The Article
VINYL NEWS FOR 9 SEPTEMBER 2022
9th September 2022
A wide variety of vinyl news for you, this week, covering a host of genres
WHITESNAKE
Half of the press release for this release has been printed on the front sleeve. This ‘Greatest Hits’ (Rhino) double in a gatefold features 16 tracks including Here I Go Again and Still of the Night has been ‘remixed’ and ‘remastered’ while David Coverdale has been involved in production.
BUY HERE:
USA – https://amzn.to/3TYhZY0
EUROPE – https://amzn.to/3RNdoXb
SOCA
Or Soul of Calypso, a mainly Trinidadian brand that developed in the 1970s. Arrow was all over this flavour, hitting Top of The Pops with Long Time, I remember. Hot Hot Hot: The Very Best of Arrow (BMG) packs in 10 tracks.
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EUROPE – https://amzn.to/3RQ9qfN
USA – https://amzn.to/3U1Kh3U
MERCURY
…is the new LP from The Range (Domino; www.dominomusic.com/uk). It’s highly commercial, chart-friendly, electronic dance music aimed at big sales and making lots of money. It hooked me. And certainly there’s lots of those.
BUY HERE:
EUROPE – https://amzn.to/3RzrXNE
USA – https://amzn.to/3d5HK88
ARP
… or Alexis Georgopoulos, has released a new LP called New Pleasures (Musica Cosmica; arpetc.bandcamp.com/album/new-pleasures ), an instrumental electronic album. Despite the Japan rip off (Eniko), this is an intriguing, multi-style, pop-coated beats outing.
BUY HERE:
USA – https://amzn.to/3qtafzq
EUROPE – https://amzn.to/3qnwMOi
BLUENOTE
New on the classic label is Charles Lloyd Trios and Chapel featuring the great Bill Frisell and Thomas Morgan. Lloyd is the main squeeze here but the the trio as a whole rolls forward in an easy, sometimes mournful, oft relaxed frame of mind.
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EUROPE – https://amzn.to/3qoT6qH
USA – https://amzn.to/3RB7xEe
JOE BENNETT & THE SPARKLETONES
I saw this South Carolina rock’n’roll outfit performing a super higher-energy version of Black Slacks on The Ed Sullivan show in 1957 (maybe they were nervous?), via YouTube, with aptly named Howard ‘Sparky’ Childress looking all of 12 years old (he was 14). This Bear Family (www.bear-family.com) 10”, 14 tracker is packed with more of that energy.
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EUROPE – https://amzn.to/3eDMTV4
USA – https://amzn.to/3L9dtSj
JERRY REED
More from Bear Family, another 10” and Reed’s The Rockin’ U.S. Male: a 12-track 10”, another 25 on an included CD plus booklet plus post card. It includes tracks covered by others including a certain Elvis Presley and Gene Vincent. Great value.
BUY HERE:
USA – https://amzn.to/3DdBCoN
EUROPE – https://amzn.to/3TXsXwN
MUNSTER
From the Spanish audiophile label comes Telegraph Avenue’s Vol.2 (munster-records.com/en/) who combined psychedelic rock with Latin rhythms. Formed in 1969 in Peru, this compilation offers English vocals and doesn’t sound Peru in any way. In fact, it sounds like a classic, obscure, energetic, 70s UK rock outfit. Well worth tracking down.
BUY HERE:
USA – https://amzn.to/3DdnI6g
EUROPE – https://amzn.to/3BDeoaJ
SCHIZO FUN ADDICT
Apparently there’s only 58 copies of Fate Chaser, a lovely, one-sided, three-tracked, clear-vinyl 10” in a white outer sleeve, caked with Jake Winter’s multi-colour acrylic (?) paint core dumped on the front sleeve (https://www.fruitsdemerrecords.com/fatechaser.html) plus 3D glasses and 3D label! Phew! The music? Hazy, dreaming psychedelia with twangy guitars and shuffling backing vocals of the sort that might go on for four hours if no-one said ‘stop’.
