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A wish list of vinyl reissues, part the second

[Nick Lachey - What's Left of Me]

I wrote an entry similar to this one back in 2017 (almost to the day!) Five years later, vinyl sales account for 7 percent of total music revenue, according to Variety. The last stat I heard was 2 percent, and that was around the time I wrote that previous entry.

At this point, I’m surprised when I don’t find a title on vinyl, but that doesn’t mean titles haven’t fallen through the reissue cracks. So here’s a sequel — albums I would love to see reissued on vinyl.

Café Tacvba, Cuatros Caminos
Café Tacvba,

Vinyl pressings of Café Tacvba albums exist, but they’re usually limited and quick to run out of print. To my knowledge, neither nor Cuatros Caminos have ever been issued on vinyl, but I wouldn’t mind repressings of albums that had been issued on vinyl.

Tracy Chapman, New Beginning

New Beginning had “Give Me One Reason”, Chapman’s biggest hit since “Fast Car”, so it’s curious to see the album never getting a vinyl reissue. I’ve seen RSD titles reissued for far less.

Orgy, Candyass

Orgy’s cover of New Order’s “Blue Monday” rivals the original, but the entire Candyass album was actually really good.

Kanye West, Yeezus

A lot of unofficial pressings exist, so an official release would be nice. Kanye annoys me, but this album is pretty unhinged.

Nick Lachey, What’s Left of Me

I have a soft spot for Nick Lachey and this album. I was definitely not the target market for his reality TV show, but the angst resulting from the end of his marriage led to some pretty honest art. I don’t expect What’s Left of Me to get the vinyl treatment. I would probably be the only person interested in getting it.

Pansy Division, Absurd Pop Song Romance

It’s not hard to sense a hunger for commercial success on this album, and I think it deserves to be revisited.

Stephen Sondheim, Assassins (Original Cast Recording)

By the time Stephen Sondheim opened Assassins off-Broadway, cast recordings migrated entirely to CD, so the original cast recording of this show never saw a vinyl release.

Sam Sparro, Sam Sparro

Sparro got a Grammy nomination for “Black and Gold”. Surely, that’s enough to warrant a vinyl pressing? Don’t call you Shirley?

STRAIGHTENER, LOST WORLD’S ANTHOLOGY
ART-SCHOOL, LOVE/HATE

Among fans of SUPERCAR, NUMBER GIRL, Quruli and Shiina Ringo, these albums by ART-SCHOOL and STRAIGHTENER could be considered classics of early 2000s Japanese indie rock. But that’s a pretty narrow audience to justify a vinyl pressing.

SUPER JUNKY MONKEY, A.I.E.T.O.H

This EP was actually issued on vinyl, so let’s have a repressing!

Harry Connick, Jr., She

I am mostly ambivalent to the work of Harry Connick, Jr., but his two albums of New Orleans rock — She and Star Turtle — are the only two albums of his I own. Given how uncharacteristic these albums are with the rest of his discography, I don’t imagine they have much goodwill among his fans. So a vinyl reissue? Unlikely. But She was released on vinyl in the Netherlands …

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Purchase log, 2021-03-23

[Nas - God's Son]

I catalog my music purchases on Collectorz and Discogs, but they don’t give me a sense of change over time. So I’m noting them here weekly as well.

Catalog

CD
  • 50 Cent, Get Rich or Die Tryin’
  • Anton Bruckner, Messe in mi mineur / Motets
  • Blur, 13
  • Iggy Azalea, The New Classic
  • Meredith Monk, Atlas
  • Nas, God’s Son
  • Nick Lachey, SoulO
  • Patton Oswalt, Finest Hour
  • Run D.M.C., King of Rock
  • Stephen Sondheim, Pacific Overtures (Original Cast Recording)
  • Sugar, Beaster
  • Soundtrack, Death Note, Vol. 2

Reissues

Boxed Set
  • Gang of Four, 77-81
Vinyl
  • TOUMING MAGAZINE, Our Soul Music (我們的靈魂樂)

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Purchase log, 2020-11-10

[Peter Gabriel - Secret World Live]

I catalog my music purchases on Collectorz and Discogs, but they don’t give me a sense of change over time. So I’m noting them here weekly as well.

