Was it luck or my destiny to finally land a "Grail" (that means a long sought after, highly desirable, holiest of holy records) - Time Out by The Dave Brubeck Quartet ? I was surprised to see this wasn't on the Columbia or CBS labels, which were long associated with the album. This version is on the PanAm Records label, apparently a 2015 European limited edition remastered re-issue - and on 180g vinyl. I wonder how this compares with the Columbia or other labels' versions. It has a very cool album front cover design - quite unlike other labels' versions - sporting an impromptu studio photo of the band circa 1959, and on the back of the jacket are lots of very cool album notes and pics. Though there is a bit of crackly surface noise on the recording, the music is crisp and vibrant. I might be able to reduce that unwanted grit, but regardless, this is a dream find. Cool jazz at its best, by the master and his all-star cast of beatniks. This was the only jazz album on my shopping list, so I am super happy to have finally found it.
Next up is an album by an obscure little UK band from the 60's called The Beatles, and the record is Magical Mystery Tour... also in really nice condition - like mint or near-mint, including a pristine outer jacket. It's great to finally own a proper copy of MMT, as my whole life through I've only ever had tape dubs and CD rips of this. I think I always held off on buying it because I was never sure how I felt about the music. As a young lad and teenager, I leaned more toward Sgt. Pepper and everything that came before that. Mystery Tour was a murky and weird musical excursion that I guess I just wasn't ready for. But today I am certain that it's a masterpiece in its own right. Fool on the Hill is among my favourite tracks. This, too, was high on my Wish List, so I'm jazzed that I found it... and for just ten bucks.
Then at last Sunday's record show, I came away with a small stack of goodies. First and foremost, I nailed another biggie: the Killing Technology album by good ol' Voivod. This progressive thrash gem from 1987 has long been on my radar, but used vinyl copies are astronomically priced (in the hundreds of dollars), so I had resigned myself to the still-very-nice special edition CD a while back. And at last year's record show, this baby was up for about sixty bucks - too much for my wallet. But patience paid off, and I stumbled upon the LP again, this time for just thirty-five... brand new and sealed, too. I've yet to spin this, but it will be a special occasion when I do. Maybe later today, with a cold one in hand and the ear-goggles set to stun. A major find.
I was happy to grab Def Leppard's High and Dry album, too. For whatever reason, I walked away from this one at the last show, and have been kicking myself ever since that stupid decision. It's not a common record. Anyway, I haggled the seller down to something I could live with (the outer jacket had a tear - which I can repair - but still), and I came away with a perfectly clean-sounding recording of what I think is Lep's best album. Their follow-up Pyromania feels overly produced and slick (still good, of course), whereas High and Dry sounds tougher and heavier, yet still riddled with catchy riffs and trademark vocals.
I dared to comb the random cheap bins and actually located a handful of great oldies, all in pretty nice shape: Crisis... What Crisis? by Supertramp, Worlds Apart by Saga, In Color by Cheap Trick, and Quarter Moon in a Ten Cent Town by Emmylou Harris. The first three I've long owned on every musical format, but now that I'm back to vinyl, why not spin the real deal and feel those warm original tones as they were intended?
The Supertramp sounds amazing, especially when you consider it was in the $5 bin. I had such a nostalgic flashback as I listened to opening tracks Easy Does It and Sister Moonshine (my fave 'Tramp song ever)... I was transported back to my bedroom in my parents' basement as a young teen, headphones on, basking in the waves of horns and guitars and percussive toys emanating from this very same album. Oh joy, oh bliss.
I haven't spun all of these records just yet, but the Cheap Trick was another wonderful revisiting of their classic power-pop album on vinyl . Rick Nielsen's bizarre yet entrancing guitar tone is even richer on record; the CD, even remastered, loses something in digital translation. The Emmylou Harris LP is one that I already owned, but this was an upgrade... my first copy has an extremely worn cover jacket and there's a bit of noise on the disc. This new one is super clean from jacket to original inner sleeve (lyrics!) and vinyl record. It sounds great - definitely my favourite country album. Or country-rock, if you are a purist. Harris' angelic vocals interpret a variety of songs by other artists and songwriters, her back-up band tight and talented.
A little while back, I finally grabbed the first and third Danzig albums on CD. Here was another case of the vinyl (even used) costing WAY too much, so I settled on the little shiny disc version. Still, extremely rocking tunes by a powerhouse singer and band. Riffs to die for. I will probably continue to check the "D" section in record stores in case a reasonably priced Danzig album shows up. I'm especially keen on the third record, How The Gods Kill.
Whew... gotta take a breather from spending for a while now. I've got plenty of listening to do, so that'll distract me from collecting more stuff. Or so I tell myself.
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