over the past few months. Someone had messaged me glowing over the success of my RJD2 post. Which again, thank you all for the love. It was by far the biggest post in this blog's history. The indictment was that I spend too much time focusing on bands that nobody's heard of hence why those other posts don't get anywhere near the views and reactions that this one did. Ouch.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In response, that's kinda the point. I would get on my own nerves if I wrote about music that everybody's heard on the radio or a passing car. There's a trove of outstanding music out there that many have never heard of. it just happens to sound great on vinyl, and that's why I'm here. The whole point of what I'm doing is in celebration vinyl culture. Which in itself is an indie hobby. If I didn't love indie music and bands that weren't widely known, I wouldn't be doing this. So to all the indie groups, and those following me on Twitter, play on ! Let me know about your vinyl drops and I'll keep spinning. That said, when you get some time, <a href="http://www.mariofficial.com/" target="_blank">check out Mari</a> who's released a flurry of music and remixes recently. If you are a fan of Mozez, and by extension Zero 7, and yes, even Sia, you may enjoy Mari immensely. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Lastly, this post unofficially begins the countdown to #100. The 100th post needs to be something special while I have an idea or two in the works, you just need to know that it'll be something kinda cool. Like the <a href="http://goo.gl/k01qnZ" target="_blank">50th post</a>, it'll also usher in a format change. I'll be jumping to Wordpress and refreshing things a bit. That project begins today.</span><br />
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">That's all for now. I'll be back Wednesday, where I'm going to get my immolation on.</span>Weaselhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15070221991398625389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7538000854965197097.post-71963749550252036132016-05-03T15:58:00.003-04:002016-05-03T16:31:19.935-04:00Sublime - Jah Won't Pay The Bills - 2016 (1991) RSD2016<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The year was 1991, I was in junior high, gas was cheap, and music subcultures were trying giving rise to all kinds of new heights and identities. The 80's ended on a really high note compared to the way it soared throughout that decade. A lot of that had to do with the strength of film during that decade transition, and to an even larger degree subculture. With pop music beginning to become annoying having been consumed by R&B and "Boy Bands", hip-hop becoming regional, and rock bands becoming less hair and more power ballading, music in the 90's was set up to become really strange. All the while there was an awful lot of music that had been considered underground or alternative to whatever was popular. That was starting to take shape amidst the changes. One of these "underground" genres, Ska, really came into its own with some awesome hero's and gained astronomic popularity with a set of fans that still wanted their music happy, but not necessarily defined.</span><br />
<span style="color: #c27ba0;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Enter Sublime. Sublime in 1991 certainly wasn't new, they just release a demo tape that launched them into a wider audience. From their inception in 1988, they were relegated to playing small venues and clubs like a lot of local indie bands. At some point in 1990, they were fortunate enough to be invited to literally break into a recording studio, record a collection of songs overnight and create one of the most popular demo tapes in the history of music that night.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #c27ba0;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Jah Won't Pay The Bills, the cassette, was released, or should I say, sold, from the trunk of their car for a while. It's that kind of self-promotion that gained them some real popularity in southern California and enough to parlay them onto the national stage as leaders of the "Third Wave" of Ska music. The Third Wave of Ska meaning that Ska wasn't even new. Jamacia has been pumping out Ska since the 1950's.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Wait. What? "I though Jamacia had been known for its Reggae and that Ska was an American copy of that." Nope. However if it wasn't for that western influence that America was known for around WWII, there's an above average chance that Ska wouldn't have become what it did. Simply put, Ska is essentially Reggae music with Blues/Rock influences. Whereas true Reggae is more Jazz/Blues and less dancehall. Ska has also changed and evolved over term adding new era-specific ingredients to its sound as the music shifted through the years. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">First Wave Ska, which was defined by Bob Marley & The Wailers and the Skatalites had heavy influences from the 1960's America. Second Wave Ska was made popular by bands like The Specials and Beshara and had all of the influence from the late 60's with some more Rocksteady vibe built in. It wasn't until the 1980's when The Third Wave Ska groups like Sublime and No Doubt infused it with Dub and heavy Calypso influences, that it became hugely popular as a genre again. Sublime's demo album, really showcased these qualities.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">As a group, Sublime was one of the early underground success stories of the 90's. They were emerging during an era that was so crowded with subculture music it literally seemed as if the popular thing was to be unpopular. 1991 gave us everything from Nirvana's Nevermind and Pearl Jam's Ten to Massive Attacks Blue Lines and Prince's Diamonds & Pearls. That's pretty wide ranging. Who would have thunk that by this time the following year Sublime would be so popular that their official first release, 40oz To Freedom, would go down in history as one of the biggest Reggae/Ska albums of all time? It all started with this simple demo tape, illegally recorded, and sold from the trunk of a car in Long Beach California.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">For the first time ever, Jah Won't Pay The Bills was released on vinyl this past Record Store Day, (A bright spot on an otherwise dreary promotion), and it sounds as good as I remember it back with I was in junior high. Hell, it sounds a little bit better. You really appreciate just how strong a singer that Bradley Nowell was. You can hear how true Sublime was to the sound of Ska and years later you really get the message that they were sending through their music. </span><br />
<span style="color: #c27ba0;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">If you were lucky enough to get one of the 420 of these albums that were pressed on green vinyl, you'll have to take a picture for me. I really wanted one of those. I am really fortunate enough to own this again in any variation though. Sometimes I miss my tape collection. If you were ever into real Ska or amped Reggae, you need to own this one. Check it out anywhere tapes are sold, or if you can, venture into you local record store and grab this RSD release. It's more than worth the $20 you'll spend. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #c27ba0;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">If you really try hard, you might make out a tip-off about the next vinyl pick somewhere in this post. Hint, it's kinda obvious.</span></span><br />
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Weaselhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15070221991398625389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7538000854965197097.post-91684063135985488122016-04-09T18:26:00.000-04:002016-04-09T18:26:02.095-04:00RJD2 - Dame Fortune - (2016)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In yet another hard left turn, I was turned onto a release from RJD2 last week that based on the strength of the first single, Peace Of What, I just knew that I had to own it. For a bunch of reasons, though it may not seem like it, it's rare this became a release day purchase. If you recall the last time I felt this strongly about a release, it was David Bowie's final album, Blackstar.</span><br />
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<i>Peace Of What (feat. Jordan Brown)</i><br />
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">What got me with that first single is his departure from anything that I've heard from him before. I alluded to it briefly in the single teaser post last week wherein this really sounded as if this album was going to be, at least emotionally, the deepest DJ album that anybody's heard in a while. That's a distinction that's thrown around a lot on the DJ circuit. You can gather all the Hudson Mohawke's, Dan The Automator's, Moby's, Wax Taylor, Ratatat's, and Gramatik's of the world, all of their fans will say that they have at least one song that was so deep and meaningful that it really ties that particular album together. Well, what if an entire album were full of rhythms and lyrics that just hit on different levels of replayability. Not because they affect you, but because they're just good. They're catchy. They're different.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">At some point, perhaps in the teaser post for the single a few weeks ago, I mentioned that many may not be aware of who RJD2 is. Ramble John Krohn, RJD2, is the genius behind the theme to Mad Men*. You've also heard his work if you've spent any measurable amount of time in Washington State over the past 10 years or so as his most well-known song, Ghostwriter from his first album, Deadringer, was used in various regionally significant things my favorite surprise being the music played before the introductions to the Seattle Mariners home games. It's not from the new album, but you really should hear it.</span><br />
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<i>Ghostwriter - Deadringer (2002)</i><br />
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Almost any review or write up of RJD2 will point out the hip-hop aspect of his work, some going so far as to call him a hip-hop artist. That may very well be true, frankly, I've never asked him and if I ever do get the chance to, you best believe I will, to that end this album goes a long way, in my mind anyway, toward showing just how complex he is as an artist. Sure, there are blatant hip-hop infused tracks on this album like this....</span></div>
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<i>Up In The Clouds (feat. Blueprint)</i><br />
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">...and you're not wrong. One of my most favorite tracks on this album is just begging to be ripped, sampled and abused by some ass-hat so-called hip-hop artist who's looking for a single with a catchy hook. (I cannot like, the 5th track on this album, A New Theory, is straight fire.) There's just so much more of a collaborative effort throughout this album this time, more so than his previous albums that it really feels as if his whole existence was working up to this album to show off just how much he's grown as an artist. I mean, given everything I've posted above, can you honestly say that you expected to hear this?</span></div>