New releases

CD
  • Duran Duran featuring Andy Wickett , Dreaming of Your Cars: 1979 Demos, Part 2

Catalog

CD
  • SUPERCAR, OOKeah!!
  • SUPERCAR, OOYeah!!
Vinyl
  • Marshall Crenshaw, Marshall Crenshaw
  • Rolling Stones, Emotional Rescue
  • Sheena Easton, Sheena Easton
  • Stephen Sondheim, Follies In Concert

Reissues

Vinyl
  • Peter Gabriel, Secret World Live

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Purchase log, 2019-12-31

[The Ordinaires - One]

I catalog my music purchases on Collectorz and Discogs, but they don’t give me a sense of change over time. So I’m noting them here weekly as well.

New releases

Vinyl
  • Jamila Woods, Legacy! Legacy!
  • Kim Gordon, No Home Record

Catalog

CD
  • Buffalo Daughter, WXBD
  • Conlon Nancarrow, Studies for Player Piano
  • Freedy Johnston, Never Home
  • J. Cole, Born Sinner
  • Public Image Ltd., Compact Disc
  • Stephen Sondheim, Merrily We Roll Along
  • The Ordinaires, One
  • Trio, Da Da Da

Unofficial

Vinyl
  • Frank Ocean, channel ORANGE

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Purchase log, 2019-12-17

[Various Artists - Rubáiyát]

I catalog my music purchases on Collectorz and Discogs, but they don’t give me a sense of change over time. So I’m noting them here weekly as well.

New releases

Vinyl
  • Shiina Ringo, Sandokushi
Blu Ray
  • Shiina Ringo, Seiteki Healing Sono Go~Nana

Catalog

CD
  • Bob Mould, The Last Dog and Pony Show
  • Digital Underground, Sex Packets
  • Lana Del Rey, Norman Fucking Rockwell!
  • Midnight Oil, Earth and Sun and Moon
  • Mumford & Sons, Sigh No More
  • Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg, Mendelssohn: Violin Concerto (New York Chamber Symphony, Gerard Schwarz)
  • Old 97s, Satellite Rides
  • Philip Glass, Low Symphony (Brooklyn Philharmonic, Dennis Russell Davies)
  • Roxette, Look Sharp!
  • Stephen Sondheim, Sweeney Todd (2005 Broadway Cast)
  • Sting, If On a Winter’s Night …
  • Tag Team, Whoomp! (There It Is)
  • Taylor Swift, Speak Now
  • Technotronic, Trip on This: The Remixes
  • Various Artists, Living In Oblivion, Vol. 2
  • Various Artists, Rubáiyát: The Originals
Vinyl
  • Chic, Risqué
  • Conlon Nancarrow, Complete Studies for Player Piano, Vol. 2
  • Conlon Nancarrow, Complete Studies for Player Piano, Vol. 4
  • Foreigner, Agent Provocateur
  • Hüsker Dü, Land Speed Record
  • Sonic Youth, Confusion Is Sex
  • Soundtrack, This Is Spinal Tap

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Purchase log, 2019-07-16

[Torche - Admission]

I catalog my music purchases on Collectorz and Discogs, but they don’t give me a sense of change over time. So I’m noting them here weekly as well.

New releases

CD
  • Torche, Admission

Catalog

CD
  • Alabama Shakes, Boys & Girls
  • Bangles, A Different Light
  • Clannad, Atlantic Realm
  • Elliott Smith, Figure 8
  • Fleetwood Mac, Behind the Mask
  • Front 242, Tyranny for You
  • Gabby Pahinui and Atta Isaacs, Two Slack Key Guitars
  • Grandaddy, The Sophtware Slump
  • Hapa, In the Name of Love
  • John Zorn, The Classic Guide to Strategy, Volumes One and Two
  • Johnny Cash, American IV: The Man Comes Around
  • Lorde, Pure Heroine
  • Morrissey, You Are the Quarry
  • Mumford and Sons, Babel
  • R.E.O. Speedwagon, Hi Infidelity
  • SING LIKE TALKING, DISCOVERY
  • Skrillex, Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites
  • The Style Council, Confessions of a Pop Group
  • Tricky, Maxinquaye
  • Various Artists, Every Band Has a Shonen Knife Who Loves Them
Vinyl
  • ABBA, The Singles: The First 10 Years
  • Cyndi Lauper, She’s So Unusual
  • Krzysztof Penderecki, Violin Concerto (Isaac Stern, Minnesota Orchestra, Stanislaw Skrowaczewki)
  • Leonard Bernstein, Leonard Bernstein Conducts His Symphonies (New York Philharmonic)
  • New Jersey Percussion Ensemble, Percussion Music
  • Stephen Sondheim, Company (Original Cast Recording)
  • The Alarm, Strength

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Purchase log, 2019-06-18

[Shiina Ringo - MoRA]

I catalog my music purchases on Collectorz and Discogs, but they don’t give me a sense of change over time. So I’m noting them here weekly as well.

