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The Best Vinyl Releases Of February 2022

February 28, 2022 by newhiphopnews

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 month 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 February below.

Beach House — Once Twice Melody

Once Twice Melody is Beach House’s first album since 2018’s 7, and now the expansive project has gotten an expansive vinyl box set edition; check it out in the unboxing video above. In her review of the album, Uproxx’s Caitlin White notes, “Once Twice Melody might expand their palette a bit, but it’s no experimental reach or brand new direction. Why mess with perfection? Their gauzy soundscapes are vague enough to sustain quite a bit of emotional projection, but there’s depth of meaning lurking within the songs that few other bands yield.”

Get it here.

Tkay Maidza — Last Year Was Weird, Vol. 2 & Vol. 3

Tkai Maidza Last Year Was Weird, Vol. 2 & Vol. 3 vinyl — Vinyl Me, Please

The Last Year Was Weird trilogy came to an end with the final two volumes, which are now available in a gorgeous gold pressing, exclusive to Vinyl Me, Please. Maidza recently told Uproxx of naming the series, “The term ‘weird’ is the way I described the plunge of going into the deep end and knowing that where I was. What I wanted was like a big leap forward, but I would have to start from nothing again. I was at that lowest point every day: ‘What the hell is going on?’ But in a way, I always had a feeling that it would work out because this was the only way it could be.”

Get it here.

Paul McCartney And Wings — Wild Life (50th Anniversary Limited Edition)

Last December was the 50th anniversary of the debut album from Paul McCartney’s Wings, a major project in the immediate aftermath of The Beatles’ dissolution. To mark the occasion, the album gets a fresh reissue, with this edition having been mastered at half speed for supreme audio quality.

Get it here.

Yusuf/Cat Stevens — Harold And Maude (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

Harold And Maude has become one of the defining films of its era, and Yusuf/Cat Stevens played a part in that with his soundtrack. That first came out 50 years ago, and now this vinyl reissue of it combines Stevens’ songs with dialogue from the film for the first time.

Get it here.

Pixies — Live In Brixton

In June 2004, Pixies took to London’s Brixton Academy for four sold-out shows that marked their UK reunion, and now those shows are preserved in a new box set. This eight-LP release marks the first time these recordings are officially available, and on top of that, they’ve also been freshly remastered.

Get it here.

Sturgill Simpson — The Ballad Of Dood And Juanita

Sturgill Simpson has been in a productive stretch that most recently featured the 2021 album The Ballad Of Dood And Juanita. Now, it’s finally available on vinyl, and since this may be the final Sturgill Simpson album, this one’s worth grabbing.

Get it here.

Chief Keef — Finally Rich (Vinyl Me, Please Reissue)

Chief Keep Finally Rich VMP — Vinyl Me, Please

Keef’s debut album was a big moment in hip-hop in that it helped popularize drill music. Vinyl Me, Please has now honored the album by making it one of their rerelease picks for March, which marks the first time the record has ever been made available on vinyl.

Get it here.

Modest Mouse — The Lonesome Crowded West (Vinyl Me, Please Reissue)

Modest Mouse Lonesome Crowded West VMP — Vinyl Me, Please

Modest Mouse is going on tour this year, but if you’re unable to catch one of those shows but still want to throw a few bucks at a cool Modest Mouse experience, Vinyl Me, Please has a fresh reissue of one of their iconic albums, The Lonesome Crowded West. This version comes pressed on “Bottom Of The Sky”-colored vinyl and is accompanied by fresh listening notes.

Get it here.

Sasami — Squeeze

Sasami got a Haim co-sign as she’s heading out on tour with the sister trio, and indeed, her new album is worth checking out. It’s a diverse effort that touches on everything from nu-metal to folk to classical, and now it’s available on a gorgeous translucent red vinyl pressing.

Get it here.

Various Artists — Ocean Child: Songs Of Yoko Ono

Death Cab For Cutie’s Ben Gibbard curated a collection of Yoko Ono covers for the new Ocean Child project, and now the endeavor is available to grab on vinyl. It’s a strong get if you want to add some variety to your vinyl library, as the collection features recordings by Death Cab, Japanese Breakfast, Sharon Van Etten, David Byrne, and a heaping handful of others.

Get it here.

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

The Best Vinyl Releases Of January 2022

January 31, 2022 by newhiphopnews

Jonny Greenwood — The Power Of The Dog

When Jonny Greenwood isn’t fulfilling his Radiohead duties, he’s become prominent in the scoring world. He provided the music for the Netflix film The Power Of The Dog, for example, and now his score is getting a vinyl release, which features a printed disc sleeve and the album pressed on high-fidelity black vinyl.

Get it here.

Burial — Antidawn EP

Burial kicked off 2022 with the Antidawn EP, which really veers into full-blown album territory with its 43-minute runtime. The vinyl edition is available on Bandcamp, which means that aside from the physical LP, you’ll get a digital download of the album to enjoy when you’re away from your turntable.

