Vinyl Reports

Last year, we reviewed a fine 180g 3LP box set called Miles 55: The Prestige Recordings that focused on the recordings Miles Davis made that year for the Prestige label. As that box followed the previous year’s Miles 54: The Prestige Recordings 180g 4LP collection, it only seemed logical that we would get the next one in the series this year — and Craft Recordings has made sure of it by releasing the Miles 56: The Prestige Recordings 180g 4LP box set today, June 19, 2026. Read Mark Smotroff’s review to see if the Miles 56 box matches the excellence of its predecessors. . .

Continuing the sexy, soulful long-form song-cycle format of its predecessors while embracing fresh funky flavors of the day, Marvin Gaye’s 1976 LP I Want You has gone on to become quite revered over the years. And now, Tamla/UMe is feting I Want You with a 50th anniversary Vinylphyle 180g 1LP edition alongside a separate 180g 2LP rarities edition titled, naturally, I Want You 2. Read Mark Smotroff’s review to see if both releases are essential adds to your collection. . .

Both surviving members of The Beatles — Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney — have just released fine new solo albums that take different approaches toward reflecting on their respective long and winding careers. Ringo released his Long Long Road LP on April 24, 2026, while Sir Paul released The Boys of Dungeon Lane a little more than a month later on May 29, 2026. Read Mark Smotroff’s combo review (and AP editor Mike Mettler’s detailed footnotes) to see if either or both of these Fab Two LPs are worthy of purchase and repeat spins accordingly. . .

Goose, one of the more intriguing jam-centric bands of the moment who’ve already proven to have the goods to back up their considerable staying power, have just announced a new 180g 2LP set, BIG MODERN! (the all-caps style is their emphasis), will be released via their own No Coincidence label on June 12, 2026. AP editor Mike Mettler clues us in on what to expect from this highly anticipated double-LP release, in addition to sharing the times and locales for two nights of official listening parties. . .

It was 60 years ago this week that Brian Wilson taught bands to play a different way with the release of The Beach Boys’ masterwork LP Pet Sounds on May 16, 1966. As part of this celebration, the first-time vinyl release of The Beach Boys’ The Pet Sounds Sessions Highlights 2LP set came out a week ago via Capitol/UMe on May 15, 2026. Read Mark Smotroff’s review to see why the building blocks of one of the most seminal releases in popular music history deserve your undivided vinyl attention. . .

Talk Talk is one of those groups that often fall through the cracks of both music history and mainstream consciousness — beloved by some, overlooked by many. Luckily, we have a pair of new half-speed-mastered LPs from their catalog to share a proper (re)assessment. Read on to see Mark Smotroff’s review of the HSM LPs for 1988’s Spirit of Eden and 1984’s It’s My Life, plus find out what AP editor Mike Mettler thinks of the merits of 2025’s The Very Best of Talk Talk 2LP set. . .

In the wake of the success of Michael, the recent biopic that focuses on Michael Jackson’s extraordinary musical career, we here at AP wanted to recommend his best work on vinyl. Thankfully, Mobile Fidelity has a trio of audiophile-level MJ releases all worthy of our needle-drop attention. Read on to see Mark Smotroff’s review of the MoFi One-Step versions of Off the Wall and Thriller, while AP editor Mike Mettler tackles the Original Master Recording version of Dangerous (and offers his thoughts on the other two MoFi MJ releases in his footnotes). . .