New releases

CD
  • John Luther Adams, Become Desert
  • Madonna, Madame X
Vinyl
  • James Blake, Assume Form
  • Midnight Oil, Armistice Day: Live at the Domain Sydney

Catalog

CD
  • Bruce Springsteen, Tracks
  • Chuck Prophet, No Other Love
  • Hank III, Risin’ Outlaw
  • InfoMatik, Identify
  • John Coltrane, Live in Seattle
  • Kid Koala, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
  • Lounge Lizards, Voice of Chunk
  • Shiina Ringo, MoRA
  • Stephen Sondheim, Follies
  • Whitney Houston, I’m Your Baby Tonight
  • Soundtrack, Captive
Vinyl
  • Sonny Rollins, Saxophone Colossus
  • Soundgarden, Badmotorfinger

Reissues

CD
  • Marvin Gaye, You’re the Man
  • MONO, Hymn to the Immortal Wind (Anniversary Edition)
Vinyl
  • Art of Noise, In No Sense? Nonsense!

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Purchase log, 2019-03-19

[Pop Will Eat Itself - This Is the Day ... This Is the Hour ... This Is This!]

I catalog my music purchases on Collectorz and Discogs, but they don’t give me a sense of change over time. So I’m noting them here weekly as well.

This past weekend was the Friends of the Seattle Library Book Sale, which usually provides a few weeks’ worth of listening.

Catalog

CD
  • Aretha Franklin, Aretha’s Best
  • Atmosphere, Overcast!
  • Beck, Mutations
  • Billy Idol, Idolize Yourself: The Very Best of Billy Idol
  • bis, The New Transistor Heroes
  • Björk, Drawing Restraint 9
  • Bon Jovi, Slippery When Wet
  • Branford Marsalis Quartet, Crazy People Music
  • Daniel Lanois, Acadie
  • David Bowie, Pin Ups
  • Dawn Upshaw, Voices of Light
  • Einstürzende Neubauten, 80-83 Strategies Against Architecture
  • György Ligeti, Ligeti Edition 5: Mechanical Music
  • Jane’s Addiction, Nothing’s Shocking
  • Joanna Newsom, Ys
  • John Zorn, The Gift
  • Johnny Cash, American Recordings
  • Josquin des Prez / Giovanni Palestrina, Motets / Masses
  • Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin II
  • Lizz Wright, The Orchard
  • Lovage, Nathaniel Merriweather Presents … Lovage: Music to Make Love to Your Old Lady By
  • Mazzy Star, So Tonight That I Might See
  • Mike Patton, Adult Themes for Voice
  • Oingo Boingo, Dead Man’s Party
  • Osvaldo Golijov, Ainadamar
  • PJ Harvey, Let England Shake
  • PJ Harvey, Rid of Me
  • Pop Will Eat Itself, This Is the Day … This Is the Hour … This Is This!
  • Queen Latifah, Nature of a Sista
  • Robert Palmer, Addictions Volume 2
  • Roberta Flack, First Take
  • Sonic Youth, Washing Machine
  • Soundgarden, Louder Than Love
  • Spice Girls, Spiceworld
  • Stephen Sondheim, Putting it Together (Original Cast Recording)
  • The Beatles, Yellow Submarine
  • The Mars Volta, De-Loused at the Comatorium
  • The White Stripes, Get Behind Me Satan
  • Thelonious Monk Quartet with John Coltrane, At Carnegie Hall
  • Tom Tom Club, Tom Tom Club
  • William Grant Still, Africa
  • XTC, Nonsuch
  • Yaz, You and Me Both
  • Various Artists, Stay Awake
  • Soundtrack, Pride and Prejudice (BBC Television serial)
  • Soundtrack, Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi (Spirited Away)
  • Soundtrack, Sense and Sensibility
Vinyl
  • Dead Or Alive, Mad, Bad, and Dangerous to Know
  • Eleanor Steber, Barber: Knoxville: Summer 1915 / LaMontaine: Songs of the Rose of Sharon
  • Millions Like Us, Millions Like Us
  • Olivier Messiaen, Et Exspecto Resurrectionem Mortuorum / Couleurs de la Cité Celeste
  • Olivier Messiaen, Petites Liturgies de la Présence Divine
  • Olivier Messiaen, Tashi Plays Messiaen – Quartet for the End of Time
  • Robert Palmer, Clues
  • Robert Palmer, Double Fun
  • Robert Palmer, Maybe It’s Live
  • Robert Palmer, Pride
  • Robert Palmer, Sneakin’ Sally Through the Alley
  • Stephen Sondheim, Pacific Overtures (Original Broadway Cast)
  • William Schuman, Symphony No. 3 / Symphony for Strings
  • Yvonne Elliman, Yvonne
  • Soundtrack, A Room with a View

