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Vinyl Releases of the Week: September 14, 2011
Post By: Katherine.Eleanor
Brace yourself, Hendrix fans: Sony Legacy and Experience Hendrix have put together a smorgasbord of Hendrix treasures for you (details below). And as if that weren’t enough, Duran Duran, Ry Cooder, Bush, Primus, and Alice Cooper all released new vinyl this week, too.
Jimi Hendrix – Winterland Box Set, Hendrix in the West (Sony Legacy)
The latest titles from Sony Legacy’s monumental Jimi Hendrix Catalog Project capture not only Hendrix the electric guitar wizard but Hendrix the electrifying performer on 180-gram audiophile vinyl. The 8xLP Winterland vinyl box set features never-before released material from Jimi’s legendary six-show run at San Francisco’s Winterland Ballroom from October 10-12, 1968. A one-of-a-kind collection, it contrasts each night’s performance of classics like “Hey Joe,” “Purple Haze,” “Are You Experienced?,” “Tax Free,” and “Foxy Lady.” Also included are covers of Cream’s “Sunshine of Your Love,” Howlin’ Wolf’s “Killing Floor,” and Bob Dylan’s “Like a Rolling Stone,” as well as a rare backstage interview with Hendrix recorded at the Boston Garden a few weeks after the Winterland shows. Out of print in the U.S. since 1974, Hendrix in the West is comprised of material recorded between 1969 and 1970 at venues ranging from the Berkeley Community Theatre to the Isle of Wight Festival. Sony Legacy has reissued this posthumous live album as an expanded double LP featuring an additional five previously unreleased live tracks. Both releases feature stellar album art and previously unpublished images of Hendrix.
T-Bone Walker – T-Bone Blues (Friday Music)
Widely regarded as “one of the blues genre’s most important crowned jewels,” this 1959 masterpiece from the legendary electric-blues pioneer has been reissued on 180-gram vinyl. In addition to featuring some of T-Bone Walker’s greatest tunes (“T-Bone Shuffle,” “Papa Ain’t Salty No More,” “Stormy Monday Blues”), it showcases his inventive skill on the electric guitar, which has inspired everyone from B.B. King to Jimi Hendrix.
Alice Cooper – Welcome 2 My Nightmare (Universal Music Enterprises)
The sequel to Alice Cooper’s 1975 rock classic Welcome to My Nightmare brings a new nightmare to a new generation. The original album’s producer Bob Ezrin returns along with original Alice Cooper members Denis Dunaway, Michael Bruce, Neal Smith, and legendary guitarist Steve Hunter. But there are also plenty of surprises, like a duet with rapper Ke$ha, who plays the she-devil in Alice’s bad dream, and the ballad “Something to Remember Me By,” which Alice has deemed “the prettiest song we have ever released.”
Duran Duran – All You Need Is Now (S-Curve)
At last, the 2011 album from the British synth-rock icons is available on vinyl. Produced by Mark Ronson (Adele, Amy Winehouse), All You Need Is Now restores the spark of Duran Duran’s best ’80s work. In fact, Ronson has called All You Need Is Now, Duran Duran’s 13th studio album, the “imaginary follow-up to Rio that never was.” Owen Pallett of Arcade Fire contributes the album’s string arrangements.
David Lee Roth – Eat ‘Em and Smile (Friday Music)
180-gram reissue of Roth’s first solo effort after leaving Van Halen. Released in 1986, the album features two of hard rock’s greatest shredders, guitarist Steve Vai and bassist Billy Sheehan, and went on to top the charts with the hits “Goin’ Crazy” and “Yankee Rose.”
Ry Cooder – Pull Up Some Dust and Sit Down (Nonesuch)
For the follow-up to his California trilogy, the guitar legend conjures the spirit of Woodie Guthrie and his own 1970s work to deliver a magnificent 21st century protest album. Available as a double 140-gram LP, Pull Up Some Dust and Sit Down is being called brave, deeply poignant, and one of Cooder’s all-time best.