Get it here.

David Bowie — Toy Box

Toy, a previously unreleased David Bowie album, is legendary among fans, and now it’s finally widely available, as it got an official release earlier this month. It arrives as part of the Toy:Box set, the vinyl edition of which is pressed on six 10-inch vinyl records, which include the album, B-sides, and more extras.

Get it here.

Grimes — Visions (Vinyl Me, Please Reissue)

As Grimes readies her Book 1 project, now isn’t a bad time to look back at what got Grimes to this point with a new Vinyl Me, Please reissue of Visions, which celebrates its tenth anniversary this year. VMP even got Grimes to write new liner notes for this exclusive edition. For example, she wrote of “Infinite Love Without Fulfillment,” “Wow, i can hear myself learning how to make music in this song. I remember doing the vocal over the drums and then randomly trying that baseline and being like whoa! And kinda spiralling into this experiment.”

Get it here.

Bonobo — Fragments (Vinyl Me, Please Edition)

Bonobo has established himself as one of this century’s most beloved electronic artists, and now he has returned with his esteemed seventh album, Fragments. If you want an uncommon edition of the LP to highlight your record shelf, Vinyl Me, Please has an exclusive version that’s pressed on gorgeous orange and red swirled vinyl.

Get it here.

PJ Harvey — Let England Shake (Reissue) and Let England Shake – Demos

PJ Harvey Let England Shake Vinyl — UMe/Island

For a good while now, PJ Harvey has been going through her back catalog to give her albums fresh vinyl reissues, accompanied by companion albums that feature demos and other goodies. Now, Let England Shake, her revered 2011 album, has gotten the same treatment. While some releases (like the Bonobo one you just read about) come with vinyl pressed in fancy colors, the standard black LP is actually the perfect visual accompaniment to the monochrome album art here.

Get Let England Shake here. Get Let England Shake – Demos here.

The Weeknd — Dawn FM

The Weeknd has one of the year’s biggest albums so far with Dawn FM, and now fans can secure their own uncommon piece of it: The album has gotten an exclusive vinyl edition that’s only available at Target and features alternative artwork and silver translucent vinyl.

Get it here.

Cat Power — Covers (Indie Exclusive Colored Vinyl)

Cat Power is one of the best cover artists we have, and she has nailed it once again on her latest collection of other folks’ songs, aptly and simply titled Covers. This edition of the album is pressed on gold vinyl, which looks lovely when paired with the denim-clad cover art.

Get it here.

Tkay Maidza — Last Year Was Weird Vol. 3

The Zimbabwean-Australian singer wrapped up her storied Last Year Was Weird EP trilogy this month with the final installment, and if you were hoping to get a nice pressing of that for your collection, here we go. This is a real meat-and-potatoes edition, which comes pressed on classic black vinyl housed in a full-color printed inner sleeve.

Get it here.

Speedy Ortiz — The Death Of Speedy Ortiz & Cop Kicker… Forever

double LPs for ‘The Death of Speedy Ortiz & Cop Kicker …Forever’ are officially out today! i unboxed it; just getting into the box took 10 minutes; had to fast forward 3000% lol. @carparkrecords is long sold out but there’s still some “tour” stock at: https://t.co/d182mx9vto pic.twitter.com/FDEY7ljVEp

— speedy ortiz ÷ sad13 ÷ sadie dupuis ÷ haunted guy (@sad13) January 28, 2022

The Death Of Speedy Ortiz & Cop Kicker… Forever is a great collection for longtime Speedy Ortiz fans, as it compiles the band’s first album and EP (the ones mentioned in the release’s title) and some other goodies. As for what those goodies include, nobody can explain it better than Sadie Dupuis herself, and thankfully, she made an unboxing video that you can check out above.

Get it here.

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

The Best Vinyl Releases Of December 2021

January 4, 2022 by newhiphopnews

Bo Burnham — Inside (The Songs)

Is Inside (The Songs) a comedy album? If you’re the Recording Academy, you might not think so. Regardless, the album and its parent Netflix special were some of the year’s most talked-about pop culture, and now the music is available on vinyl. That means you can listen to songs about the internet on a format that pre-dates it.

Get it here.

Fucked Up — David Comes To Life (10th Anniversary Edition)

Fucked Up David Comes To Life vinyl — Matador

Matador has spent a good chunk of the year reissuing some beloved releases from across their catalog, and the latest album to get that treatment is Fucked Up’s David Comes To Life. This 2-LP edition is pressed on “lightbulb-yellow” vinyl, and if that isn’t enough, the group is embarking on a brief tour in January, during which they’ll perform the album in full.

Get it here.

The New Pornographers — Mass Romantic (21st Anniversary Reissue)

Speaking of Matador, here’s another rerelease from the label, of The New Pornographers’ Mass Romantic. That LP turns 21 years old this year and this new edition of it comes with a bonus 7-inch, Letter From An Occupant, that includes two rare B-sides, “The End Of Medicine” and “When I Was A Baby.”

