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InterviewsNew Wax WednesdayVinyl Reports
Dan Hawkins on How The Darkness Flout and Burn Through Rock Tropes and Tribulations on Their Smokin’ Hot New Dreams on Toast LP
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. . .

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Analog Gear News
Technics SL-50C and SL-40CBT Turntables
Julie Mullins  |  Sep 10, 2025

Technics have announced two new turntables, the SL-50C and the SL-40CBT, both of which just saw their official U.S. debut at CEDIA in Denver. Read Julie Mullins’ report to see all the specs and features of — and key differences between — this pair of cool new Technics tables. . .

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Analog Gear News
Lenco LBT-515 Turntable
Mike Mettler  |  Sep 09, 2025

Feast your eyes on the visually familiar Lenco LBT-515 direct-drive turntable, which made a notable debut at IFA 2025. Although it sports a retro-vibe wood finish, the 515 is clearly geared towards the modern turntable customer. Read on to see all the features and specs of the Swiss/Dutch manufacturer’s upcoming 515 table that firmly seat it in the here and now. . .

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Album ReviewsShort CutsVinyl Reports
Short Cuts, Vol. 32, 1960s Psychedelic Vinyl Edition: Upgraded Reissues of Hard-to-Find LPs From Love, Tim Buckley, and Billy Nicholls
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. . .

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Analog Gear News
Hana Umami Black MC Cartridge
Julie Mullins  |  Sep 05, 2025

The celebrated cartridge manufacturer Excel Sound Corporation — who make the Hana Umami cartridges many of us know quite well — recently announced a new flagship addition to their tasty Umami series of moving-coil pickups: the Hana Umami Black MC cartridge. Read on to see all the features and specs for Hana’s new top-tier cart. . .

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New Wax WednesdayVinyl Reports
The Who Readdress 1978’s Who Are You With a 180g 4LP Box Set Featuring 3LPs Comprised of Previously Unreleased Live Material From 1979 on October 31
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. . .

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Turntable Reviews
Denon DP-3000NE Turntable
Ken Micallef  |  Sep 02, 2025

Denon’s new flagship direct-drive turntable, the DP-3000NE, pairs a static-balanced S-shaped tonearm with an aluminum diecast platter, all powered by a high-torque direct-drive motor. Read Ken Micallef’s review to see if the DP-3000NE performs at a level worthy of its quite accessible entry fee. . .

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Album ReviewsVinyl Reports
Analogue Productions Wraps Up Their Stellar 200g 2LP 45rpm UHQR Steely Dan Series With the Definitive, Best-Sounding Version of The Royal Scam, While Geffen/UMe’s 180g 1LP Standard Edition Offers a Good-Sounding, Affordably Priced Alternative
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. . .

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Analog Gear News
Pro-Ject Tube Box S3 B and Tube Box E Phono Preamps
Julie Mullins  |  Aug 29, 2025

Austrian gear makers Pro-Ject recently announced a pair of new products that are right up our analog alley. Meet their latest tubed phono preamps: the Pro-Ject Tube Box S3 B — a tubed version of their existing S3 B phono stage — and the Pro-Ject Tube Box E. Read on to see all the features and specs for both of Pro-Ject’s latest tube-centric phono-pre’s, the S3 B and E. . .

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New Wax WednesdayVinyl Reports
Phil Collins Suits Up for No Jacket Required (Fully Tailored) 40th Anniversary 180g 4LP Box Set on September 12
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. . .

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