It’s Talking Heads New Vinyl Thursday at The Vinyl Underground at 7th Heaven. Check out this week’s list of new vinyl arrivals:
Ash Ra Tempel – Gin Rose
Aphex Twin – I Care Because You Do
Bangles – Gold [140 gram Vinyl]
The Beatles – Let It Be [180 gram Vinyl, Remastered]
Beyonce – B’day
Beyonce – Lemonade [Yellow Colored, 180 gram Vinyl, Gatefold LP jacket]
Bill Withers – Live at Carnegie Hall [180 gram Vinyl]
The Budos Band – Long In The Tooth
Black Pumas – Black Pumas [Bonus 7”]
Bob Mould – Blue Hearts [Black Colored Vinyl]
Brent Cobb – Keep ‘Em On They Toes
Blitzen Trapper – Holy Smokes Future Jokes
Weekly Review:
Blitzen Trapper deliver a song cycle about the temporary state between death and rebirth for their 10 th
album, Holy Smokes Future Jokes, but don’t let that put you off. Focus instead on the great vocal
harmonies and the way the acoustic instruments play off each other, making it feel at times like an indie
rock version of the Grateful Dead’s American Beauty.
Take the (excellent) song “Dead Billie Jean.” Across a rootsy array of instruments that includes fiddle,
banjo and mouth harp, singer Eric Earley imagines the title character from Michael Jackson’s hit song
smoking dope with Abraham Lincoln and “playin’ bones” with Jim Morrison and Rolling Stone Brian
Jones. It would be insufferable if it weren’t so congenial, low-key and catchy.
The rest of the album fits nicely into this same groove, give or take some jazz saxophone here or pedal
steel guitar there. Mix it into a playlist with Dawes and Deer Tick, jump in the car and you’ll be halfway
to Blitzen Trapper’s home base of Portland, Ore. before you know it. Put it on your turntable for those
crisp autumn afternoons where you can throw open the windows and take a nap on the couch, letting
the music and breeze wash over you. -Joel Francis
Childish Gambino – Camp
Coriky – Coriky
Danzig – Sing Elvis (Color Vinyl)
Dawes – Good Luck With Whatever [Yellow Colored, 180 gram Vinyl]
Death – Leprosy [Clear Vinyl]
Duran Duran – A Diamond in the Mind: Live 2011
Weekly Review:
This archival double-live album captures Duran Duran touring behind their 13 th album, All You Need is
Now. Four songs from this Mark Ronson-produced comeback dot the collection. Classic material like the
James Bond theme “A View to a Kill” blends well with newer material like “Blame the Machines” and
“Girl Panic!”
The band is tight and Simon LeBon’s voice is in fine form, despite a vocal cord injury that postponed
some earlier dates on the tour. If the performances sound familiar, it is because they were first released
on Blu-Ray back in 2012.
A Diamond in the Mind shines brightest in the hit-heavy second half that includes many of the band’s
most beloved numbers: “Ordinary World,” Hungry Like the Wolf,” “The Wild Boys” (with a bit of Frankie
Goes to Hollywood’s “Relax” thrown in for good measure) and “Rio.”
Granted, you could make a pretty good Duran Duran playlist grabbing the studio versions of these songs
and placing them in the same sequence (or just playing the Blu-Ray), but the dedicated fan willing to do
that will probably also want to have the live versions. Duran Duran is well past the point of trying to win
new fans at this point, but the faithful will find a lot to love on A Diamond in the Mind. -Joel Francis
Frankie and the Witch Fingers – Monsters Eating People Eating Monsters
Freddie Hubbard – Blue Springs
Freddie Hubbard – Breaking Point
Freddie Hubbard – Hub Cap
Freddie Hubbard – Hub-Tones
The Five Americans – I See the Light
The Flaming Lips – American Head
Glass Animals – How To Be A Human Being
Grant Green – Sunday Mornin [180 gram Vinyl]
Jimi Hendrix – Electric Ladyland [180 gram vinyl]
John Coltrane – A Love Supreme [180 gram Vinyl]
John Coltrane – Black Pearl [180 gram Vinyl]
John Coltrane – Blue Train [Green Color, 180 gram Vinyl]
John Coltrane – Coltrane [180 gram Vinyl]
John Coltrane – Lush Life [180 gram Vinyl]
John Lennon – Gimme Some Truth [180 gram Vinyl, with Poster & Booklet]
John Prine – Prime Prine: The Best of John Prine
Julien Baker – Turn Out The Lights [Clear Vinyl]
Jerry Joseph – The Beautiful Madness
Weekly Review:
Jerry Joseph looks directly at the camera on the cover of his new album, The Beautiful Madness. A
cigarette hangs between his lips as the black-and-white photography accentuates a weathered
weariness across Joseph’s face. He looks like a long-lost compatriot of Burroughs or Bukowski.
