Album Reviews

In the annals of jazz history, one artist who often gets overlooked was one of the early architects of the saxophone sound, dating back to the 1920s when he was arranging for Fletcher Henderson. His name is Benny Carter, and his stellar 1958 album simply titled Jazz Giant has just seen a 180g 1LP reissue from Craft Recordings, via an all-analog remaster by Bernie Grundman. Read Mark Smotroff’s review to see if this Jazz Giant is a must-have addition to your jazz vinyl listening experience. . .

Never one to sit idle, even after a debilitating physical injury he sustained in late 1971, Frank Zappa pushed onward to make some of the most creative music of his entire career. The resultant two albums — July 1972’s Waka/Jawaka (official Zappa album No. 15) and November 1972’s The Grand Wazoo (official Zappa album No. 16) — are two sides of a coin now duly feted in a pair of new, 50th anniversary 180g 1LP editions sporting all-analog mastering by Bernie Grundman. Read Mark Smotroff’s review to find out why you need to get your hands, and ears, on both LPs. . .

Two often overlooked albums by The Beach Boys are the main focus of a fantastic new 180g 5LP+1EP box set, Sail On Sailor – 1972, which features the band’s landmark 1973 album Holland plus 1972’s under-appreciated and much misunderstood Carl And The Passions – “So Tough” to form the heart of this excellent new collection buttressed by a previously unreleased, complete, of-era 1972 live performance from Carnegie Hall. Read Mark Smotroff’s thorough review of this truly special box set-cum-document of an artistically transformative, often powerful, and at times remarkably hard-rocking period for a quintessential Southern California band looking for — and ultimately reaching the summit of — some creatively fruitful new horizons. . .

Last week, we sung the praises of the new 180g 1LP Geffen/UMe edition of Steely Dan’s November 1972 debut album, Can’t Buy A Thrill. This week, we cue up Analogue Productions’ 200g 2LP UHQR edition of Thrill, and — spoiler alert! — it’s one of the best listening experiences you’ll have this year (or any other). Read on to find out all the pressing details why this 200g Thrill is one for the ages. . .

Trumpet legend Dizzy Gillespie collaborated with Cuban percussionist Chico O’Farrill on Afro, a fantastic Afro-Cuban hybrid-genre jazz album in 1954 that’s been out of print for ages — until now, that is. Afro has just been reissued in fine 180g 1LP form by Vinyl Me Please (VMP), and the results are quite exhilarating overall. Read Mark Smotroff’s review to find out why Afro belongs in your collection. . .

If you are considering buying the new 180g 4LP/1EP Super Deluxe Edition vinyl box set celebrating The Beatles’ landmark August 1966 album Revolver that’s set for release on October 28, then you’ve come to the right place. Read on to discover why this landmark Beatles box set is worth the coin for mono and stereo fans alike. . .

John Coltrane’s landmark lone album for Blue Note Records, January 1958’s Blue Train, is an acknowledged jazz classic that has only grown in stature over the years. In fact, the album is so highly revered and so popular that demand for original 1950s pressings have escalated on the collector’s market, putting those editions essentially out of reach for most consumers. Fortunately, the good folks behind Blue Note’s Tone Poet Audiophile Vinyl Reissue series have crafted not one but two releases to celebrate the 65th anniversary of this most beloved Trane album — namely, separate 180g 1LP mono and 180g 2LP stereo editions. This likely raises a slight dilemma for some of us as to which version of we should buy. Read on to find out if one, or both versions are worth obtaining. . .