It’s Prince New Vinyl Thursday. Check out his new music form 1983; it’s amazing what his vaults hold. Take a look at all of the rest of this week’s new arrivals- good stuff! Psst- its also time to start talking about Black Friday Record Store Day!
Aaron Lee Tasjan – Karma For Cheap (Colored Vinyl, Red, Orange, Indie Exclusive)
Adam’s House Cat – Town Burned Down (The boys from The Drive-By Truckers first band. Gatefold LP Jacket, Colored Vinyl, Yellow)
Black Joe Lewis – The Difference Between Me & You
Burnis – Light My Fire
Carrie Cleveland – Looking Up: Complete Works (With Bonus 7″)
Chaparrals- Shake Your Head
Dr. Dre – Chronic
First Aid Kit – Tender Offerings (10-Inch Vinyl, Extended Play)
Weekly Review:
When First Aid Kit released Ruins back in January they weaved love and heartbreak into a ten song basket of soft songs and big moments. Fast forward and we have been gifted this four song companion. This 10″ EP is comprised of songs from the Ruins recording session that ultimately got cut from the album. Don’t let that drive you to think these songs were (or are) not worthy. They are in the truest sense Tender Offerings. Songs about being lost, searching for meaning only to end up more confused. They are songs about empowerment, accepting the good and rejecting the bad.
Take the first track I’ve Wanted You for example. The arpeggiated acoustic guitar paves the way as the song swells and builds, parsing in sparse organ and piano to accentuate and drive the track forward. It showcases Klara Söderberg’s vocals and storytelling and spins a tale of being lost in life. “I keep thinking I can escape this but there are no red shoes to tap, just endless hauling through a desert, and babe there never was a map.” Its intricate in it’s complexity, yet simple in its minimalism.
Ugly is a song of inadequacy and ultimately resilience. It opens with – “I thought that being skinny was the answer to all my problems/I thought if you found me pretty then, I’d be fine/I thought if you loved me, I’d be a person, it’s only if you wanted me that I’d have peace of mind.” It goes on to highlight other attributes such as smarts and strength while the chorus sings out “If I’m ugly well I am so much more than that so much more than you’ll ever know” The bridge is when it all comes together “But I look at my own mother, who taught me to be strong. When the world urged me to be better, she assured me that they were wrong.” The acceptance of not caring about how others make you feel and not letting perceived aspects define you is in the end uplifting and inspirational.
The title track Tender Offerings and closing track All That We Get are the up tempo tracks that that could have easily found a place on Ruins. All That We Get is a bitter-sweet song that that dives into the idea that life is perfectly imperfect and embracing that. It’s a message we could all use a little more of.
Brad Simmons
Gorillaz – Demon Days
JEFF The Brotherhood – Magick Songs
Kurt Vile – Bottle It In (Limited Edition, Colored Vinyl, Blue, Indie Exclusive)
Lady Gaga – A Star Is Born (Original Soundtrack)
Larry and His Flask – This Remedy
Low – Double Negative
Mazzy Star – Seasons of Your Day
Michael Jackson – Thriller (Gatefold LP Jacket)
Neil Young – Harvest Moon
Parliament – Mothership Connection
Prince – 4ever (4 LP box set)
Prince – Piano & A Microphone 1983 (180 Gram Vinyl)
Weekly Review:
Prince “Piano and a Microphone 1983”
I think it’s only fair that prior to reviewing the first posthumous release from the Prince estate that I divulge that being a product of the 80’s I have never met a Prince album I didn’t like, certainly not before it actually was 1999. That being said, “Piano & a Microphone 1983” is an incredible new collection of Prince songs, and the album provides a refreshing twist from the iconic artist who tragically passed too soon.
The album is just what it sounds like: Prince, a perfectly tuned piano that is blessed with his impeccable skill, and his well-known, wide-ranging voice that doesn’t seem to ever miss a note.
Discovered in the legendary “vault” at his Paisley Park estate on a single cassette tape, it was recorded alone in one continuous take at his own home studio in 1983.
The album illustrates his skills as a musician, vocalist, songwriter, and showman. Prince uses every layer of his voice, paired with his fingers hitting the keys, to make each song as good as it can be.
The album is also completely unedited, so listeners can hear the hum of the recording device in the background as Prince sings effortlessly with soul and grace. Prince epitomized smoothness and grace throughout his memorable life and career the album here transitions between songs so seamlessly allowing that smooth soul and grace to shine thru the album.
He opens up the session with the six minute long “17 Days,” which is the B-side to his hit song “When Doves Cry” that flows so perfectly it could keep going even when it reaches its end, and it transitions right into his signature “Purple Rain.”
The song change is only noticeable because it starts off with an opening section that is universally recognizable, and it powerfully proceeds to flow through a verse and chorus from the legendary song.
“Piano & a Microphone 1983” allows a glimpse into the life of one of the greatest artists of all time, and at his most vulnerable. It feels like a trip back in time with Prince and a behind the scenes look into his mind.
Continuing his improvisation, he stops here and there on “International Lover” to allow the reverberation of his trademark falsetto to faintly return to listeners’ ears. In “Cold Coffee and Cocaine,” he successfully mimics drums and adds different impressions of backup vocalists to an impromptu song.
The album will especially hit home for his great number of fans and sounds so much better on the turntable.
“What’s this shaking in me?” he sings to close out the show with a beautiful rendition of “Why The Butterflies?” He is an artist who will be dearly missed…fortunately the “vault” should keep us going for awhile. Get your copy are from the best music staff in the city… down in the underground.
Albert Schmurr.
Prince – Purple Rain (180 Gram Vinyl, Remastered)
Radiohead – In Rainbows (180 Gram Vinyl)
Ramones – Ramones (Remastered)
Ramones – Rocket To Russia (Remastered)
Sharon Van Etten – Are We There
Slothrust – The Pact
The Bottle Rockets – Bit Logic LP
Tool – Undertow (Re-Issue)
Townes Van Zandt – Live at the Old Quarter (180 Gram Vinyl)
Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats – Wasteland (Indie Exclusive)
Waxahatchee – Great Thunder (Colored Vinyl, Yellow, Indie Exclusive, Digital Download Card)
Yan Tregger – Catchy
Yan Tregger – Ducks & Drakes
Prince New Vinyl Thursday has it all! Come get some new music. We are open until 9 pm.
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Speaking of news, the Black Friday Record Store day list is live! Click HERE to join our event and see all of the goodies that will be available on November 23rd only at independent records stores like The Vinyl Underground at 7th Heaven. We will open at 7 am and we always order every title and have them all priced BELOW retail! So plan now to shop with us first to save time AND money!
Thanks for reading this week’s Prince New Vinyl Thursday post! Mention that you did before you check out and we will take 20% off of ANY one item in the store! Offer good through 10/17/18.
Enjoy the music and we will see you soon. Your loving Vinyl Underground at 7th Heaven staff.
Sherman, Gordon, Daniel, Dylan, David, Jonathan, and Dionna.
#TheVinylUndergroundKC #WeAreLocal #YourNeighborhoodMusicStore #NewVinylThursday #BFRSD18