Get it here.

Cults — Cults (Deluxe 10th Anniversary Reissue)

Cults had a hit on their hands with their 2011 self-titled debut album, and now the beloved LP is ten years old. The band is celebrating that milestone with a special anniversary vinyl edition that features, alongside the original album, three bonus tracks pulled from the original recording sessions. The reissue is limited to just 1,000 total copies spread across three distinct pressings: 250 copies on gold vinyl, 250 on black and milky clear colored vinyl, and 500 on standard black vinyl.

Get it here.

Marvin Gaye — What’s Going On (50th Anniversary Edition)

Marvin Gaye What's Going On 50th Anniverary vinyl — Motown/UMe

There’s not much more to say about What’s Going On, as essentially every music fan knows how excellent and important the legendary Marvin Gaye project is. The album turned 50 years old in 2021 and this new anniversary edition is now the best way to enjoy the project on your turntable. The 2-LP release features direct-to-analog mastering and four rare tracks making their debut on vinyl, including a previously unreleased “stripped” version of the title track.

Get it here.

Pom Pom Squad — Ow EP

Ow, the 2019 EP that preceded Pom Pom Squad’s 2021 debut album Death Of A Cheerleader, wasn’t released on vinyl, but that changed this month. It comes pressed on cream white vinyl with a red label, a simple but striking visual accompaniment to the album art.

Get it here.

Fela Kuti — Vinyl Box #5

Partisan Records is working through a massive Fela Kuti reissues series, and they got Coldplay’s Chris Martin on board to help with the fifth installment. He helped curate this new collection, which features Why Black Man Dey Suffer, Noise For Vendor Mouth, Kalakuta Show, Excuse O, Ikoyi Blindness, Original Sufferhead, and Overtake Don Overtake Overtake. Each album is presented here with meticulous detail, as the art for all of them was carefully re-created from the original vinyl pressings.

Get it here.

Aeon Station — Observatory

The Wrens released The Meadowlands in 2003 and fans have been waiting for its follow-up ever since. Well, this month, one sort of arrived, as Kevin Whelan made (with help from Greg Whelan and Jerry MacDonald) a new album called Observatory, under the name Aeon Station. While this may not be the continuation of The Wrens that fans had in mind, its at least something and the striking blue vinyl will look real sharp spinning on a turntable.

Get it here.

Danny Elfman — Big Mess

Danny Elfman stays busy as one of the most esteemed purveyors of film and TV scores in the industry, but 2021 brought Big Mess, his first non-classical solo album since 1984’s So-Lo. Now he has wrapped up the year with a massive box set version of the project, a 4-LP edition that’s limited to just 1,500 copies. Aside from the core album, it includes Elfman singing a duet on “True” with Trent Reznor, as well as goodies like a life-size light-up model of Elfman’s hand, a 60-page hardcover art book, and more.

Get it here.

E-40 — The Hall Of Game (Vinyl Me, Please Reissue)

E-40 Hall Of Game Vinyl Me Please — Vinyl Me, Please

As the year comes to an end, take a minute to be thankful for Vinyl Me, Please, who have spent 2021 and the years preceding it busting out exclusive vinyl reissues of some classic releases. Their current hip-hop album of the month is a winner: E-40’s The Hall Of Game. This edition is pressed on exclusive 2-LP “Rapper’s Ball Red” Galaxy vinyl and comes with a booklet of listening notes.

Get it here.

Gorillaz — Gorillaz (20th Anniversary Reissue)

Damon Albarn has been dominating the virtual band space for two decades now with Gorillaz, meaning the band’s self-titled debut album celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. To mark the occasion, the band has unveiled a super deluxe vinyl box set, which includes early demos and rarities, along with a “previously unknown 27-page DMC dossier of leaked documents, memos, faxes, and some early Jamie Hewlett drawings.”

Get it here.

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

The Best Vinyl Releases Of November 2021

November 30, 2021 by newhiphopnews

The Black Keys — El Camino (10th Anniversary Deluxe Edition)

The Black Keys were at the height of their power with 2011’s El Camino, and in just a few days, the album celebrates its tenth anniversary. To mark the occasion, the band has re-released it in various expanded editions. Aside from the remastered album, bonuses include a photo book, a limited-edition poster, and a previously unreleased concert recording from a 2012 show in Portland, Maine. Coincidentally, I was actually at that concert, and if my memory serves me correctly, it was a good one.

Get it here.

Lil Wayne — The Carter Singles Collection

Lil Wayne’s Tha Carter series is an iconic hip-hop institution, and now he’s collected the highlights all in one place. On Tha Carter Singles Collection, you get 19 of the finest songs from the series pressed on ten 7-inch records, as well as a booklet full of rare photos, two lithos, and brand new art.

