It’s The Weeknd New Vinyl Thursday at The Vinyl Underground at 7th Heaven. Check out this week’s list of new vinyl arrivals:
The Avett Brothers- The Third Gleem [180 Gram Vinyl]
Ari Lennox – Shea Butter Baby
Alice in Chains – Jar of Flies [180 Gram Vinyl]
Bob Mould – Blue Hearts
Blitzen Trapper – Holy Smokes Future Jokes [Red Yellow and Blue Colored Vinyl]
Bryan Ferry – Avonmore [180 gram Vinyl]
Brendon Benson – Dear Life
Blonde Redhead – Melody of Certain Damaged Lemons [20th Anniversary Edition, Magenta Pink Colored, 180 gram Vinyl]
The Black Crowes – Croweology [Anniversary Edition]
Bassnectar – All Colors (Gatefold LP Jacket, Colored Vinyl, Gold)
Beyonce – Lemon [Yellow Colored, 180 gram Vinyl, Gatefold LP Jacket]
Beyoncé – B’Day
Black Sabbath – Paranoid [Limited Edition, Black Colored, 180 gram Vinyl]
Brian Eno – Ambient 1: Music for Airports [180 gram Vinyl]
The Beatles – Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
Childish Gambino – Camp
The Cramps – Date with Elvis
Counting Crows – August And Everything After
Deftones – Ohms
Debutantes – Debutantes
Def Leppard – The Story So Far: The Best of Def Lappard [180 gram Vinyl]
Dirty Heads – Cabin by the Sea
Drake – If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late
Eminem – The Eminem Show
Gregory Porter – All Rise
Guns N Roses – Greatest Hits (180 Gram Vinyl)
Gil Scott-Heron – Pieces of a Man
Glass Animals – Dreamland [Blue Colored Vinyl]
The Hives – Live At Third Man Records
Hamilton – Original Broadway Soundtrack
Horace Silver – Further Explorations (180 Gram Vinyl)
Idles – Ultra Mono (Deluxe Edition, Gatefold LP Jacket, Photo Book)
John Prine – Souvenirs
John Prine – John Prine, self-titled, Diamonds in the Rough, Sweet Revenge, Common Sense
Weekly Review:
The music world was dealt a severe blow when COVID-19 claimed John Prine last spring. Although
everyone’s favorite postman is gone, his music is immortal. After being released as a boxed set for this
year’s first Record Store Day drop, Prine’s first four albums are now available separately.
Prine’s 1971 debut is a classic, filled with songs that remained on setlists for the rest of his life. It also
has “Angel from Montgomery,” Prine’s most frequently covered song. The follow-up, 1972’s Diamonds
in the Rough is a gem that only suffers in comparison to the debut. Prine delivers his songs like they are
a lost collection of Appalachian folk music, adding touches of mandolin and fiddle to the acoustic
arrangements.
For 1973’s Sweet Revenge, Prine returned to the sound (and musicians) that made his debut a success
and knocked the ball out of the park again. Although Sweet Revenge doesn’t have an “Angel of
Montgomery,” the title song, “Grandpa Was a Carpenter” and “Christmas in Prison” remain beloved by
fans.
The weakest link in this run is Prine’s fourth release, 1975’s Common Sense. The catalog of songs Prine
built while delivering the mail in Chicago is starting to run thin and the slick production applied to the
material doesn’t help. Common Sense is the last album Prine made for Atlantic Records. It was another
three years before Prine released another album, the wonderful Bruised Orange. Despite its
shortcomings, Common Sense is an enjoyable listen, if you can get past some of the production. -Joel Francis
Jimmy Smith – Prayer Meetin’ (180 Gram Vinyl)
John Coltrane – Giant Steps [60th Anniversary Edition]
Joe Bonamassa – A New Day
Kanye West – 808’s & Heartbreaks [Deluxe Collector’s Edition, With CD]
Kanye West – College Dropout
Lil Yachty – Lil Boat 3
Larry Young – Young Blues [180 gram Vinyl, Gatefold LP Jacket]
L7 – Smell The Magic
Love – Da Capo
Loren Oden – My Heart, My Love
Weekly Review:
Producer Adrian Younge has made a career meticulously recreating the era of blaxploitation films, silky
soul and dancefloor funk. Singer Loren Oden has been frequently tucked into the lush soundscapes
Younge has created with Ghostface Killah, the Delfonics and Bilal. Oden also appeared on the Luke Cage
soundtracks Younge composed with A Tribe Called Quest’s Ali Shaheed Muhammad. Oden finally has
jumped from the liner notes to his name on the cover with My Heart, My Love.
