Month: August 2021

The Best Vinyl Releases Of August 2021

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Uproxx

Anybody who thought the vinyl resurgence was just a fad was mistaken: The industry has experienced a legitimate revival. As a result, music fans are interested in physical media in ways they may not have if the decades-old medium hasn’t made a comeback. That doesn’t mean everybody is listening to just their parents’ old music, though. That’s part of it, sure, thanks to rereleases that present classic albums in new ways. A vital part of the renewed vinyl wave, though, is new projects being released as records, of which there are plenty.

Whatever you might be into, each August brings a new slew of vinyl releases that has something for everybody. Some stand out above the rest, naturally, so check out some of our favorite vinyl releases of August below.

Billie Eilish — Happier Than Ever

Interscope

Billie Eilish had a lot riding on her second album, and so far, she has delivered. It has spent multiple weeks at No. 1, spawned hit singles like “Therefore I Am” and “My Future,” and has otherwise kept Eilish in the conversation as one of music’s finest. The vinyl edition of the album is one you can feel environmentally good about owning, too, as it’s pressed on 100-percent recycled vinyl.

Get it here.

The Beach Boys — Feel Flows: The Sunflower And Surf’s Up Sessions 1969-1971

Capitol/UMG

The Beach Boys’ defining output came in the mid-’60s, but now they’re honoring a pair of their also-excellent early-’70s albums, Sunflower and Surf’s Up, with a giant new box set. There are 135 tracks in total, with 108 of them being previously unreleased tracks, live recordings, demos, alternate versions/mixes, instrumentals, and a capella tracks.

Get it here.

Foxing — Draw Down The Moon

Grand Paradise

Draw Down The Moon marked a change in direction for Foxing, who embrace genres like pop and rock like they never really have before in their mostly emo-leaning discography. Now, one of the year’s finer rock albums is available pressed on lovely yellow, blue, and green vinyl, which also comes with a 24-inch by 36-inch poster.

Get it here.

The Knife — Deep Cuts (20th Anniversary Reissue)

Mute

The Knife enjoyed a tremendous run as a beloved electronic act in the 200)s, and while they broke up in 2014, they’re celebrating their 2001 sophomore album Deep Cuts. As the record turns 20 years old, it has gotten a limited edition reissue pressed on magenta vinyl, which pairs gorgeously with the colorful album art.

Get it here.

Olivia Rodrigo — Sour

Geffen Records

Earlier this month, Rodrigo shared a video of herself in awe as she examined the vinyl edition of Sour for the first time. It turns out that’s an experience a lot of her fans replicated, as Sour had not just the biggest vinyl sales week of 2021 so far, but the second-largest of the past 30 years. So, if you don’t already have this one, the market has shown that it’s worth picking up.

Get it here.

Various Artists — Another Side Of John Coltrane

Craft Recordings

John Coltrane is a headlining act without question, but throughout his career, he also played a supporting role on works by fellow jazz greats like Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk, and Sonny Rollins. Now some of those collaborations have been compiled on Another Side Of John Coltrane, which is available digitally. The 2-LP set, though, has the whole package, as it includes two vinyl-exclusive songs: “Nutty” (from Thelonious Monk with John Coltrane) and “Birks’ Works” (from Soul Junction by the Red Garland Quintet featuring Coltrane and Donald Byrd).

Get it here.

LCD Soundsystem — The Long Goodbye: LCD Soundsystem Live At Madison Square Garden (10th Anniversary Reissue)

DFA Records

It’s hard to believe it’s been ten years since LCD Soundsystem’s “farewell” show (which of course preceded the band’s reunion). Now the soundtrack album is back in print as an expansive vinyl edition, made up of five LPs, a print of the original concert poster, and a 10.5-inch by 7-inch full-bleed risograph photo print by longtime band photographer Ruvan Wijesooriya.

Get it here.

Wu-Tang Clan — Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) (Reissue)

Vinyl Me, Please

Enter The Wu-Tang has gone down as one of hip-hop’s most important and influential albums, and now it has gotten a shiny new reissue via the fine record purveyors at Vinyl Me, Please. Pressed on “gold galaxy”-colored vinyl, this edition comes accompanied by an art print as well as a listening notes booklet.