Get it here.

U2 — Achtung Baby (30th Anniversary Edition)

After the all-time classic album The Joshua Tree and the not-as-beloved Rattle & Hum, U2 made a drastic change to their sound with the alternative- and electronic-inspired album Achtung Baby. That album dropped 30 years ago, so now the band is celebrating its three decades with a new anniversary edition. This version of the album has been remastered and also includes remixes of songs from both Achtung Baby and its follow-up Zooropa.

Get it here.

Charlie Parker — Bird In LA

Los Angeles played a major role in the story of jazz legend Charlie Parker, and now some formative recordings from the Kansas City native’s time in the City Of Angels are all together on this new collection. The release features the only known recordings from Billy Berg’s on December 17, 1945; three previously unknown JATP recordings from the Shrine Auditorium on November 22, 1948; and the complete recordings of the July 1952 party at Jirayr Zorthian’s Altadena ranch. For those wanting more context on the meaning of these recordings, the project’s producer, John Burton, offers just that in his liner notes.

Get it here.

Kiss — Destroyer (45th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition)

1976’s Destroyer was a formative and landmark release for Kiss, and now, 45 years later, they’re expanding upon it with a new reissue. Aside from the remastered album, the amount of goodies that is included with the Super Deluxe box is extravagant but not surprising coming from perhaps the most merchandised band ever: There are iron-ons, stickers, posters, trading cards, stage blueprints, a newspaper, a hardcover book, and much more.

Get it here.

Nirvana — Nevermind (30th Anniversary Reissue)

Much has been made about the 30th-anniversary edition of Nirvana’s Nevermind, and truly, this is a must-have for Nirvana fans. There are a variety of editions, the beefiest of which comes with 8 LPs that feature the original album (newly remastered, of course), four full concerts, a 40-page hardcover book with unreleased photos, and other goodies. If physical music isn’t your thing, the band also has a bunch of new merch to coincide with the album’s anniversary.

Get it here.

Radiohead — Kid A Mnesia

Speaking of anniversary releases, Radiohead had a big one this year, although it’s pretty different from the Nirvana one. Kid A Mnesia actually celebrates two albums, Kid A and Amnesiac, by collecting both albums as well as B-sides and unreleased tracks from the era. Again, if you’re not looking to buy a record/CD/tape, the gift-able merch offerings here are diverse, including everything from a paint-by-numbers set to holographic stickers.

Get it here.

She & Him — A Very She & Him Christmas

A Very She & Him Christmas vinyl — Merge Records

Who’s that girl? It’s Zooey Deschanel! And also that guy, M. Ward, who is known collectively alongside Deschanel as She & Him. The duo dropped a delightful Christmas album a decade ago and now they’re celebrating the project with a rerelease. It’s super holiday-ready, too, as it’s pressed on tinsel silver vinyl and comes with a new 7-inch, which features covers of Madonna’s “Holiday” and Wham!’s “Last Christmas.”

Get it here.

Yusuf / Cat Stevens — Teaser And The Firecat (50th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition Box Set)

Teaser And The Firecat helped establish Stevens as a premier singer-songwriter of his era 50 years ago. Now he’s celebrating the anniversary with a deluxe edition of the album that is described as “the most in-depth and definitive version of the album possible.” This version includes a remastering of the original artwork, 41 previously unreleased tracks including studio demos and alternate mixes, and a 108-page essay book.

Get it here.

Billy Joel — The Vinyl Collection, Vol. 1

Billy Joel is still going strong today, but on The Vinyl Collection, Vol. 1, he looking back on the ’70s. The massive 9-LP collection features his first six solo albums (Cold Spring Harbor, Piano Man, Streetlife Serenade, Turnstiles, The Stranger, and 52nd Street), his first live album (Songs In The Attic), and a previously unreleased concert recording (Live At The Great American Music Hall — 1975). All of the aforementioned come right from the original album tapes, and there’s also a 50-page booklet to offer more context on these classic projects.

Get it here.

RZA — Bobby Digital In Stereo (Vinyl Me, Please Reissue)

RZA As Bobby Digital In Stereo — Gee Street/V2/BMG Records

RZA went out on his own outside of Wu-Tang with his debut solo album, 1999’s Bobby Digital In Stereo, a project that helped him establish his own unique identity outside of the iconic hip-hop collective. Vinyl Me, Please always nails it with the vinyl color and they did so again here with their reissue of the album, which is pressed on “Mantis” Green vinyl that’s a perfect visual complement to the cover art.

Get it here.

Sigur Rós — Með suð i eyrum við spilum endalaust

Sigur Rós’ 2008 album was a defining release for post-rock fans and buttcheek lovers everywhere, and while it’s not celebrating a round-numbered benchmark anniversary this year, the group is still going ahead and giving it a vinyl reissue. It was a good call, though, as the album was previously out of print worldwide, and now it’s available in both heavyweight black vinyl and a limited run of sky blue vinyl.

