#vinylcorner

Vinyl Corner is a feature where we take a look at vinyl pressings of various albums and weigh them up to see just how good they sound, how well they're pressed and what sort of packaging to expect - as well as giving a brief overview of the music itself. For today's article, we're checking out a new compilation from sonic archivists Bongo Joe. The Music: Swiss label Bongo Joe have been producing in-depth, considered compilations of scarce ethnic music for a number of years now and their steady output over the past half-decade has established them as one of a number of notable groups producing such overviews to satiate a growing Western interest. Their latest release, 'Maghreb K7 Club', is a selection of deepcuts from various Algerian artists based in France during the mid '80s to late '90s. The inherent accessibility of the cassette boom afforded many smaller artists a platform previously enjoyed by only those acts signed to larger, more established labels and it's cuts from the Algerian-French scene of the era that constitute this informative compilation. Coupling Algeria's beloved Rai music with the aesthetic trends of the cassette era, this is music at once timeless and fundamentally of a long-gone era. Although Rai's roots go back to the 1920s, it's a genre of music derived of local folk tradition and that timelessness comes through in the commanding, soulful vocal performances found throughout 'Maghreb K7 Club'. More of-its-time is the production, which oscillates between something relatively earthy and something adorned with the era's prerequisite gated drums and popping basses. It can be an odd - even jarring - combination at first, but give this insightful compilation a chance and it's likely to work its way under your skin. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFz6NSfQNLQ The Pressing: French pressing plant MPO are a popular choice amongst those more discerning European indie labels seeking quality and affordability in equal measure, and their output can generally be relied upon to sound great despite not necessarily being entirely above the occasional lacklustre release. Clearly a quality-conscious institution, Bongo Joe have opted for MPO's services in pressing the vinyl version of 'Maghreb K7 Club' and that turned out to be a wise choice, as this is an excellent pressing with consistently clean surfaces. A visual inspection does reveal fairly dirty surfaces with cloudy markings upon both sides; this has, frustratingly, become the norm with MPO pressings of late. These marks do not affect sound quality in the slightest but are an irritating visual blemish also found on numerous other titles coming from their factory over the last year or two. What's far more important, of course, is the sound quality and even a cursory listen reveals this to be a great pressing with a low noise floor and tidy playback free of auditory imperfections such as crackle or popping. The sound quality of these pieces is somewhat variable and the low-budget nature of the records precludes audiophile sonics at the best of times but the audio here is surely as good as it could ever be and is certainly still strong enough to make for an enjoyable listen. The record itself is a solid, heavyweight slab of black wax which sits flat on the platter during playback. The Packaging: With compilations such as 'Maghreb K7 Club', the historical and social context of the work is often as interesting as the music itself, which is why extensive liner notes are such a common and much-appreciated addition to this kind of release. Clearly well aware of this, Bongo Joe have included a high quality, full-sized colour insert with an informative essay available in both English and French - one on each side. That's the best element of the releases' presentation, but the cover itself is also nice quality. It's a standard, non-gatefold sleeve made from mid-weight cardstock but it's as well made as any other cover of the style and the art direction is distinctive. The record itself is sleeved in a generic, non-polylined inner sleeve which is something of a shame as we always commend releases which provide high-quality polylined inners from new, but the inclusion of a download code providing the album in any file-type of your choice (including lossless) more than makes up for this. Final Thoughts: 'Maghreb K7 Club' provides an intriguing insight into a distinct movement that many potential listeners may be unaware of and Bongo Joe's vinyl releases provide a great way to discover - or perhaps reacquaint yourself with - this lively, vital music. Enjoyed this feature? We're always looking for further albums to highlight on Vinyl Corner - and if you have a vinyl release that you'd love to see written about here, please get in touch at [email protected] - it would be great to hear from you! Read the full article

Vinyl Corner is a feature where we take a look at vinyl pressings of various albums and weigh them up to see just how good they sound, how well they're pressed and what sort of packaging to expect - as well as giving a brief overview of the music itself. For today's feature, we're continuing our examination of the Drag City catalogue with an in-depth look at one of their crowning releases: Joanna Newsom's brilliantly unique 'Ys'. The Music: Although one of her generation's most revered cult artists at this point, Joanna Newsom's reputation as an auteur of considerable originality still had yet to be cemented around the release of 2006's 'Ys'. It had been preceded by 2004's 'The Milk-Eyed Mender' - a charmingly off-beat collection which nevertheless proved a considerable niche success, despite being too resolutely odd to bother the mainstream. 