Get it here.

Public Enemy — Fear Of A Black Planet (Reissue)

Vinyl Me, Please

Vinyl Me, Please was on fire this month, especially in the hip-hop department. They’ve also dropped a new edition of the Public Enemy classic Fear Of A Black Planet, and this version of the group’s biggest release comes pressed on sharp-looking blue and brown vinyl — or “Us and the Damned”-colored, as VMP puts it.

Get it here.

Big Red Machine — How Long Do You Think It’s Gonna Last?

37d03d

Big Red Machine is built on collaboration, as the core of the project is the coming together of Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon and The National’s Aaron Dessner. On top of that, the duo’s latest album also brings into the fold Taylor Swift, Fleet Foxes, Sharon Van Etten, and a host of others, and now they’re all available together on vinyl.

Get it here.

Spice Girls — Wannabe25

UMC/EMI

Spice Girls know what you want (what you really, really want): They’re celebrating the 25th anniversary of their hit single “Wannabe” with a new limited-edition EP, Wannabe25. Aside from the original 1996 single, this vinyl release also includes a remix of the song by Junior Vasquez (which was originally a bonus track on the 1996 “2 Become 1” CD single), the original demo of the song, and a demo of a previously unreleased track called “Feed Your Love.”

Get it here.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Remy Ma Gives Lizzo Advice On Internet Trolls: ‘F*ck These B*tches’

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A lot of people want to send love to Lizzo. This pop star, R&B singer, and rapping icon is already facing the extra challenge of being a Black woman in America — add to that she’s living in a plus size body, and well, haters gonna hate. And hate they have been, to the point that even this breakout star had a breakdown over some of the horrific fatphobic comments that keyboard warriors thought it was ok to leave for her following the release of her brand new single “Rumors” that features Cardi B.

Of course, you already know Cardi had her back, defending Lizzo against what she goes through in the public eye. But other artists have now chimed in too, as T.I. supported her and so did Offset, and now Remy Ma.

In a video from Hollywood Unlocked, the reporter asks Remy Ma for her advice to Lizzo, which was short and sweet. “F*ck these b*tches,” Ma said. “What are you talking about? F*ck them. Don’t care and just keep getting your money. You’ll never see them in real life, ever. They’ll never say it to your face.”

Wiser words have rarely been spoken! Check out Remy’s answer below.

Bonnaroo 2021 Has Been Canceled Due To Waterlogged Festival Grounds

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After a hopeful first step last night of restricting and reducing campgrounds, Bonnaroo 2021 has now had to cancel their event. Due to the weather concerns related to Hurricane Ida, the camping options at The Farm were already looking slim, but now it appears that the festival grounds themselves are too waterlogged to withstand the influx of guests this beloved event experiences.

“We are absolutely heartbroken to announce that we must cancel Bonnaroo. While this weekend’s weather looks outstanding, currently Centeroo is waterlogged in many areas, the ground is incredibly saturated on our tollbooth paths, and the campgrounds are flooded to the point that we are unable to drive in or park vehicles safely.

We have done everything in our power to try to keep the show moving forward, but Mother Nature has dealt us a tremendous amount of rain over the past 24 hours, and we have run out of options to try to make the event happen safely and in a way that lives up to the Bonnaroo experience.

Please find ways to safely gather with your Bonnaroo community and continue to radiate positivity during this disappointing time. WE WILL SEE YOU ON THE FARM IN JUNE 2022! All tickets purchased through Front Gate Tickets will be refunded in as little as 30 days to the original method of payment.”

Wiki Returns With New Single “Roof,” Announces New Album

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Wiki has returned with a pair of new singles in “Roof” and “Remarkably,” the former of which is highlighted right here. Produced by Navy Blue — who is also holding it down behind the boards on Wiki’s upcoming album Half God — “Roof” is a promising new drop from the consistent New York bar spitter. 