On the album, Joseph covers the same roots/folk/rock territory as John Hiatt, Chuck Prophet or James
McMurtry. Joseph has released more than two dozen albums over nearly 35 years, hiding in plain sight.
Joseph has some all-star help on hand for The Beautiful Madness. The Drive-By Truckers bring these 10
new tunes to life, with Patterson Hood doing double-duty in the band and behind the boards. Former
Trucker Jason Isbell even comes by play some slide guitar on the song “Dead Confederate,” the best
song on the album.
Another high point is “Sugar Shacks,” a seven-minute rant that combines the best elements of Henry
Rollins and Cormac McCarthy.
Buy The Beautiful Madness to hear the Truckers and stay for the honest songwriting. With any luck,
Joseph will hit the road with the Truckers, winning over new fans. Until then, play The Beautiful
Madness often. -Joel Francis
Kanye West – College Dropout
Kendrick Lamar – Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City
Kendrick Lamar – To Pimp a Butterfly
L7 – Hungry For Stink [Black Colored Vinyl]
Lana Del Rey – Violet Bent Backwards Over The Grass [180 gram Vinyl]
Mac Miller – Swimming
Makaya McCraven – Universal Being E&F Sides
Marilyn Monroe – Diamond Are A Girls Best Friend [60th Anniversary]
Michael Jackson – Off The Wall [Gatefold LP Jacket]
Michael Jackson – Thriller [180 gram Vinyl]
Miles Davis – Kind of Blue (Mono, Japanese Pressing)
Miles Davis – The Essential Miles Davis
Moneybagg Yo – Time Served
The Notorious B.I.G. – Greatest Hits
The Nude Party – Midnight Manor [Limited Edition, Clear and Purple Color, 140 gram Vinyl]
Oasis – What’s The Story Morning Glory [Limited Edition, 25th Anniversary]
Outside Providence – Music From the Motion Picture
Ozzy Osbourne – Blizzard of Ozz [Remastered, 180 gram Vinyl]
Phoebe Bridgers – Punishers
Pink Floyd – Best of Pink Floyd: A Foot In The Door [180 gram vinyl, Gatefold LP jacket]
Poison – Open Up And Say Ahh [Limited Edition, Gold Colored, 180 gram Vinyl, Gatefold LP Jacket]
Pop Smoke – Meet The Woo 2
Post Malone – Beerbongs & Bentleys [Clear Vinyl]
Powerman 5000 – The Noble Rot [limited Edition, Bonus Track]
Primus – Pork Soda
Radiohead – Ok Computer [180 gram vinyl]
Radiohead – The Bends
Roger Waters – Us + Them [150 gram Vinyl, Gatefold LP Jacket, with booklet]
Rolling Stones – Goats Head Soup [180 gram Vinyl]
Rolling Stones – Steel Wheels Live [Limited Edition, Oversized Item Split, Blue Colored, 180 gram Vinyl]
Rolling Stones – Sticky Fingers
Sufjan Stevens – The Ascension
Weekly Review:
Here’s a quick test to determine if indie singer/songwriter Sufjan Stevens’ eighth album, The Ascension,
is right for you. On the song “Ativan,” Stevens sings quietly, urgently seeking relief as keyboards clatter
around him. Finally, a string section arrives, providing musical and personal solace. In a recent interview,
Stevens said he wanted to sound like a panic attack until the Ativan, a prescription anxiety medicine,
kicks in.
If this sounds pretentious or precious, feel free to move along. If you are intrigued, The Ascension offers
a lot to explore – more than 80 minutes, in fact.
Musically, The Ascension winds up somewhere between Steven’s previous two albums, the electronic
experiment The Age of Adz and the intimate Carrie and Lowell. It’s not hard to imagine several parts of
The Ascension on acoustic guitar or banjo, but while synthesizers and keyboards dominate the
landscape, the results aren’t as intricate and calculated as the electronics on The Age of Adz. As on
Carrie and Lowell, many of The Ascension’s lyrics are intimate and revealing.
