Monthly Archives: May 2016

Glint,
The TVD First Date

By Special to TVD | Published: May 26, 2016

“Ever since a crate of original vinyl from the ’60s and ’70s was bestowed upon me by a family friend named Eric (either thanks to his ritualistic evening scotch or just the fact it was time for him to pass them on), I was fascinated.”

“Those large sleeves housed not only some of the most compelling and innovative music of those generations, but left visual gateways to those experiences. I could smell it. Holding those LPs in my hands while the record played felt like looking into forbidden windows, moments in time that are somehow concurrently timeless.

When I heard Bob Dylan on original vinyl I felt like I had never heard him sing before then. For me, it’s that canvas. To be honest, I most prefer the sound of cassettes, beats ’em all—through Neil Young’s Ponoplayer—whatever happened to that?”

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Graded on a Curve: New in Stores, May 2016

By Joseph Neff | Published: May 26, 2016

Part two of the TVD Record Store Club’s look at the new or reissued wax presently in stores for May, 2016.

NEW RELEASE PICK: Orchestra of Spheres, Brothers and Sisters of the Black Lagoon (Fire) A historically-rich but forward-thinking sonic bouillabaisse from Wellington, NZ and pretty damned swell; at moments retro-futurist, dance-inducing, psychedelic, folky; there’s even a segment bringing Konono Nº1 to mind. Perhaps most beneficial is a playfulness that’s occasionally humorous and at other times darkly surreal. Their cover of Sun Ra’s “Rocket #9” sounds like a collab between ESG and Ari Up produced by Adrian Sherwood and it clinches this album as a success. A-

REISSUE PICK: Steve Reich, Four Organs/ Phase Patterns (Superior Viaduct) This repressing of a 1971 Shandar LP is simply mandatory for any collection of 20th century experimental music. Listening now to these two side-long pieces, “Four Organs” an uncompromising immersion in note suspension and “Phase Patterns” a wild plunge into the unity and discord of cycles and repetition, it’s strange to recall a time, specifically the later ‘80s, when some considered Reich to be safe and even passé. The artist may have softened and gained acceptance over time, but the man’s early work endures as remarkable. A+

50 Foot Wave, “Bath White” (HHBTM) Pretty terrific art-tinged power trio rock stuff from Kristin Hersh (guitar-vocals), Bernard Georges (bass), and Rob Ahlers (drums). Described on occasion as math-like, while that’s not off target it doesn’t adequately convey the high quality of the group’s songs, and does nothing to relate the value of Hersh’s lyrics and the mature strength of her voice. As befitting their lean orientation, the instrumentation is strong throughout, and I’m reminded just as much of Mike Watt’s recent output as I am of Hersh’s and Georges’ work in Throwing Muses. A-

Rez Abbasi & Junction, Behind the Vibration (Cuneiform) Pakistani-American guitarist-composer Abbasi is a veteran with credits ranging from Ruth Brown to Tim Berne to Tinariwen; this is the debut CD of his jazz-rock quartet Junction, and lovers of Fusion should investigate without delay. At its worst, the style on offer here was responsible for blatant chops-braggarts and proto-smooth jazz atrocities, but it also produced high quality stuff. Thankfully, Junction leans to the positive side of the spectrum; improv sparks do fly, noodling is sidestepped, and I dig Mark Shim’s post-Trane/ Henderson tenor sound. B+

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In rotation: 5/26/16

By TVD HQ | Published: May 26, 2016

Tallahassee Store Making Sure Vinyl Records Stand the Test of Time: How people listen to music is constantly changing. But as the record seems to stand the test of time, one Tallahassee store is making sure customers can not only listen to the oldies and the classics, they are also stocking vinyls from today’s artists. “Always loved music since I was a kid. I grew up in a household where music was constantly playing. I have two older sisters. I guess they had an influence on my musical tastes, my upbringing,” said Sharod Bines, the co-owner of Retrofit Records.

Record shop owner gives away stock after 50 years in the business: A Chicago book and record shop has become the latest casualty in the digital revolution – and its owner has decided to give away all of its stock. Rick Addy, owner of Shake, Rattle & Read, posted on Facebook to announce the closure of his store after 50 years in the business, and said that he would be giving away all of his stock on Tuesday and Wednesday to avoid having to throw hundreds of books, CDs and vinyl records “in a dumpster.”

