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Vinyl

Vinyl love: Boygenius “The record”

(Vinyl Love is a series of posts that quite simply lists, describes, and displays the pieces in my growing vinyl collection. You can bet that each record was given a spin during the drafting of each corresponding post.)

Artist: Boygenius
Album Title: The record
Year released: 2023
Details: Urban Outfitters exclusive, pink swirl

The skinny: I’ve never purchased a piece of clothing from Urban Outfitters, for myself nor for anyone else, and I’m not even sure if I’ve ever even stepped foot into one of their stores. I have, however, now purchased two records from their online store, both Urban Outfitter exclusives. I was leery at first but after purchasing Orville Peck’s debut album “Pony” on red/orange vinyl and being quite happy with it, I have been tempted by a few others. I finally pulled the trigger on another very early this year when I saw they would have their own exclusive of Boygenius’s debut LP, “The record”. It was advertised as beige and pink swirl and the hype sticker calls it beige but I’m pretty sure it’s pink. But that’s my only complaint, if you can even call it that. It looks and sounds great and came with a 24-page zine, filled with pics and lyrics. Another no regret purchase, especially since the album was one of my faves of the year, coming in at number nine on the list that is still being counted down.*

Standout track: “$20”

*I’ll be back at it after Christmas. For those who celebrate, best wishes to you and yours for a safe and happy holiday.

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Vinyl

Vinyl love: Nation of Language “Strange disciple”

(Vinyl Love is a series of posts that quite simply lists, describes, and displays the pieces in my growing vinyl collection. You can bet that each record was given a spin during the drafting of each corresponding post.)

Artist: Nation of Language
Album Title: Strange disciple
Year released: 2023
Details: clear vinyl

The skinny: Two weeks ago today, I headed back downtown from my home office in the suburbs, not something I would not normally dare to do after work on a Friday night. This was Black Friday, though, and I had my eye on a particular RSD Black Friday release so I went on down to Compact Music in the Glebe, one of my preferred local indie record stores. I was unsurprised to find that the special release had sold out hours before*, given the store had been open for hours, so as plan B, I decided to take advantage of being at a brick and mortar store and purchase some records at the 20% off deal of the day. One of the two records that I brought with me up to the front caught the attention of the store’s two owners and the young woman working the cash and each approved of the purchase. Nation of Language’s synthpop revival sound would definitely be appealing to any fan of 80s new wave and their energetic and passionate sounds caught my ear with their debut album back in 2020. “Strange disciple” was super close to making my top ten favourite albums of this year but I definitely didn’t let my ‘honourable mentions’ post pass without a nod to this great 10 track collection.

Standout track: “Sole obsession”

*Have no fear, I managed to track down said album online the following day.

Categories
Vinyl

Vinyl love: No Joy “Wait to pleasure”

(Vinyl Love is a series of posts that quite simply lists, describes, and displays the pieces in my growing vinyl collection. You can bet that each record was given a spin during the drafting of each corresponding post.)

Artist: No Joy
Album Title: Wait to pleasure
Year released: 2013
Year reissued: 2023
Details: 10th anniversary, tan vinyl

The skinny: Here’s another great shoegaze album celebrating an anniversary this year and while this one is not quite widely recognized as a classic, it certainly is held as such in some circles. No Joy’s sophomore album “Wait to pleasure” was my introduction to the Montreal-based outfit led by Jasamine White-Gluz. They came up on my Facebook feed one day in 2013 from a group about shoegaze that I had forgotten that I’d joined. When I checked out the album and its mix of My Bloody Valentine and Sonic Youth crunch with Cocteau Twins and early Lush gauze-y goodness, this fan was sold. Ten years later, their Canadian label Hand Drawn Dracula* has reissued and repressed one hundred copies of the album to translucent tan vinyl to celebrate its anniversary. I pulled the trigger on Bandcamp as soon as I saw it there, which also happened to be a Bandcamp Friday. So win-win-win all around.

Standout track: “Hare tarot lies”

*Quite possibly my favourite indie label of the moment.