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<i>Your Nostalgic Heart</i><br />
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I guess that's the hallmark of an artist that stays true to their art. They're willing to experiment and change for the sake of growth and not necessarily for being popular, edgy, or even rich. These will be the artists that can make an album every 3-6 years and remain ever popular in between as opposed to only hearing from them whenever they come up with a new single or decide that producing is really where they belong.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Having read a wide array of reviews of this album, I'm really glad that I took an unhealthy amount of time listening to this album over and over for weeks before I finished this post. I think a lot of people really missed the mark on offering their opinions of Dame Fortune. The ones that didn't miss the mark were treated to one of the best menageries of sound that only comes around once in a great while. After listening to this album so much recently, it made Telefon Tel Aviv's Immolate Yourself that much better. Regardless, be sure to check out <i>A New Theory</i> and <i>Sheboygan Left </i>as well for some added depth to truly get the most out of listening to this awesome record. Also thank you all for making my previous (teaser) post the most read post ever! </span></div>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Snag this vinyl be it ever so beautiful along with the mp3 download code from you favorite local record store.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">My next post will feature either one of the following, Record Store Day, or an album that has been alluding me like a mother-fucker till very recently. </span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>*Oh, and well there's this by the way...</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>A Beautiful Mine (Theme From Mad Men)</i></span></div>
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Weaselhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15070221991398625389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7538000854965197097.post-32917859320979445122016-03-23T23:52:00.000-04:002016-03-24T20:02:43.781-04:00(UPDATE) Honest/ly RJD2 Peace Of What - (2016) <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;"><strong><em>Update: </em></strong>After the massive feedback I've gotten, thank you all by the way, I'm going to snag Dame Fortune first thing in the morning and listen to it while I travel up and down the east coast this weekend. Expect a full WMV vinyl pick post when I get back in town after Easter. I'll even try to spin Deadringer before I leave Saturday. Frankly, Dame Fortune is sounding like it may be the "deepest" DJ album in a real long time, I'm talking 90's, to attack music. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;">I can confirm that if you're in the New England states, you'll be able to find this album at Newbury Comics, (Call ahead to your local store, it hasn't hit their website yet.), or online through <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dame-Fortune-2xLP-Rjd2/dp/B01AATYEEI?tag=theorc-20" target="_blank">Amazon here</a>. Not familiar with RJD2? Shame... Check these guys out, they're <a href="http://rjd2.net/" target="_blank">kinda something special</a>. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This is the most psyched I've been over a launch day album since Blackstar. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">So this is happening on Friday 3/25/16. The Philly Hip-Hop infused Chillwave DJ is back with his 10th studio album, Dame Fortune. DJD2 falls into the category of music you've definitely heard but probably don't know where it came from. From what I've heard of the new album, this one is full of guests, and all kinds of new rhythm. I really can't wait to go on faith that this is as good as if not better than the last few of his albums that I've bought. Remind me to feature 2002's Deadringer for you one day.</span><br />
<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I'll be traveling to CT on Saturday, hHopefully Exile On Main Street in Branford has this one in stock. I gotta shop local whenever possible, though if that's not possible for you, it's available through Amazon, and I'm sure if you ask nicely, the fine folks at Newbury Comics ought to stock this one.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Twice now I've lied about what vinyl I was going to feature here. A month ago, I "promised" that I was going to feature my collection of singles. Last week I "promised" that I was going to talk about soundtracks. I called an audible over the weekend when I received my vinyl copy the newest Neon Indian LP, Vega International Night School. You see sometimes, the first world problems of a vinyl appreciator/collector include getting music that's so good, you just have put a lot of things on hold to create a new playlist for your life.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So a little upfront disclosure about a few Neon Indian related things. I was turned on to these guys back in 2010 about a week before my birthday at a concert in Terminal 5 in NYC. They were one of the openers for yet another best I've ever seen Massive Attack concert. Initially, I wrote them off as a really strange psychedelic/electronica group. Lots of sounds, with no real music that drones on 5 minutes too long. I came to that conclusion simply because the girl that I was dating at the time had pulled me along to an Animal Collective concert that previous summer. There's nothing more aggravating than being eaten alive by mosquitoes in Prospect Park on a summer night listening to what roughly balances out to music class for kindergartners. I'm all about psych-rock, but damn. There's a line between Phish and a bunch of high 20yo hipsters jamming out to 20 minute long instrumental menageries of sound. {sigh} I had a point here, at the end of the half hour, maybe less, that Neon Indian's set was, I couldn't help but say to my lady friend, "Why aren't these guys headlining somewhere?"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Annie</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In 2010, they were touring with various bands mostly on the indie circuit behind their first album, Psychic Chasms. That's the album that I bought on mp3 that year and subsequently spend an unhealthy amount of time listening to. (Side Note: That album is hard AF to find on vinyl. If anyone should venture across one, please let me know.) Somehow an indie electronic chillwave group managed to create a sound that was beyond the experimental and actually made music. All credit to Alan Palomo and his visionary style. Annie was the first single from this album, from jump after a seemingly literally backwards broke beat intro song, Annie goes into a real synth driven Caribbean banger. It's borderline Caribbean funk. That may be the biggest takeaway from this whole album. In addition, to it falling under Psychedelia/Chill-wave/Synth-Pop, I really can't help but to actually groove to this when I'm alone. By its categorization, this isn't dance music, though it really is simply because of the funk element. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">VEGA INTL Night School is the 3rd album from Neon Indian. Frankly, I wasn't going to buy this one, let alone on vinyl after their 2nd album, <span style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.6;">Era Extraña in 2011. It was such a departure from their first album that clearly they were going mainstream. You know you've made it as an indie artist when you're more concerned with production and radio quality than a focus on the art of your craft. With this album, Neon Indian made good on the assumption that Psychic Chasms was an incomplete album that left the listeners wanting more. To that end, the 2nd single, Slumlord, was probably the most coherent radio-friendly song on the album. That's not to say that there wasn't a good groove throughout the rest of the album. It's more of an indictment that their 2nd album, Era Extraña, which was all about radio play and seemingly little more. Wasn't bad by any means, but it was a pretty hard left turn from Psychic Chasms and Night School.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 25.6px;">So in the disco funk vein of this album, the 3rd single, The Glitzy Hive released in October was somewhat of a "Yasss Queen" moment for the group. If you ever really wanted Goldfrapp's 2005 Supernature to have a continuation, it would have ended with this song. Why? Cause it's glamourous. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 25.6px;">All things considered, for this Chillwave group's 3rd release, it's easily one of the best albums out there that you may never have even heard of. There's enough approachability to turn even the hardest anti-electronic music fans on to trying something new.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 25.6px;">It took some serious wrangling to finally get this album on vinyl. It's not difficult at all to get, and it comes with a mp3 download card for you non-vinyl folk. I also encourage you to check out Neon Indian's previous 2 releases, you will be pleasantly surprised with what you hear. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 25.6px;">The next post will be heavily critical to RSD 2016. Then we're back to the music. All the music that's fit to spin anyway.</span></span></div>
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Weaselhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15070221991398625389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7538000854965197097.post-58096659331161097532016-03-01T19:58:00.000-05:002016-03-01T20:01:06.654-05:00Tricky - Maxinquaye (1995)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I've mentioned it numerous times in and out of posts for as long as I've been posting, but I figure I may as well dive into it a bit deeper as opposed to making an entire post about it. Music from the 90's was strange. That's my point, and I'm sticking to it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">What does that mean exactly?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Well, for openers, unlike any other decade before it, the 90's somehow managed to cycle and support <i>many</i> different types and genre's of music. Sure, each decade has it's factions, but in the 90's, never have so many distinctly different types of music manage to come to the forefront of prominence and stay there, or at the very least, leave a lasting impression. Go with me for a sec, How on earth does such a huge amount of seemingly underground music, become so mainstream that it actually makes things like alternative and subculture, popular? This is really a whole other type of post after all and I'll do it someday. Instead, think about how on earth we rediscovered that music could come from anywhere that wasn't LA, the midwest, or down south? In the 90's we discovered that "Seattle" sound, praised the resurgence of Detroit Rock, this time, they're garage rockers. Both the east and west coast took rap music and did two very different things with it, both somewhat incredible. Globally, music became just that, more global. The Caribbean influences we once knew of Reggae, Island, or World music, became Ska when mixed with punk. European DJ's began fusing musical styles together and created Trance. Still there was one real big surprise, a holdover from the 80's that somehow managed to evolve into something bigger.