Hold Your Squeals: Record Store Fights To Keep 15-Year-Old Deaf Cat: A whole community of cat- and music-lovers have jumped to the defense of a Kiwi record store after complaints were made about its resident cat, Callaway. The deaf 15-year-old feline has made his home at Vinyl Destination, a record store that also sells takeaway coffee, but has recently received complaints for being “disgusting”…”He is our little mascot. We are going to protect him. People come in to see him every day and have a cuddle or say ‘hey’.”

Gallery: 15 of the most beautiful turntables ever made: From Lego DJ booths to handcrafted hardwood plinths, we’ve scoured the world of Hi-Fi for beautiful record players. Engineers and DIY-minded individuals have continually experimented with turntables in pursuit of beauty, as well as perfect sound. The result of decades and decades of experimentation is an impressive stock of exquisitely designed and masterfully crafted record players. Whether it’s a dome-shaped turntable inspired by the first manned moon landing or an ultra minimalist ‘less is more’ design, we’ve rounded up 15 record players that are things of beauty.

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TVD Live Shots: InfieldFest at Pimlico Raceway, 5/21

By Richie Downs | Published: May 25, 2016

Last Saturday, the 141st running of the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Raceway in Baltimore brought with it Budweiser InfieldFest—a smorgasbord of musical offerings from country to rock, from electronic-dance to hip hop.

Headlining the day’s performances were The Chainsmokers from New York City, Willie Maxwell II—also known as Fetty Wap, and Canadian DJ Frank Walker on the main stage. The Jägermeister Stage located at the opposite end of the infield hosted Baltimore locals All Time Low, and for country music fans, openers Chris Janson and Corey Smith.

Finding little reprieve from the rain and the muddy grounds of the infield at Pimlico, attendees didn’t seem to mind sticking it out through every performance. Despite the wet conditions, the crowd in the infield remained enthusiastic and undaunted, and when the Chainsmokers played the final set of the day, it gave the venue a renewed energy and life of its own.

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TVD Live Shots: Bloc Party, The Vaccines,
and Oscar at Echostage, 5/19

By Kristin Horgen | Published: May 25, 2016

If Morrissey and Pulp had a millennial child, it would be Oscar—his songs are thoughtful, cheeky, and bright. The single-named “gangsta melancholic,” Oscar opened with a short and sweet set featuring “Daffodil Days,” “Beautiful Words,” and “Sometimes” off his debut album Cut and Paste. (I got to chat with him after his set. Turns out he’d seen Bloc Party when he was 16 at Brixton Academy. And now he’s opening for them.)

But first, The Vaccines! This is a band that I really wish I’d known better before seeing them live. Lead singer Justin Young exploded on stage, rocking the entire emotional spectrum in his face and body. It was an extremely engaging set and certainly helped to wake up a crowd wary of partying too hard on a Thursday night. My favorites were “Dream Lover,” “Post Break-Up Sex,” and “If You Wanna.”

Bloc Party eased into their set with the subdued and hypnotic “Only He Can Heal Me” off their latest album Hymns. Then they launched into “Hunting For Witches,” which set the crowd ablaze. This is the band’s first US tour since welcoming new members Justin Harris on bass and keyboards and Louise Bartle on drums.

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Graded on a Curve: Stryper,
To Hell with the Devil

By Michael H. Little | Published: May 25, 2016

I admit it; I’m in awe. In awe of the awesome chutzpah of the awesome dudes who actually thought they could make it in the heavy metal biz by eschewing metal’s standard demonic trappings in favor of an overtly Christian message. And who thought they could pull it off wearing yellow and black bee outfits, nonetheless. While tossing Bibles to the crowds at their concerts. But it worked. Good Lord, it worked! And Satan wept.

