Category: Vinyl

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Vinyl

Vinyl love: Inspiral Carpets “Revenge of the goldfish”

(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: Inspiral Carpets
Album Title: Revenge of the goldfish
Year released: 1992
Year reissued: 2022
Details: 30th anniversary, Limited edition, transparent orange

The skinny: So here’s yet another album from the “man, I feel old” files. Inspiral Carpets’ third album, “Revenge of the goldfish”, was my true introduction to the Manchester-based, baggy quintet. I dubbed a copy of it to cassette after I borrowed the CD from my friend Andrew Rodriguez back in high school. I had recognized a song or two when I first listened to it and then, suddenly, I was hearing a handful of its songs all the time on Toronto’s alternative radio station, CFNY. To my young ears, Clint Boon’s crazy organ work, Craig Gill’s rapid fire drumming, and Tom Hingley’s pronounced and jaunty vocals were unlike anything else out there. For me, this album is a classic – so many great tunes! It’s a vinyl reissue I’d been waiting for for years and so when they announced this 30th anniversary (!) limited edition pressing in orange (of course), there was no way I was resisting. And I won’t lie, it’s hit my turntable more than a few times since it arrived earlier this year.

Standout track: “Dragging me down”

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Vinyl

Vinyl love: Various Artists “Caught beneath the landslide”

(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: Various Artists
Album Title: Caught beneath the landslide
Year released: 2021
Details: Limited edition, ‘Indies only’, double LP, clear

The skinny: Not counting film soundtracks, I only have three compilations on my record shelves* and that’s already three more than I ever thought I’d ever have when I first starting collecting vinyl. This particular compilation didn’t jump out at me when I first started seeing it pop up in my mailing lists from the various record vendors I’ve frequented over the years… that is, until I happened upon the track listing. And then, the salivation started in earnest. You see, I’ve always had a soft spot for Britpop and those years in the mid-90s when everything coming out of England was golden (or fool’s golden). “Caught beneath the landslide” was put together as companion piece to a photobook by former NME photographer Kevin Cummins that shared some of his iconic snaps from the era. The tracklist features a who’s who of those artists associated with the Britpop term but instead of the obvious picks by each, it collects together alternate versions, remixes, b-sides, covers, and rarites. I opted for the ‘Indie only’ version in clear vinyl because… clear vinyl. And this particular sucker for Britpop, loves everything about it.

Standout track: “Ciao!” by Lush with Jarvis Cocker

*The other two are the Frightened Rabbit tribute compilation “Tiny changes” and the very excellent, “Warchild – Help album”, another Britpop heavy record.

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Vinyl

Vinyl love: Big Red Machine “How long do you think it’s gonna last?”

(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: Big Red Machine
Album Title: How long do you think it’s gonna last?
Year released: 2021
Details: Limited edition, double LP, red opaque

The skinny: This sophomore release by the collaborative effort between Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon and The National’s Aaron Dessner marks the final instalment in this ‘Vinyl Love’ sub-series featuring my favourite albums of 2021. To be honest, I wasn’t bowled over by Big Red Machine’s 2018 self-titled debut, so I was a bit skeptical and didn’t rush to check out “How long do you think it’s gonna last”. When I finally did, though, mostly at the urging of a couple of my vinyl-loving friends, I was quite pleasantly surprised by the twitchy and anxious painting of this strange world that we are more and more finding ourselves in. Much is made of all the great guest contributions, and they certainly are great, but I think the most compelling moments are when Dessner steps out of his comfort zone and into the spotlight. This limited edition double red LP pressing was purchased from Pop Music Toronto’s online webstore, bundled with the 30th anniversary pressing of “Trompe Le Monde” to save on Canada Post shipping costs. And with all the time it has spent on my turntable, it’s not a purchase I regret in the least.

Standout track: “Magnolia”