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Music from the UK in the 80's was largely straight Punk. Sure, there were UK rockers, but they were for older people. Nobody can or should ever discount The Rolling Stones, Elton John, The Who, and much too many more to mention. Instead, you got to ask what could pass as UK's underground? Frankly, Rap. Rap, across the pond, was by many rights considered, well, dirty. Not from a context point of view, but more of a class point of view. Not too dissimilar from here in the US when you think about it. though while Rap here was generally always been about either status social issues, there it was more political and then social. Yet, for some reason, it was far too liberal for the mainstream and therefore, considered something that should only be heard in a club or the confines of your personal music player. To that end, is it any surprise that the 90's trend in music could affect the UK as well? The global landscape changed so much in Europe that the tail end of generation X began to speak up and have a voice. It was that voice that took underground music to the mainstream with a message. Fittingly, in January of 1994, this happened.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">For context, I was still in high school when I heard this for the first time, Coming from the school of darkwave music where Depeche Mode, the Cure, Dresden Dolls and Bauhaus were my hero's, this was so damn life changing I had to really think about whether or not I was completely goth or not. Ahead of Tricky's first solo album, Maxinquaye, he released Aftermath as the first single about a year before the album ever went off. At the time, people only knew of Tricky from his work with Massive Attack who at this point were still riding high from their legendary 1st album, Blue Lines. Tricky enlisted his then Girlfriend, and accomplished and incredibly talented singer by her own right, Martina Topley-Bird to duet with him, and for added quality, selected a co-producer in Marc Saunders. The same Marc Saunders that produced 2 Cure albums, Mixed Up and Wish 2 years prior. The thing about Aftermath that really caught my attention as well as the attention of others was the production style. Up until this point, nobody had even conceived such a style of music. How could something so gritty, disjointed, and tempo shifting be so addictive? 3 Months later we found out that Aftermath was only the beginning.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Ponderosa popped up like a fluke. People had already forgotten whatever Aftermath promised to be, without an album to support it, it became a 1 off to musical oblivion. Then Ponderosa happened. Tricky took a slightly bigger backseat to the performing side and let Martina shine here. He also experimented with a number of musical styles, samples, some seriously unheard of broke beats. It came together like a beautiful mess. It was the first song that I had ever heard that sounded like it could have started off with worst of intentions and became someone's art project.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">As 1994 wore on, Tricky finished producing Maxinquaye, named after his mother, there wasn't another single released until January of 1995, a month before the actual album was released. It made a lot more sense to release something that's was as hard hitting as Aftermath was a year before. It ended up serving as the arrival of something differently great. You see, had Maxinquaye been released in 2004, it may not have really registered with anyone. We needed to hear Queen Latifah's U.N.I.T.Y, Ini Kamoze's Here Comes The Hot Stepper, Sheryl Crow's All I Wann Do, and quite a few others before we could absorb something so different to music. (Yep, that all happened in 1994.) By 1995, Aside from TLC, there really wasn't anything else out that nobody hadn't heard of yet. That really developed a landscape free for the taking. That's when Tricky released Overcome.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">By the time the album dropped a month after this, Trip-Hop was officially a genre. Tricky, along with Martina Topley-Bird, Massive Attack, up and comers Morcheeba and Portishead a year before had become legitimate with the release of this album. This song, in particular, gave this music an anthem for the most underground of underground sound. </span></div>
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<i>Black Steel</i><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In March, Black Steel was Tricky's take on a Public Enemy hit from 1989. If you ever wondered what Public Enemy would sound like if they were Punk - Rock, you get a real good sense of it here. Martina Topley-Bird really stood out here more so than any other song on the record. Tricky at this point was really a background singer. Another thing of note is that it's the 4th in a series of released music that doesn't have a stable tempo whatsoever. This style of music would continue to not only be a hallmark of music that will become popular in the future but a trademark of Tricky for years to come. </span></div>
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<i>Pumpkin</i><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The last single released from here was Pumpkin. If you listen really close, you'll hear a very young Allison Goldfrapp. That's right, the same Goldfrapp that got super popular during the resurgence of glam-pop in the early to mid 2000's. You'll have to listen to this song on its own. It's a good thing that there's no official video to go along with it. I'm sure you'll have no problems whatsoever coming up with your own images here. It's just that vivid. Tricky is one hell of a personal storyteller and an even better artist. Maxinquaye is the result of such genius.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Maxinquaye to date has sold well over 500,000 records worldwide, and while that doesn't sound like very many, I assure you for something once widely regarded as underground only, or for subculture fans only, to be as acclaimed it was, and to become a defining album in all of music, it's nothing short of outstanding. Like much of music from the 90's, it was up until fairly recently damn near impossible to find on vinyl. The fine folks over at Music On Vinyl rereleased this album in 2012 and as of 2016, it's becoming harder to get again, especially as a new generation of people are discovering Tricky for the first time. The jury is still out on his newest album, Skilled Mechanics. It was released on January 22nd and I haven't had a chance to listen to it completely yet. When you're ready, you can find this, Maxinquaye and perhaps a few other great Tricky releases at Newbury Comics. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Next week, yes I promise you there will be an update next week, I've already started writing it, I'm going to deal with a few soundtracks. Some fun, others funny. All of them on vinyl. Never stop spinning.</span><br />
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Weaselhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15070221991398625389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7538000854965197097.post-39071119979808058132016-02-08T12:12:00.000-05:002016-05-07T20:39:06.871-04:00Maroon Five - Songs About Jane - 2002<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">What the what now? Maroon 5? On this blog!? I know what you're probably thinking. I done sold the hell out, or that I have been featuring so much retro pop that I've just acquired a new taste in music. I assure you, that's not the case. Not even a little bit. Matter of fact, this is a borderline <a href="https://goo.gl/ZdCw2g" target="_blank">Sia(esque) post</a>. It's more of a WTF happened post. What if I told you that there once was a time that Maroon 5 was actually a very good alt-pop group? Before they started crashing weddings and moved like Jagger, Maroon 5 actually made really good music. So good in fact that they were regarded as indie hipsters along the lines of Gotye.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">From 1994 till roughly when this album came to life, the group was originally known as Kara's Flowers. Kara's Flowers, to say the least, was essentially what I would call 90's Bro Rock. Which, if you don't know what that is, it's anything you would have heard on the original American Pie Soundtrack. The only album they released under that name, The Fourth World, was a mediocre indie success and definitely wasn't anywhere near commercial enough to be considered a commercial failure. They really didn't fit into that era of music. As a band from California, the sound just wasn't right for the time. We're talking about a year that saw Ace Of Base hold 3 of the top 10 songs. Salt N' Peppa had Shoop, and the music was so strange that the Crash Test Dummies had a hit with a song was literally little more than humming, Mmm - Mmm - Mmm - Mmm. I'll give them this though, had they had a major label backing them, they would have beat a lot of people to the stage, but then grunge happened anyway so there's that.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Fast forward to June 25, 2002. Songs About Jane is released to a field of crickets. A newly renamed, and a fresh sounding band came out with an entire album with zero publicity and no singles. Here's the rub, the first single from the album, Harder To Breathe, was released on July 9th 2002, about 2 weeks after the album. It took 20 weeks for it to even register on charts. The International charts that is.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It was sometime around this period that I picked up the CD. Initially, I didn't think very highly of it, but it was the best of a really bad situation. I mean, Nickelback had the biggest single of 2002 with How You Remind Me. I'll never forget the day that I went to pick up a futon in SoHo and forgot to grab my other CD's for the road trip. I ended up listening to Songs About Jane about 4 times that day. It grew on me. By the time I hit the Manhattan Bridge, I was blasting it with the windows open that unreasonably warm and rainy March day. I tried to get other people to listen to that album, but nobody cared. I do however remember saying to no less than a few people, someday this might catch on.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Their second single, This Love, was released 2 years later. That's right. I said 2 years. January 27th, 2004. Sometime between 2002 and 2004 something really strange happened. Figuring that their first single took 20 weeks to chart, making it the longest ever to do so, The Maroon 5 brain trust felt that their album really had legs. I would like to think that they caught up to their time. You see, 2003 was all about Soul and R&B. Aaliyah, Beyonce, and R Kelly made up more than half of the top singles of 2003. By early 2004 when this single was released, it was done so in the same cannon. R&B was popular then. Maroon 5 had found their sound. They were dubbed as "white soul" with shades of R&B. So much so that they were asked to tour with some of the largest R&B acts of that time period. Just like that, 2004 found Usher, Alicia Keys, and Maroon 5 making up the top 5 singles of the year. The song, This Love, ended up winning Maroon 5 their first Grammy, and two years after the album was released, suddenly it's hitting the charts in the top 10. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The album flirts with hard rock, elements of soul, and lots of R&B. Not Beyonce R&B, but 80's style R&B. Think Billy Ocean R&B. What made Maroon 5 unique was their approach to how they timed their music. They knew that they were either way ahead of their time, or too far behind it. The 90's weren't ready for them. The 2000's signaled a huge redefinition of music anyway, and they changed with the time. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The next 2 singles also came in 2004. They figured to ride the success of their Grammy and make sure that people heard what Maroon 5 was all about. In July they released, She Will Be Loved.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">She Will Be Loved reached 35 on the Billboard charts that year. How is it that a group can have 2 of the top songs in a year, 2 years after the album those songs are from is released? I'm sure a lot of that has to do with the fact that there was really only 2 types of music around then. R&B or Country. For those that are old enough to recall, 2004 was roughly when Country music began it's popular resurgence. It was also the year that I famously reminded a lot of folks that I had an original CD of Songs About Jane long before Maroon 5 was popular. As a matter of fact, there were a good number of people actually believing that Maroon 5 was a new group. They've been around for 10 years at this point. Essentially, me knowing about and to a degree liking this group in 2002 made me a hipster. They later released Sunday Morning just before Christmas of 2004. No doubt hoping for even more of that Grammy love, but sadly it was too much a ballad in a sea of really bad stuff that began to creep into 2005. Holla Back Girl anyone?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The final single, Must Get Out, was little more than small club material, however, it made it to 61 on the charts domestically. It's appropriate that this was the last single from this album. At some point, and even listening to it now, it really sounds like Adam Levine knew that Maroon 5 was going to enter another shift in music style. Actually, more appropriately, it sounded like he wanted to make a hit record. What did that mean? In a nutshell, it meant that rather than make a sleeper hit, such as Songs About Jane, make a radio friendly pop album. So, they did, and thus the Maroon 5 that you all know these days some 10 years later was born.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I get it, there's a reason Pop music is called Pop music. Supposedly it's what the music buying public is into. That doesn't make it good. It certainly doesn't make it bad either. It just makes it manufactured. It creates a lot of acts that sound very much the same. It's sad that Maroon 5 chose to go in such a radically different direction post Songs About Jane, but I'm sure someone will find greatness in whatever it is they do now. Maybe to others, it'll be near as good as this one.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Originally, like most music in the late 90's early 2000's, anything released on vinyl was remarkably difficult to find. It took the better part of the last 5 years for this album to get a proper re-release and was done so by 2 different labels and distributed by 4 different vendors and as 4 different types. If you were lucky to get one of the 4000 copies last year during the reissue, you landed something special. This is a great pressing. 2 slabs of 180grm wax packaged with some remixes and mp3's of the entire album. If you can find one of these for less than $50 go out and get it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Next week, in light of Valentines Day, I'm presenting, Singles. Cause, well, that's what I feel like, being single.</span></div>
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<i>Must Get Out</i></div>
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Weaselhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15070221991398625389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7538000854965197097.post-34649722929291984912016-01-28T22:01:00.000-05:002016-01-28T22:02:44.228-05:00Massive Attack - 3D - Tricky - Take It There (2016)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Oh. Shit. Massive Attack just jumped up and smacked us in the head with a 4 song EP and it's hard as fuck. Why would a digital EP of all things elicit such a response from me? Well, for those in the know, Massive Attack is in my top 5 most favorite groups of all time. This group of random recovering political rap stars from the UK's underground literally created what was known in the 90's as Trip Hop. Without them, there would be no Portishead, Morcheeba, Nightmares On Wax, Thievery Corporation, Zero - 7, and the list goes on. From their first groundbreaking release, Blue Lines back in 1991, it was clear that these guys were the voice of a lost group of pre-grunge self-aware indie music listening bunch. Their music was and to a degree continues to be downtempo electro darkwave for adults. Their subsequent releases, Protection (1994), No Protection (1995), Mezzanine (1998), 100th Window (2003), and Heligoland (2010) evolved their sound so much and brought so many artists into prominence that it's almost criminal the mainstream isn't listening to this. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">That, however, isn't the only reason this is such a big deal. The real hook is, this is the first time since Protection that Massive Attack has performed with the original lineup fully intact. Meaning that Tricky has returned. Harder than ever. Tricky is perhaps the most "real" rapper in music today. He's also a gifted producer. He's literally everything that Kanye West thinks <i>he</i> is. From Tricky's first solo album in 1995, Maxinquae, which will be featured here in the coming weeks, you got a real feel for just how gifted he is lyrically and emotionally. Having the whole group together again even if only for a 4 song EP, is nothing short of brilliance, and a long time coming. If Robert Del Naja is the heart of this group and 3D is the body, Tricky is the soul. He's the single piece that they've been missing for years, and here released today, you'll find out why. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">If you've ever seen Massive Attack or Tricky live, you know exactly what to expect from these guys. Some of the most technical displays, hard-hitting messages, and over the top music that not only makes you move but makes you think just important music is. That said, for the next 4:31 listen to the first single from Massive Attacks newest EP released today, Take It There. They really took it there. I hope there's a new full album on the horizon from these guys. The world needs their music back. I'll be back with more 90's vinyl next week. In the meantime, you can <a href="http://goo.gl/6eNnOh" target="_blank">reserve this EP on double vinyl</a> over at their website. Its official release is March 4. You best believe, I got that on lock.</span></div>
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Weaselhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15070221991398625389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7538000854965197097.post-32905747259627743322016-01-19T21:30:00.000-05:002016-01-19T21:30:47.551-05:00Serious/ly (Sort Of) - Tricky - Boy (2016)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Well, don't look now. Somebody has awakened the beast. Judging by this single, one can only imagine what sort of music we're getting this time from the ever reclusive always brilliant Trip-Hopper. Sounds radically different from anything I've heard from him before. Can't wait to hear this. It's out January 22, 2016. <br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It's been an awful start to the New Year with regard to influential musicians. The ending of last year was probably a horrible warning of things ahead, beginning with Scott Wieland, Natalie Cole, and Lemmy Kilmister. Every single one of those musicians left such a mark in music as a whole, it's hard to actually conceive music moving ahead without each of them. It's even more difficult to quantify what their best work was. Each of them left us with something new and unforgettable. Each of them defined their genre of music and kept evolving it. All of them will be remembered for being larger than the music they created.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">That brings us to 2016. Believe it or not, the first album that I planned on buying and featuring here this year was David Bowie's 25th album, Blackstar. With the dearth of musicians announcing their releases this year I had to go on faith that David Bowie wouldn't disappoint and delay his release. After all, he hasn't released an album since 2013, and frankly I was shocked when I heard about this one over the summer. I decided immediately that would probably be one of the biggest and best albums I could own, at that point, it became a matter of when it would be released. Fast forward to Record Store Day<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>light</i>, (AKA Black Friday) when I found out the official release date would be David Bowie's Birthday, it was official. Blackstar became the first David Bowie album that I ever bought on release day. A distinction that I'm sure my parents couldn't even claim. A good bunch of the 24 other releases Bowie has had over the years has managed to elude me while crate digging. So to be able to get in on the ground floor of something I knew I literally waited my whole life for was so worth being one of the only people in the record store that morning buying that album. The question is, was I waiting for this experience because of the music, David's talent, a release of an icon or all of the above? The answer, at the time, was easy. New music from someone that I knew I needed to have. Now, a week later my reasoning has changed. I knew I needed to have Blackstar on its release day because I knew I needed to have Blackstar on its release day. That's all nothing more. Turns out, it's one of the best decisions that I've made all year. </span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Friday, November 17, 2015:</span></b><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> The first single, the title track was released and I had heard it for the first time on Satellite radio. Blackstar, at first, wasn't immediately recognizable as something that David Bowie was even capable of. I thought that it was an intro for something. It was calm and haunting. Not in a way that any of his other music was. You see, David has had a way across 25 albums of evolving his sound so much that you would have a very difficult time placing what era a particular song of his was even released. About 5 minutes into the song, something really interesting happens. The entire song changes from haunting and ominous to something so fantastical, you would think that it came from the Labyrinth soundtrack. It became hopeful and poignant. Elements of jazz and funk invaded what was once something setting up to be a wall of sound in an experimental soundscape, to become a real complex hybrid of instruments and orchestrated brilliance. The remaining 4 minutes of the song became something special. It became something that an entire album could be carried with. This was a 9-minute teaser of what David could very well have been working on for the past 3 years.