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Vinyl

Vinyl love: Phoebe Bridgers “Punisher”

(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: Phoebe Bridgers
Album Title: Punisher
Year released: 2020
Details: Limited edition, red and swirly vinyl, gatefold sleeve, included lyric book

The skinny: I pre-ordered this limited edition, red and swirly pressing of Phoebe Bridgers’ sophomore solo record, “Punisher”, as soon as I heard tell of it, right off her website. No second guessing. I loved her first album and both of the collaborative projects (boygenius, Better Oblivion Community Center) of which she has since been a part. The wait for the record was interminable. I’m not talking about the release date but the amount of time it took to get from California to here. I was worried that with the sitting and changing hands through the multiple stages through two postal systems, it might have gotten damaged along the way. But not so. And it was definitely worth the wait. The packaging is immaculate and the artwork and lyric booklet is lovingly rendered. And well, the music itself? Let’s just say that you can believe the hype.

(Update December 2020: “Punisher” has continued to rise in my esteem and has found itself at number three on my end of year favourite albums list.)

Standout track: “Kyoto”

Categories
Vinyl

Vinyl love: Doves “Lost souls”

(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: Doves
Album Title: Lost souls
Year released: 2000
Year reissued: 2019
Details: double LP, grey vinyl, limited edition, numbered 2952

The skinny: Last year gave us the big news that Doves, one of my all-time favourite bands, was re-forming for some live shows. And then came the vinyl reissues of their now classic first three albums. I received them in the mail around this time last year and I immediately posted ecstatic pics of my new copy their sophomore release, “The last broadcast“. These days, we are eagerly awaiting news for their brand new album to drop. (We’ve already heard the first single, “Carousels”, which sounds brilliant.) Until then, here’s another of those limited edition, coloured vinyl, numbered releases. This one, their debut, “Lost souls”, pretty sums it all up for me this week. Those in the know will understand.

Standout track: “The cedar room”

Categories
Vinyl

Vinyl love: I Break Horses “Warnings”

(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: I Break Horses
Album Title: Warnings
Year released: 2020
Details: double LP, clear vinyl, gatefold sleeve

The skinny: I first came across the name I Break Horses back in 2011 and fell for the then-duo’s shoegaze-influenced debut album, “Hearts”. Then, I went to see them as the opening band on M83’s North American tour the following spring. And I Break Horses put on a blistering set, all but showing up the headliners. Unfortunately, I wasn’t as sold on their sophomore release, 2014’s “Chiascuro”, and after that, things were quiet for many years. When I heard tell that Maria Lindén was putting out a new album this year under the I Break Horses moniker, I was cautiously optimistic. When it was released, I gave it a spin on Spotify. I wasn’t even finished one go around (perhaps not even through the opening track featured below) before I was on the Bella Union website ordering this clear vinyl pressing. Yep. So far, “Warnings” is definitely one of my favourite albums of the year.

Standout track: “Turn”