'Ys', her second and arguably most enduring album - despite a pair of ambitious, engaging albums since - marked such a profound maturation of her craft that it became something of a sleeper hit. Even the best part of a decade and a half on from its original release, it remains a beloved record for many, and it's not difficult  to see why. Co-produced by Newsom herself alongside the venerable Van Dyke Parks, the contributions of Steve Albini, Jim O'Rourke and Bill Callahan help the album to read as something of a who's who of the era's indie royalty but it's testament to Newsom's remarkable abilities as both a writer and vocalist that she remains the focal point throughout this grandiose hour-long collection. It's her nimble harp work and deftly emotive voice which serve as 'Ys' fulcrum but it's Van Dyke Parks's ever-shifting arrangements which allow the album to resonate with a deeper impact. Strings and woodwind ebb and flow with the same nuance as Newsom's subtlety lilting vocals, counterbalancing her intricately picked harp lines and gleefully imaginative lyricism with a degree of subtlety possessed by few records to bear such extensive orchestral arrangement. Wildly ambitious yet articulated with complete confidence, 'Ys' is a truly remarkable album. https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2&v=D1lBOA_8OZ0&feature=emb_title The Pressing: We've reviewed numerous titles from US indie institution Drag City here on Vinyl Corner and we've always been highly impressed by the quality of their vinyl releases. Although the label have put out their fair share of frenzied rock workouts in their time, they've also released just as many hushed sonic reveries and, as anyone even passingly familiar with Newsom will know, her work falls resolutely into the latter category. It's doubly important, then, that the vinyl release 'Ys' can boast a clean pressing, as any surface noise would be especially audible in such a quiet musical context. Fortunately, no such issues are apparent here. As per usual with Drag City's releases, 'Ys' has been pressed by the elder-statesmen of American wax: Record Technology Incorporated. They've been producing LPs for the best part of fifty years now and, at this point, they're perhaps the definitive US-based pressing plant, so it's of little surprise that 'Ys' is such a clean pressing. Clearly intent on ensuring the album's sonic quality from the get-go, Drag City also hired the services of the legendary Abbey Road studios for mastering duties and, as would be expected of such a prestigious institute's input, there's no shortage of clarity or detail in the soundscape. The clean surfaces - which boast an impressive lack of the minor crackle and popping so often found on modern pressings - only enrich the impressive sonics, helping to elevate them to a genuinely satisfying listening experience. The Packaging: While it's clear that Drag City had no reservations in making the vinyl release of 'Ys' a sonic treat, even a cursory glance at the packaging makes it clear that sumptuous presentation was an equally pressing concern. The gorgeous cover art is the presentation's single greatest asset and it's far better admired adorning an LP cover than on the smaller artwork of a CD insert or, worse still, a few pixels on a smartphone audio player. If Newsom's articulate command of language and anachronistically old-world sonic vision suggest something half-medieval and half-hippy, then the authentically aged yet charming presentation only reinforces that notion. The cover itself is a thick-spined, broad gatefold manufactured from heavy-duty paste-on cardstock. It feels great in hand and is undoubtedly rock-solid but, impressive as that is, it's the eleven page, full-sized lyric and art book pasted onto the inner-gatefold spread which truly amazes. It's a gorgeous addition executed with the same eye for detail as the music itself. The paper stock is impressive, the print quality is excellent and the layout is gorgeous. We've covered some beautifully presented releases for Vinyl Corner over the years but, overall, this is undoubtedly one of the most impressive. While we wouldn't go so far as to recommend purchasing a record unless you intend on actually playing it (and why wouldn't you, when the music is as good as 'Ys'?), there's certainly a strong case for the presentation on this vinyl release being impressive enough to excel as a standalone piece of art. Final Thoughts: The vinyl release of 'Ys' epitomises so much of what makes Drag City a great label. Newsom's vision is truly uncompromised and, reflective of that, nothing about the album's vinyl release is half-hearted. The pressing quality is excellent, the sonics are rich and the presentation is exceptional. This is an essential work in the canon of modern experimental music and the vinyl releases reflects that through and through. Enjoyed this feature? We're always looking for further albums to highlight on Vinyl Corner - and if you have a vinyl release that you'd love to see written about here, please get in touch at [email protected] - it would be great to hear from you! Read the full article

Vinyl Corner is a feature where we take a look at vinyl pressings of various albums and weigh them up to see just how good they sound, how well they're pressed and what sort of packaging to expect - as well as giving a brief overview of the music itself. We've covered a good number of titles from the venerable Drag City Records over the past couple of weeks and key amongst those have been their two studio LPs from stoner rock greats Om. Although both of those titles hit the shelves around a decade ago, it's now time to examine a release of theirs that's rather more recent: 2019's 'BBC Radio 1' The Music: It's hard to think of a recording establishment anywhere in the world quite as storied as the BBC's Maida Vale studios. A complex of seven high-end studios in affluent central London, it's no exaggeration to say that a significant portion of modern music's greatest have taped sessions there in the time since the building opening in 1946. Although deeply respected by their ardent fanbase, it was - perhaps understandably - a surprise for some when American stoner rock titans Om cut a session at Maida Vale's studio 3 in May 2019. It was a welcome surprise, certainly - but, even so, Om's heady brand of eastern psychedelics inflected with crushing heaviness cast them as figures to be beloved by the wandering outsider. Their penetration of the British musical establishment's beating heart might suggest a coup of sorts