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Blackstar</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Monday, December 14,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>2015:</span></b><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><a href="http://goo.gl/Iv8pNB" target="_blank"> I posted here</a> what would be for the final time of 2015. I had made it up in my head to map out how I was going to begin the new year. I was going to open with a New Years day post and follow it up with a release day vinyl pick of Lazarus on Friday, January 8th, David Bowie's birthday. Somewhere in that post, I even remember suggesting that David's new album was one to be anticipated. Hopefully, I made that point as clear as vinyl.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Thursday, December 17, 2015:<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> I had already made up my mind to buy this album after listening to the first single multiple times whenever it was on. The 9-minute song is something of music past that I have long missed, and having one that was so good be so current was so worth waiting in your car to finish listening to before you went off to do whatever you were doing. So on this day when his 2nd single was released, Lazarus, this was a complete surprise. This sounded like classic Bowie set to Jazz. The only visual I had in my mind was something akin to his 1999 album, Hours. It reminded me of "Something In The Air". It had the same pedigree, it began slow and solemn and over time built to something massive with so much emotion you actually felt better when it was over. It was like a hype song without the rapping. That was the vision of Lazarus with nothing more to go on than the radio. It's a week before Christmas, and release date for this album can't get here soon enough.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Wednesday, January 6, 2016:</span></b><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> I elected to skip a New Years day post. It would have been little more than a pointless Happy New Year to everyone with little substance. Because of that, I was now investing all of my time pre-writing what was in my mind, the most anticipated record release in a long time. In 2 days I would finally own a release day copy of an album, which up to this point, is incredible. A lot of reviews had come in and this album sounded incredible. For the first time, David Bowie made an entire album with a 4 piece Jazz ensemble. There were rumors of influence from hip-hop artists such as Kendrick Lamar. This whole thing is building up to something real special. Later this day I saw the video for Lazarus. Suddenly the world changed. Did I really just feel uncomfortable seeing David act like this?</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Friday, January 8, 2016:</span></b><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> It's finally here. I called Newbury Comics and had them hold a copy of the album for me, which they amazingly obliged, I was finally going to own this album. The plan was to grab it, run home and finish the first post of 2016 with a bang. I had been listening to the album all day on Spotify at this point, like someone listening to an album on their way to a concert. I couldn't wait! Unfortunately, I ended up working later than I thought, I didn't make it to Newbury Comics till just before they closed and I was consumed that whole weekend. I was so frustrated with that, that I scrapped everything I had written up to then in advance of posting the album. I thought, I'll listen to the album all weekend and do a Vinyl Monday post instead. The more I listened to the album, the better it got. I also watched Lazarus once more, this time, it became even more unsettling. </span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Monday, January 11, 2016:</span></b><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> I was awoken at about 2 am by a friend of mine who simply asked if I had heard the news. "What news?" I asked. David Bowie had passed away late Sunday night. Fast forward to 8 am, I couldn't believe it, still. Over the past few days as more details came out about what he had been suffering from the past 18 months, and really listening to the lyrics of all of the songs on this album, I finally understood that this was his last album. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It took a few days of listening to damn near all 25 albums and watching Labyrinth more times than I chose to admit to getting here. This isn't the post that I wanted to make. The original post was about how it took 24 albums for David Bowie to sound at peace with himself. It would have talked about how through 25 albums, this one, Blackstar, was the first one that ever reached #1. The post I wanted to write would have compared this album to Heathen, and Hours and contrasted with Earthling and Young Americans, (Frankly his best album). I would have gone on at length about how David Bowie, more than any other artist was capable of remaining relevant. His style, his music, his artistry, and everything else about him kept him in our minds. Whenever an artist as unique as Bowie releases anything, it's a big deal. That's what people look forward to, being first to see what comes next. That's why it struck me as really strange... Friday night January 8th when I picked up the album, I asked the clerk if they had sold out of the album. She said no, they had plenty left. I looked at her strangely, thanked her and went on about my night. Why was I the only person in the store buying that album?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">So here we are, a week after the release of Blackstar. 5 days after the death of David Bowie. I can honestly say that owning what has become one of the single best records of my collection, has become one of the greatest albums in the history of music. This beautifully packaged and presented final swansong of David Bowie was purchased at Newbury Comics on Newbury Street in Boston. All 180gm of it and it came with a mp3 download code. Own this album any way you can, and never stop till you find the rest of the Bowie that you'll come to love if this is your indoctrination to the incredible talent that David Bowie is. With that, the video that defines his career. Happy New Year. <br /><br />RIP David Bowie.</span></div>
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Lazarus</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmij2AQ4icoqpmZsIttokvcEBIC22mayN5bN0iXrX5KA7RKip5LKdb9MDawHk3dFMe-we-Bk2q9krp0bjW4orpBdD3yQxhnNFhXkGT49iV6V8_GgtO1s_3WhvlhXUyUaglYSHMJNaER7M7/s1600/20160115_213711.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmij2AQ4icoqpmZsIttokvcEBIC22mayN5bN0iXrX5KA7RKip5LKdb9MDawHk3dFMe-we-Bk2q9krp0bjW4orpBdD3yQxhnNFhXkGT49iV6V8_GgtO1s_3WhvlhXUyUaglYSHMJNaER7M7/s640/20160115_213711.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaB_qRQeyz6IQxavXWEWB_fRMc0wXP5HaJxNOTDp1SLc6Ro0IiiOu295NwJECVlKEmH9TodaqlmGHSO1OHyMxpXR7U4W4L6ofj_kS2xRytcosRWpct6ScHEktEktKQZ3zG3ZFx7c5fhre_/s1600/20160115_213605_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaB_qRQeyz6IQxavXWEWB_fRMc0wXP5HaJxNOTDp1SLc6Ro0IiiOu295NwJECVlKEmH9TodaqlmGHSO1OHyMxpXR7U4W4L6ofj_kS2xRytcosRWpct6ScHEktEktKQZ3zG3ZFx7c5fhre_/s640/20160115_213605_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Weaselhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15070221991398625389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7538000854965197097.post-18399986475582228822016-01-13T09:59:00.003-05:002016-01-13T09:59:53.956-05:00New For 2016 Update Friday 1.15.15<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXvuBiqudTSrAEYuxAhsYQil_mfgoyZW6AxfjoJZur6oi8tth46RRg2bn79mmJN50ADkTqTnFEts323FdBFHzSZTqJfFQswsQljxBwwpZaox7d4K0H1f3Eemosa4aYRS_iTR9tJOs24x9b/s1600/Bowie-Blackstar-vinylcover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXvuBiqudTSrAEYuxAhsYQil_mfgoyZW6AxfjoJZur6oi8tth46RRg2bn79mmJN50ADkTqTnFEts323FdBFHzSZTqJfFQswsQljxBwwpZaox7d4K0H1f3Eemosa4aYRS_iTR9tJOs24x9b/s400/Bowie-Blackstar-vinylcover.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">David Bowie 1947-2016</span></b></div>
Weaselhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15070221991398625389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7538000854965197097.post-14890242972688907172015-12-14T21:40:00.000-05:002015-12-15T21:47:10.090-05:002015 - Vinyl - (My) Year In Review<div id="cp_widget_270d1a95-b698-4f18-b91a-ea86cb91f0e1">...</div><script type="text/javascript">
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">As this year draws to a close, and in light of </span>lack<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> of regular updates, I submit for your approval, my version of the vinyl truth. It certainly differs greatly from the actual truth, but in my head, it makes a lot of sense.</span> <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">As seen above I picked some vinyl this year of either great significance to me, or great importance. All of which I own, and for whatever reason can't get enough of. Obviously, this isn't representative of everything that I've bought or featured here. There's been some awesome music out this year. Unfortunately, there wasn't enough to combat the ever-present bullshit pop music littering the airwaves, but for what was released it sure was quality. Put it this way, if an album was released 7 months ago and you're still listening to it, because you choose to and not because it's the only choice you have, it's something special. Even better, if I go back to some of the vintage albums that I featured here that have stood the test of time, and put any one of them up against Meghan Trainor. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I'll skip the whole talking about the same vinyl that I have already. You can go back and read those. Instead, I'll summarize the year that was superlative style with the data that matters, and perhaps a look into the future.</span><br />
