Monthly Archives: January 2017

In rotation: 1/23/17

By TVD HQ | Published: January 23, 2017

Fans spin vinyl to record high: However, collectors – who pay on average more than $20 a record – shouldn’t get too excited. The market will soon wind down, say consultants at Deloitte. “In 1981, over one billion albums were sold. In 2017 it will be around 40 million. This is not the resurgence that is portrayed. It is a blip,” Paul Lee, Deloitte’s head of technology, media and telecoms research, tells Nic Fildes in the Financial Times.

Lobster Theremin Open New London Record Shop: The team at Lobster Theremin are set to open a new record shop in East London at the weekend. The distribution company, label, and talent spotting enterprise will bring the majority of their 200+ distribution stock plus an array of tapes, merch, zines and more at the space in Hackney. Lobster Records will be located on Sidworth Street, just a short walk from the always-popular London Fields area. The shop opens tomorrow (January 21st) before taking a two day break – Lobster Records will then be open seven days a week from Tuesday (January 24th).

Record shops thrive on our growing love of vinyl: More than 15 years after the iPod turned the music industry on its head, and as car manufacturers start to delete the CD player from their new models, many independent music stores are not only still in business, they are thriving. Mel Mays, owner of Quality Records in Malvern, Victoria, is one of them, and he puts it all down to the resurgence of records. He said the trend started about five years ago, initially as a “fashion thing”. “Every year you’d think it would be on it’s last legs, but it’s just kept on growing,” he said. “It’s an old industry, but it’s a growth industry.”

Island entrepreneurs ready to start pressing vinyl on P.E.I., Kaneshii Vinyl Press will start production in March: A group of Island entrepreneurs are riding the wave of what they say is a resurgence in consumer demand for vinyl LPs — with plans to start pressing records in Charlottetown this spring. Kaneshii Vinyl Press is now renovating an industrial space to start production in March. The factory will fill a gap in manufacturing services currently available in Canada, according to one of the company’s founders. “A lot of local artists struggle to get their vinyl out on time, or out on time when they’re going on tour,” said Rob Rice, one of four founders of Kaneshii Vinyl Press. “All of us were very interested in pursuing this, not only as a business venture, but to stimulate the music industry on P.E.I. and in Canada in general.”

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TVD’s The Idelic Hour with Jon Sidel

By Jon Sidel | Published: January 20, 2017

Greetings from Laurel Canyon!

Stayed in bed all mornin’ just to pass the time. / There’s somethin’ wrong here, there can be no denyin’. / One of us is changin’, or maybe we’ve just stopped tryin’.

And it’s too late, baby now, it’s too late, / Though we really did try to make it. / Somethin’ inside has died, and I can’t hide, / And I just can’t fake it, oh, no, no.

It used to be so easy, livin’ here with you. / You were light and breezy, an’ I knew just what to do. / Now you look so unhappy, and I feel like a fool.

And it’s too late, baby now, it’s too late, / Though we really did try to make it. / Somethin’ inside has died, and I can’t hide, / And I just can’t fake it, oh, no, no.

There’ll be good times again for me and you, / But we just can’t stay together; don’t you feel it too? / Still I’m glad for what we had and how I once loved you.

And it’s too late, baby now, it’s too late, / Though we really did try to make it. (we can’t make it) / Somethin’ inside has died, and I can’t hide, / And I just can’t fake it, oh, no, no, no, no, no, no.

It’s too late baby, it’s too late now darling

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TVD Radar: Black Sabbath, The Ultimate Collection in stores 2/3

By TVD HQ | Published: January 20, 2017

VIA PRESS RELEASE | Career spanning remastered set available on CD, digitally, and on limited edition “Crucifold” 4-LP heavyweight vinyl on February 3 from Rhino.