With the album set to be released on October 1st with guest appearances from Earl Sweatshirt, MIKE, Remy Banks, and Jesse James Soloman, it’s likely we’ll be looking at another strong underground release to further round out an already strong year. “Roof” certainly sets a striking tone, as Wiki lets fly a brutally honest stream of consciousness verse over Navy Blue’s minimalist sample flip.

If you’re here, there’s a fair chance you know what Wiki is all about. If so, be sure to stream “Roof” now, and look for the entire album when it drops at the top of October.

Quotable Lyrics

Do I really want shows to come back, I don’t know
That’s the only time I feel real, the times when I rap
Otherwise, need to get me this cash
I do not know, I’m stuck in a bind

Kanye West’s “DONDA” Sales Projected To Rise

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Kanye West’s Donda has arrived, and though it’s unclear as to whether or not the album is exactly as Kanye envisioned, the ambitious project continues to spark discussion across the board.

In fact, it’s entirely possible that Donda is Kanye’s most divisive album since Yeezus, eliciting passionate responses on either side of the fence. While some — like DJ Envy and Charlamagne Tha God — felt that Donda was lackluster, others felt an undeniable emotional connection to the album’s spiritual themes. 

Kanye West

Kevin Mazur/Getty Images

Love him or hate him, it can’t be denied that Kanye West remains a polarizing and fascinating figure in pop culture, drawing both fans and haters into his world whether willingly or reluctantly. It’s therefore unsurprising that initial sales projections for Donda appeared mighty high, with HitsDailyDouble reporting up to 300k in album-equivalent units — the majority of which seemed to stem from a single day of streaming. 

Impressive on its own, and enough to grant Kanye the second-highest debut in Spotify history — second only to his old pal Drake, who claimed the top spot with his 2018 double album Scorpion. Now, it would appear that Kanye has even more reason to celebrate, as his initial sales projections are officially set to rise even higher

Akademiks reported that Kanye’s Donda sales projections have increased from 300k to 350k, with fifty of those numbers arriving by way of traditional album sales. Ak also notes that given Yeezy’s decision (or not) to release the album on Sunday morning, the megastar missed out on two full days of potential numbers. Clearly, the people remain behind Kanye West, no matter how controversial his pre-album antics may get. 

Check out Ak’s projection update below, and hit the comment section if you’ve been keeping Donda on steady rotation. 

H.E.R. Announced The Day-To-Day Schedule For Her Lights On Festival

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The impressive rise of H.E.R. is only continuing to grow this year, following the release of her excellent Back Of My Mind album, and the second year of her Lights On festival. Started in 2019 but forced to skip a year during 2020 as most events did due to the threat of COVID-19, the female-owned and curated event is the first of its kind.

With an emphasis on R&B, the event showcases not just H.E.R. herself, but a wide variety of other friends and peers. And the whole thing leans decidedly female, another plus in this still completely male-dominated festival lineup. Today, the R&B breakout star announced the day-to-day lineup for September fest, so fans can plan out their own schedules accordingly. Check out the lineup below, with full lists of all the artists involved for each day below that, and keep an eye out for the set times, which are definitely going to be dropping soon.

Lights On
Lights On

Saturday, September 18th
EKYKA BADU
TY DOLLA $IGN
KEYSHIA COLE
MASEGO
FOUSHEÉ
BLXST
TIANA MAJOR9
MAETA
SAMARIA
AJANEE
LOREA
BRIANNA CASTRO

Sunday, September 19th
H.E.R. & FRIENDS
BRYSON TILLER
ARI LENNOX
LUCKY DAYE
KIANA LEDÈ
ARIN RAY
TONE STITH
VANJESS
JOYCE WRICE
MARZZ
MUNI LONG
MAXX MOORE

Migos Demonstrate ‘How We Coming’ In A Down-To-Earth Video For The ‘Culture III’ Standout

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Migos continue to support Culture III with the video for the album standout “How We Coming.” A bare-bones affair, the video is comprised mainly of behind-the-scenes tour footage and performance shots in a parking lot in front of their foreign cars. It keeps an aesthetic thread going with previous Culture III videos “Roadrunner,” “Why Not,” and “Straightenin,” which have all have a shared “home movie” look to them, perhaps in an effort to show how down-to-earth the Migos are despite their flashy lifestyles.