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<b><u><span style="font-size: large;">Best (New) Album I Purchased This Year:</span></u></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsugy94Jcqx4oCgY624YYwi467uFj-uJg_hvJ-84Ib3YPhuL0zQObcSTTwsqGfkPj97-anbYrD6lRzEwU_Zj1PFbG53RROwhiEuLLt__XSYvxj3LV-18E-w1JhAaA2_hTvPvs6VLNx-2tv/s1600/Tame_Impala-2015-Currents_cover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsugy94Jcqx4oCgY624YYwi467uFj-uJg_hvJ-84Ib3YPhuL0zQObcSTTwsqGfkPj97-anbYrD6lRzEwU_Zj1PFbG53RROwhiEuLLt__XSYvxj3LV-18E-w1JhAaA2_hTvPvs6VLNx-2tv/s640/Tame_Impala-2015-Currents_cover.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;"><b>Tame Impala - Currents</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This album was simply the best in class. It had elements of damn near everything I love in music. For an admitted psychedelic group, they somehow managed to cover many genre's of music. From trippy instrumentals to some raw in your face "Fuck the popular culture" lyrics, they hit every well-produced point of what an album should be. If my pick here was <a href="http://wmvcult.blogspot.com/2014/12/vinyl-monday-sure-alt-rock-group-tv-on.html">TV On The Radio's Seeds</a>, this year it just had to be Tame Impala.</span></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-size: large;">Unexpectedly <strike>Good</strike> Great Vinyl</span></u></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7MrBPkm_jGvAzuIYiy2NXPByEO4mc0ixqMx773-A3zTs4qphVPwOJJb3NsDbIktQCsuqA1hnhFqsGKseqaeBzc02UUV5k_rT4eLSQ_c3AO8x1vMspgMJtyODpPd0jlQgX0HTWbWSXZWWC/s1600/Johnny+Marr+I+Feel+You.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7MrBPkm_jGvAzuIYiy2NXPByEO4mc0ixqMx773-A3zTs4qphVPwOJJb3NsDbIktQCsuqA1hnhFqsGKseqaeBzc02UUV5k_rT4eLSQ_c3AO8x1vMspgMJtyODpPd0jlQgX0HTWbWSXZWWC/s640/Johnny+Marr+I+Feel+You.jpg" width="610" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;"><b>Johnny Marr - I Feel You</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Sure it's a cover of the old Depeche Mode song, and lord knows that I hate samplers and unoriginal music. I also hate buying vinyl singles because I feel that you never get your money's worth. I'll also admit that I almost fucked up by even thinking of passing this up back in April. This is the first record that I ever had to buy twice because I literally wore it out! I played it to death on a crappy record player long enough to destroy it. I couldn't live without hearing Johnny's work on the hook of this DM classic. This single solidifies Johnny Marr, so far as I'm concerned, as the best alternative guitarist in music today.</span></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-size: large;">Favourite Blog Post This Year:</span></u></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTJEepPLrTjcbrGHOjHMTRBGiRCfyms7RrfnOCP7hNhLcdmBaaKZikfuZrjS39Xic-srnZOuiLwB8nOD_FWEwLMYxypzCZg5DE-13t1_jmjDH-DpWSoEgnNlHfMIkU_ClpeDNGSm5PFm8G/s1600/Prince+Purple+Rain.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTJEepPLrTjcbrGHOjHMTRBGiRCfyms7RrfnOCP7hNhLcdmBaaKZikfuZrjS39Xic-srnZOuiLwB8nOD_FWEwLMYxypzCZg5DE-13t1_jmjDH-DpWSoEgnNlHfMIkU_ClpeDNGSm5PFm8G/s640/Prince+Purple+Rain.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Selling over 22 million albums worldwide, it's ranked at #69 on the list of highest selling albums of all time. The post took me the better part of 6 months to write and it ushered in version 2.0 of this blog. Thank you all for your support. This album is like a quotable movie, it's got music that you can apply instances of your daily life too. It's another gem that you just need to own on any medium, including 8-Track if you can find it because, funk.</span></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-size: large;">Most Expensive (Officially Declared) Vinyl Investment 2015:</span></u></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqI_prSd4w9BNXOFmah4N_O0b6nKatjV44ZI4CaVR4M7jbyBlXzg65EQeGIC_PQyLQ2NIY1ndmv8DAlx-RGPYW7KHLjiXsN6SyYVFMbiysmcfi8wg2u6Z81pygaFvPecbSJ1u8FYnX34sZ/s1600/Dresden+Dolls+-+Virginia+Monologues.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqI_prSd4w9BNXOFmah4N_O0b6nKatjV44ZI4CaVR4M7jbyBlXzg65EQeGIC_PQyLQ2NIY1ndmv8DAlx-RGPYW7KHLjiXsN6SyYVFMbiysmcfi8wg2u6Z81pygaFvPecbSJ1u8FYnX34sZ/s640/Dresden+Dolls+-+Virginia+Monologues.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;"><b>Dresden Dolls - The Virginia Monologues</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The picture doesn't do this album justice. I'm still trying to come up with a way to show this off. At $45 this past RSD, I really didn't care about the price. I knew that I had to have it, not only because of the aesthetics but because I fucking love this band. I only wish I respected them more than I listened to them back in High School. I say <i>"officially declared"</i> because I have stuff that I picked up in what I'm affectionately calling my "Silent Period" of blog inactivity that you haven't seen yet. (Garbage 20th Anniversary anyone)</span></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-size: large;">Cheapest Most Valued Album Purchased 2015:</span></u></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy_t3RWeZHFeS9aHwcurp-rBTfmrt5nFUMLR1WASBGWYLbXexhUO9nqGQvXl3IGT_NVCtxNs70BqoF_Dh6vvczAaL7oouQrMBohTBOdF0wPN1YenIrUU3MwvMp9UGYHKuNrEDMun8rJrbY/s1600/Depeche+Mode+Delta+Machine.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy_t3RWeZHFeS9aHwcurp-rBTfmrt5nFUMLR1WASBGWYLbXexhUO9nqGQvXl3IGT_NVCtxNs70BqoF_Dh6vvczAaL7oouQrMBohTBOdF0wPN1YenIrUU3MwvMp9UGYHKuNrEDMun8rJrbY/s640/Depeche+Mode+Delta+Machine.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>Depeche Mode - Delta Machine</b> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I haven't even put this one up yet because I have a well thought out, finely structured plan around posting in the upcoming year ahead and this is a rather big part of it. Scored at the infamous Urban Outfitters at $10, I managed to get Depeche Mode's best bounce back album period. Much more on this later, but, if you're willing to look past a minor imperfection that isn't even on the record, sometimes it's worth getting that uncut diamond in the rough. Also, don't buy vinyl at Urban Outfitters. I'm sure that every time you do, a bunny hits its head.</span></div>
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<u><b><span style="font-size: large;">Favorite Record Store 2015:</span></b></u></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;"><b>Redscroll Records Wallingford CT</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">During my transient period earlier this fall, I spent a lot of time in Connecticut. While there, I had the luxury of being able to visit Redscroll records weekly for 2 months. Their selection of used vinyl is ever changing and quite deep. You'll more than likely come out of there discovering something that you want and need as opposed to walking in there with the intention of buying something specific. As a shop manager for a brick and mortar shop, and a firm supporter of all things small market, I cannot recommend buying vinyl from an actual record store with real knowledgable cool as fuck people. When in Connecticut, please visit Redscroll Records. I assure you, you won't be disappointed. Redscroll Records 24 N. Colony Rd. Wallingford CT, 06492</span></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-size: large;">Favorite Place To Buy Awesome New Vinyl 2015 or Any Year:</span></u></b></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;"><b>Newbury Comics</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I've gotten some of my most favorite and prized pieces of vinyl from Newbury Comics. My favorite store along with its group of people are up in the Natick mall, the best selection of vinyl is over on Newbury Street, and some of the most amazing releases are found online at their <a href="https://www.newburycomics.com/collections/vinyl/exclusive">website</a>. Follow them on Twitter for some of the most amazing exclusives and damn decent sales. Frankly, they're about as close to a regional version of Tower Records that you're going to find. Somehow they manage to stay local while being national. Even if it's only in the northeast.</span></div>
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<u><b><span style="font-size: large;">Most Disappointing Album Featured 2015:</span></b></u></div>
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<b style="text-align: left;">The Dead Weather - Dodge And Burn</b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I tried really hard. I just couldn't. Like a basic chick, I literally couldn't even. Sure there were 2 or 3 songs I was really into, and after listening to the album multiple times on a few really long commutes to work, (Seriously for a while I had a 2+ hour commute to and from work every day for 2 months.), I just couldn't rank it as a must own. It's not even really a for fans only album. It's more like, buy it if it's on sale somewhere because you really like modern alternative music. Jack White really succeeded in making the Kills suck. That's a pretty shitty thing to say, but, I love Jack White, and I love the Kills. I can't love what they do for each other. Given how awesome the Dead Weather's previous albums have been, I'm hoping that this was a giant fluke.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Finally, There's a lot to look forward to in 2016. David Bowie should see a follow-up to 2013's awesome yet highly underrated <i>The Next Day</i>. Tricky's new album, <i>Skilled Mechanics</i> sounds really different. Really throwback to his Wild Bunch days. Soul Asylum, Gorillaz, Soundgarden and Pearl Jam, The XX, and the Last Shadow Puppets. There's Record Store Day 2016 Saturday, April 16th. While the outlook isn't as promising this time this year as it was this time last year, it looks to be another quality release year for music in general. Vinyl especially. Fun fact, vinyl record sales have outsold digital streaming by 2:1. So for anyone saying that vinyl is silly, or a dead technology, it's bigger than Spotify, Pandora, iTunes, Google Play Music, or any of those other so-called popular streams all the cool kids are listening to. Numbers don't lie folks. Vinyl ain't slowing down anytime soon.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">As for the blog, Since I've moved back to the area, and have begun the arduous task of settling down. I miss not having all access to a real record player to the point where I was spoiled for 2 months. I now have a new turntable, albeit (begrudgingly) on loan, that's in dire need of a receiver. I refuse to spin on my old reliable portable turntable in protest of the brand. To that end, expect that when I do get that spinning hotness hooked up, you'll see all the stuff that I've been picking up over the past 3 months all over the great northeast. Also, I now have a new proofreader/editor hopefully you see that this blog now has 90% fewer errors in grammar and spelling! Unfortunately, she's European so you'll have to deal with favorite being spelled with a "u". I hope you had a great year in music, and that you learned a few things here. Like the music, I won't stop. See you in 2016 with some of the best stuff vinyl has to offer. (Maybe I'll get another post out after Christmas.) Happy holidays wherever you are.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>Huey Lewis And The News - We're Not Here For A Long Time (We're Here For A Good Time)</i></span></div>Weaselhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15070221991398625389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7538000854965197097.post-17861056601963552012015-12-04T03:08:00.000-05:002015-12-04T03:09:19.727-05:00RIP Scott (Richard Klein) Weiland 1967-2015<div style="text-align: center;">
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Scott Weiland, former frontman of Stone Temple Pilots and Velvet Revolver, has died: <a href="https://t.co/8CeMmAPcrI">https://t.co/8CeMmAPcrI</a> <a href="https://t.co/JNtJLiJd5m">pic.twitter.com/JNtJLiJd5m</a></div>
— Vulture (@vulture) <a href="https://twitter.com/vulture/status/672662288101437440">December 4, 2015</a></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The 90's will go down in history as another transition in music. There were 3 main genre's that rulled the decade. Rap & Hip-Hop, European Electronica Invasion, and Grunge. From all of those there were sub genre's that grew more popular in their circles, and by all rights helped shape and separate the good from the bad. While much of the music was forgettable, a lot of it was necessary. If it wasn't for Grunge and Electronica, we would never have had Nine Inch Nails. If it wasn't for the rise of east coast/west coast rap we would never have known Biggie and Pac. In a time known for Generation X and their coming of age angst, we would never have had Nirvana.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Somewhere in the middle of all of that were the bands that just didn't give a fuck. The Sublimes, the Pharcyde's, the Soundgarden's, and notably, The Stone Temple Pilots.</span><br />
