Album Reviews

The 50th anniversary edition of Yusuf / Cat Stevens’ November 1974 live album Saturnight (Cat Stevens Live in Tokyo) is a surprisingly satisfying single-LP snapshot of the artist at an arguable career peak — and it’s now enjoying its first global vinyl release earlier this month on May 2, 2025, via the artist’s own Cat-O-Log imprint through A&M/UMe. Read Mark Smotroff’s review to see why Saturnight belongs in your collection ASAP. . .

By now you’ve probably heard the news that Elton John has paired up with Americana crossover phenomenon Brandi Carlile on their fine new Top 10 LP Who Believes in Angels?, which was released by Rocket/EMI on April 4, 2025. Given all the advance hype, we suspect some of you fence-sitters are probably wondering how the album actually sounds on vinyl, so read Mark Smotroff’s review to see how it holds up to repeated spins. . .

Worth the wait! We’re happy to report that Venus and Mars — Paul McCartney and Wings’ May 1975 arena-rocking, No. 1-charting, platinum-selling smash-hit album — has just received the official Abbey Road Studios half-speed-mastered deluxe treatment in celebration of its 50th Anniversary this year, having been officially released as a 180g single LP by MPL/Capitol/UMe on March 21, 2025. Read Mark Smotroff’s review to see why you need to get your copy of Venus and Mars ASAP. . .

Mercury Studios has seen fit to go all-in on Supertramp’s Live in Paris ’79, which they just released as a fully expanded, complete-concert 3LP set on February 28, 2025. Read Mike Mettler’s review to see if this version improves upon the original, somewhat truncated 1980 2LP version then more simply known as Paris. . .

Impex Records’ new 1STEP 180g 45rpm 2LP edition of 1950’s Sing and Dance With Frank Sinatra has been 74(ish) years in the making — and it was well worth the wait. Read Shanon McKellar’s in-depth review to see just how the Impex team brought new life to Sing and Dance. . .

In the Beatleverse, it is generally well known and quite accepted that the mono mixes of the early Beatles recordings are considered superior to the stereo counterparts for many reasons. Thus, a new box set assembling 21st century recreations of the U.S. Beatles albums in their original monaural sound has a special sort of appeal — and that’s where the 1964 U.S. Albums in Mono 180g 8LP box set, which was released by Apple Corps Ltd./Capitol/UMe on November 22, 2024, comes into play. Read Mark Smotroff’s review to see if The Beatles’ 1964 U.S. Albums in Mono 180g 8LP box set is fab enough to put on your holiday-purchase list, or if you should buy each album individually. . .

The phrase “auspicious debut” is often overused when discussing many an upstart band’s first album — but when it comes to Talking Heads, it’s a phrase that certainly fits the bill whenever you’re both discussing and listening to the fledgling punk/new wave NYC quartet’s first LP, September 1977’s Talking Heads: 77. And now, this important debut album gets its full box set due today, November 8, 2024, with Rhino’s 4LP + 4 7-inch singles-comprised Talking Heads: 77 – Super Deluxe Edition box set, with the original album therein remastered AAA all the way. Read AP editor Mike Mettler’s review to see why 77 is another vital vinyl box set to add to your collection — plus see his suggestion for the official, more affordable alternate option of half the box’s contents if your bankbook is currently lacking. . .