Get it here.

Rihanna — Rih-Issue (Music Of The Sun, A Girl Like Me, Good Girl Gone Bad, Rated R, Loud, Talk That Talk, Unapologetic, Anti)

No, Rihanna hasn’t announced a new album though. However, for those looking back on her old projects in the meantime, she is now offering a tremendous way to do so. She recently announced a cleverly titled new series of “Rih-Issue” releases, which features fancy rereleases of her entire eight-album discography. Each one comes with an exclusive shirt, making this the best way to fill any Rihanna-shaped hole in your vinyl library.

Get it here.

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

The Best Vinyl Releases Of September 2021

September 30, 2021 by newhiphopnews

Metallica — Metallica (Remastered) and The Metallica Blacklist

Over the past 40 years, Metallica earned themselves a legion of fans and proved that their appeal spans genres: Their self-titled 1991 album is perhaps their least thrash metal-influenced effort and is their most commercially successful. To celebrate the album’s anniversary, not only did the group release a remastered edition of it, but they also got dozens upon dozens of artists to cover its songs for the massive Metallica Blacklist project.

Get Metallica (Remastered) here. Get The Metallica Blacklist here.

Cold Cave — Cherish The Light Years

Cold Cave’s sophomore effort has been out of print for years now, and finally, new physical editions of it are available once again. The occasion is the record’s tenth anniversary. This edition comes with the previously unreleased track “Believe In My Blood” and is pressed in a variety of bright monochrome-colored vinyl, making for a bold complement to the black-and-white cover art.

Get it here.

Buena Vista Social Club — Buena Vista Social Club (25th Anniversary Edition)

Buena Vista Social Club’s self-titled (and only) studio album is a landmark release in Cuban music, and for the 25th anniversary of the 1997 album’s recording, we’ve been treated to an expansive reissue. There’s a lot here for fans to sink into, like previously unheard tracks from the 1996 session tapes, new liner notes, art prints, and more.

Get it here.

Vince Guaraldi — It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown

While Charlie Brown having football-related difficulties and Snoopy sleeping on his doghouse are iconic Peanuts elements, of similarly lauded value is the music in the Peanuts TV specials. Just in time for spooky season, the It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown soundtrack has been pressed on orange, pumpkin-shaped vinyl, which will be an aesthetic highlight in any collector’s vinyl library.

Get it here.

My Morning Jacket — Live 2015

As good as My Morning Jacket’s albums are, the band is especially potent as a live force, which makes their new MMJ Live vinyl series all the more appealing. The series begins with Live 2015, which collects 16 previously unreleased recordings from the band’s 2015 tour in support of The Waterfall, all pressed on crisp-looking white vinyl.

Get it here.

Pixies — Trompe Le Monde (Anniversary Edition)

Pixies ended their original run with 1991’s Trompe Le Monde, and now that the album is 30 years old, the group is celebrating the record with a gorgeous limited marbled green vinyl reissue. While the band eventually reunited, Trompe Le Monde represents the end of an era, and this new edition of it is one of the best ways to celebrate its legacy.

Get it here.

The Milk Carton Kids — Prologue (10th Anniversary Box Set)

The Milk Carton Kids earned a Grammy nomination in 2013 for their album The Ash & Clay, but its predecessor, Prologue, set the stage. Prologue celebrates its tenth anniversary this year and the band is marking the occasion with a fancy new rerelease. The 3-LP box set includes the remastered album as well as early demos and live performances. There’s also a fan-pleasing disc that traces the evolution of “Michigan” and “New York,” two of the group’s most beloved tracks.

Get it here.

Elvis Costello — Spanish Model

Elvis Costello’s 1978 album This Year’s Model has gone down as a classic, and now he has taken an interesting approach to celebrating it. Instead of a traditional rerelease, he got a host of Latin pop and rock artists (like Juanes and Luis Donsi) to sing over the original instrumentals for Spanish Model. All in all, it’s a clever way to appreciate and breathe new life into an iconic 40-year-old album. We even chatted with him about it.

Get it here.

Three 6 Mafia — When The Smoke Clears: Sixty 6, Sixty 1

Vinyl Me, Please recently announced their slate of monthly vinyl reissues for the rest of 2021, and the October hip-hop release is a great one: Three 6 Mafia’s When The Smoke Clears: Sixty 6, Sixty 1. This 2-LP orange-and-black edition is the first wide vinyl release of the album and it comes freshly remastered, making this an audiophile-preferred way to enjoy the record.

Get it here.

Various Artists — VMP Anthology: The Story Of Philadelphia International Records

Speaking of Vinyl Me, Please, aside from their monthly releases, they also bust out larger projects, the latest being a tribute to the influential soul record label Philadelphia International Records. The Story Of Philadelphia International Records is a fantastic historical document, as it features eight premier album’s from the label’s heyday in the ’70s, by artists like The O’Jays and Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes. The goodies included here go beyond the physical, as there’s also a four-episode podcast series that serves as a guide to the albums.

