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Vinyl

Vinyl love: The Charlatans “Us and us only”

(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 Charlatans
Album Title: Us and us only
Year released: 1999
Year reissued: 2019
Details: Limited edition, limited to 1000 copies, Record Store Day exclusive, clear vinyl

The skinny: So perhaps my expectations were unreasonable, as were my hopes that our local stores would somehow manage to track down some of the US and UK exclusives, but I have to admit to a modicum of disappointment with this year’s Record Store Day. Unless you count the free disc I scored with one of my purchases, the only RSD exclusive I picked up today is this one, though I did take advantage of the sales to procure a few records I’ve had my eye on for a while. Still, rather than dwelling on what I didn’t find, let’s have a look at this excellent clear vinyl reissue of The Charlatans’ 1999 album, “Us and us only”, that I did find. One of the many great albums by one of my favourite bands, this release was one of the few bright spots for me in the year it was released. And it sure does sound sweet on vinyl.

Standout track: “My beautiful friend”

Categories
Vinyl

Vinyl love: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club “Howl”

(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: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
Album Title: Howl
Year released: 2005
Year reissued: 2012
Details: standard black, 2 x LP, Record Store Day 2012 reissue

The skinny: There’s been a few Black Rebel Motorcycle Club related posts in recent months here on M(LI)ML: my first exposure to the band and the first time seeing them live. Well, here’s my first purchase on vinyl of any release by the band. “Howl”, BRMC’s third, has been my favourite album by the group since its release in 2005. It’s a bit different than their usual stuff, more stripped down and bluesy but still very cool and edgy. I’ve had my eye out for this one since I started collecting but it’s not one that’s easily found. So when I came across it on my recent trip to Toronto, the decision to pick it up wasn’t a hard one.

Standout track: “Ain’t now easy way”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NI27q3xNyI

Categories
Vinyl

Vinyl love: Elastica “Elastica”

(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: Elastica
Album Title: Elastica
Year released: 1995
Year reissued: 2014
Details: Unofficial RSD release, red translucent vinyl

The skinny: Elastica was formed after Justine Frischmann broke up with Suede frontman Brett Anderson and left that group. Elastica only ever released two albums before breaking up in 2001 but the only one of these ever worth discussing is the debut. There were rumours that boyfriend at the time, Damon Albarn, wrote most of the material and there were those that slagged it for sounding too much like Wire but I really loved this album for what it was. Sixteen tracks of Britpop bliss.

Standout track: “Connection”