Oden’s debut is produced by Younge and bears all of the producer’s hallmarks. Marvin Gaye and Quincy
Jones are obvious touchstones to the sweeping arrangements, with Oden’s clean, tenor falsetto leading
the way.
If there is one downside to My Heart, My Love, it is that the track hang together so well as an extended
mood piece that there aren’t any songs that jump-out, screaming for playlist (or radio) inclusion. This is
a small gripe. My Heart, My Love is blissful 44 minutes. It will take less than half that time to convince
skeptics they, too, need this on their turntable. -Joel Francis
The Lumineers – Cleopatra
Led Zeppelin – Led Zeppelin II
Ministry – Every Day Is Halloween: Greatest Tricks
Motorpsycho – The All is One
My Chemical Romance – Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge
Mac Miller – K.I.D.S.
Mac Miller – Circles
Mac Miller – GO:OD AM
Miles Davis – Kind of David [Mono Vinyl]
Marilyn Manson – We Are Chaos
Weekly Review:
Back in 2016, Shooter Jennings, son of outlaw country legend Waylon Jennings, did two very unexpected
things. He released a very good tribute to disco producer Giorgio Moroder called Countach, and he
duetted with Marilyn Manson on the album-closing cover of David Bowie’s “Cat People.”
Now, Manson and Jennings are back in the saddle for Manson’s 11 th solo album. Manson’s turn-of-the-
century, shock-rock heyday is well behind him, but he has quietly (as far as media coverage, at least)
been releasing some of the strongest albums of his career. We Are Chaos continues this streak.
Chaos slams hard enough to still rattle the bones when it wants to, but Manson seems just as
comfortable working in several less-abrasive environments. The arrangement for the title song wouldn’t
necessarily be out of place on a Flaming Lips album. “Don’t Chase the Dead” echoes of Ziggy Stardust-
era David Bowie and 1970s glam rock. Lest you think Manson is starting to go soft, “Infinity” pops out to
knock your filings loose.
Whether you have remained along for the ride, or are curious what the “Beautiful People” rocker has
been up to lately, We Are Chaos will not let you down. -Joel Francis
Neko Case – Furnace Room Lullaby
Nirvana – Bleach
Prince – Sign O’ The Times (Limited Edition)
Prince – Sign O’ The Times (Deluxe Edition)
Prince – Sign O’ The Times (Super Deluxe Edition With DVD, Boxed Set)
Psychic Temple – Houses of the Holy
Purity Ring – Shrines
Pink Floyd – The Wall [180 gram Vinyl, Gatefold LP jacket]
Pixies – Doolittle [180 gram Vinyl]
Post Malone – Beerbongs & Bentleys [Clear Vinyl]
Run the Jewels – RTJ4 (Indie Exclusive)
Robert Cray – Collected [Black Colored, 180 gram Vinyl]
Rudy De Anda – Tender Epoch [Clear Colored vinyl]
Radiohead – The Bends
Richard and Linda Thompson – I Want To See the Bright Lights Tonight, Hokey Pokey & Pour Down Like Silver
Weekly Review:
The first three albums by former Fairport Convention guitarist Richard Thompson and his new bride
Linda are all back in print. The duo’s debut, I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight, has rightly been
celebrated as one of the best folk/rock albums of all time – and rightly so. Hearing Richard’s guitars
jump from the speakers on “When I Get to the Border” and “The Calvary Cross” is worth the sticker price
alone, but the songwriting is top-notch as well and Linda’s singing is perfect for the material.
Follow-up albums Hokey Pokey and Pour Down Like Silver, both released in 1975, aren’t as recognized
and have been harder to find. While Bright Lights is a dark, weighty masterpiece, Hokey Pokey is, as the
title implies, a more lighthearted album. “Smiffy’s Glass Eye” and “Georgie on a Spree” showcase a
sunnier side of the pair, but “I’ll Regret it All in the Morning” and “Never Again” prove that the sky is
never completely sunny in the Thompson’s world. If you love Bright Lights, there is plenty to savor on
Hokey Pokey.
Pour Down Like Silver was the couple’s last album for three years and is a more somber, stark affair.