Black Sabbath are arguably the most influential heavy metal band of all time. The band helped to create the genre with ground breaking releases such as Paranoid, an album that Rolling Stone magazine said “changed music forever.” Time magazine called Paranoid “the birthplace of heavy metal.” The Ultimate Collection was curated by band members, resulting in a 31-track collection that features the band’s classic songs including “Paranoid,” “Iron Man,” “War Pigs,” “N.I.B.,” and “The Wizard,” as well as choice cuts from their classic albums. The collection is the definitive accompaniment for all Sabbath fans as well as those with a love of hard rock.

In 2017, Black Sabbath remains one of the most prominent acts in music. Performing for over 45 years, the band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006, they have received two Grammy awards, and have sold over 75 million records worldwide. Remastered by renowned engineer Andy Pearce (Motörhead, Deep Purple, Lou Reed, Iggy & The Stooges), The Ultimate Collection is available on February 2 in multiple formats including 2-CD ($19.98) and digital/HD formats ($19.99), and the “Crucifold” edition, a heavyweight 4-LP vinyl version ($59.98) produced in the shape of the cross.

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Needle Drop: The Remains, “Hang on Sloopy”

By Josh Lewellen | Published: January 20, 2017

“They were how you told a stranger about Rock ’n’ Roll.”
—Jon Landau, Crawdaddy, January, 1967

Not all mid-’60s garage rock bands were created equal. More specifically, not all mid-’60s garage rock bands were Boston’s in-house firebrands, The Remains. Name-checked by future hometown legends the Real Kids, covered by Aussie pub rock lords the Sunnyboys, and the subject of a nigh-unfindable documentary narrated by Peter Wolf, The Remains may be the ultimate band’s band.

Formed in ’64 and fronted by lead howler/songwriter/guitarist Barry Tashian—who, in one of rock ’n’ roll’s more bewildering plot twists, spent the better part of the last forty-five years either playing on Emmylou Harris albums or roaming the land as one-half of the spousal bluegrass duo Barry & Holly Tashian—the band hunkered down in Boston’s most raucous club, the Rat. Melding a raw R&B sound with the frenzied side of the British Invasion, The Remains established themselves as a live act hailed by all witnesses as the greatest to ever do it, quickly drawing nightly sellout, and overflow, crowds to the rave-up haven.

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The Bushwick Hotel,
The TVD First Date

By Special to TVD | Published: January 20, 2017

“Vinyl has always meant many things to me; a place to hide, a sonic time machine into musical history, a warm blanket to keep me company during a winter depression. Other times it was a rolling tray or another fucking box to lug up the walk-up of my new apartment, but don’t let the cynicism fool you. I wouldn’t be carrying that box up the stairs if I didn’t need it.”

“My record collection represents thousands of hours of data that I have programmed into my mind to help me appreciate the differences between music’s cultures, people, and radical individuality. Some records kept me company, others made me laugh like my prized lemon yellow picture disk of Richard Prior’s That N***a’s Crazy, and some I just can’t listen to anymore because they remind me of some girl who’s not around anymore, like Disintegration or Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me, the soundtrack to many an unfortunate piece of my personal history.

My exposure to vinyl, even before my beloved Jimi Hendrix blew my tiny little wig off, was probably The Beach Boys’ Christmas Album, as that was the only time of the year my father was drunk enough to let me play with the record player, or his beloved yet small collection of killer pop records, many of which were for his band to learn covers.

I got so into that Christmas record I used to play it year-round. I could not believe the songwriting, or how difficult it seemed to be for me to get the needle on the groove. It was like a video game! That’s where I heard “Wild Thing” for the first time and the genius of the Michael Jackson recordings.

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Graded on a Curve:
The Jimi Hendrix Experience,
Electric Ladyland

By Michael H. Little | Published: January 20, 2017

Is it me? I repeat, is it me? Am I the only person on the planet who thinks the Jimi Hendrix Experience’s Electric Ladyland is grossly overrated? Well, almost. The famously eccentric rock critic Chuck Eddy agrees with me, I think. But otherwise? The two of us are all by our lonesome on this one. Let the critics, all 20 million of them, fawn and gush! Let one Peter Doggett proclaim Electric Ladyland the greatest rock album of all time! Me, I’ve always found the guitar legend’s 1968 double LP to be less a rewarding experience than an overlong and sometimes grueling, listen.

