Mike Mettler

Mike Mettler  |  Jul 03, 2025  |  First Published: Jul 03, 2025  |  comments

Robin Trower is an unabashed guitar master. After he left British proto-prog rockers Procol Harum in 1971, he quickly established himself as an axeslinger/songwriter to be reckoned with via early albums like March 1973’s template setting Twice Removed From Yesterday, the perennial April 1974 FM favorite Bridge of Sighs, and February 1975’s eternally rifftastical For Earth Below, the latter of which was just released as a 180g 2LP 50th Anniversary Edition on June 27, 2025. In a recent interview, AP editor Mike Mettler and Trower discussed the differences between the 1975 and 2025 Earth mixes, the vibrancy of his new album Come and Find Me, and the key reason why his music simply sounds better on vinyl. . .

Mike Mettler  |  Jul 02, 2025  |  First Published: Jul 02, 2025  |  comments

If I blow my top, will you let it go to your head? Put a pin in your answer for now, please, and let’s instead focus on the, er, explosive related box set announcement at hand. Getting a jump on the holiday weekend, ZZ Top have just confirmed that From The Top: 1979–1990, a limited-edition 5LP collection from Rhino High Fidelity (a.k.a. Rhino Hi-Fi), will be released just two days from now on July 4, 2025. Read on to see which albums from the pivotal mainstream-success era of that little ol’ band from Texas constitute this box, and what the source material for each 180g LP in it is. . .

Mike Mettler  |  Jun 25, 2025  |  First Published: Jun 25, 2025  |  comments

What’s in your heh-ed, in your he-ehh-ehh-ed? If that deliberately enunciated lyrical refrain instantly brings to mind a certain chilling but ultimately cathartic song by Irish alt-rockers The Cranberries — “Zombie” — then you’ll be eternally pleased to learn that a trio of 30th anniversary vinyl editions of the album that song is from, October 1994’s No Need to Argue, will be released in spurts on both June 27, 2025, and August 15, 2025. Read on to see which version is coming out on wax when, and what tracks each edition contains. . .

Mike Mettler  |  Jun 23, 2025  |  First Published: Jun 23, 2025  |  comments

Vienna waits for you — or, in this case, we are the ones who will all just have to wait a little bit longer to attend and cover High End Vienna 2026, as the High End Society had to move the transplanted audio trade show ahead one week for a very important reason. Read on to see the new when, and the actual why. . .

Mike Mettler  |  Jun 18, 2025  |  First Published: Jun 18, 2025  |  comments

It’s a hunka hunka heap of great burning Elvis tracks a-coming on wax! Or, to be more specific, RCA/Legacy is set to release Elvis Presley’s Sunset Boulevard as a 2LP set on August 1, 2025, a collection that will feature a number of rarities that’s also intended to put a spotlight on Elvis’ oft-overlooked 1970s recorded output. Read on to see all that comprises Sunset Boulevard on vinyl. . .

Mike Mettler,  |  Jun 17, 2025  |  First Published: Jun 17, 2025  |  comments

Last week was indeed a tough one for those of us who listen to a lot of music on vinyl that initially made literal waves in the latter half of the 20th Century. Just two days prior to Beach Boys architect Brian Wilson’s passing at age 82 on June 11, 2025, funk/soul pop pioneer Sly Stone also passed away at age 82 on June 9, 2025. In the following in-depth analysis, AP editor Mike Mettler and our chief album reviewer Mark Smotroff combine forces to give us their collective overview of Sly’s best moments on vinyl. . .

Mike Mettler  |  Jun 12, 2025  |  First Published: Jun 12, 2025  |  comments

We’re always up for seeing whatever cool accessory ideas emerge from the mind of Sublima Audio Research founder Alessandro “Alex” Cereda, and his latest foray into this realm is called Shelly. Read on to see how S.A.R.’s newest accessory, which is made from 300-year-old Italian olive wood, has been designed to be quite the proper tonearm headshell. . .

Mike Mettler  |  Jun 11, 2025  |  First Published: Jun 11, 2025  |  comments

Call it a case of, shall we say, “capitol gains.” The capitol spelling there is quite deliberate, for it relates to the Washington, D.C., hometown locale of the notable ethereal goth-rock band Strange Boutique, who are finally back on the scene with their first new album in 31 years, Let the Lonely Heart Sing. The LP was released yesterday, June 10, 2025, in a pair of limited-edition color vinyl options by The Circle Music, a Greek label. Read on to see why you should procure either/both versions of Strange Boutique’s stunning new LP ASAP. . .

Mike Mettler  |  Jun 10, 2025  |  First Published: Jun 10, 2025  |  comments

When it comes to starting points, Victrola knows how to bring people into the analog realm — and to that end, today, June 10, 2025, the company is announcing the official availability of their Harmony Bluetooth Turntable System with Shelf Speakers. Read on to see how the Harmony system has the right amount of zen to pass along to those just getting into our analog field of interest. . .

Mike Mettler,  |  Jun 05, 2025  |  First Published: Jun 05, 2025  |  comments

The assignment for High End Munich 2025 was simple, and direct: “Show me turntables. Lots and lots of turntables.” And who better to carry out such a focused task than our go-to, table-loving main product reviewer for AP, the always estimable Ken Micallef. Click the link below to see Ken’s 11½-minute Munich 2025 video diary, which features a wide swath of turntables — plus a few tonearms and cartridges to boot — from the likes of TechDAS, Clearaudio, Klaudio, Kronos, Kuzma, Dual, Muarah, and many, many more. . .

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