The acclaimed hybrid North Carolina/New York four-piece band The dB’s were on the leading edge of the gradually growing indie-rock movement as the calendar turned to the 1980s. Today, we are celebrating the first-ever U.S. vinyl edition of their highly influential January 1981 debut LP, Stands for deciBels, which is set for release by Propeller Sound Recordings next Friday, June 14. Read Mark Smotroff’s review to see why Stands for deciBels continues to stand tall as an influence on much of the music we listen to on vinyl today, and why this new domestic LP version belongs in your collection. . .
What better way to enter the impending summer season than with the second 2024 installment of our ongoing Table Toppers series? Back in late 2023, we posed a simple question to you, the AP faithful — in short, quote, “show us your turntables!” And hence, the almighty Table Toppers section was born, and we’re more than happy to continue on with this popular series as we approach the midpoint of the year. Read on to see how Dave Millon of Royal Oak, Michigan recovered from a devastating gear loss and wound up centering his system around a coolly restored Thorens TD 124 turntable — along with some VPI TNT tables to boot. . .
Maybe we were once too damn cool to buy the 8-track tape, but we’re more than happy to pony up for the upcoming limited-edition Intervention Records 140g yellow-vinyl 1LP edition of Everclear’s July 2000 album Songs From an American Movie Vol One: Learning How to Smile. Set for release on September 13, 2024, it’s the first time this platinum-selling album will be on vinyl. Read on to see how the Intervention team is making sure SFAAM Vol One is going to be one worthwhile analog-centric spin. . .
We’ve always been fans of fruitful collaborative partnerships, so we’re happy to see Denon and Devon Turnbull of OJAS have joined forces to produce the limited-edition Denon DL-103o moving-coil cartridge. Read on to see all the features and specs of the limited-edition DL-103o MC, and to find out which classic Denon cart it’s based on. . .
Pianist and composer Vijay Iyer is someone who should have been on our analog radar much, much sooner, so we’re beyond pleased that we’re now able to marvel at his and his trio’s true artistry on their new 180g 2LP release on ECM Records, Compassion. Read Mark Smotroff’s review to see if Iyer and Compassion should be added to your must-listen list. . .
“A connecting principle, linked to the invisible.” It’s a key line from the ostensible title track to The Police’s blockbuster Synchronicity LP, which is now officially slated for a very-much-visible and quite tangible 40th anniversary box set celebration that will comprise 180g 4LP super deluxe, 2LP color vinyl, and 1LP picture disc editions from Polydor/UMe on July 26, 2024. Read on to see what all the bonus tracks are and which ones make the cut on each LP edition, as well as which version sports an alternate tracklisting. . .
Continuing with our Munich 2024 catch-up tour, today we’re taking a closer look at another company we weren’t able to spend enough time with at the show itself — Unitra, a Polish manufacturer that offers a pair of intriguing turntables, the GSH-630 Fryderyk and GSH-801 Edmund. Read on to see what these two tables have to offer. . .
After a restful, and quite respectful, long weekend, there’s nothing quite like returning to the analog breach by looking at a wide selection of new turntables and other cool gear shown at Munich 2024 by way of a video shot at the show by esteemed AP contributor Ken Micallef. Read on to see onsite footage of new and current tables from the likes of Garrard, Acoustic Signature, Zavfino, Kronos, Gold Note, and many, many more. . .
A new 4LP box set compiling the initial four solo album releases by the late, great tastemaking guitarist/vocalist Tom Verlaine, titled Souvenir From a Dream: The Tom Verlaine Albums (1979-1984), celebrates the artist’s initial musical life beyond Television, his highly influential CBGB-era alt-punk band. Read Mark Smotroff’s review to see if Souvenir is worth adding to your collection. . .
High End Munich 2024 made quite the statement. All throughout the show, the continuing importance of analog equipment and vinyl was emphasized through appearances of and discussions among analog proponents and producers — not to mention just the sheer number of turntables and other analog-associated gear seen at the show. Read Part 1 of Julie Mullins’ Munich show report to see new turntables from the likes of Gryphon, Aries Cerat, Technics, Yuki Precision, Thorens, EMT, Clearaudio, Thales, and more . . .