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Purchase log, 2019-03-12

[Weezer - Weezer (Teal Album)

I catalog my music purchases on Collectorz and Discogs, but they don’t give me a sense of change over time. So I’m noting them here weekly as well.

New releases

CD
  • Weezer, Weezer (Teal Album)

Vinyl

  • Mikami Chisako, I AM Ready!
  • Utada Hikaru, “Face My Fears”

Catalog

CD
  • Aphex Twin, … I Care Because You Do
  • Arvo Pärt, Piano Music
  • Bruno Mars, Doo-Wops & Hooligans
  • Einstürzende Neubauten, Strategies Against Architecture III
  • Elliott Smith, XO
  • Jack Ingram, Midnight Motel
  • M83, Dead Cities, Red Seas & Lost Ghosts
  • Marc Ribot, Shoe String Symphonettes
  • MGMT, Oracular Spectacular
  • Pink Floyd, Dark Side of the Moon
  • Pink Floyd, Wish You Were Here
  • Robert Palmer, Pressure Drop
  • Stephen Sondheim, Company (Original Cast Recording Remastered)
  • Steve Earle, Guitar Town
  • The Books, Lost and Safe
  • The Pogues, Hell’s Ditch
  • The Wooden Birds, Magnolia
Vinyl
  • Fleetwood Mac, Fleetwood Mac
  • Sly and the Family Stone, Greatest Hits

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Favorite Edition Rewind: 1979

[The Manhattan Transfer - Extensions]

A decade ago, I wrote a series of entries ranking my favorite albums from 1985 to 2004. My collection has expanded greatly since then, particularly in the last five years. So I wanted to see what has changed in 10 years.

1979 is officially the year I started collecting music. And it’s all because of a post-disco hit about the Twilight Zone theme song. This list, though, couldn’t have been compiled till 2006.

  1. Gang of Four, Entertainment!
  2. Andrew Lloyd Webber, Evita
  3. Stephen Sondheim, Sweeney Todd
  4. Philip Glass, Einstein on the Beach
  5. Midnight Oil, Head Injuries
  6. Talking Heads, Fear of Music
  7. The Clash, London Calling
  8. Michael Jackson, Off the Wall
  9. The Police, Reggatta de Blanc
  10. Emmylou Harris, Blue Kentucky Girl

Other favorites from the year:

  • The Manhattan Transfer, Extensions
  • The B-52’s, The B-52’s

The hit in question is “Twilight Tone” by the Manhattan Transfer.

Though more renowned as a jazz vocal quartet, the group wouldn’t get on my radar till “Twilight Tone” invaded the airwaves. Search YouTube for a performance of the song on a variety show — it’s amazing what people will endure for art. Or gimmickry.

My parents relented and bought the Extensions album for me. Of course, I played “Twilight Tone” to death, but I also dug the other songs on the album. Unlike “Twilight Tone”, they ranged from doo-wop to a capella. One song was a bizarre novelty with the singers voices rendered at chipmunk speed. You could say this was Manhattan Transfer’s disco album.

I’ve included it in the extended list. As fond as I am of the album, I have a better sense of what 1979 really offered as a year in music.

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