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Vinyl

Vinyl love: Ocean Colour Scene “Marchin’ already”

(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: Ocean Colour Scene
Album Title: Marchin’ already
Year released: 1997
Year reissued: 2018
Details: Double LP, Translucent green, Remastered, RSD 2018 exclusive

The skinny: This sweet looking and sweet sounding piece of wax was a surprise pick up on Record Store Day back in April. “Marchin’ already” had just landed at the number six spot in a seriously loaded list when I counted down my top ten favourite albums of 1997 around that same time. Some of you might remember the track below as backing the opening credits of “Lock stock and two smoking barrels” but it had already climbed the UK charts the previous year. This and the rest of the album take traditional blue rock and soul and give it a modern bent. Brings back so many memories.

Standout track: “Hundred mile high city”

Categories
Vinyl

Vinyl love: The National “Sleep well beast”

(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: The National
Album Title: Sleep well beast
Year released: 2017
Details: Limited edition, Double LP, translucent blue vinyl, 24″x24″ poster

The skinny: The National’s seventh record landed on a number of ‘end of the year’ lists last year, notably (for me anyway) finding itself at the number three spot on my own best of 2017 list. They pushed the envelope and experimented with their sound, while keeping the general ethos of their music intact. It is atmospheric and lush and dark. It looks and sounds great on vinyl and I am about hear what it sounds like live and in person later today.

Standout track: “The system only dreams in total darkness”

Categories
Vinyl

Vinyl love: Suede “Coming up”

(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: Suede
Album Title: Coming up
Year released: 1996
Year reissued: 2016
Details: Gatefold sleeve, Limited edition, 20th anniversary, 180 gram, Double LP, translucent yellow vinyl, numbered 324/1000

The skinny: Suede and their lead guitarist Bernard Butler parted ways in acrimony before the recording of their sophomore album, “Dog man star”, was completed. The band soldiered on, however, and had a new lineup and new sound for their third album, “Coming up”. The guitars were still present without Butler but they were just another layer of support for Brett Anderson’s vocals and lecherous lyrics. The album as a whole was glam-infused and club-worthy, and in the end, is now considered a britpop classic. This 20th anniversary reissue was the template upon which the 25th anniversary edition of the self-titled debut was based: coloured vinyl double LP, the second disc featuring the era’s B-sides.

Standout track: “Beautiful ones”