LATEST ADDITIONS

To borrow a line from the late great Oscar Peterson, “We get requests.” What I mean by that is, we here at AP are constantly inundated with album review requests on a daily basis — and while we can’t cover them all (as much as we’d like to!), sometimes, that certain special LP makes it through to our tables and ears, reminding us why we do what we do. Case in point is NYC-based multi-instrumentalist Dawn Drake, who reached out to us via email to see if we would review Nightshade, a self-released LP credited to her full band, Dawn Drake & ZapOte. Read on to see why the worldbeat-meets-funk grooves of Nightshade are worth getting on your turntable ASAP. . .

Nestled in the lowlands of the Netherlands, Grimm Audio has carved out quite a nice niche for itself, one that resonates with precision engineering and well-reviewed sound quality. With that in mind, we were quite eager to get our respective hands on the Grimm Audio PW1 phono preamp. Read Ken Micallef and Mike Mettler’s combo review to see if the PW1 is able to deliver robust and precise handling of instruments and vocals as well as potent bass, and if it can also maintain a balanced tonal and frequency profile. . .

Talking Heads’ 1978 sophomore album More Songs About Buildings and Food — which was released 47 years ago this month on July 14, 1978 — marked the beginning of the burgeoning NYC band’s fertile association with visionary producer/artist Brian Eno. Sire/Rhino’s 4LP super deluxe edition of More Songs About Buildings and Food — which just dropped today, July 25, 2025 — is the latest entry in a much-anticipated series of remastered vinyl and expanded offerings that are being released in conjunction with the celebration of the 50th anniversary of Talking Heads’ formation. Read Mark Smotroff’s review to see why this most excellent Food box set belongs on your table — turntable, that is. . .

Following a huge — and quite fun — display of their gear at High End Munich 2025, Pro-Ject have begun releasing some more new products that were seen at the big show, including the new E1.2 turntable. Read Julie Mullins’ report to see more about the features and specs for the Pro-Ject E1.2 plug-and-play table. . .