Behind the covers depicting each member in Sufi attire lie some of Richard’s most revered songs: “Beat
the Retreat,” “Dimming of the Day” and “For Shame of Doing Wrong.” Side one closer “Night Comes In”
reaches past eight minutes and feels almost like a Richard solo track – until Linda’s voice swoops in on
the chorus. Silver is easily the most challenging of the three albums, but offers great rewards as well. -Joel Francis
Slayer – The Repentless Killogy [Limited Edition, Red Colored, Gatefold LP Jacket]
Sonic Youth – The Eternal
Strawberry Alarm Clock – The Best of Strawberry Alarm Clock [180 gram Vinyl]
Small Faces – Small Faces
Townes Van Zandt – For the Sake of The Song
Townes Van Zandt – Townes Van Zandt [50th Anniversary Edition]
Twenty One Pilots – Blurryface
The Talking Heads – The Name Of This Band Is Talking Heads
The Velvet Underground – Loaded
The Velvet Underground – Scepter Studios Acates [180 gram vinyl]
The Weeknd – After Hours
Will Butler – Generations [Red and White Colored Vinyl]
FLASH SALE!
50% OFF My Morning Jacket – The Waterfall II – Thursday, September 24th ONLY!
Upcoming Events:
The Event Formerly Known As Record Store Day will be happening over three days: Click HERE to RSVP to the 2nd Drop and for more info as we have it.
RSD Drop #2 Preview:
It is hard to believe the second Record Store Day is already here. This Saturday, September 26, will be
the second of three Record Store Day drops this year. Hopefully you were able to join us last month. If
so, THANK YOU – you know the drill. If you’ve been to Seventh Heaven for Record Store Day another
time, this one will be mostly the same – with some important changes.
Here’s what hasn’t changed: Seventh Heaven has ordered every RSD title and will have them priced
below retail. Sealed, single-serving cans of pop and candy bars are available for all.
Seventh Heaven will open at 7 a.m. and has implemented several changes to keep both you and staff
safe. While waiting in line, please stay six feet apart from your fellow record fans. Everyone entering the
store is required to wear a mask over his or her nose and mouth at all times.
Once inside, there will be several tables set up with RSD goods in the old space downstairs. There will be
a limit of two people per table. Don’t worry, there will be plenty of open space to maintain social
distancing inside.
Learn more about Record Store Day Drop #2. Click HERE to RSVP.
Here are 10 RSD releases dropping this Saturday I’m excited about:
Screamin’ Jay Hawkins – Because Is In Your Mind, … What That Is!
Ol’ Dirty Bastard – Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version (25th Anniversary Edition) 7” vinyl box set (limited to 3,000 copies)
The Replacements – The Complete Inconcerated Live (limited to 8,500 copies)
Son Volt – Live at the Orange Peel (limited to 1,500 copies)
Johnny Thunders and Wayne Kramer – Gang War (limited to 1,250 copies)
SUSTO – Weather Ballons (7” picture disc, limited to 1,000 copies)
Various Artists – Behind the Dykes: Beat, Blues and Psychedelic Nuggets from the Lowlands, 1964-1972 (limited to 3,000 copies)
Tegan and Sara – Tonight in the Dark We’re Seeing Colors (limited to 4,000 copies)
Shooter Jennings – Live at Bonnaroo (limited to 900 copies)
Brandi Carlile – A Rooster Says (12” vinyl, limited to 10,000 copies)
See you this Saturday! -Joel Francis
Turntables! We got ’em. From starter tables to audiophile, and everything in between, we have you covered. We are honored to once again be carrying a full line up of the award winning, top of their class, made in America, U-turn Orbits! We have all the colors- including the high performance walnut and maple. Get here fast for best selection. Get yours today!
We have official Vinyl Underground at 7th Heaven shirts in all sizes again- small to 3XL! Come in today and pick one up.
Please follow our very active Facebook and Instagram accounts to stay up on all the vinyl news.
Here’s where we talk about the virus. We are all freaked out. We are all nervous and anxious. We are OPEN. If you want to come shop in person put on your mask and we will say hello, give you a virtual high five- a virtual hug if we know you that well- and we will keep our distance. We love all of our customers and are glad to keep this little bit of normalcy in these crazy times. With that being said, we will also offer various other ways to get your vinyl fix. We have always shipped music and we will continue to do so. We also offer curbside pick up. Call us, pay, call us when you are outside and we will deliver your freshly sanitized purchase to your car.
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
#TheVinylUndergroundKC #WeAreLocal #YourNeighborhoodMusicStore #NewVinylThursday