Bush – Sea of Memories (Entertainment One)
The reunited British post-grunge band—featuring frontman Gavin Rossdale and drummer Robin Goodridge with new recruits Chris Traynor and Corey Britz standing in for original guitarist Nigel Pulsford and bassist Dave Parsons—returns with its first album in a decade. Sea of Memories was produced by Bob Rock (Aerosmith, Metallica), and manages to capture Bush’s classic dichotomy of thrusting rock and maudlin ballads without sounding like a throwback version of the band’s ’90s work.
Cake – Showroom of Compassion 7-inch vinyl box set (Nettwerk)
This unique package is a dream come true for Cake’s vinyl-loving fans. Featuring the entirety of the band’s 2011 album, Showroom of Compassion, plus the bonus track “Huge Misunderstanding” pressed on six virgin vinyl 7-inch records of varying colors: opaque orange, opaque yellow, opaque blue, clear red, opaque white, and clear.
Primus – Green Naugahyde (ATO Records/Red)
The Les Claypool-fronted funk-metal oddballs return with their first proper studio album since 1999. Featuring the group’s original (circa 1988) drummer Jay Lane, Green Naugahyde is reminiscent of the band’s 1990 debut, Frizzle Fry.
Anthrax – Worship Music (Megaforce)
’80s thrash metal kings Anthrax reunite for their first album in eight years. Worship Music marks the return of vocalist Joey Belladonna to the fold and is available as a 180-gram double LP pressed on black/orange or orange/black swirl vinyl.
UFO – No Place to Run (1980), The Wild, the Willing and the Innocent (1981), Mechanix (1982) (101 Distribution Imports)
Imported 180-gram vinyl reissues of the British hard-rock band’s early-’80s/post-Michael Schenker albums.
Johnny Winter – Live at Rockpalast 1979 (MVD Visual)
The great American blues guitarist took a break from producing Grammy Award-winning albums for Muddy Waters to perform with his band on Germany’s famous Rockpalast TV show in 1979. This live set features Winter’s own lean and mean blues as well as covers of the Rolling Stones’ “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” and “Susie Q.”
Wanda Jackson – The Queen of Rockabilly Salutes the King of Rock N’ Roll (Cleopatra)
Elvis Presley’s friend and protégé Wanda Jackson salutes the King with 15 memorable tracks including “Blue Moon of Kentucky,” “Heartbreak Hotel,” and “Love Me Tender.” The album opens with an introduction by Wanda and closes with Wanda talking about Elvis.
Howlin’ Wolf – Killing Floor: Blues Essentials (Cleopatra)
Limited-edition vinyl release featuring recordings by the great Chicago bluesman including the original 1956 studio recording of “Smokestack Lightning” plus Wolf standards like “Killing Floor” and “Little Red Rooster.”
Tom Morello and the Nightwatchman – World Wide Rebel Songs (New West Records)
The new self-produced solo album from the Rage Against the Machine guitarist is nothing like his previous acoustic solo work. Bringing out his electric guitar and calling upon the Freedom Fighter Orchestra, Morello isn’t holding back here. He describes his approach: “I wanted to capture a vibe midway between Johnny Cash and Che Guevara, murder ballads and Molotov anthems.”
Me First and the Gimme Gimmes – Sing in Japanese (Fat Wreck Chords)
Speaking of supergroups, Me First and the Gimme Gimmes—the supergroup cover band featuring members of NOFX, Lagwagon, Swingin’ Utters, and Foo Fighters—are back with a new album. Now for the twist: it’s a Japanese cover album featuring covers of six Japanese classics all sung in Japanese.
Mogwai – Earth Division EP (Sub Pop)
Known for their blistering multi-guitar crescendos, the Scottish post-rockers take a more subdued approach on their latest four-track EP. Eerie and tense, Earth Division reveals a new fascination with strings, piano, harmonica, and acoustic guitar.