Maybe you had to hear it stoned. Maybe that’s it. I never heard it stoned. I never listened to any Jimi Hendrix LP stoned except 1969’s Smash Hits, which I liked because whomever it was that cherry-picked its tunes made certain they were both (1) catchy and (2) short. Smash Hits coheres, as does 1967’s Are You Experienced, which is more than can be said for the shambolic Electric Ladyland, which one critic called “the fullest realization of Jimi’s far-reaching ambitions,” but which I find both uneven and diffuse—in short, less a case of far-reaching than overreaching, and overreaching at its worst.

Only a fool would write off Electric Ladyland as a complete loss. There’s no denying that “Crosstown Traffic,” the haunting cover of Bob Dylan’s “All Along the Watchtower,” and “Voodoo Child (Slight Return)” are stone cold brilliant. “All Along the Watchtower” shows remarkable self-restraint; Hendrix plays only those notes that are necessary to frame and accompany the melody, which was rarely the case with the guy. As for “Voodoo Child (Slight Return),” it’s musical napalm, and one of the most incendiary songs ever recorded. On it Hendrix renounces subtlety for a sound every bit as brutal as the Tet Offensive, which took place while Hendrix, his bandmates, and an all-star crew of extras were recording Electric Ladyland.

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In rotation: 1/20/17

By TVD HQ | Published: January 20, 2017

It’s not all about digital music: An old vinyl record factory gets new life: Bob Marley pressed some of his records there. So did 2 Live Crew, Mary J. Blige, Lee “Scratch” Perry and 50 Cent. Now the former Final Vinyl record factory, founded in Opa-locka in the 1970s by Jamaican reggae producer Joe Gibbs as his base of U.S. operations, is reopening for business under a new name. SunPress Vinyl, a vinyl record pressing plant at 14097 NW 19th Ave., boasts six pressing machines, including one capable of producing multi-colored and picture discs. The facility will also offer complete packaging services such as labels, single or gatefold jackets and inner sleeves.

Vinyl Records Make A Comeback In Kilwinning: A music-loving Kilwinning couple are bringing vintage vinyl back to the Main Street. Husband and wife team Colin and Andrea Boyd rolled back the years this week with the opening of the Rare Trade record shop in their home town. And they reckon the nationwide resurgence of old school 45s and 78s means they shouldn’t have a problem carving a niche in a digital world. Colin, who lives in the town’s Dalry Road, said: “Vinyl records are back with a bang – people are starting to realise that now.”

Massive vinyl record and CD fair is heading to Bromsgrove: The first Bromsgrove vinyl record and CD fair of 2017 will take place between 10am and 4pm next Sunday (January 29). The event, organised by Midlands Records Fairs, is being held at the Bromsgrove Hotel and Spa – formerly the Holiday Inn – Birmingham Road where there is free parking available for buyers and sellers. Admission for buyers is £1 from 10am to 1pm and then free entry afterwards. There are also ‘early bird’ passes for £5 which admit people from 9am. Prices will suit bargain hunters and keen collectors alike.

Label ventures into vinyl with first press of its kind: Dustin Blocker started Hand Drawn Records in 2006. He saw untapped potential among indie bands across North Texas — including Denton acts. He wanted a label that would serve musicians, not shoulder past them in hot pursuit of a big, blinking bottom line. Eleven years later, the University of North Texas alumnus means to plump up that bottom line for musicians by putting a vinyl album in their hands. If things go as planned, Hand Drawn Pressing will make 2 million records a year.

This Is How (And Why) Slightly Stoopid’s Smokable, $7,000 Hash Record Got Made: These are glory days for aging hipsters: The availability of both limited-edition vinyl releases and bespoke strains of weed may be greater than ever. Vinyl sales are at a 28-year high in the United States, and cannabis is legally available for medical and/or recreational use in 28 states which allows you to buy CBD for anxiety if you have a prescription.