Get it here.

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

The Best Vinyl Releases Of August 2021

August 31, 2021 by newhiphopnews

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

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

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

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)

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

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

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)

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)

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 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?

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

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.

The Best Vinyl Releases Of July 2021

July 30, 2021 by newhiphopnews

Various Artists — Bills & Aches & Blues

To celebrate 40 years of being fine music purveyors, 4AD has put out a compilation featuring artists covering songs from throughout their history. They secured quite the roster, too, as the album includes Big Thief, Future Islands, Deerhunter’s Bradford Cox, US Girls, Aldous Harding, Tine-Yards, Jenny Hval, and Helado Negro, among others.

Get it here.

2Pac — Until The End Of Time (20th Anniversary Reissue)

For the first time in 20 years, Tupac’s multi-Platinum album Until The End Of Time is available on high-quality, 180-gram audiophile vinyl. This 4-LP release is pressed on bone-colored vinyl and it comes with a four-page folio book that features previously unseen photos and a handwritten tracklist from Tupac himself.

Get it here.

The Mars Volta — De-Loused In The Comatorium (Reissue)

The Mars Volta dropped their expansive, career-spanning La Realidad De Los Sueños box set earlier this year, but now they’re offering an option for folks who want to pick up albums from their discography individually. They started the rerelease series with a reissue of Tremulant in June, and July brought De-Loused In The Comatorium, and subsequent months will bring subsequent albums.

Get it here.

Various Artists — Almost Famous: Music From The Motion Picture (Reissue)

Almost Famous is one of the more memorable music movies of the past few decades, and now the music that inspired it (as well as the original songs from the movie) are available on a gigantic vinyl collection. Aside from some classic tunes, among the 103 total tracks are dozens of unreleased songs and exclusive new versions of songs you already know.

Get it here.

Bryan Ferry — These Foolish Things, Another Time, Another Place, Let’s Stick Together, In Your Mind, The Bride Stripped Bare, and Boys And Girls (Reissues)

As Roxy Music was enjoying its generation-defining success, Bryan Ferry went ahead and launched a vaunted solo career of his own. Now the first six of those albums have been re-pressed on 180-gram black vinyl and come with enhanced versions of the original artwork, overseen by Ferry himself.

Get it here.

Abbey Lincoln — It’s Magic (Reissue)

Abbey Lincoln carved out a major place in pop culture in the ’50s and ’60s, and now one of her defining albums has gotten a shiny new rerelease via the folks at Vinyl Me, Please. This edition of the 1958 album was newly remastered and it comes with a booklet of listening notes to help you fully immerse in the record. To celebrate this album, the 50th of VMPs Classics track, they held an essay contest to win every Classics album they’ve put out.

Get it here.

Dolly Parton — Coat Of Many Colors (Reissue)

Dolly Parton remains a pop culture icon today, and now one of her classic releases has been given new life with a Vinyl Me, Please reissue. It’s a lovely-looking vinyl pressing as well with its rainbow splatter coloring, and to top it off, the album has been freshly remastered, meaning this should be the best this album has ever sounded on vinyl.

Get it here.

Vince Staples — Vince Staples (Reissue)

Vince Staples fans wanted a vinyl edition of his new self-titled album, and thankfully, the rapper delivered. What wasn’t so fortunate was how limited the available quantities were, as many fans on Twitter lamented their missed opportunity to pick up the album. As for the music itself, Uproxx’s Aaron Williams said of it, “Clocking in at a truly breezy 22 minutes and with two interludes among its 10 tracks, it’s an even quicker listen than FM! — yet, due to its comforting sonic palette, it feels more cozy than disappointing, prompting repeat playthroughs to try and catch the witty wordplay and cushy vibes of Kenny Beats’ production.”

Get it here.

Stone Temple Pilots — Tiny Music… From The Vatican Gift Shop (Super Deluxe Edition)

Stone Temple Pilots’ adventurous third album is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, so the band has re-issued it with a bunch of goodies. Aside from the remastered original album, it has been expanded with unreleased studio and live recordings, which include early versions, instrumentals, and alternate takes.

Get it here.

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

The Best Vinyl Releases Of June 2021

June 30, 2021 by newhiphopnews

The Roots — Do You Want More?!!!??! (Deluxe Edition)

The Roots have been one of hip-hop’s finest groups for a long time and their ascent began with their 1995 major-label debut, Do You Want More?!!!??!. Now, they’re celebrating the iconic release with a slew of new reissues. The most expansive is the 4-LP edition, which includes a 24-page booklet and a whopping 18 bonus tracks, some of which have never been released and all of which were curated by Questlove.

Get it here.

