How can an album that has been included in numerous greatest albums of all time lists made by an artist inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame remain so elusive that its original pressings are still in high demand? Luckily, Craft Recordings has made that point somewhat moot by releasing an all-analog 180g reissue of Albert King’s seminal August 1967 LP Born Under A Bad Sign. Read Mark Smotroff’s review to see why this new Craft edition is an absolutely essential addition to your blues LP listening collection. . .

After a decade-long battle with cancer, pioneering pianist/instrumentalist extraordinaire George Winston sadly passed at age 73 on June 4, 2023. For his part, Winston begat an instrumental artform initially known as “folk piano,” best exemplified by seasonally flavored LPs like 1980’s Autumn, 1982’s December, and 1982’s Winter Into Spring. In a previously unpublished interview with AP editor Mike Mettler, Winston discusses how he first came up with that folk piano playing style, how The Doors became one of his major influences in addition to his favorite New Orleans jazz players, and the key differences between what his left and right hands were charged with doing on the piano. . .

After previewing Vincent Audio’s PHO-701 MM/MC hybrid phono preamp earlier this year, it was only a matter of time before we got one in hand for a proper review, and our man Ken Micallef was eagerly up to the task. Read on to see if the PHO-701’s big sound, wide stage, and generous character make it a prime contender in the $800 phono preamp price range. . .

Rufus Wainwright has pretty much followed the beat of his own musical drum since Day 1. Over the course of his multi-decade career, his impeccably ingrained singer/songwriter chops have often fused alt-rock proclivities with the compositional scope of George Gershwin and Franz Schubert. And now, Wainwright has returned to his other true roots with a new 2LP set dubbed Folkocracy, which was released via BMG today, June 2. The four-sided, 60-minute song cycle runs the gamut of a modern-yet-vintage blend of traditional folk and more contemporary fare alike. In a recent Zoom interview with AP editor Mike Mettler, Wainwright discusses why Folkocracy belongs on 2LPs instead of one and confirms the only song on the album he knew he had to go back and redo the vocal for, emphasizes the importance of maximizing his family connections on the second LP, and reveals his “secret dream” for how he’ll be able to thwart A.I. artistically. . .

Geffen/UMe has just released a new 180g 1LP version of Steely Dan’s sophomore album, July 1973’s Countdown to Ecstasy. Read our intrepid reviewer Mark Smotroff’s take on this new-to-2023 version of Ecstasy and how it compares to an original 1973 black-label copy as well as the album’s vintage quad edition. . .

Nope, we’re not done yet — hence, here’s another installment of our extended takes on some of the coolest gear seen and heard at High End Munich 2023. Today, we delve into all the great new Soundsmith cartridge and phono preamp offerings that were on display in the company’s always impressive booth (plus another notable item or two). Read on to find out more about the latest and greatest from the mind and hands of Soundsmith chief engineering domo Peter Ledermann and company. . .

We continue ever onward with our extended looks at some of the coolest gear seen and heard at High End Munich 2023. Next up is the Thorens New Reference turntable, a stunning piece that’s intended to celebrate 140 years of the company’s design and performance prowess. Read on to find out more about this anniversary-inspired New Reference turntable. . .

Good news! Craft Recordings — the boutique vinyl arm of Concord Music, who control the catalogs of Fantasy, Riverside, Milestone, and many other related labels — has duly revived the Original Jazz Classics series as a brand imprint for the now times. One of the first titles being reissued by Craft under the vaunted OJC umbrella is out today, May 26, in a new, 180g 1LP all-analog remastered edition: Thelonious Monk With John Coltrane. Read Mark Smotroff’s review to see why this seminal mid-century collaboration between two jazz giants immediately belongs in your vinyl collection. . .

Certain albums serve as defining statements of a band’s career trajectory — and when it comes to the British melodic progressive rock band Wishbone Ash, 1972’s Argus is the shining example. To celebrate the golden anniversary of this milestone album, Wishbone Ash recently released the Argus 50th Anniversary Edition 1972-2022 multidisc box set via Madfish on April 14, 2023, with a special anniversary edition run of 5,000 copies that includes the remastered Argus on black vinyl and five tracks of Argus Live on yellow vinyl. In a recent phone interview with AP editor Mike Mettler, Wishbone Ash guitarist/vocalist Andy Powell discusses why the multiple movements in the lengthy album opener “Time Was” were absolutely critical for how the sound of Argus unfolded on vinyl, how the band pioneered the use of twin-guitar harmonics, and the specific sonic elements added to Argus they felt were lacking on previous albums. Read on to get Powell’s inside takes on why Argus continues to throw down the sword on vinyl. . .

Continuing with our highlighting of some of the coolest gear seen and heard at High End Munich 2023, we now turn our eyes and ears to Takumi’s TT Level 3.1 turntable, which was being auditioning in fine form as part of a top-shelf demo system consisting of a Moonriver Audio phono stage, Moonriver amplifiers, Aretai speakers, and Viablue cables. Read on to find out more about the new Level 3.1 turntable. . .