I’m of the Devil’s Party, but I firmly believe in giving the Loyal Opposition a listen. I mean, I’ve listened to straight edge (more or less against my will) and the message is about the same; no drugs, alcohol, casual sex, or smoking. Straight edge was all about keeping your head empty for no good reason. Stryper, on the other hand, was simply adhering to their interpretation of Christ’s message. And if your straight edgers had any guts they’d say to hell with the Devil, too, but they don’t. Strike one up for Stryper, bee outfits and all.

Stryper was, once you took away all the religious trappings, a standard mid-eighties MOR hair metal band. Vocalist Michael Sweet’s multi-octave vocals and guitar were standard issue, as were brother Robert Sweet’s drums, the wonderfully named Oz Fox’s lead guitar, and Tim Gaines’ (who was replaced during the sessions by Brad Cobb) bass. (Oh, and non-member John Van Tongeren contributed keyboards.) In short, nothing much, besides their faith, distinguished them from the hair metal pack. But something amazing happened with LP no. 3, 1986’s To Hell with the Devil. It blew up. Write it off to divine intervention, or the almost unfathomable stupidity of the American listening public, but To Hell with the Devil went platinum, and included two songs that scored near the top of MTV’s list of most-requested songs. The Devil must have thrown a hissy fit, and spent the entire day pouting.

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Shemekia Copeland brings Outskirts of Love to Chickie Wah Wah, 5/29

By Jay Mazza | Published: May 25, 2016

PHOTO: DOUG SEYMOUR | Blues vocalist Shemekia Copeland will grace the stage at Chickie Wah Wah on Sunday, May 29 at 8:30 PM. The three-time Grammy nominee is touring in support of her latest Grammy-nominated album, Outskirts of Love. Guitarist Mason Ruffner opens the show.

With a voice that is alternately sultry, assertive, and roaring, Copeland’s wide-open vision of contemporary blues, roots, and soul music showcases the evolution of a passionate artist with a modern musical and lyrical approach. Shemekia Copeland sounds like no one else whether she’s belting out a raucous blues-rocker, firing up a blistering soul-shouter, bringing the spirit to a gospel-fueled R&B rave-up, or digging deep down into a subtle, country-tinged ballad.

In 1998, Copeland burst on the scene at age 18 with her groundbreaking debut, Turn Up the Heat and instantly became a blues superstar. Her follow up, 2000’s Wicked earned Copeland her first Grammy nomination. News outlets across the world took notice as did major figures in the roots and blues worlds. New Orleans’ own Dr. John produced Talking to Strangers in 2002 and Steve Cropper of Booker T and the MGs and countless other projects produced The Soul Truth in 2005.

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The Pop Group,
The TVD First Date

By Special to TVD | Published: May 25, 2016

“Place the needle on the record…”

“We are talking Scotland in the early 1960s when one of the best things in the world was loading up the Dansette record player with a stack of 7-inch 45 rpm singles to see how many it could play…

It could be “Twist and Shout” (The Beatles) on top of “High Hopes” (Frank Sinatra) followed by the “Cindy Doll Record” (God knows who) and “The Bonnie Banks of Loch Lomond” (The Pipes and Drums of the Highland Regiment). Then slamming down on this 5-thick vinyl sandwich would come “Telstar” (The Tornados) by which time, the records would be scratching each other to oblivion.

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Graded on a Curve:
Wake Up You! The Rise and Fall of Nigerian
Rock, 1972–1977

By Joseph Neff | Published: May 25, 2016

Discussions of 1970s Nigerian music were once dominated by the Afrobeat achievements of Fela Kuti, but over the last 25 years a steady flow of releases have highlighted the country’s energetic and imaginative sounds. However, as the reissues amassed a newbie could end up at wit’s end over exactly where to start; happily, the two volumes comprising Now-Again Records’ Wake Up You! The Rise and Fall of Nigerian Rock 1972-1977 offer a splendid overview of its subject, combining wise choices with a wealth of info presented in two 100-plus page books, hardbound with the CD editions and softcover alongside the 2LPs. Novices rejoice, for both are out now.

It was directly following the Nigerian Civil War that a blend of R&B, funk, and rock briefly flourished in the country. This is no startling newsflash as labels like Strut and especially Soundway have been doing an admirable job in compiling the region’s output from the era for quite a while. Nigerian writer and musicologist Uchenna Ikonne has been at the forefront of this tide as a researcher and producer; amongst his recent credits is a marvelous 2013 showcase for his countryman William Onyeabor on Luaka Bop.