Which, perhaps, made inevitable the arrival of the first known record pressed from hash. “It’s all about putting two old-school vintage mediums together,” says Jon Phillips of Silverback Music, the team that made the LP and manages the stalwart jam band Slightly Stoopid. “Vinyl is an old-school medium, and that’s how we feel about hashish, too.”

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TVD Radar: George Harrison Vinyl Box & Book Release, 2/24

By TVD HQ | Published: January 19, 2017

VIA PRESS RELEASE | The Harrison family is proud to announce the release of George Harrison – The Vinyl Collection (UMe) box set featuring all of George Harrison’s solo studio albums in one collection for the first time.

The vinyl box set includes all twelve of George’s studio albums with exact replicas of the original release track listing and artwork. Also included in the box set are George’s classic live album Live In Japan (2LP), and two 12” single picture discs of “When We Was Fab” and “Got My Mind Set On You.” All the discs are 180-gram heavyweight vinyl and are housed in a high-quality two-piece rigid slipcase box. The original analogue master tapes were used for the new re-masters and were cut at the legendary Capitol studios to ensure exceptional audio quality throughout. The individual albums from the collection will also be available separately, with All Things Must Pass as a limited edition title.

George Harrison’s I Me Mine was originally published by the specialist book publisher, Genesis Publications in 1980. It became the first of many collaborations between George and Genesis founder, Brian Roylance. In conversation with his friend and former Beatles press officer Derek Taylor, and in a first-person commentary that accompanies his songs, Harrison’s own words recount everything from his upbringing in Liverpool, to early Beatlemania, his spirituality, and philosophy.

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The New Soul Finders welcome special guests to the Little Gem Saloon, Saturday, 1/21

By Jay Mazza | Published: January 19, 2017

When guitarist and bandleader Marc Stone got together with two veterans of one of Eddie Bo’s late sixties bands to recreate some of his classic sides with younger musicians, he didn’t expect it to last. Nor did he expect it to continually regenerate itself. Last December, Stone announced the final show for the band, which featured vocalist Marilyn Barbarin and bassist and vocalist Paul Boudreaux.

But now the New Soul Finders are back this Saturday night at the Little Gem Saloon because of further interest from other musicians hooked on the sound of New Orleans funk and soul in the late 20th century.

Stone says his connection with the members of the Radiators (who just celebrated their annual reunion shows this past weekend with Stone as one of the opening acts) helped bring the New Soul Finders back on stage. Bassist Reggie Scanlan has a deep affinity for that era of New Orleans music having played with at least two of the legends—Professor Longhair and James Booker. He told Stone he was interested in playing.

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The Grape & The Grain, The TVD First Date

By Special to TVD | Published: January 19, 2017

“Being in my late 20s, I grew up with CDs being the most common media for music. I just missed cassette tapes and I definitely missed the vinyl record…or so I thought.”

“My earliest memory of vinyl is when I was a kid and saw Wayne’s World for the first time. Wayne, Garth, and Co. are packed in the Murph-mobile singing Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody.” What an epic scene.

I immediately ran to a stack of old records we had in the basement, pulled out Queen’s A Night At The Opera, and hit rewind on the VCR. I had my head buried in that gatefold… I needed to know every word of that song.

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TVD Video Premiere: Johnson & McAuley, “Illuminated Dream”

By Josh Lewellen | Published: January 19, 2017

“It was always a fantasy of mine to make the ‘ultimate ’80s video’ (and by video, I meant VIDEO). Plus, I really wanted to learn how to do stop motion animation like INXS’s ‘Need You Tonight.’ (It took me 3 full days to do those few seconds.) When my animation buddies Steve and John Loter agreed to parody MC Skat Kat, it was the blue-screen cherry on top of the neon lit sundae of my dreams.”
—Bleu

Formed as a natural extension of past collaborations, Johnson & McAuley serves as the latest concoction of hit songwriter/producer Bleu and indie singer-songwriter Alexz Johnson. Having first become acquainted back in 2005 via a mutual record label (Sony), the two artists worked together on a number of projects over the past decade, with Alexz appearing on the 2015 track, “Bottom of My Heart,” from Bleu’s fifth solo album To Hell With You, and Bleu co-writing “Thank You For Breaking My Heart” on Johnson’s “Heart” EP.