Ladytron – Gravity the Seducer (Nettwerk Records)
Following the release Ladytron’s career retrospective, Best of Ladytron: 00-10, Gravity the Seducer begins a new, more abstract and ethereal chapter for the British electro-pop band. Seductive, indeed.
Nick Lowe – The Old Magic (Yep Roc Records)
The new album from the British new wave great Nick Lowe features a twangy mix of swinging originals and covers that would’ve sounded right at home on Sun Records. At age 61, there’s no denying that this pop songwriter keeps getting better with age.
Glenn Jones – The Wanting (Thrill Jockey)
The founder of Boston psych-rock band Cul de Sac returns with his fourth LP. The Wanting embodies the “American Primitive” movement in its original compositions performed on the acoustic steel string, six-string, 10-string, and bottleneck guitar, as well as on the five-string open-back banjo.
Dream Theater – A Dramatic Turn of Events (Roadrunner)
The 11th studio album from the prog-metal act is a melodic, keyboard-heavy outing featuring Mike Mangini sitting in for original drummer Mike Portnoy. Look forward to plenty of long instrumentals with crazy time signature shifts.
The Raincoats – Odyshape (We Three Records)
Re-mastered 180-gram reissue of the British band’s 1981 post-punk classic. Dubbed the “godmothers of grunge,” the Raincoats were hugely influential to the U.S. Riot Grrrl movement as well as Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain.
Exodus – Impact Is Imminent (Back on Black Import)
Speaking of thrash metal, Exodus’ 1990 album gets a reissue. Considering the amount of heavy riffs on this album, I’d say moshing is imminent.
Holly Golightly and the Brokeoffs – Nobody Will Be There (Damaged Goods)
Thanks to much persuasion, this limited-edition, tour-only live CD is now available on vinyl. Nobody Will Be There features 10 live tracks including Golightly’s classics ”Devil Do” and ”Medicine Water” as well as a cover of Lee Hazlewood’s ”Dark in My Heart.”
Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey – Race Riot Suite (The Royal Potato Family)
Written, arranged, and orchestrated by the avant-garde jazz band’s lap steel guitarist Chris Combs, Race Riot Suite is a conceptual album about the 1921 race riot in the band’s hometown of Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Omar Souleyman – Haflat Gharbia: The Western Concerts (Sublime Frequencies)
This double LP from the Sryian musician—whom Bjork has tapped to remix songs from her forthcoming album, Biophilia—captures the best moments from his Western tours between 2009 and 2011 including previously unreleased material.
From the Indie Section:
Superchunk – Foolish (Merge)
The latest in Merge’s series of 180-gram Superchunk reissues is 1994’s Foolish. Recorded with Brian Paulson (Wilco, Slint), Foolish is the Chapel Hill indie-rock band’s fourth album and a dark contrast to its explosive pop-punk predecessor, On the Mouth.
Chuck Ragan – Covering Ground (Side One Dummy)
Former Hot Water Music frontman and current solo troubadour Chuck Ragan returns with his third solo effort. Covering Ground is being called his most honest and accomplished to date, as well as the sonic equivalent to Jack Kerouac’s On the Road.
Mates of State – Mountaintops (Barsuk)
I’m extremely excited for this new album from the husband and wife/drums and keyboard indie-pop duo. Maybe even *most* excited.
Wild Flag – Wild Flag (Merge)
Keep an eye out for this supergroup featuring Carrie Brownstein (Sleater-Kinney), Rebecca Cole (the Minders), Mary Timony, and Janet Weiss (Sleater-Kinney, Quasi, Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks).
The Kooks – Junk of the Heart (Astralwerks)
The third album from the British alt-rock band was produced by Tony Hoffer (Beck, Air, Belle & Sebastian) and is oozing with killer hooks.
Arctic Monkeys – “The Hellcat Spangled Shalalala” 7-inch single (Domino)
The new single from the Arctic Monkey’s latest album, Suck It and See. Features the b-side “Little Illusion Machine (Wirral Riddler)”
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