The dual platform Now-Again provides via Wake Up You! allows Ikonne to thoroughly relate the post-war landscape of Nigerian Rock, covering the bands, their regions and differences in style while highlighting the labels, the most productive of which was EMI, that distributed these recordings during their short window of popularity.

Instead of paraphrasing Ikonne’s work, this review will simply laud his impeccable scholarship and comment upon the sounds corralled in each set. Vol. 1 begins with the Formulars Dance Band’s “Never Never Let Me Down,” its soul/R&B base fortified with jubilant choruses and plentiful guitar wielding just a touch of psychedelia. The obvious Western influence continues in The Hygrades “Keep On Moving,” an undisguised James Brown rip complete with raw exclamations courtesy of Elvis Ato Arinze, though as it progresses the atmosphere is also a tad reminiscent of the Archie Bell & the Drells classic “Tighten Up.”

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In rotation: 5/25/16

By TVD HQ | Published: May 25, 2016

Interview: Ric Addy, Owner of Chicago’s Shake, Rattle & Read, on Closing the Business: The term “throwback” is bantered about with such regularity these days that it loses its meaning. An authentic throwback, however, is the eclectic pop culture store “Shake, Rattle & Read,” which closes its doors at the end of business Saturday, May 21st, 2016. The outlet, an Uptown neighborhood mainstay, has been owned by the same family for 50 years. Current owner Ric Addy is ready to say goodbye to all that.

Independent record store to open ‘biggest branch yet’ in Derby: With vinyl making a resurgence, Derby’s only independent record shop is moving with the times – opening its biggest store yet in the city centre. BPM, which set up in Derby almost 30 years ago, has moved from Sadler Gate to the picturesque Blacksmith’s Yard. The new spacious store has second-hand records on offer on its ground floor and a room with CDs upstairs. Dave Hill, originally from East London, moved to Derby in the early 1980s to manage record shop R.E.Cords. But never left. In 1987, he set up BPM with business partner Lisa Woolley, which they ran from their premises in The Strand for 20 years.

One in six albums sold worldwide is by a UK star: In its annual yearbook, a guide to the UK recorded music industry, the BPI said YouTube and other ad-funded websites paid out a “meagre” £24.4m in 2015. This was despite fans streaming almost 27 billion music videos – an 88% increase from 2014. That was narrowly eclipsed by the £25.1m earned from the sale of 2.1 million vinyl LPs in 2015 (a figure that suggests the industry makes almost £12 from every vinyl album sold).

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A Special TVD Giveaway: Tom Petty’s Mudcrutch 2 and a U-Turn Audio Orbit Plus Turntable

By Allison Staulcup | Published: May 24, 2016

Fans have waited over half a decade for this release. (And then some.)

Mudcrutch, the band that served as the precursor to Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, is releasing their sophomore album entitled 2 this Friday, the follow-up to 2008’s self-titled debut of which Rolling Stone called “a country-rock instant classic.” The new album features seven original songs by Tom Petty and the band.

Formed in Gainesville, Florida in 1970, Mudcrutch broke up after releasing exactly one single. After a number of personnel shifts and the release of 1975’s 7″ “Depot Street,” Mudcrutch’s Tom Petty, Mike Campbell, and Benmont Tench evolved into Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, and the rest as they say is classic rock history.

Apparently however there was some unfinished business. Reuniting with original Mudcrutch members Tom Leadon and Randall Marsh in 2008, Petty, Campbell, and Tench released the aforementioned, self-titled Mudcrutch—lightening (re)captured in a studio.

Posted in The TVD Record Store Club | 28 Comments

TVD Live: Hop Along with Speedy Ortiz at Thalia Hall, 5/19

By Allison Staulcup | Published: May 24, 2016

Hop Along and Speedy Ortiz came through Chicago’s Thalia Hall last Thursday along with Love of Everything.