For what it’s worth, that lifestyle is pretty lavish. Quavo recently bragged that he pays his assistant $5,000 a day and the group plans to take over Las Vegas for a three-day festival promoting the album featuring appearances from Duke Deuce, Gunna, Kash Doll, Lil Yachty, Rubi Rose, and more. With that said, they apparently aren’t above putting on more low-key events; last week, they made their Tiny Desk Concert debut, performing songs from the album including the Jay-Z favorite “Avalanche,” “Happy Birthday,” and lead single “Straightenin.”

Migos members Quavo and Offset have been the most visible, as usual. Offset, who is expecting his second child with Cardi B, recently defended Lizzo from online trolls, while Quavo has handled the bulk of the group’s media tour, tapping out during his Hot Ones interview and needling Kendrick Perkins on ESPN.

Watch Migos’ “How We Coming” video above.

Aaliyah’s ‘One In A Million’ Has Officially Cracked The Billboard Top 10

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Getty Image/Ralph Ordaz

Aaliyah‘s 1996 sophomore album One In A Million was recently released on streaming services like Spotify, Tidal, and Apple Music, and has subsequently shot up onto the Billboard 200. Right now, according to The New York Times, the Timbaland-produced project has cracked the Billboard Top 10. (For context, One In A Million peaked at number 18 when it first came out.)

The follow-up to 1994’s Age Ain’t Nothing But A Number, One In A Million officially hit streaming services earlier in August via a partnership between the singer’s original label, Blackground, and EMPIRE, the independent distributor. Within hours, it reached the top spots on nearly every service. Meanwhile, Aaliyah’s estate released a statement condemning the release, calling it an “unscrupulous endeavor to release Aaliyah’s music without any transparency or full accounting to the estate.”

Blackground’s founder Barry Hankerson (who is also the late singer’s uncle), however, released a statement that thanked fans for their support. “As the owner of Aaliyah’s catalog and label Blackground Records, I want to thank you all for allowing One In A Million, to chart #3 in the world,” he wrote in the caption of an Instagram post. “I cannot take the credit for managing Aaliyah as that was never a title I held. That title belonged to Diane Haughton and her husband who managed Aaliyah from the start of her career until her passing. I want to thank Diane, Aaliyah’s manager, for allowing and choosing Blackground Records to become her label.”

Next up, the Romeo Must Die soundtrack is set to hit streaming services this Friday, September 3, and Aaliyah’s self-titled album will follow on September 10. Finally, her posthumous releases I Care 4 U and Ultimate Aaliyah will arrive on October 8.

One In A Million is out now via Blackground 2.0/EMPIRE. Get it here.

DJ Envy Said He Thinks Kanye’s Team Is Partly To Blame For Enabling His ‘Clown’ Behavior

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With the surprise release of Donda on Sunday, everyone is rushing to share their opinion on Kanye’s latest work. While the wisest among us like Questlove chided fans not to dole out hot takes when the album is barely 24 hours year old — and this might not even be the final product Kanye wanted to put out — others still can’t get over his actions outside of the music itself.

Charlamagne Tha God admitted he thought the record was a bit lackluster, but had thoughts on how to fix it, while his Breakfast Club co-host, DJ Envy, is still caught up on Ye’s past actions. He called Yeezy’s behavior over the last few months and years “clown behavior” and said he thinks the mega rapper’s team is partly to blame for enabling him.

“I called him a clown, and I still stand by that and I still mean that,” Envy began. “So many people called me and asked me why I felt that way, and I explained to them why I felt that way…. they asked me why do you think the people that I named — which was Pusha T, John Monopoly, Free and Boo were like that too — and I said it’s because I feel like you enable him to do it. You don’t stop him from doing the wild out stuff behind-the-scenes that is really disrespectful, and he should be humbled.”

Check out all of this thoughts above — including an admission that despite all that he still likes his Yeezy shoes — and our review of Donda here.