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<i><b>Plush (Core) - 1992</b></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Releasing 4 albums in total beginning with 1992's Core, STP was one of the quickest rising alternative acts of their era. They played in the same park with all of those aforementioned groups. In some circles to this day, many may even consider their music classic. As a matter of fact, their psychedelic sound and grunge era popularity may have cemented them as one of the only groups ever to have singles released and upon those releases, their music is was considered classic rock.</span></div>
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<i><b>Sour Girl (No. 4) - 1999</b></i> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">True to form in the music world, genius is often cut short by a wide range of factors. Death, among the biggest and worst. STP lead singer Scott Weiland who was plagued with, and subsequently plagued his band(s) with his demons at the hands of sever drug abuse was no different. Sadly, December 3, 2015 Scott Weiland passed away in his sleep leaving behind a legacy of great music, and even more pain.</span></div>
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<b><i>Fall To Pieces - Velvet Revolver - (Contraband) - 2004</i></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I guess that's how it goes. From Hendrix to Winehouse to John Melvoin to Dee Dee Ramone to Rick James. Brilliant artists who couldn't live without dying too soon because of their addictions. As unfortunate as it is, at least their music lives on.</span></div>
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<i><b>Creep (Core) 1992</b></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">If you can find it, and I know you can catch the re-release like now at <a href="https://goo.gl/0MsyXo" target="_blank">Newbury Comics</a>, grab a piece of history before vinyl flippers jack up the price for STP's first album, Core. It's fucking incredible, and necessary for anyone who experienced that era first hand. RIP Scott Weiland.</span></div>
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Weaselhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15070221991398625389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7538000854965197097.post-27553298592537002372015-11-27T00:07:00.000-05:002015-11-27T00:07:59.632-05:00Honest/ly: Steely Dan - Black Friday - 1975<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sure, the song is technically about the financial Black Friday of September 24th 1869. You know the one, where 2 ass-hat gold prospectors decided to corner the market's gold supply after the civil war. They bought and subsequently raised the value of gold about 30% above it's normal values simply by hoarding it. So, then President Grant said, fine. I'll just release the governments supply of gold to normalize the market, thus devaluing it completely and of course, cause economics, the market crashed. Fast forward 106 years later, Steely Dan wrote a song about it! It was the lead single on their 4th album, Katy Lied, an album which despite having only 2 official singles on an album of 10 songs, went gold. Like a lot of their albums. More on them later but, Katy Lied is 1 of 2 Steely Dan albums I don't own. I'll do a proper post on them later. Think of it as my own little countdown to ecstasy...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">More on that much later. Let's talk about the matter at hand. I'm still in the process of setting up the rig here in the new place. As I said in the last post however, I haven't stopped collecting new stuff to spin when that day comes. To that end, Record Store Day meets Black Friday for some pretty big exclusive releases. It's the last time for exclusivity till the major Record Store day this April. If you live close to an awesome store, hopefully one of the few that I've even highlighted here, please do your self a favor and get into a local record shop for some of this. Check out <a href="https://docs.google.com/viewer?url=http%3A%2F%2Fdownload.recordstoreday.com%2Flists%2F2015_BLACK_FRIDAY_PUBLIC.pdf" target="_blank">all of the releases here</a>, then please check out <a href="http://wmvcult.blogspot.com/p/reccomended-independant-record-stores.html" target="_blank">some local stores</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Personally, I'm shouting out that <a href="http://goo.gl/0UvYPp" target="_blank">dope as all fuck</a> Beck single from earlier this year. I've also got to get my hands on the Garbage 20th anniversary album, and while we're in the 90's, Trent Reznor is releasing Halo I-IV, oh and for good measure The Pharcyde has the single they're known for due out. So when I'm not catering to the masses tomorrow, I'll be sure to hit up a record store or two, cause at the end of the day, it's all about the vinyl.</span></div>
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Weaselhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15070221991398625389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7538000854965197097.post-31517468800499026482015-11-21T20:30:00.000-05:002015-11-21T20:30:33.146-05:00Still Spinning - Black Friday is Upon Us<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicUg-tPKXlNvGKIl5u8_cYht3vEfD_PWnnPuLierCTIs28rOiQBcAb8cR4ATRoGD_iD2wzLWvjeoO6Au7F_MepuPt-bHv3Xukt92iS1dmSzxwHPh8Uu3q_-4LIqFXKUwwwnG-9Dy7BLJWs/s1600/IMG_20151113_183411.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="472" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicUg-tPKXlNvGKIl5u8_cYht3vEfD_PWnnPuLierCTIs28rOiQBcAb8cR4ATRoGD_iD2wzLWvjeoO6Au7F_MepuPt-bHv3Xukt92iS1dmSzxwHPh8Uu3q_-4LIqFXKUwwwnG-9Dy7BLJWs/s640/IMG_20151113_183411.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Fear not great readers of the interwebs! Rumors of my demise have been fairly assumed and as such are categorically wrong.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlA6PgXzKNsdvSMSCv5JBZyHZEU4po562RwaTuv30lt7vEo91HwDhrE8UxRCiezpObaZQFUmKmPPislvuUeXA-Kx_muj6LvrBLcRGDVt8XLGG9fPoB8dPBuYMVdZ-2tp-zFSEJo3g34ajz/s1600/IMG_20151113_183337.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="472" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlA6PgXzKNsdvSMSCv5JBZyHZEU4po562RwaTuv30lt7vEo91HwDhrE8UxRCiezpObaZQFUmKmPPislvuUeXA-Kx_muj6LvrBLcRGDVt8XLGG9fPoB8dPBuYMVdZ-2tp-zFSEJo3g34ajz/s640/IMG_20151113_183337.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I've been on the move from one state to another.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMNjqwu4lxorY30PqvYKZBOfyz1SEpNppbuXafDaFUzoas-GB5-fTGB4MXcZBzxBDysmbc6EUK9QAwUmXbUgbP0_OI7GNe4JDCpKpZu3dZqPYW2CuWhC-BgGT1wdp98WAiRTjmF5gd7Cxq/s1600/IMG_20151113_183440.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="472" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMNjqwu4lxorY30PqvYKZBOfyz1SEpNppbuXafDaFUzoas-GB5-fTGB4MXcZBzxBDysmbc6EUK9QAwUmXbUgbP0_OI7GNe4JDCpKpZu3dZqPYW2CuWhC-BgGT1wdp98WAiRTjmF5gd7Cxq/s640/IMG_20151113_183440.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Collecting all kinds of vinyl...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLTwxeVA8OBXuPRT_pLK1dKavkd-Og1lWx50fIBfGVxJ9JkyMdg9EEgMMjuyuC93Kzvd00n4rMlMgOU8W1PSpN2WrcliERudovLIzs3Cvdi_1CmC-zk-8W88C3gymCvQP2_AN5Q3XNw0Kv/s1600/IMG_20151113_183643.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="472" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLTwxeVA8OBXuPRT_pLK1dKavkd-Og1lWx50fIBfGVxJ9JkyMdg9EEgMMjuyuC93Kzvd00n4rMlMgOU8W1PSpN2WrcliERudovLIzs3Cvdi_1CmC-zk-8W88C3gymCvQP2_AN5Q3XNw0Kv/s640/IMG_20151113_183643.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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From the fairly obscure and eclectic...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH71Im-dUIjzadUTKZlNlON4feP6g2pXdPZAxVbKUrx0O-8ir6KZuANGGOGlv_lyVCKG9aJfawNSk3uy33kRm-2aLyC6Iq8oYGFtY99jEfzpYXKsdlABr6qqXr6K9BJkgQQJl_cK_Y_x36/s1600/IMG_20151113_183605.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="472" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH71Im-dUIjzadUTKZlNlON4feP6g2pXdPZAxVbKUrx0O-8ir6KZuANGGOGlv_lyVCKG9aJfawNSk3uy33kRm-2aLyC6Iq8oYGFtY99jEfzpYXKsdlABr6qqXr6K9BJkgQQJl_cK_Y_x36/s640/IMG_20151113_183605.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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To the guilty pleasures...</div>
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To the albums that defined my life...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLUZfGQ3bcxvJd_fmvRS5P77e7BRXxER0RGWJU2pkfllEqjnC5t2ulQQQhD-o4OHE5gbDpa3qe7D6u2-DQ7muMeRQi0Hhu-_H97FLUYf1S3t3yqdKwXGs5aX0Ey8F03JZKj-QfGYubnqeh/s1600/IMG_20151113_183700.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="472" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLUZfGQ3bcxvJd_fmvRS5P77e7BRXxER0RGWJU2pkfllEqjnC5t2ulQQQhD-o4OHE5gbDpa3qe7D6u2-DQ7muMeRQi0Hhu-_H97FLUYf1S3t3yqdKwXGs5aX0Ey8F03JZKj-QfGYubnqeh/s640/IMG_20151113_183700.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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To the must owns...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilhcYlTK6h-sIp9jeuplBkcqc_pMQtHVu24IvlM1OWh9FDvR6pHp1i_s2WCfb4DPAYxJHgEUxa9YNyPQ9pb7wkP8ojSfCVqC8ilDyMO_HeO-Z5PDnVjUgj-EYxbTq8UpLvSFqLxm_opBON/s1600/IMG_20151113_183712.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="472" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilhcYlTK6h-sIp9jeuplBkcqc_pMQtHVu24IvlM1OWh9FDvR6pHp1i_s2WCfb4DPAYxJHgEUxa9YNyPQ9pb7wkP8ojSfCVqC8ilDyMO_HeO-Z5PDnVjUgj-EYxbTq8UpLvSFqLxm_opBON/s640/IMG_20151113_183712.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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To the not so uncommon...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEt5bAvYOdw30XTfwg8RhegyFZ5rrNgkhfWN2w7vv643umj8__e_q_mxC_ZaoSF1qLFPzz9tnsGcjlyhN-v33IzSeyo5gZdZDJuytW3OL7J0wunVNZOcN4WcHCrHdnBVfhXjqZvCgRIs80/s1600/IMG_20151113_183513.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="472" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEt5bAvYOdw30XTfwg8RhegyFZ5rrNgkhfWN2w7vv643umj8__e_q_mxC_ZaoSF1qLFPzz9tnsGcjlyhN-v33IzSeyo5gZdZDJuytW3OL7J0wunVNZOcN4WcHCrHdnBVfhXjqZvCgRIs80/s640/IMG_20151113_183513.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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To the uncommonly good...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir-PBMSOZDyXx8uMekmNBGL8WBPzWXwPQSSHkUnTJM5bZPA442L3JwBwOXlvSQGrq2CU4grxQuTZh_GX1-k6nVtWre21ouOfVh28R4LtWeAGxbHWj5YrZ1U20k0vKHGTV30lrJ3ESpCc71/s1600/IMG_20151121_202414.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="472" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir-PBMSOZDyXx8uMekmNBGL8WBPzWXwPQSSHkUnTJM5bZPA442L3JwBwOXlvSQGrq2CU4grxQuTZh_GX1-k6nVtWre21ouOfVh28R4LtWeAGxbHWj5YrZ1U20k0vKHGTV30lrJ3ESpCc71/s640/IMG_20151121_202414.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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To the life defining and rare...</div>