2Pac — Until The End Of Time (20th Anniversary Reissue)

Before Tupac was prematurely taken from us, he had a hell of a career, to put it lightly. One of the highlights, his album Until The End Of Time, turns 20 this year, and now it’s available on “high-quality, 180-gram audiophile grade vinyl” for the first time in two decades. This 4-LP release is a special one, as it comes with previously unseen photos and even a tracklist handwritten by Tupac himself.

Get it here.

PJ Harvey — White Chalk and White Chalk Demos

PJ Harvey has essentially become the cornerstone of his monthly vinyl rundown with her regular rereleases. Her latest project to get the reissue treatment is White Chalk, her well-received seventh album from 2007. Also shared was a collection of demos, which were previously unreleased and are also available on CD and digital formats.

Get White Chalk here. Get White Chalk Demos here.

Dave Chappelle — 8:46

Last year, Dave Chappelle famously released 8:46, the title of which references how long Derek Chauvin had his knee of George Floyd’s neck before his death. Now the comedian is extending his special’s reach with a new Third Man Records reissue, which is pressed in a color edition that is limited, appropriately, to just 846 copies.

Get it here.

Alicia Keys — Songs In A Minor (20th Anniversary Reissue)

Alicia Keys came blazing out of the gate with her 2001 debut album Songs In A Minor. Now the chart-topping, multi-platinum release has gotten a fresh reissue that includes some enticing goodies. Most excitingly, there’s a pair of previously unreleased bonus tracks from the original album recording sessions: “Foolish Heart” and “Crazy (Mi Corazon).” Additionally, there’s also “Fallin’ – Ali Soundtrack Version” and “I Won’t (Crazy World),” the latter of which was previously available on the 10th Anniversary Physical Deluxe edition, meaning this is the first time it’s available to stream.

Get it here.

Lady Gaga — Chromatica

Lady Gaga had one of 2020’s defining pop albums with Chromatica, and now she has come out with the ultimate edition of the album for diehard fans. This one is pressed on 180-gram black vinyl and comes with a trifold embossed jacket, a new 28-page booklet, and a 40-page fanzine.

Get it here.

Rod Stewart — Rod Stewart: 1975-1978 (Box Set)

Although Rod Stewart had a No. 1 album early in his career, he needed a boost after 1974’s Smiler, which was a relative chart flop in the US. He followed that by signing with Warner Bros. Records and busted out a quartet of prosperous albums, three of which were top-two on the charts: Atlantic Crossing (1975), A Night On The Town (1976), Footloose & Fancy Free (1977), and Blondes Have More Fun (1978). Those four pivotal records have been compiled on this new box set, which also features studio outtakes from each of them. Stewart himself says of the collection, “It’s extraordinary for me to look back on this era of my career. I think fans will enjoy experiencing these songs on vinyl. I know I did.”

Get it here.

Ludacris — Word Of Mouf (Vinyl Me, Please Reissue)

Ludacris remains a pop-culture force today, and that was especially true when he released 2001’s Word Of Mouf, which features hits like “Area Codes” and “Move B*tch.” In celebration of the record’s 20th anniversary, it has gotten a slick new reissue via Vinyl Me, Please, which is pressed on “orange galaxy” vinyl and has a gorgeous overall presentation.

Get it here.

Sharon Van Etten — Epic Ten

Sharon Van Etten came up with a great way to celebrate the 10th anniversary of her album Epic: Re-release it alongside a version of the album covered by other artists. Participating in the project are folks like Courtney Barnett, Justin Vernon, Fiona Apple, and others. Van Etten says of the reissue, “Epic represents a crossroads for me as an artist. Going from intern to artist at Ba Da Bing, from solo folk singer to playing with a band for the first time and beginning to play shows on tour where people showed up. I am in awe of the artists who wanted to participate in celebrating my anniversary and reissue, from young inspiring musicians, to artists who took me under their wing, who I met on tour, and to artists I’ve looked up to since I was a teenager. Each one of these artists continue to influence my writing and provide a sense of camaraderie during this new era of sharing music.”

Get it here.

The Avalanches — Since I Left You (20th Anniversary Reissue)

June was a big month for 20th anniversaries, because here’s another one. This time, it’s Since I Left You from The Avalanches, and it features a handful of bonus tracks, including new mixes from Black Dice, Leon Vynehall, Sinkane, Carl Craig, and MF Doom. The Doom contribution is previously unheard vocals on “Tonight May Have To Last Me All My Life (MF Doom Remix),” which adds to the icon’s posthumous legacy. The box set collection that houses this anniversary set is essential for fans of the project.

Get it here.

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

The Best Vinyl Releases Of June 2021

June 30, 2021 by newhiphopnews

The Roots — Do You Want More?!!!??! (Deluxe Edition)

Get it here.

2Pac — Until The End Of Time (20th Anniversary Reissue)

Get it here.

PJ Harvey — White Chalk and White Chalk Demos

Get White Chalk here. Get White Chalk Demos here.

Dave Chappelle — 8:46

Get it here.

