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Best Reissues of 2024: Art Alexakis on Why Intervention Records’ Truly Wonderful 140g 1LP Edition of Everclear’s Songs From an American Movie Vol. One: Learning How to Smile Sounds Exactly Like He Originally Intended
Mike Mettler  |  Dec 13, 2024  |  0 comments

The 1990s were a decade of transition. It was a time when recording artists had to figure out how to move on from MTV-era preening and get back to creating their music more for aural satisfaction, not just visual pleasure. Everclear, an alt-rock trio from Portland, Oregon, made quite a splash during the ’90s — see “Santa Monica,” “Everything to Everyone,” and “Father of Mine,” for starters — but as the calendar turned to the 2000s, bandleader and chief songwriter Art Alexakis had a vision to chronicle how his life was falling apart, in two parts. The first half of that heart-wrenching story, July 2000’s Songs From an American Movie Vol. One: Learning How to Smile, was a smash hit on CD, but it never made its way onto vinyl. Intervention Records righted that wrong back in September 2024 with their limited-edition 140g 1LP translucent yellow version of Vol. One, which is one of AP’s Best Reissues of 2024. During a recent Zoom interview with AP editor Mike Mettler, Alexakis discusses why SFAAM Vol. One sounds better on vinyl, why he always sequences his albums with vinyl in mind, and if a second LP of the overarching SFAAM storyline is in the offing.. . .

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Features
Tis The Season to Spin Vinyl, Part 2: Some of Our Favorite Vintage Holiday LP Chestnuts Worth Adding to Your “Nice” List
Mark Smotroff  |  Dec 12, 2024  |  6 comments

Yesterday (December 11, 2024), we shared Part 1 of our holiday LPs shopping list, which focused on new releases. And now, as promised for today (December 12, 2024), here in Part 2, we move on to discussing some additional favorite holiday album chestnuts from over the years. Read Part 2 of Mark Smotroff’s holiday LP roundup to see which of these half-dozen vintage holiday vinyl releases are worth seeking out for your own holiday listening/gift-giving needs. . .

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News
T Bone Burnett, NeoFidelity, Inc., and Julien’s Auctions Announce Exclusive Partnership for Forthcoming, One-of-One Ionic Original Releases
Mike Mettler  |  Dec 12, 2024  |  3 comments

The answer, my friends, is blowin’ in the grooves. Today (December 12, 2024), Julien’s Auctions announced an exclusive partnership with T Bone Burnett’s NeoFidelity, Inc., and their forthcoming Ionic Original releases. The Ionic Original is described as a “one-of-one, handmade, collector’s edition master recording, specifically arranged and performed for each individual recorded disc by the artist.” Read on to see what we currently know about what constitutes an Ionic Original, and what the plan is for what comes next. . .

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ALBUM RELEASE NEWSFeatures
Tis The Season to Spin Vinyl, Part 1: Eight New Holiday LPs to Add to Your Shopping List
Mark Smotroff  |  Dec 11, 2024  |  4 comments

It’s beginning to look a lot like. . . holiday vinyl. Tis that time of year when holiday music is in the air, and there is no shortage of holiday vinyl to go around for any and all of your holiday listening proclivities and/or gift-giving needs. Read Part 1 of Mark Smotroff’s holiday LP roundup to see which of these eight featured new vinyl releases could make their way onto your “nice” list for listening and/or gifting this year. . .

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AAA VinylALBUM RELEASE NEWS
New Rhino Reserves Premium Vinyl Series Launches on January 31, 2025, With Allen Toussaint’s Southern Nights and Eddie Hazel’s Game, Dames And Guitar Thangs AAA 180g LPs
Mike Mettler  |  Dec 10, 2024  |  1 comments

Sure to go running through your soul, like the stories told of old: Today (December 10, 2024), Rhino announces the launch of a new audiophile vinyl series that’s been dubbed Rhino Reserves, which purports to offer “legendary albums” on 180g premium-quality black vinyl, as cut from the original analog tapes. Read on to see which two vintage LPs from the 1970s kick off this new series on January 31, 2024, where they’re being pressed and cut, and by whom. . .

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FeaturesShow Reports
Capital Audiofest 2024 Highlights, Part 9: Command Performance AV Remembers the ’80s, Starring Modern-Day Gear From J.Sikora, Aidas, Lyra, Doshi Audio, Audiovector, REL Acoustics, Cardas Audio, and HRS
Julie Mullins  |  Dec 10, 2024  |  1 comments

We’re going back to the future, if you will, with Part 9 of our Capital Audiofest 2024 show report. In this installment, Julie Mullins reports on what she saw and heard from Command Performance AV’s ‘80s-themed room at the show, which featured modern-day gear from J.Sikora, Aidas, Lyra, Doshi Audio, Audiovector, REL Acoustics, Cardas Audio, and HRS. . .

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FeaturesShow Reports
Capital Audiofest 2024 Highlights, Part 8: VPI, Audio Research, Revox, PureAudioProject, and Luminous Audio Technology
Julie Mullins  |  Dec 07, 2024  |  12 comments

We continue diving headlong into December with Part 8 of our Capital Audiofest 2024 show report. In this installment, Julie Mullins reports on what she saw and heard from VPI, Audio Research, Revox, PureAudioProject, and Luminous Audio Technology. . .

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AAA VinylAlbum ReviewsBeatles
The Beatles’ 1964 U.S. Albums in Mono 180g 8LP Box Set Offers All-Analog Updates That Will Appeal to Enthusiasts and Newbies Alike
Mark Smotroff  |  Dec 06, 2024  |  1 comments

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. . .

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AAA VinylFeatures
Listening Session Impressions of Miles Davis’ New Birth of the Blue 180g 1LP at All Blues in NYC
Ken Micallef  |  Dec 05, 2024  |  2 comments

Last night (i.e., December 4, 2024), a select group of journalists gathered at the All Blues listening bar in New York City’s Chinatown, and were treated to an exclusive preview of Analogue Productions’ special 180g 1LP edition of Miles Davis’ Birth of the Blue, which is set for release on December 13, 2024. Read Ken Micallef’s firsthand listening report to get a taste of what you can expect from this historic LP. . .

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FeaturesShow Reports
Capital Audiofest 2024 Highlights, Part 7: Archer High Fidelity, Cambridge Audio, Audio-Technica, and Analysis Plus
Julie Mullins  |  Dec 03, 2024  |  3 comments

Hope everyone enjoyed the Thanksgiving break! We’re now back on track to lean into December with Part 7 of our Capital Audiofest 2024 show report. In this installment, Julie Mullins reports on what she saw and heard from Archer High Fidelity, Cambridge Audio, Audio-Technica, and Analysis Plus. . .

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