CHRIS BANGS & MICK TALBOT
Covered by a sleeve displaying fake ringware, peeling price sticker and a ‘remaindered cut slot’, Back to Business (Acid Jazz; www.acidjazz.co.uk), Bangs (underground 80s dance) and Talbot (ex-Style Council), come atcha with funky soul-jazz.
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DEMON DUO
From the UK audiophile outfit Demon (www.demonmusicgroup.co.uk) is a reissue of the Valentine Brothers’ 1979 self-titled debut, original released on Source. Remember the hit, Money’s Too Tight (to Mention)? That’s them.
Classic rich, romantic, vibrant soul voices. Soul fans need this one.
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USA – https://amzn.to/3x82qTC
EUROPE – https://amzn.to/3DdDEVX
Speaking of rich soul vibes, but with disco flavours this time, Demon is offering Harold Melvin and the Bluenotes’ (Featuring Sharon Paige) via The Blue Album (1979). It’s first vinyl reissue.
BUY HERE:
USA – https://amzn.to/3L3buz5
EUROPE – https://amzn.to/3DcNYgU
Also check out the 33 track, gatefold compilation, Northern Soul Anthems featuring Melba Moore, The Valentines, Freda Payne and more.
BUY HERE:
USA – https://amzn.to/3BvZPpj
EUROPE – https://amzn.to/3DcP8Ji
VAMPI SOUL
A selection from Spain’s Vampi Soul label includes Viento Sur’s Experimental & Fusion Music from Argentina (vampisoul.bandcamp.com/album/viento-sur) from the 80s label, Melopea is a compilation of synth pop, folk and ambience.
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USA – https://amzn.to/3DcQnrW
EUROPE – https://amzn.to/3d5h0EH
Next? Brazilian Jorge Ben and his soul-funk outing, Dádiva (1984) certainly adds a samba glow but soul fans should check out this one.
BUY HERE:
USA – https://amzn.to/3x90WZu
EUROPE – https://amzn.to/3cYNIaT
SZUN WAVES
Szun Waves has released Earth Patterns (Leaf; szunwaves.bandcamp.com/album/earth-patterns). Luke Abbott, saxophonist Jack Wyllie (Portico Quartet) and drummer Laurence Pike (Triosk/PVT/Liars) offers synth-based jazz improv of symphonic magnificence.
BUY HERE:
EUROPE – https://amzn.to/3xbjOac
USA – https://amzn.to/3DhdbH4
YARNI PIGNA
Check out multi-instrumentalist Yarni Pigna’s self-titled release (EMK/Kartel; yarni.bandcamp.com/album/pigna). This nine-piece jazz-funk ensemble certainly mixes it up.
BUY HERE:
USA – https://amzn.to/3QvspeK
EUROPE – https://amzn.to/3U1VNfE
FLORIAN ARBENZ
Drummer, Florian Arbenz is back with jazz improv and Conversation #5 alongside Joāo Barradas, Tineke Postma, Rafael Jerjen and European flavours. Jazz played with..confidence! They know their direction.(https://florianarbenz.bandcamp.com/album/conversation-5-elemental)
ALEX IZENBERG
Alex Izenberg’s I’m Not Here (Weird World; https://alexizenberg.bandcamp.com/album/im-not-here) sounds like a spaced-out Randy Newman. Give this one time.
BUY HERE:
USA – https://amzn.to/3BtVV07
EUROPE – https://amzn.to/3QF7uWI
FINDLAY
London-based Findlay’s The Last of the 20th Century Girls (https://findlaymusic.bandcamp.com/album/the-last-of-the-20th-century-girls) is competent but this psyche/indie outing is ultimately vanilla.
BUY HERE:
USA – https://amzn.to/3QLKFRf
EUROPE – https://amzn.to/3RzioON
MOSKUS
Moskus’ Paper Fuglen (Hubro; www.hubromusic.com) offers ambient, meditative yet exploratory jazz. It goes nowhere. But sometimes that’s ok.
NILS ØKLAND
Also on Hubro is Nils Økland’s Glødetrådar blending European jazz flavours, rock guitar and improv. The restrained energies add weight to the message.
BUY HERE:
EUROPE – https://amzn.to/3B3jLhQ