Alicia Keys — Songs In A Minor (20th Anniversary Reissue)

Get it here.

Lady Gaga — Chromatica

Get it here.

Rod Stewart — Rod Stewart: 1975-1978 (Box Set)

Get it here.

Ludacris — Word Of Mouf (Vinyl Me, Please Reissue)

Get it here.

Sharon Van Etten — Epic Ten

Get it here.

The Avalanches — Since I Left You (20th Anniversary Reissue)

Get it here.

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

The Best Vinyl Releases Of May 2021

May 28, 2021 by newhiphopnews

Amy Winehouse — Amy Winehouse At The BBC

Before her passing, Amy Winehouse was a mainstay at the BBC and gave many performances over the years. Now, they’ve been collected on one stunning vinyl collection, which includes the audio-only versions of performances previously heard on A Tribute To Amy Winehouse By Jools Holland and BBC One Sessions Live At Porchester Hall. Other goodies from Winehouse’s career here include her first-ever TV performances and her earliest BBC Radio sessions.

Get it here.

My Bloody Valentine — Isn’t Anything, Loveless, EP’s 1988-1991 And Rare Tracks, and mbv (Reissues)

My Bloody Valentine’s material isn’t necessarily always the easiest to track down, but Kevin Shields and company have finally treated their fans on that front. A couple months ago, they announced their signing to Domino and subsequent reissues of their entire discography, so everything from the debut album Isn’t Anything to the newer mbv can now be enjoyed on crisp new vinyl.

Get them here.

Paul and Linda McCartney — Ram (50th Anniversary Reissue)

Paul and Linda McCartney only made one album together on which they were both given primary credit, and to celebrate Ram‘s 50th anniversary, a fresh new vinyl pressing has been released. This release should be about the best this album has ever sounded, thanks to the half-speed mastering process the album underwent for this edition.

Get it here.

St. Vincent — Daddy’s Home

St. Vincent has been strongly pushing the 1970s aesthetic here in the Daddy’s Home era, so it’s only appropriate that the album gets a slew of different vinyl editions. Of them, the deluxe LP is the most fleshed out, as it includes treats like an iron-on patch, an 11″ by 22″ poster, and an exclusive 20-page photo zine.

Get it here.

Fountains Of Wayne — Welcome Interstate Managers (Reissue)

Following the death of Adam Schlesinger in 2020, Uproxx’s Jason Tabrys wrote of the now-newly reissued Welcome Interstate Managers, “What stands out most about Welcome Interstate Managers is the diversity of the material. Nothing sounds like ‘Stacy’s Mom,’ but none of the other tracks really sound like each other either. Instead, Schlesinger and Collingwood pull inspiration from Tom Petty, The Beatles, The Cars, The Beach Boys, Linda Rondstadt, Paul Simon, Leonard Cohen, U2, and even country music. The end result stands out as an interesting and evocative collection of songs that too many people shruggingly dismissed as the filler around a one-hit-wonder. Because we’ve always had more content than time to appropriately assess and appreciate it.”

Get it here.

Phoebe Bridgers — Copycat Killer EP

Songs from Phoebe Bridgers’ album Punisher didn’t need to be re-worked by any means. That said, a handful of them took on a fascinating new life through her more string-focused Copycat Killer EP. In April, Bridgers announced the collection would be getting a vinyl release, and here in May, the Copycat Killer vinyl is out now.

Get it here.

Violent Femmes — Add It Up (1981–1993)

As of 2021, Violent Femmes have been around for 40 years. What better way to celebrate than with a retrospective collection? Earlier this month, the band re-released the compilation album Add It Up (1981–1993). This time, though, they’ve added things like live recordings, demos, B-sides, interstitial voice recordings, and other rarities.

Get it here.

Angel Olsen — Song Of The Lark And Other Far Memories

Angel Olsen’s two latest albums, 2019’s All Mirrors and 2020’s Whole New Mess, didn’t end up being released as a single double album as intended. The releases have been brought together, though, on a new box set, Song Of The Lark And Other Far Memories. But wait, there’s more: The collection also includes Far Memory, a collection of new songs, alternate versions, and remixes.

Get it here.

The Shins — Oh, Inverted World (Vinyl Me, Please Reissue)

Vinyl Me, Please always comes through with the fantastic rereleases, and the aesthetics are always on point as well. Their repressing of The Shins’ classic Oh, Inverted World comes on a beautifully subtle but still standout “Coke Bottle Clear” vinyl, not to mention the lovely inverted cover art, which the record wonderfully pairs.

Get it here.

Lord Huron — Long Lost

Ben Schneider and the rest of Lord Huron dropped their latest stunner, Long Lost, this month. They also released a vinyl edition of it that makes it look like the cover art was made with these colored pressings in mind. The album art features a head that looks like it’s been replaced with a sunset, and the “custard & blue sky” double vinyl pressing is a beautiful complement.

Get it here.