Equal parts Dare-era Human League and When in Rome (whose definitive single “The Promise” lent itself well to an excellent reworking by the pair), Johnson & McAuley’s first single “Illuminated Dream” distills many of the finer elements of the New Wave tradition, which is to say that Bleu and Alexz have undergone a staggering metamorphosis from their respective power pop and acoustic backgrounds.

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Graded on a Curve: New in Stores, January 2017

By Joseph Neff | Published: January 19, 2017

Part two of the TVD Record Store Club’s look at the new and reissued wax presently in stores for January, 2017. Part one is here.

NEW RELEASE PICK: OST, Iris (Erased Tapes) Composer Dustin O’Halloran and Stars of the Lid member Adam Wiltzie are A Winged Victory for the Sullen, and their blend of modern classical, ambient, and drone gets its third full-length release via the soundtrack to the 2016 French thriller from director Jalil Lespert. While often tagged as cinematic, this is the duo’s first film score, with the music on prior album Atomos serving as accompaniment to a dance piece by choreographer Wayne McGregor. Iris taps into the above-listed styles and underlines the duo as a major exponent in contemporary post-rock. A-

REISSUE PICK: Pat Thomas & Ebo Taylor, Sweeter Than Honey, Calypso “Mahuno” And High Lifes Celebration (Presch Media GmbH) This reissues an excellent and pricey 1980 LP from a pair of Nigerian Highlife kingpins, Thomas the vocalist and Taylor the composer, arranger and lead guitarist. Those having scooped up Strut’s 3LP/ 2CD Thomas retrospective Coming Home will know this album’s “Ma Huno,” and it delivers Sweeter Than Honey its highpoint. But that’s no indictment of the quality found throughout this superb if succinct album, for in the truth in titling department, this baby rates high. A

Amas, Grill (Presch Media GmbH) Per PMG’s promo blurb, which quotes extensively from Peter Moore via the website African Revolutions, not only is Nigerian vocalist Gbubemi Amas smooth, articulate, cultured, and classy, he also possesses immaculate enunciation on this reish of a big-bucks 1981 boogie funk LP. Indeed, furthering the good-natured vibe is a cover of “Fire and Rain,” with Amas’ version closer to pop crooning than boogie or funk. Lacking the kick of Afro-rock or Highlife, this is solidly in the post-disco pop mold. Exuding hints of Talking Heads and Boz Scaggs, “Slow Down” is a highlight. B

Bash & Pop, Friday Night is Killing Me (Sire/Reprise) Tommy Stinson, with a lengthy cast of notables on hand, has a new record coming out this week under the revived Bash & Pop moniker. It’s titled Anything Could Happen, and I haven’t heard it. Hopefully, what happens will mark an improvement upon this formerly one and done group’s ’93 release, which is hitting vinyl for the first time on 1/24. To be fair, Stinson’s initial post-Replacements effort isn’t terrible; in fact, it’s a little better than the Mats’ final effort All Shook Down. Giving it a fresh spin, it persists as an okay but not terribly exciting listen. B

Black Anvil, As Was (Relapse) Reportedly one of the few black metal acts based in New York City, Black Anvil are now four albums deep, with all but their 2008 debut Time Insults the Mind on Relapse. That sort of label consistency frequently bodes well for overall quality, and so it is here. This is exactly the sort of LP to stoke the demonic fire of the genre’s sticklers the globe over, as it’s got the mauling guitars, the thudding rhythms, and the threatening croak-growl in spades, but there is a musicality to the 8-songs in 50-minutes that helps them to stand out. Familiar moves resist becoming mere tropes. A-

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In rotation: 1/19/17

By TVD HQ | Published: January 19, 2017

Vinyl Records Resurging: “A lot of people have heard about the vinyl comeback” said Patrick Hodgkins, Co-owner of Lagniappe Records, “so they’re googling record stores and ours comes up and they’re like ‘ohhhh they’re so many records.'” Patrick Hodgkins and his co-owner moved Lagniappe records to downtown Lafayette a little over a year ago and in that time frame they’ve seen a hike in sales. “It’s between slight and drastic, a happy medium. It’s definitely growing. As many records as we sell, we have people bring in records. So, it’s a steady supply.” said Hodgkins.