but it's a well deserved one if so. Always one of their style's most articulate bands, Om - who started out in the mid '00s as a duo but are found on this recording as a three piece - have always produced work at their own particular pace. Even so, this 29 minute set represents the group's first studio work since 2012's 'Advaitic Songs'. Such a wait has only helped to fuel the ready enthusiasm with which this set has been received but, even so, a few may quibble at the lack of new material after such a significant wait. Although understandable to a degree, to gripe too strongly about the absence of new songs would be to miss the point of 'BBC Radio 1' entirely. To those with a longstanding familiarity for all things Om, these are old songs given new life: frontman Al Cisneros, drummer Emil Amos and newcomer Tyler Trotter remain faithful enough to the original studio LP versions that the four songs they performed here are still immediately recognisable; but there are also a plentiful raft of subtle adjustment resulting in a significantly different sound from their LP counterparts. Where 2012's 'State Of Non-Return' gained its strength though subtly shifting string parts on 'Advaitic Songs', here it gains a guttural, roaring low end far heavier than anything the group have recorded in a decade and a half. For those just beginning to explore Om's singular body of work, this perhaps isn't quite as fully-fledged an introduction as 'Advaitic Songs' but, even so, there's a great deal to appeal here to both long-term aficionados and those with only a passing familiarity. The Pressing: Although Drag City are nothing if not adventurous in terms of their roster of signees, they tend to err on the side of traditionalism when it comes to their vinyl releases. Buying a Drag City record is usually a pleasurably anachronistic experience; by and large colour-vinyl averse, you won't find anything as new-fangled as a download code or CD included in the package and the records themselves are weighty, well-pressed and cleanly mastered. In an age of 5th anniversary colour vinyl reissues and ten LP boxsets, it's a refreshingly no-nonsense, rationalistic way of doing business. For their release of 'BBC Radio 1', however, they've opted to take the road less travelled. This is a very unusually configured release by anyone's standards; rather than pressing Om's BBC set to a single 12" LP as per usual, Drag City have instead opted to spread the set across two 10" discs. Quite aside from the sumptuous sound quality, this results in a truly arresting presentation. The discs are split colour vinyl - half black, half opaque, green-tinged clear - and have been cut at 33rpm, despite the short side lengths in some cases (particularly side C, which lasts only three and a half minutes). This is an understandable decision, as side A's eleven minute 'Gethsemane' - a standout track from 'Advaitic Songs' - is very likely too long to have been successfully cut onto a 10" disc at 45rpm, even if the other sides might have benefited from such a treatment. Even so, the sound quality has suffered none for this decision and, frankly, this is not only the best sounding Om album ever recorded but also one of the most unreservedly audiophile-grade recordings we've ever heard from Drag City. The group rework these songs with the deft nuance of seasoned professionals and the BBC sound team's engineering and mixing is beyond reproach. The records themselves have been pressed by the Czech Republic's GZ Media, which is something of a surprise considering that Drag City are a US label who almost always employ the services of the American pressing plant Record Technology Incorporated. This ultimately matters not, however, as the pressing is every bit as impressive as the sonics. Both discs are perfectly flat and the surfaces, too, greatly impress with low noise floors and an admirable lack of surface noise. The Packaging: Due to their relative scarcity, this is actually the first 10" release we've ever reviewed for Vinyl Corner but, even so, we can say with confidence that this is the most attractively presented release in the format we've ever seen. Packaged in a high quality, slickly presented gatefold sleeve, 'BBC Radio 1' feels like a full-blown double 12" LP in miniature; the cover is made from a good, solid cardstock that feels great in hand and the spine is thick and evidently legible, helping it to stand out on a packed shelf - as if the smaller size weren't enough. As per usual with Drag City releases, the barcode is found as a sticker on the shrinkwrap, which is always a big plus as it leaves the art direction unmolested. In this case, said direction consists of classy, monochromatic photography of the band in action as they record their set. This is carried over to the attractive printed inner sleeves, which are sure to please those with a fetish for vintage gear, as the group's smorgasbord of instrumentation is captured in all its visually arresting glory. As briefly mentioned earlier, the records are on split colour wax and they look classy and distinctive, especially if held up to the light. Final Thoughts: Om's recent return may not constitute the collection of newly-written material that many have been hoping for, but hopefully that will come in time. 2019's 'BBC Radio 1' is so, so much more than a stopgap release, though; the group sound as alive, engaged and vital here as they ever have done before and they bring a fresh quality to these familiar favourites that make these new BBC recordings as important in their own way as anything to have come before them. The packaging and presentation is sumptuous and the sound quality is every bit as impressive. Om are one of modern music's most enigmatic, intriguing bands and here they reclaim their spot at the top. Enjoyed this feature? We're always looking for further albums to highlight on Vinyl Corner - and if you have a vinyl release that you'd love to see written about here, please get in touch at [email protected] - it would be great to hear from you! Read the full article

