Album Reviews

Chemtrails Over The Country Club  Is Lana Del Rey's Ethereal Masterwork

Nathan Zeller  |  Mar 30, 2021

Chemtrails Over the Country Club
Lana Del Rey
 
Polydor/Interscope Records 3549780 LP
Produced by: Jack Antonoff, Lana Del Rey and Rick Nowels
Engineered by: Laura Sisk, Jack Antonoff, John Rooney (assistant), Jon Sher (assistant), Kieron Menzies, Dean Reid, Trevor
Mixed by: Jack Antonoff, Laura Sisk, Dean Reid, and Kieron Menzies
Mastered by: Chris Gehringer & Will Quinnell (assistant) at Sterling Sound, lacquers cut by Joe Nino-Hernes at Sterling Sound, Nashville
 
MUSIC
SOUND
Lana Del Rey is living proof that what’s old will come around, and what’s new isn’t always better. AnalogPlanet readers and writers alike are quite familiar with this sentiment. Nothing beats the magic of the vinyl record. As most music consumers jump between formats, I often ask myself, “Why move past something that works so well?” Lana Del Rey, an enthusiast of all things vintage, asks the same question, only with music.

Primary Category: 
Album Reviews
Category: 
Album Reviews
Artist: 
Lana Del Rey
Album: 
Chemtrails Over the Country Club
Cred Label: 
Polydor/Interscope Records 3549780 LP
Cred Prod: 
Jack Antonoff, Lana Del Rey and Rick Nowels
Cred Eng: 
Laura Sisk, Jack Antonoff, John Rooney (assistant), Jon Sher (assistant), Kieron Menzies, Dean Reid, Trevor
Cred Mix: 
Jack Antonoff, Laura Sisk, Dean Reid, and Kieron Menzies
Cred Mast: 
Chris Gehringer & Will Quinnell (assistant) at Sterling Sound, lacquers cut by Joe Nino-Hernes at Sterling Sound, Nashville
Nathan Zeller
Lana Del Rey is living proof that what’s old will come around, and what’s new isn’t always better. AnalogPlanet readers and writers alike are quite familiar with this sentiment. Nothing beats the magic of the vinyl record. As most music consumers jump between formats, I often ask myself, “Why move past something that works so well?” Lana Del Rey, an enthusiast of all things vintage, asks the same question, only with music.

Album Reviews

Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders & The LSO Offer Promises And Keep Them

Michael Fremer  |  Mar 29, 2021

Promises
Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders, The London Symphony Orchestra
 
Luaka Bop LBOP097 180 LP
Produced by: Sam Shepherd
Engineered by: N/A
Mixed by: Sam Shepherd
Mastered by: Lacquers cut by Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering
 
MUSIC
SOUND
The beating heart of this remarkable collaboration between electronic musician/composer Sam Shepherd, better known as Floating Points, saxophonist Pharoah Sanders and The London Symphony Orchestra is a repeated series of ethereal drops of glistening arpeggiated sonic dew Shepherd plays on synthesizer, piano and what sounds like a harpsichord, over which Pharoah Sanders delicately flutters and dances—only occasionally producing the voluminous blasts heard in his late ‘60s and early ‘70s albums.

Primary Category: 
Album Reviews
Category: 
Album Reviews
Artist: 
Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders, The London Symphony Orchestra
Album: 
Promises
Cred Label: 
Luaka Bop LBOP097 180 LP
Cred Prod: 
Sam Shepherd
Cred Eng: 
N/A
Cred Mix: 
Sam Shepherd
Cred Mast: 
Lacquers cut by Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering
Michael Fremer
The beating heart of this remarkable collaboration between electronic musician/composer Sam Shepherd, better known as Floating Points, saxophonist Pharoah Sanders and The London Symphony Orchestra is a repeated series of ethereal drops of glistening arpeggiated sonic dew Shepherd plays on synthesizer, piano and what sounds like a harpsichord over which Pharoah Sanders delicately flutters and dances—only occasionally producing the voluminous blasts heard in his late ‘60s and early ‘70s albums.

News

Gold Note Debuts Full Featured PH-1000 MM/MC Phono Preamp

Michael Fremer  |  Mar 29, 2021

Italy-based Gold Note announced today its new PH-1000 phono preamplifier, which the company calls "the best phono stage we have ever created." It is among the most flexible phono preamplifiers ever, that is for sure.

News

I Was a Guest on the Bob Lefsetz Podcast That Aired Today So Listen!

Michael Fremer  |  Mar 25, 2021

Here's what Bob wrote in the email he sends to all of his readers and fans:

"Michael Fremer is the king of vinyl, he believed in its comeback when everybody else was selling their LPs. We discuss the availability of presses, demand, sound... Also, Michael is Senior Contributing Editor of "Stereophile" and thus we discuss audio equipment, what you should buy, how much you have to spend for good sound, turntable set-up... Fremer is a giant in his field, you want to listen to what he has to say".