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Once I settle in to the new place, perhaps get the new turntable up and spinning, and finally get back to enjoying what I love, I'll be back with all of these and then some. (I've been to some awesome shops over the past 3 weeks.) Obviously with Black Friday coming there's even more coming down the pipe. I'll be posting the stuff I'm willing to get in line for. In the meantime. Shop local, shop often and by GOD shop for your vinyl! </div>
Weaselhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15070221991398625389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7538000854965197097.post-62575817626593213592015-11-06T22:07:00.002-05:002015-11-06T22:11:23.463-05:00Cyndi Lauper - So Unusual - (1983)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTCgWslYNGREbUZSunFlAt_tx3n472aQXCKn9gPhnHe2oLk1uXlZsZ6qXzpuwE_Aljm8C8wbaijRZUGFy4uoRv97dPF8_LFwqaF5dnx5C7MtgKiUk2Eecv-A8RVtH8CwmYmzs9Qwmxue6J/s1600/IMG_20151106_114004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="472" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTCgWslYNGREbUZSunFlAt_tx3n472aQXCKn9gPhnHe2oLk1uXlZsZ6qXzpuwE_Aljm8C8wbaijRZUGFy4uoRv97dPF8_LFwqaF5dnx5C7MtgKiUk2Eecv-A8RVtH8CwmYmzs9Qwmxue6J/s640/IMG_20151106_114004.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">At some point between the mid 70's and the rise of what was then known as the WWF circa 1985, Cyndi Lauper went from fronting a group called the Blue Angel to managing in the first ever Wrestlemania, and putting out one of the <strike>80's</strike> greatest synth-pop albums ever. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">When it comes to 80's music and it's popularity, there weren't too many musicians that couldn't pump out a song worth recording from the radio. Ok, that's not a completely true statement, there were a bunch that you would have a difficult time trying to remember if you ever heard of them at all. Not everyone can be as magical as Mick Smiley. Cyndi Lauper's a curious case... The Queens native was an accidental star. She was discovered while singing for the outstandingly horrible group, Blue Angel as the lone star in that outfit. Apparently her voice was the only bright spot there. Think I'm kidding, do a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omUnWmSrDJ8" target="_blank">Google search</a> for them. They were Apple Maps bad. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Like any repressed artist should, Cyndi went for the solo career. As such, she kinda hit it big.</span></div>
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<i>Girls Just Wanna Have Fun</i><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The first single released from this album, came about a month before the albums drop making it a late summer banger. Matter of fact, that one song was so popular that it charted #2 on Billboard and that single alone was certified platinum. This album actually set off a trend when it came to that anomaly. Obviously a musician would want to tease you with their best work on their album so that based on the strength of that song or songs, you would go out and buy the album, It's been going on since the beginning of time. What makes this single on this record special is that it was the first of many singles from the album, and this single alone sold better than a lot of artists full length albums! That changed how important singles were to the success an album. It also validated some musicians right to stop creating albums and just work on singles and videos, a horrible trend that hit it's stride in the 90's and is now quite the norm today. Hell, this single was so big that at it's time, <span title="Yeah, so, if you're under the age of 30 and are reading this blog, first off, thank you and I'm glad you're making the effort to hopefully learn something both fun and new. Also, Once upon a time people had to record a song from the radio if they ever wanted to listen to it later without ever having to buy the record or tape. It was like file sharing 1.0. Napster and Bit Torrents were about another 10-15 years away. Never listen to the radio without a tape ready to go and be prepared to hit REC-PLAY at the same time! Think I'm kidding? Ask your parents.">it was the most recorded single on FM radio. (Hoover your mouse over that last part if you have no idea what I'm talking about,) </span>Then there was the 2nd single...</span></div>
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<i>Time After Time</i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Three months after So Unusual was released, Cyndi's 2nd single, Time After Time landed. That one ended up spending 20 weeks on the charts, certified gold, and set up what I'm calling the first commercial song about masturbation ever, Single #3...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>She Bop</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">As has been the history with Cyndi, this single charted for 18 weeks, again certified gold and at this point it's July 1984. There's still 2 singles to go, and lots of good music out there. Elsewhere in the music world at this point, Michael Jackson's Thriller was still in full swing having been released earlier in 1983, So Unusual was released up against The Police with Synchronicity. Right when She Bop was nearing it's run of air play, Prince popped up with an album I'm sure you may have heard of, <a href="http://goo.gl/k01qnZ" target="_blank">Purple Rain</a>. So what does Cyndi do? Releases single #4.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The single, All Through The Night, really slowed things down on the album. Over time it became a standard for easy listening music or adult contemporary. The coolest part about this song is while it didn't resonate quite the same way the previous 3 singles did, it showed her range as an artist. Cyndi was able to go from power punk borderline riot grrl, to having a super soft persona. It's kinda scary particularly considering the make up of the song. Part of the reason that this song didn't become larger has everything to do with Prince and damn near every song from Purple Rain. As a musician, you literally had to pay to get your music on the radio, and if you didn't hear Prince at least 4-6 times an hour, something was wrong with you. That said, here we are over a year since So Unusual was released, and she's about to drop the 5th single.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Money Changes Everything came out in December of 1984.</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>Money Changes Everything</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">That single, a cover of a 1978 song by the group, The Brains, was the downside of the album. Money Changes Everything, while a great commentary on relationships and how money has a funny way of fucking them up, didn't do too much better than 27 on a lot of charts. Curiously enough though, it was the 2nd in a series of easy listening songs that we would hear from this album. Thinking that since there were only 10 songs on the album, why not make 1 more single or two? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Cyndi went on to release 2 more singles into 1985. Neither of them with the same degree of popularity of anything she had released prior. That's not a problem seeing as though her next album, True Colors in 1986 will do just fine. So unusual won her quite a few awards through it popular life span. She won a Grammy for Best New Artist, and a MTV award for Best Female Video for Girls Just Wanna Have Fun. Cyndi is an outstanding activist as well. Her work for and with the LGBT movement has kept her in the public eye through today. If you're lucky enough to see her live these days, you'll see that she can still sing and her live shows are something to witness. While she isn't as "punk" as she used to be, she can still power with the best of them.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I picked this original pressing up over at <a href="http://replayrecords.net/Recent-Acquisitions.php" target="_blank">Replay Records</a> in Hamden CT. I highly recommend that if you're ever in the area that you check this place out. He's got a great collection of R&B, well curated used Rock, and some of the most obscure soundtracks that you'll see in a used record store.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Next week, I may be in a period of transition, but I think I'll be dropping the needle on something really different.</span></div>
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Weaselhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15070221991398625389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7538000854965197097.post-42742406991787735892015-10-24T16:52:00.000-04:002015-10-24T17:36:05.881-04:00Honest/ly!? Maroon 5 - Songs About Jane - 2002<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiED4Ht-tgYgAcdcI2X3ZRfPHv1cmEcw1EBi52YdPH8SPckPGNj-rnDOYslyFTnyRjxjUmfhq-STPYOqHsMHXl3v3vz2E2U80ARoiaR1hoRL3OFNYD4i0WzFHDqJHQ1Uv5_RBJ0RbnsMF_T/s1600/Maroon-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiED4Ht-tgYgAcdcI2X3ZRfPHv1cmEcw1EBi52YdPH8SPckPGNj-rnDOYslyFTnyRjxjUmfhq-STPYOqHsMHXl3v3vz2E2U80ARoiaR1hoRL3OFNYD4i0WzFHDqJHQ1Uv5_RBJ0RbnsMF_T/s640/Maroon-5.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">WAY back in the fairly early oughts... </span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>There once was an indie group from LA</b></span></i><br />
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<i><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>That had lots of insight for their day</b></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Known once as Kara's Flowers</b></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>And now as something louder</b></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>It's any wonder they're still relevant today</b></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And I stand by that... However, before I spout off about how much I dislike Maroon 5 these days, I have to go back to when they were great. I can promise you that for those that haven't heard the early workings of Maroon 5, this would sound like a completely different group. I'll save the rest of anything I would have said about them or this album when I pick it for a spinning post in the future. To that end, indeed I'm picking this album soon after it's official proper vinyl release next month. Check it out and pre-order it on Amazon, and for the official announcement head over to <a href="http://modern-vinyl.com/2015/09/11/songs-about-jane-getting-vinyl-reissue/" target="_blank">Modern Vinyl</a></span></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/rV8NHsmVMPE/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="366" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rV8NHsmVMPE?feature=player_embedded" width="520"></iframe></div>
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Harder To Breathe</div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" title="Long before he met Blake Shelton and started screaming like a bitch about about some wedding he and his group kept crashing... I mean really, WTF happened to this group. I can't wait to pick this vinyl just so I can lean in and examine how the fuck they went so wrong down the road of bitch pop music.">Harder To Breathe was the first single from this album.</span>Weaselhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15070221991398625389noreply@blogger.com0