Bobby Burg (of Joan of Arc, Vacations, and Make Believe) graced his hometown with tunes from his solo project, Love of Everything. With a table of gadgets to provide drumbeats and rhythm along with looping his guitar, Burg, created layers upon layers of sound. The crowd waited in anticipation with every song to watch it all come together. When Burg made the perfect addition with his soft and sweet vocals it seemed to complete the sound in one grand aha moment. Love of Everything’s latest EP, Sooner I Wish, is currently available.

Massachusetts’ Speedy Ortiz kept the show moving with their sing song melodies backed by the intense grunge sound. A few songs in lead singer, Sadie Dupuis, told the crowd “I forgot to turn my shoes on!” and spent the rest of the night hopping to the music in her glowing sneakers. Dupuis’ vocals purred over heavy guitar riffs, but her lyrics showed her fierceness. Lines like “I’m not bossy; I’m the boss” and “I got too many boyfriends to see you tonight” let it be known she was not be messed with.

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Caralis,
The TVD First Date

By Special to TVD | Published: May 24, 2016

“Vinyl records were always a mysterious thing to me. When I was growing up everyone had cassettes and then CDs. I remember going round to my parents’ friends’ houses and being fascinated by their vinyl collections.”

“I distinctly recall picking up a pristine copy of Michael Jackson’s Bad album and opening up this thing of beauty with the giant sleeve pictures and notes. It felt like it was something very special to behold. Putting on the record made the music sound even better with that indescribable vinyl tone…miles away from cassette sound. I also loved sifting through my parents old vinyl singles collection—there were some amazing covers in there! I kept hold of Blondie’s “Atomic” and put it on my wall!

Later on in my teens I had an extensive CD collection and loved those great bands who really made an effort to emulate the vinyl experience on their CD releases through elaborate sleeves and track sequencing. Bands like Pearl Jam and Radiohead have some notable examples of the vinyl influence—particularly their albums Vitalogy and Hail to the Thief. I would love it (like many would) when bands printed the lyrics in their sleeves, so the whole process of listening to the album became ‘an experience.’

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UK Artist of the Week: Yvonne McDonnell

By Zara Hoffman | Published: May 24, 2016

We’re living in a time when the struggle for recognition between male and female performers is constantly shrinking—although it took a while—and it’s become increasingly exciting to hear the talent that’s burgeoning among young singer-songwriters—of both sexes.

Yvonne McDonnell is one of these young singer-songwriters. She’s new to the game but already seems to be making waves, which is why she’s our Artist of the Week this week.

Her latest single “I’m Not This Layer Of Skin” is taken from her forthcoming EP “Not Her Own.” The track, along with the EP, speaks to female empowerment and the ability to face daily struggles with strength and with support. Yvonne’s vocal is extremely unique but perfect for the folk world—filled with vibrato and sincere emotion and the same story-telling charms akin to Laura Marling and Kate Rusby.

Although Yvonne has already released her debut EP “Endless Soul,” we think it will be “Not Her Own” that really puts her on the map and will invite an escape from London’s increasingly oversaturated music market. Yvonne’s voice is one that deserves to be heard—loud and proud.

“Not Her Own” is out on Friday 17th June 2016 via Reality Is Over.

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The Vinyl Guide Podcast
with Nate Goyer

By Nate Goyer | Published: May 24, 2016

The Vinyl Guide is a weekly podcast for fans and collectors of vinyl records. Each week is an audio-documentary on your favourite records, often including interviews with band members and people who were part of the project.

It’s hosted by Nate Goyer, a self-described vinyl maniac who enjoys listening to records and sharing the stories behind them. Despite his Yankee accent, Nate lives in Sydney, Australia with his wife, 2 kids, and about 1,500 records. (But only about 1,000 of them his wife knows about.)

The Vinyl Guide takes records one by one, telling the tale of how they came to be, why the work is important, and then shares how collectors can tell one pressing from another. Learn more at the TheVinylGuide.com or simply subscribe via iTunes or RSS feed.

Eric Spitznagel goes on a journey to find the old record collection. Not copies of the records, the exact ones! The story is detailed in his new book Old Records Never Die and he shares some of the tales on today’s podcast. Plus we discuss a little known Pink Floyd secret message on their LP The Wall.