Analog Gear News

Audio Technica's New AT-LP60XBT-USB Fully Automatic Turntable Features Wireless and USB Connectivity

Michael Fremer  |  Mar 24, 2021

Audio Technica's new AT-LP60XBT-USB (SRP: $179) is a fully automatic belt drive turntable that supports wireless Qualcomm Bluetooth aptX codec, plus USB and standard analog connectivity. It also includes an Audio-Technica cartridge and built in phono preamp.

News

Craft Chooses Yusef Lateef's Eastern Sounds As Its Second "Small Batch" One Step Release

Michael Fremer  |  Mar 24, 2021

Los Angeles, CA (March 17, 2021)—Craft Recordings is pleased to announce the second title in its one-step series, Small Batch: Yusef Lateef’s 1961 classic, Eastern Sounds. Originally released on Moodsville (an imprint of the legendary jazz label, Prestige Records), the upcoming Small Batch pressing of this groundbreaking album will be limited to 1,000 copies and released exclusively through CraftRecordings.com on April 23rd. The public pre-sale launches this Friday (March 26th) at 2:00 pm PST/5 pm EST.

Playback Accessory Reviews

Uberlight Flex LED Task Light Is Up to the Task!

Michael Fremer  |  Mar 23, 2021

A reader who manufacturers this Reliable Corporation Uberlight™ Flex Task Light sent a few for me to check out. One night he took one home and placed it next to his turntable. He found, among other things, that it let him easily read the inner groove area information on his records and he thought that perhaps I'd also find it useful.

News

Cassette-Only Reissue Series April 30th From RecordingTheMaster and ThinkIndie Distribution

Michael Fremer  |  Mar 22, 2021

Who are we to laugh? "First time ever" cassette-only release include Sturgill Simpson, Major Laser, Maren Morris, Lupe Fiasco and Kaelin Ellis and The Mavericks. The cassettes are accompanied by RecordingTheMasters' B-1000 Portable Cassette Player.

i

Set-Up Accessory Reviews

"shaknspin" Electronically Measures Turntable Speed Plus a Great Deal More

Michael Fremer  |  Mar 19, 2021

While the name "shaknspin" may sound like a child's toy, the device is anything but, though it does make child's play of measuring turntable speed, calculating wow and flutter, jitter and more, graphically representing speed variations as histograms by frequency and speed distribution and even mo

Album Reviews

Shawn Mendes’ Wonder  Swerves From Uninspired

Nathan Zeller  |  Mar 19, 2021

Wonder
Shawn Mendes
 
Island Records 00602435250441 LP
Produced by: Kid Harpoon, Shawn Mendes, Nate Mercereau,Scott Harris, Sly, John Ryan, Frank Dukes, Ricky Reed
Engineered by: George Seara, Jeremy Hatcher, Michael Lehmann Boddicker, Kaushlesh "Garry" Purohit (assistant)
Mixed by: George Seara, Mark "Spike" Stent, Matt Wolach (assistant), Mike Gnocato (assistant)
Mastered by: Randy Merrill at Stering Sound, Edgewater, NJ (no lacquer cutting credits)
 
MUSIC
SOUND
The history of recorded music is as long as it is terrific. While that may sound wonderful, I can assure you there are strings attached.

Primary Category: 
Album Reviews
Category: 
Album Reviews
Artist: 
Shawn Mendes
Album: 
Wonder
Cred Label: 
Island Records 00602435250441 LP
Cred Prod: 
Kid Harpoon, Shawn Mendes, Nate Mercereau,Scott Harris, Sly, John Ryan, Frank Dukes, Ricky Reed
Cred Eng: 
George Seara, Jeremy Hatcher, Michael Lehmann Boddicker, Kaushlesh "Garry" Purohit (assistant)
Cred Mix: 
George Seara, Mark "Spike" Stent, Matt Wolach (assistant), Mike Gnocato (assistant)
Cred Mast: 
Randy Merrill at Stering Sound, Edgewater, NJ (no lacquer cutting credits)
Nathan Zeller
The history of recorded music is as long as it is terrific. While that may sound wonderful, I can assure you there are strings attached.

Today’s mainstream artists face an originality problem, one which many musicians feel no desire to solve— though there are some current exceptions including Jacob Collier, Kendrick Lamar, and Vulfpeck. Few lack the passion required to create something that is truly their own, but among those who do is 22 year-old Canadian Shawn Mendes—one of five under-the-age-of-18 artists in Billboard album chart history to debut at #1. On Wonder, his latest album, Mendes chases that very passion.

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