Vinyl Corner is a feature where we take a look at vinyl pressings of various albums and weigh them up to see just how good they sound, how well they're pressed and what sort of packaging to expect - as well as giving a brief overview of the music itself. Following on from our other recent articles covering releases from US indie institution Drag City, we're looking this time at one of their classic titles: Jim O'Rourke's 'Eureka' Eureka by Jim O'Rourke The Music: Sonic experimentalist Jim O'Rourke has had his fingers in countless different pies for decades. He continues to produce searching, mellifluent work even now but it was with 1999's 'Eureka' that he produced an unexpectedly accessible, melodious - and yes, even beautiful - collection of songs. It was still an experimental album, but his signature stylistic eclecticism was focused through a prism that approximated a vision of pop from a world where the mainstream had far, far more refined tastes. The near nine minute album opener 'Women Of The World' - an Ivor Cutler cover, believe it or not - sets the pace for the album to come. It's a mantra more than anything; God is in the details, as they say, and that's an ethos that O'Rourke certainly seems to subscribe to. The song's beauty comes from the ever-ascending arrangement, wherein layer upon layer of subtle sonic detailing gradually builds onto what started life as a sparse reverie until it becomes an all-encompassing swell of sound. It's a beautiful effect and one that characterises this dreamlike, engrossing album. The Pressing: A detailed soundscape can only be achieved through sensitive, smart decisions during the mastering stage and, in the case of an album as subtle as 'Eureka', such sonic nuance is an essential aspect of what makes the music itself so enjoyable. It's fortunate, then - although hardly surprising - that Drag City's vinyl release of the album fits the bill exactly. This is a dynamically mastered release, one that flitters between the grandiose and the muted with the same fluidity and ease as O'Rourke himself does. It's a sonic treat and that's all the more impressive considering that this is an in-print repress of the exact same vinyl release that hit the shelves around the album's original 1999 release. When so many labels make a meal of rereleasing the same albums over and over for every conceivable anniversary, it's refreshing to see a label stick to their guns by releasing the definitive edition of the album right from the get go and then simply keeping that version in print for as long as there's demand - which, in the case of an album this good, is likely to be for a long while yet. The pressing quality is also superb, more than living up to the high bar set by the mastering. The record was pressed by the US' great Record Technology Incorporated and is a heavyweight black slab of wax that sits flat on the platter during playback. There are a few non-sounding, light surface marks present from new but this is a minor issue with many RTI pressings, so it's certainly not a unique point to 'Eureka'. The playback itself is fantastic; the noise floor is low and surfaces are clean throughout the album. We picked up on a few very light, infrequent crackles on our copy - which is particularly impressive considering how quiet lengthy portions of 'Eureka' are. The Packaging: The first thing you'll notice about the 'Eureka's packaging and presentation is the cover art. It's certainly arresting and it's likely to evoke a strong reaction one way or another; we think it's hilarious but the discrepancy between the subdued delicacy of the music and the brash imagery of the art direction is certainly palpable. The cover itself is a standard-width non-gatefold design manufactured from mid-weight cardstock; it's reasonably well made but it but it isn't unusually high quality. The humorous art direction is continued across two entertaining inserts; one is a printed inner sleeve and the other is a fold-out poster. The inner sleeve boasts another painting by Mimiyo Tomozawa, the artist who also produced the album cover, as well as credits for the entire album. It's made from a heavy stock of paper which looks great but doesn't offer much protection for the record so, as always with such inserts, we'd advise storing the LP in a polylined inner sleeve for safekeeping. The fold-out poster is also a delightfully absurd addition; although the work of a different artist, the bizarre imagery fits the aesthetic of the cover and inner sleeve. Indeed, those with a particular commitment to the surreal might well find a place for it on their walls. Final Thoughts: Jim O'Rourke's 'Eureka' has executed a subtle yet significant influence upon a considerable amount of exploratory, searching alternative music to be released in the years since its 1999 appearance and the Drag City vinyl release boasts the kind of exemplary pressing quality and detailed mastering that allows the listener to absorb this complexly layered album in optimum form. Enjoyed this feature? We're always looking for further albums to highlight on Vinyl Corner - and if you have a vinyl release that you'd love to see written about here, please get in touch at [email protected] - it would be great to hear from you! Read the full article

Vinyl Corner is a feature where we take a look at vinyl pressings of various albums and weigh them up to see just how good they sound, how well they're pressed and what sort of packaging to expect - as well as giving a brief overview of the music itself. Following on from our recent examination of the late David Berman's final project - 2019's superb 'Purple Mountains' - we now take a look back at his 2008 swansong under the Silver Jews guise: 'Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea'. The Music: Here at Vinyl Corner, we recently took a look back at one of 2019's best - and certainly most poignant - releases: the eponymous debut by David Berman's then-new outfit Purple Mountains. (You can read our article on that album here). With Berman's sad passing a month after that album's release the music world may have lost a writer of class, insight and wit but his considerable output as the primary creative force of '90s and '00s indie rockers Silver Jews remains testament to his ability. 