Vinyl Reports

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Mike Mettler  |  Sep 24, 2025

Look through any window, and what do you see? In this case, we’re eyeballing the next entry in Bob Dylan’s acclaimed Bootleg Series that’s on deck. More specifically, The Bootleg Series Vol. 18: Through The Open Window, 1956-1963 is arriving via Columbia/Legacy/Sony Music as a 4LP box set on October 31, 2025. Read on to see which 42 tracks of that key early Dylan era — 18 of them previously unreleased, and nine of them considered as being “super-rare” — have made the vinyl cut. . .

Mark Smotroff  |  Sep 19, 2025

While we’re saving our final determinations for what the best box sets of 2025 are for later in the year, the new mega-multi-LP collection from David Bowie, 6: I Can’t Give Everything Away: (2002 – 2016), is certainly a contender. In short, it’s an amazing study of the man, his music, and enduring vision. Read Mark Smotroff’s review of this massive 180g 16LP/2EP collection to see why it’s well worth the investment. . .

Mike Mettler  |  Sep 17, 2025

Where have you been? It’s all right, we know where you’ve been. Naturally, many of you already know that I’ve just borrowed some key lyrics from “Welcome to the Machine” to segue into the news that Pink Floyd have just announced a 50th anniversary edition of Wish You Were Here — the album from whence that song comes from — will be released in expanded 3LP and deluxe box set editions on December 12, 2025. Read on to see all the details about all the on-vinyl extras, and which edition(s) they will appear on. . .

Mark Smotroff, Mike Mettler  |  Sep 12, 2025

The ongoing impact and popularity of Led Zeppelin’s February 1975 epic 2LP set Physical Graffiti is undeniable. In celebration of that album’s 50th anniversary, the mighty Zep have deemed today, September 12, 2025, as the day to reissue a deluxe remastered 3LP edition of that all-important core album in addition to a separate, companion four-song Live EP, the latter of which houses a quartet of songs that have never been released officially on vinyl until now. Read Mark Smotroff and Mike Mettler’s combo review of both the Physical Graffiti 3LP and Live EP releases to see why they belong in your Zep-centric vinyl collection ASAP. . .

Mike Mettler  |  Sep 10, 2025

For a British band with such a potentially foreboding name as The Darkness, their music is anything but grim. Instead, they choose to celebrate what we call a “tongue in chic” (spelling intended) wink/nudge approach to rock conventionalism by meeting all of it head on with layered riffs, clever arrangements, and operatic vocals galore — and their latest smokin’ hot LP, Dreams on Toast, is the living analog proof. Read AP editor Mike Mettler’s interview with Darkness guitarist/producer Dan Hawkins to see what he doesn’t want to hear on test pressings, why “flow” is critical to vinyl sequencing, and what albums he and his older brother, Darkness lead singer Justin Hawkins, bought and shared together when they were growing up. . .

Mark Smotroff  |  Sep 05, 2025

It is time again to relax and float downstream to the psychedelic 1960s with a fine trio of rarity reissues from three top-flight boundary-pushing sonic warriors: Love (The Elektra Singles), Tim Buckley (Happy Sad), and Billy Nicholls (Would You Believe). Read Mark Smotroff’s combo Short Cuts review of all three of these upgraded LPs to see which ones you should get now to feed your analog head in the way you should. . .

Mike Mettler  |  Sep 03, 2025

While The Who are currently traversing North America on their (allegedly) “final-final” tour that’s been dubbed (of course) The Song Is Over, they’re also quite keen on continuing with a finely curated catalog reissue series that’s been chock full of remastered originals and unreleased studio and live tracks galore. To that end, The ’Oo have just announced that their Who Are You 180g Deluxe Edition 4LP box set is forthcoming from Polydor/UMe on October 31, 2025. Read on to see what all the bonus material is, and what other versions of the set are also available. . .

Mark Smotroff  |  Aug 29, 2025

Often dividing fans as far as favorite Steely Dan albums go, their fifth studio LP on ABC, May 1976’s The Royal Scam, is an arguable breakpoint between the harder-rocking early incarnations of the group and the more progressive, smoothly jazz-infused albums to come. Read Mark Smotroff’s combo review of the recently released Analogue Productions 200g 45rpm 2LP UHQR edition and companion “standard” remaster 1LP version from Geffen/UMe to see why The Royal Scam deserves a reassessment by those who may not be giving it its proper due. . .