Tuff Gong International partners with Florida-based Sunpress Vinyl to relaunch pressing of vinyl records! Tuff Gong International is honored to announce the relaunch of our vinyl manufacturing services this February in partnership with Sunpress Vinyl. Considered by music purists to provide the premium listening experience, sales of vinyl records are on the rise, hitting a 28-year record high last year. Tuff Gong’s vinyl pressing factory has always been the most popular in the Caribbean, with its high-grade product attracting clients from as far away as Europe and Asia.

From anti-releases to 1-inch records: 13 albums you have to work too hard to hear: Obsessive music fans are a strange ilk. Not only will they fill their homes with every deluxe reissue of a record, but they’ll take on some barely functional curiosities, too. Here’s a look at the releases that stretch the definition of “album,” often requiring so much effort that it begs the question if it’s worth it—or, in some cases, if it’s even music.

LPs and the People Who Press Them: “We identified vinyl as kind of working with the ethos of the company, Hand Drawn Records, and also of course a huge need in the market, and something we were excited about,” Blocker says. “So we got into the game actually as brokers in 2014, just to simplify the ordering process for musicians. That’s how we learned the best mastering houses, the best print people, and of course, the process of pressing vinyl records.”

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TVD Live Shots: Sabaton, Accept, Twilight Force at the Brixton Academy, 1/14

By Jason Miller | Published: January 18, 2017

“We are Sabaton and we play heavy metal,” says Joakim Brodén singer and frontman of Sabaton. This Swedish power metal band are the masters in their niche of singing songs about war and historical battles. Make no mistake, Sabaton wear their influences on the sleeves, well more like on their (camouflage) pants, literally. Army helmets, cannons, fire, explosions, tanks—these guys are not f*cking around when it comes to putting on a full-blown metal show and the fans hang on every single note.

I’ve seen some metal shows in my life but never have I seen a crowd fist pump in unison so perfectly. The energy in the room was undeniable and the comradery that Sabaton orchestrated with their fans is absolutely remarkable. That crowd was losing their sh*t the ENTIRE time and it was contagious.

Touring in support of their 8th studio album, The Last Stand is a concept which takes inspiration from famous defensive “last stand” battles. Released in August of last year, The Last Stand debuted at number one in the Czech Republic, Finland, and of course their home country of Sweden. It’s a testament to the power of metal and the insanely large fanbase in Europe.

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TVD Radar: Modern Harmonic launches “Winter in Space”
vinyl in stores now

By TVD HQ | Published: January 18, 2017

VIA PRESS RELEASE | On Friday the 13th of January, Modern Harmonic celebrates their “Winter In Space” event with a handful of space themed records!

“Winter In Space” launches the first ever vinyl LP reissue of Tom Glazer & Dottie Evans’ Space Songs, a record created for children in the ’60s but coveted by adults today. Attilio Mineo’s Man In Space With Sound, a platter of beautifully textured space sounds with period-perfect narration (created for the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair) will be reissued on a custom colored vinyl LP and deluxe CD with a coloring book style insert. The Space Age Is Here To Stay, recently released in a limited fashion, will get a full release on CD and LP. It is the first-ever collection of Arkestra vocal tracks, so they’ve been appropriately released as Sun Ra & his Interplanetary Vocal Arkestra.

Speaking of Sun Ra, “Winter In Space” will feature the release of three 7” singles from the man from Saturn. Each features a celebrated Sun Ra recording on the A-side with an unissued cut on the B-side with incredible illustrations from the cream of the sci-fi artist crop. Friday the 13th of January should prove to be a treasure trove for fans of modern space art and music.