2008's 'Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea' would prove to be Berman's final album under the Silver Jews guise before taking an early retirement from which he would return only to produce 'Purple Mountains' eleven years later. Although it is generally considered to be one of the slighter entries in a consistently strong catalogue, 'Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea's brevity - it clocks in at just over half an hour - belies the depths of Berman's writing. He was never one to trade in sweet nothings and with 'Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea' just as much as any of his other projects, he writes with a learned pen and a wry sense of humour. On the surrealistic 'San Francisco B.C.' a hint of Bob Dylan's gloriously fragmented tall tales come through and on the melancholic 'Suffering Jukebox' Berman indulges in his more country-inclined interests but, no matter where his fancy takes him, the results are reliably interesting and steadfastly idiosyncratic. The Pressing: Drag City have seemingly always been a label with a strong focus on producing high quality vinyl releases, as you can essentially take your pick of titles from their catalogue and bet that not only will there be a vinyl version available - which was far from a given during the '90s and early '00s - but that it will sound great. That certainly rings true for 'Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea' - as with most Drag City releases, it's been pressed by American vinyl institution Record Technology Incorporated, which should by itself be enough to instil confidence in those with prior experience of their output. Whilst a visual inspection of the LP does reveal some superficial marks on both sides, none of these affect the very clean playback in the slightest. Indeed, as with the other Drag City releases we've covered here at Vinyl Corner, this is a great sounding LP in its entirety. Mastered for vinyl by Roger Seibel of SAE Mastering, this release benefits from a well-balanced soundscape with good body and definition throughout. Couple that with a reliably clean pressing that, in the case of our copy, bears only a few very minor imperfections and you end up with a recipe for a great listening experience. The Packaging: Just as with the aurally impressive record, 'Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea's packaging and presentation speak of a label with a vested interest in making each and every one of their releases an item worthy of the music. The cover art is memorable and vivid; it's represented well here with great image quality throughout and sharp definition in the text. Although a standard-width, non-gatefold design the cover boasts an appealing glossy finish and the cardstock is actually really rather sturdy. It feels great in hand and is certainly amongst the heavier-duty of Drag City's releases that we've covered for Vinyl Corner. Despite being a standard-width spine, the bold typeface and colour scheme ensures that the spine text stands out even on a packed shelf where many standard-width spine releases would find themselves lost amongst the far chunkier spines of gatefold sleeve releases. Not only that, but the careful presentation also extends past the cover itself. A printed inner sleeve is included which offers scans of Berman's colourfully illustrated, hand-written lyrics to the entire album in addition to the chord progressions for each song. A second, far smaller card insert is also included, showing the fingering positions for each chord with a short note from Berman himself. It's a kindly addition to the package that makes performing these songs far easier for those so inclined, regardless of how well that individual might know their way around a fretboard. Final Thoughts: 'Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea' is another quirky, entertaining, off-beat effort from an artist who was never anything less and Drag City's vinyl release does justice to it with a great pressing and sensitive, considerate presentation. Enjoyed this feature? We're always looking for further albums to highlight on Vinyl Corner - and if you have a vinyl release that you'd love to see written about here, please get in touch at [email protected] - it would be great to hear from you! Read the full article

Vinyl Corner is a feature where we take a look at vinyl pressings of various albums and weigh them up to see just how good they sound, how well they're pressed and what sort of packaging to expect - as well as giving a brief overview of the music itself. Following on from last week's examination of Om's 'Advaitic Songs', this time we're looking at their 2009 outing 'God Is Good'. The Music: Last week, we took a look back a classic of 2010s stoner rock: Om's 'Advaitic Songs'. That article (which you can read here) was so well received that it seems only appropriate to likewise examine the group's other release from the venerable Drag City: 2009's 'God Is Good'. It was a record that represented a pivotal moment of change for the band; born from the fragmentation of doom metal goliaths Sleep, Om's explorations of Eastern spirituality through the power of the riff had mellowed somewhat by their 2006 sophomore effort 'Conference Of The Birds'. The crushing walls of fuzz hadn't receded entirely, but a subtle, lilting vision of psychedelia had largely taken their place. It was an evolution cemented by 'God Is Good' - an album difficult to place in any one style or mode. That's for the best, of course; it confirmed Om as a band of individualists and lent them an audience which extended beyond the confines of the niche, yet ardent, doom metal fanbase that their earlier outings had attracted. A relatively brief outing at just over half an hour, 'God Is Good's centrepiece is the twenty minute 'Thebes'; it's a statement of intent as much as anything - and it certainly ranks amongst the most ambitious of frontman Al Cisneros' compositions. Part swirling raga and part stoner-doom explosion, it drifts into being with sitar and searching, modal