On the closing track, titled, simply, “America,” Stevens unburdens his soul. He sings “I have love you, I
have grieved/I’m ashamed to admit I no longer believe,” before begging “don’t do to me what you did to
America.” The arrangement is even less inviting than the lyrics, evoking an uneasy, desolate landscape
across the closing minutes. Then, gradually, hope seems to appear. Is it a mirage? Time will tell. -Joel Francis
Sade – The Best Of Sade [180 gram Vinyl]
Shy Boys – Talk Loud [Opaque Light Pink Colored Vinyl]
The Syndicate of Sound – Little Girl
Slade – Cum On Feel The Hitz: The Best of Slade
Sylvan Esso – Free Love
Weekly Review:
The third album from indie pop duo Sylvan Esso is exactly what we need it to be right now. In an
unpredictable time, they offer reliably upbeat, dance-friendly songs that stay true to the path cut on
their first two albums.
Consider the standout track “Rooftop Dancing.” In a world without dance clubs and cluttered sidewalks,
the roof may be the last available outdoor spot to cut a rug and remain socially distant. Nick Sanborn’s
arrangement is built around low-key guitar line that recalls Tune-Yard’s found instrument melodies. It is
Amelia Meath’s sunny, bubbly vocals that transport us above the treetops.
Sanborn’s desire to craft more minimalist accompaniment puts Meath’s signing at the forefront. She
never lets us down. On “Numb,” Sanborn marries an ‘80s synth line with a modern rhythm track as
Meath leads us through her new dance, shaking out the numb.
From the jubilant “Ferris Wheel” and Meath’s effervescent, effortless vocals on “Ring” and the
handclaps and manipulated voices on “Train,” which also recalls Tune-Yards, Free Love is breezy delight.
Way too quickly we are at the end. Between the manipulated vocals and ambient keyboards, “Make it
Easy” sounds like Laurie Anderson meets Brian Eno. The song ends with Meath intoning “play it again.”
And so you do. -Joel Francis
Talking Heads – Talking Heads: 77
Talking Heads – More Songs About Buildings And Food
Talking Heads – Fear of Music
Tame Impala – Currents
Thelonious Monk – Genius of Modern Music 2
Travis – 10 Song
Tricky – Fall To Pieces
Tyler Childers – Country Squire [150 gram Vinyl, Gatefold LP Jacket]
Tyler, The Creator – Flower Boy [150 gram Vinyl, Gatefold LP Jacket]
Tone Poets: Jimmy Smith – Prayer Meetin’; Horace Silver – Further Explorations; Herbie Hancock – My
Point of View; Duke Pearson – The Phantom
Weekly Review:
When I put on an acoustic jazz album, I sometimes close my eyes and pretend I’m in the room with the
musicians. A good recording makes this easy. I can hear the drum stick tap against the cymbal, brush
swish across the snare or the bass player’s fingers thump against the string.
Launched last year in honor of Blue Note’s 80 th birthday, the classic jazz label takes audio clarity to the
next level. The albums in their Tone Poet series have been remastered and pressed on 180-gram vinyl.
The lacquered, gatefold jackets feature photos that have been taken directly from the original negatives.
In short, both the sound and visuals have shocking clarity.
Blue Note has been releasing three or four Tone Poet albums each month. The current batch includes
titles from Horace Silver, Jimmy Smith and Herbie Hancock. Keep an eye out for new titles this month
from Art Blakey, Bobby Hutcherson and Duke Pearson.
The best part of the Tone Poet series is that it offers audiophile quality at reasonable pricing. Whether
you have a state-of-the-art setup or a more modest system, dropping the needle on a Tone Poet album
will take you straight to Birdland. -Joel Francis
The Uniques – Uniquely Yours
Various – Stone Free a Tribute to Jimi Hendrix
Various Artists – A Christmas Gift for You From Phil Spector
Various Artists – The Many Faces Of Deep Purple [Limited Edition, White colored, 180 gram Vinyl, Gatefold LP Jacket]
The Weekend – Thursday
Yo La Tengo – Sleepless Nights
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Enjoy the music and we will see you soon. Your loving Vinyl Underground at 7th Heaven staff:
Sherman, Gordon, Cat, Matt, Dylan, Doyle, Heather and Max
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