Salutations™!!
The BCPF and I had a good day yesterday. We had breakfast out (which was scary and probably not something I’ll talk her into again for a while) and then went to Underdog Records to see Jonathan, get our fix, and came home listened to everything we bought and had some DiLisio’s for dinner. Great stuff. Here’s the haul:
- The Rolling Stones – Bridges To Babylon — I have stated many times that I’m not a huge Rolling Stones fan. I have also stated that my favorite era of the Stones is the 1978-1981 years. Well, precisely Some Girls and Tattoo You. Emotional Rescue was pretty bad, to me. I don’t like Exile on Main Street but some of the others around that album I did like. Then there were the later years (not like current era, but the late-80s into the 90s). I had mostly dismissed that stuff. Voodoo Lounge or Steel Wheels. And, of course, this album. The funny thing is, yesterday when we listened to this album. I fell in love with it. Yeah, it’s Glimmer Twins uber-cheesy nonsense but I really, really enjoyed listening to it. This is the first time since 1997 that this album was released on vinyl and it is a half-speed mastering which means the mastering lathe is cutting into the master platter at half the speed which gives the cutting head more chances to get the cut right. Think of a riding lawnmower. If you go at 10-12 mph on that mower, the grass will still be cut but not as good as if you went 5-7 mph, right? The cut will be more precise and it will look better, or in case of a mastering lathe, it will sound better. There are several pro/con schools of thought on that, but I think it is a good thing. Anywhat, I loved listening to this, it sounded great, the songs were enjoyable. I’m so glad I got this. 2xLP. New.
- Rolling Stones – Steel Wheels — This one, which had more “hits” than the previous entry on this post, didn’t hold up as well to me. I still liked it, but it wasn’t as fun. I had both of these albums on CD and I think listened through them once each. This one may get hit in a “random grab” but I can see the previous one being listened to more readily. This, too, was half-speed mastered. New.
- Van Halen – 1984 — Yes, I already had this but my copy had some skips and surface noise. It is my favorite VH record. This was remastered, reissued, and is on 180g vinyl. I told The BCPF that I don’t remember hearing “this or that” even on the CD. This was well done. I still love every song on here and am quite happy with paying for a new copy. So, yeah… New.
- Mother Love Bone – Apple — This was on the Eugeology list that I did with Eugene a couple of years back. I really liked it then. I really love it now. I think when I listened on the “list,” I was focused so much on the analysis or critique that I didn’t get to listen for listening’s sake. Yesterday, I got to listen and enjoy it even more. I am so glad that Eugene put his on my radar and that Underdog Records put it in my hands. New.
- Superchunk – No Pocky For Kitty — The BCPF and I have seen Superchunk in concert twice. She had seen them more than that, I think before we met. Mac McCaughan started the band in Chapel Hill, NC, and later Merge Records. If you’re wondering, Pocky is a popular Japanese treat. Basically, biscuit/bread treats dipped in chocolate or strawberry coating. We sold them when I owned the comic book store. They were good but not worth the cost (since they were imported). This album, the band’s second release, is pretty good. The BCPF enjoys them more than I do, but I don’t dislike them. New.
- Superchunk – On The Mouth — The third release from the band (1993), the same applies to this one as the previous entry. She liked it. I didn’t mind it. New.
That’s the haul. Short and sweet. I failed to mention last week that we also got a Nina Simone record but as of yet it isn’t on Discogs, at least the version I got, which was a reissue released last week. I’ll give it another week and if it’s not on Discogs, I’ll have to add it myself. I don’t like entering them. I always feel like I’m leaving something off. Plus, the meticulous intent from the editors of that site is kind of scary. Which, is why I trust them with my collection; precision and meticulousness. You should use them, too.
Underdog Records is open Thursday through Saturday from 11a-7p. Jonathan does deliveries (weather permitting) Monday-Wednesday. You should follow him on Instagram (the preferred method) or Facebook to see what he’s offering up. It could be new or used. Just follow the instructions in the posts. Plus, you can see what new vinyl (whether reissues, backstock, or new releases) he has, and purchase some via the website.
Until tomorrow, keep spinnin’…
Scorp out!
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“I dance a dancer, I’m all wrong. She thinks she’s young and wise but no, no, no. She dance around my, my pretty little cable car and fix me up with a guy, why? C’mon, how dare you do this? Why she done that to me, ever? Why she done it to me? So I’m singing…” – “Stargazer” (Ament/Fairweather/Gilmore/Gossard/Wood)