Mike Mettler  |  Aug 27, 2025

Here’s an upcoming multidisc collection that practically whispers one of its song titles as an instruction for potential, pun-intended suitors: Take me home. Or, to be more precise, Phil Collins and his team are suiting up for a proper, imminent 40th anniversary release of the sartorially titled No Jacket Required (Fully Tailored) 180g 4LP box set via Atlantic/Rhino on September 12, 2025. Read on to see how it was done, and what all the cool bonus material is. . .

Mark Smotroff  |  Aug 22, 2025

Miles 55: The Prestige Recordings is a new deluxe 180g 3LP box set being released today, August 22, 2025, by Craft Recordings, and it celebrates a crucial period of seminal mid-1950s music by Miles Davis, as accompanied by some of his most important bands of the era. Read Mark Smotroff’s review to see why Miles 55 is yet another worthy addition to the ever-expanding Miles canon on vinyl. . .

Mike Mettler  |  Aug 21, 2025

Could there have been a more perfectly named rock documentary than 1995’s The Beatles Anthology, the eight-episode linear-TV doc series that traced the full arc of The Fabs’ magical musical journey that began in Liverpool and Hamburg and soon enough captivated the world? In celebration of its 30th anniversary, The Beatles Anthology will see a comprehensive 180g 12LP box set released by Apple Corps Ltd./Capitol/UMG on November 21, 2025, and it includes an all-new fourth set naturally dubbed Anthology 4. Read on to see even more Anthology-related details, including the expansion of the original doc series (and when/where you can see it) and an updated book. . .

Mike Mettler  |  Aug 20, 2025

Bioscope is a thrilling ambient prog collaboration between Steve Rothery, co-founder of and guitarist for Britain’s perennial prog stalwarts Marillion, and Thorsten Quaeschning, musical director of German ambient pioneers Tangerine Dream — and their debut 2LP set Gentō comes out via earMUSIC this upcoming Friday, August 22, 2025. In the Q&A portion of this post, AP editor Mike Mettler and Rothery discuss the overall sonic goals for Bioscope, his appreciation of half-speed mastering and film soundtracks, and which Marillion LPs the guitar maestro suggests the AP faithful and newbies alike should spin on their turntables to get a sense of their musical intentions and inclinations. . .

Mark Smotroff  |  Aug 15, 2025

When it comes to recordings of the blues, there are different pockets of reissue-related activity that remain of interest to many music enthusiasts these days. Three new recent LP upgrades from three different iconic names span several generations of interest — namely, mid-20th-century icons John Lee Hooker and Memphis Slim along with Furry Lewis, who began recording in 1927. Read Mark Smotroff’s combo Short Cuts review to see if BMG’s new reissue of Hooker’s 1992 Pointblank/Charisma album Boom Boom, along with Craft Recordings’ Bluesville Series reissues of both pianist Memphis Slim’s 1959 Vee-Jay debut At The Gate of Horn and acoustic fingerpicking/slide guitarist Furry Lewis’ 1961 Prestige/Bluesville LP Back on My Feet are all worthy of buying and spinning. . .

Mike Mettler  |  Aug 13, 2025

Joni knows jazz, and jazz knows Joni. To reinforce the point, Joni Mitchell is getting ready to release Joni’s Jazz, a massive 8LP passion project years in the making, via Rhino on September 5, 2025. It’s a career-spanning collection that features a wide range of recordings specifically chosen by Mitchell herself that reflect jazz’s profound influence on her music. Read on to see which tracks made her final cut, and why this box is a most worthy addition to your collection. . .

Mike Mettler  |  Aug 12, 2025

Happy National Vinyl Record Day, everyone! To celebrate, we’ve been spinning a number of our favorite LPs as our soundtrack for the day, both old/reissued and new alike. We’ve also compiled a related story about a wonderful local vinyl-donation initiative called Spin It Forward. Read on to learn more about this library program that champions a truly good vinyl-centric cause, in addition to marking some personal vinyl touchstones and reinforcing the ongoing importance of indie record stores. . . .

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