bass before enjoying a boost of rocket fuel that sends it into the stratosphere. Impressively, it's a composition that justifies its runtime with ease; when the group do give into the beckoning embrace of heaviness, it's with a degree of sophistication befitting of their more pensive moments. Perhaps inevitably, 'Thebes' casts a long shadow over the album's other half. Side two's suite of three shorter compositions is still impressive but it lacks the visceral punch of the epically-scaled opener. Ultimately 'God Is Good' serves as a tool for transition between the feral crunch of their earlier work and the sublime subtleties of 2012's 'Advaitic Songs' but, even so, it shouldn't be overlooked. The Pressing: Long-term readers should be familiar with Drag City by now; aside from being one of America's best independent labels, we've also featured their releases many a-time here on Vinyl Corner and we've always been impressed by their output. It's of little surprise, then, that 'God Is Good' is no exception to this rule. One of the label's most refreshing characteristics is their refusal to give into the gimmicks of often-noisy limited edition colour vinyl pressings around which so many labels base their output. As with practically everything Drag City have released, 'God Is Good' is a rock solid, no-nonsense pressing on well-pressed heavyweight black vinyl. Pressed by America's ever-excellent Record Technology Incorporated, this is a consistently impressive LP with really tidy sound throughout. The noise floor is low - a characteristic of much of RTI's output - and playback yields very little in the way of imperfections. We picked up on barely a crackle anywhere across our copy - even during the sections of muted ambience that so often serve as counterpoint to the group's native heaviness. The mastering is similarly impressive, although that should be no surprise considering that a quick glance at the matrices reveal this to have been mastered by industry veteran John Golden. Not only that, but 'God Is Good' was produced by the great Steve Albini, whose fastidiously puritanical approach to sonic realism and high-fidelity makes the clarity found throughout the album no surprise at all. The Packaging: Although we mostly had nothing but good things to say about Drag City's excellent vinyl release of Om's 'Advaitic Songs', one thing we did note was that it would have been nice to have the cover manufactured from a higher-grade of cardstock. That is certainly not an issue with the 'God Is Good's cover; the cardstock employed here is very weighty, making this one of the most attractively presented releases we've written about for quite some time at Vinyl Corner. The jacket is a tip-on sleeve fashioned in the same style as the expensive, luxurious card sleeves commonly found on American vinyl releases from the '50s and '60s. It's weighty, substantial and it feels great in hand; even better, the beautiful artwork is accented with gold foil stamping that shines brilliantly when caught in the light. As with the vast majority of Drag City releases, the barcode has been sagely placed as a sticker on the shrinkwrap rather than printed directly onto the sleeve. It's a pet peeve of ours at Vinyl Corner when barcodes are printed directly onto sleeves; it's a visual blemish unwelcome at the best of times but on an album with an art direction as classy as 'God Is Good' it would have been especially unwelcome so it's particularly pleasing to see the barcode on a sticker with this release. Finishing off the presentation is a printed inner sleeve featuring credits, lyrics and images. These kinds of inserts are always a welcome addition to the presentation but in this case it's particularly impressive as the sleeve is made from a really solid cardstock, whereas many such inserts are made from lower quality paper. Final Thoughts: 'God Is Good' may not be Om's finest moment but it is still a great album from a band incapable of crafting anything less. Drag City's vinyl release is especially impressive, even set against their own high standards of quality. The packaging and presentation is superb, as the quality of the vinyl pressing and mastering. Enjoyed this feature? We're always looking for further albums to highlight on Vinyl Corner - and if you have a vinyl release that you'd love to see written about here, please get in touch at [email protected] - it would be great to hear from you! Read the full article

Vinyl Corner is a feature where we take a look at vinyl pressings of various albums and weigh them up to see just how good they sound, how well they're pressed and what sort of packaging to expect - as well as giving a brief overview of the music itself. For today's feature, we're rating the debut album by an intriguing emergent voice in Brazilian music - Ricardo Richaid's 'Travesseiro Feliz'. The Music: Rio De Janeiro's Ricardo Richaid will likely be a new name to even those with their fingers firmly on the pulse of modern Brazilian music. With 'Travesseiro Feliz' Richaid makes his debut statement - and a promising one it is too. Translating as 'Happy Pillow', the album's title is a fitting one; its evocation of contented dreams suits these curious, ever-shifting yet ultimately vivacious and upbeat pieces to a tee. Richaid's vision is one both ambitious and understated; on his debut album he melds a raft of different styles together, crafting something that is both subtle and nuanced yet arresting to those with the inclination to listen closely. A wide-eyed psychedelic daze is central to 'Travesseiro Feliz' but so too are elements of pretty, delicate folk rock and wild, shifting free jazz. The resultant record is one that's hard to place; it's as much indebted to the playful dream-folk reveries of Juana Molina as it is to the urgent, joyful rhythms of MPB yet it's also a distinctively individualistic album. At just shy of half an hour in total, 'Travesseiro Feliz' evokes the brevity so commonly found in private-press psych rarities of the '60s and '70s - and, just as with some of those albums, the fleeting length is almost frustrating. What Richaid gives the listener here is so engagingly articulated that it could easily have been explored further. As it is, however, 'Travesseiro Feliz' marks an ephemeral yet intriguing debut from this new artist. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ND-02kWlXzg The Pressing: Released by the UK's long-running Far Out Recordings - a label specialising in Brazilian music both new and old - elements of distinction on the vinyl release of 'Travesseiro Feliz' speak of a long-established label with plentiful experience in putting out quality records. For a start, their choice of pressing plant is a sage one; where many UK and European labels employ the services of GZ Media or Optimal Media - both inconsistent pressing plants not above noisy output - this vinyl release of Richaid's debut has been pressed by the excellent French pressing plant MPO. Although a disappointing pressing does occasionally slip past MPO's largely impressive quality control, this certainly hasn't occurred here. This is a pleasingly weighty 180 gram black vinyl pressing which sits flat on the platter during playback and which boasts clean surfaces when inspected under strong light. Whilst those last two points should really apply to all new records, a frustratingly large amount of modern pressings suffer from either notable warpage or surface marking from new - so to find a release that has neither is something of a rarity in itself. More impressive still is the extremely clean playback; we heard barely an imperfection on our copy and the detailed mastering brought out a real depth in the soundscape that suits this complex, intricately-wrought music well. The Packaging: 'Travesseiro Feliz's colourful, eye-catching artwork is more than enough to indicate that the music contained within is likely to be a thrill and, indeed, the packaging and presentation at large are impressive. The cover itself is a non-gatefold design with a standard width spine made from mid-weight cardstock. Although not the most elaborate of designs, the price point of this release is moderate so that's certainly understandable and it does feel solid enough in hand. The print quality is excellent throughout, with lovely rich colour tones and sharp definition. One unfortunate inclusion is that of a barcode on the back cover; as we often comment here at Vinyl Corner, it would have been far preferable to have seen this attached to the shrinkwrap as a sticker rather than printed directly onto the sleeve, but it's ultimately a minor point. The inclusion of a polylined generic inner sleeve for the record is a big plus; the bulk of modern labels present their LPs in low-quality paper sleeves that can all-too-often cause scuffing to the records and leave paper debris across their surfaces. All those issues are circumvented by the inclusion of a polylined inner sleeve such as the one found on this release. Final Thoughts: Ricardo Richaid's 'Travesseiro Feliz' is a very intriguing, unique piece of work and the Far Out Recordings vinyl release provides a great way of hearing it. Enjoyed this feature? We're always looking for further albums to highlight on Vinyl Corner - and if you have a vinyl release that you'd love to see written about here, please get in touch at [email protected] - it would be great to hear from you! Read the full article

Vinyl Corner is a feature where we take a look at vinyl pressings of various albums and weigh them up to see just how good they sound, how well they're pressed and what sort of packaging to expect - as well as giving a brief overview of the music itself. This time we're taking in the latest offering from one of the most divisive yet enduring figures in alternative music history; love him or loathe him, you'll likely have an opinion one way or another. We're talking, of course, about Morrissey - and his latest album 'I Am Not A Dog On A Chain'. The Music: Although Steven Patrick Morrissey has never been one to keep his views to himself, it has in recent years become increasingly difficult to separate the man from his work. Of course, that wouldn't be something that many felt the need to do had his views not become increasingly vitriolic and bitter over the course of the 2010s but, as it now stands, it's difficult to discuss his musical work without first prefixing some convoluted discourse on his worldview. While that's understandable - and, indeed, there's nothing good to be gained from sweeping his views under the carpet - it also shouldn't be allowed to skew perception of his music. It has, however, been easy to dismiss Morrissey's work of late - either on grounds of his politics for those so inclined or, more pertinently, the quality of his work. 2017's 'Low In High School' marked something of a stumble; despite a bold production style and a clutch of genuinely great songs, it was an inconsistent and messy collection that presented the listener with little reason to return to it after those few initial plays. Last year's 'Californian Son' did little to placate those concerns and, despite a few standout moments, its status as a collection of covers gave it the feel of a stopgap release more than a full-blown artistic statement. But the past is another country, as they say, and Morrissey's latest outing arrives in timely fashion, considering his long-term appeal to shut-ins and indie-introverts the world over. Not only that, but it also reconfirms him as an enduring talent. Though fundamentally not dissimilar to 'Low In High School' in certain respects - Joe Chiccarelli's punchy, boisterous production chief amongst them - 'I Am Not A Dog On A Chain' is a far stronger collection of songs. Indeed, Morrissey is on better form lyrically than he has been in years; he's still eager to cook up as much controversy as any one album can hold, of course - but it would hardly be a Moz album if he weren't. More importantly, his signature wit remains unabated; there are some genuinely funny moments here on his thirteenth solo album and his voice remains as remarkably ageless as it has been across the entirety of his career. Long-time musical collaborators make a return here amongst a few new faces, and he sounds comfortable and confident amongst the musical backdrop his group have cooked up. He's not above a few missteps; 'I Am Not A Dog On A Chain' isn't above the odd song that fails to fully convince but, in fairness to him, few artists three and a half decades into their careers are capable of crafting an album anywhere near this engaging. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5hQh1QvPGg Perhaps better still is the fact that Morrissey has freshly regained his sense of adventure. If 'Low In High School' suffered from any one issue the most, then it was relative lack of imagination. Though not exactly formulaic, it did feel like the work of an artist looking back over his work with furrowed brow and wondering quite how he could recapture the magic. No such affectations are palpable here on 'I Am Not A Dog On A Chain'. It's an album that sets his idiosyncratic croon to an urgent, surprisingly excitable backing of bristling synths and snappy drums, the rocking guitars that have come to define much of his output consigned to a more textural, ancillary status here. It's a marked shift and one that sets the album out as the most experimental Morrissey record in over a decade. His ability to balance a regained sense of exploratory vitality with a largely vivid, memorable set of songs has lent him not only his best album since 2014's mostly excellent 'World Peace Is None Of Your Business' but a return to form after the relative doldrums of his past two albums. The Pressing: As with 'Low In High School', this latest Morrissey effort comes in a range of different colour vinyl options. We're reviewing the standard black vinyl edition here but those so inclined should be able to hunt down one of the limited colour pressings without too much trouble. A quick glance at the matrices reveals that this vinyl edition of 'I Am Not A Dog On A Chain' was pressed by Germany's ever-popular Optimal Media GmbH. They're one of the busiest pressing plants in the world, producing such a large quantity of new records that, whether you realise it or not, you probably own something manufactured by them if you've bought even a handful of albums pressed within the last decade. That voracious output does come at a cost, however, and Optimal Media's output can be frustratingly inconsistent in quality. Fortunately, precautions were evidently taken here as this is a quality pressing with excellent sound throughout. With 'I Am Not A Dog On A Chain' clocking in at the best part of fifty minutes in length, there's an awful lot of music here to be squeezed onto just one disc. For an indication of the ideal amount of music to include on one disc, consider the fact that back when LPs were first invented it was advised that no more than 22 minutes of music should be included per side. Although a more cautious label might have been tempted to release 'I Am Not A Dog On A Chain' as a double LP, the sound quality remains excellent throughout this pressing. The fidelity suffers none for the length of each side and the fat, angry synth-basslines roar with no less intensity here that they might have even if the album had been spread across two discs. The mastering, then, certainly impresses - and the extended side lengths offer a definite convenience, if nothing else. But that's not the whole story, of course; there's also the pressing quality to consider. Fortunately, that lives up to the high standard set by the mastering. Although Optimal Media pressings can sometimes suffer from intrusive crackle, the surfaces are consistently clean throughout our copy. The noise floor is low and imperfections such as crackling and popping are notable only by their absence. The record itself is roughly mid-weight; it certainly isn't a full 180 grams but nor does it feel lightweight when handled. Surfaces are also visually clean, being free of the fingerprints and scuffs that all too often appear on new releases. The Packaging: As with most Morrissey albums of recent times, the merits of 'I Am Not A Dog On A Chain's artwork are very much up for debate. Those fond of album covers that consist in the vast majority of the artist's slightly blurry face will doubtless be thrilled but the rest of us may have our reservations. Qualms pertaining to the art direction aside, the packaging and presentation of Morrissey's latest is actually very impressive. The cover is a fairly standard non-gatefold design; it's nothing special in itself - although there's certainly nothing wrong with it - but the cardstock is reasonably solid and the spine benefits from clearly legible text that will help the album to be picked out on even the most crowded of shelves. More impressive by far are the inserts; the record itself is included in a printed card inner sleeve that gives full credits for each track. It's a welcome addition, of course, and it's printed on a nice quality cardstock but, as with any such sleeve, it doesn't provide a great deal of protection for the record. As always, therefore, we'd advise storing the LP in a polylined generic inner sleeve. Better yet is the inclusion a separate insert giving full lyrics to each song; say what you like about Morrissey, but his writing has always been a central aspect of his craft, so inserts such as these are little short of essential. A whopping-great barcode printed onto the back cover is a rather ugly inclusion and it would have been better placed as a sticker on the shrinkwrap but, even so, a definite degree of care has been put into the overall presentation of this release. Final Thoughts: 'I Am Not A Dog On A Chain' is an adventurous, engaging return to form. It's a record that will inspire controversy as sure as the sun is warm but, then again, would it really be a Morrissey album if it didn't? A high quality vinyl release is enough to ensure that those sufficiently impressed with this latest effort can enjoy it in real style. Enjoyed this feature? We're always looking for further albums to highlight on Vinyl Corner - and if you have a vinyl release that you'd love to see written about here, please get in touch at [email protected] - it would be great to hear from you! Read the full article