Monthly Archives: August 2008

Hating the Legendary Pink Dots: Vinyl Mine

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Vinyl Mine ran this post (not recently) about psych indie pioneers The Legendary Pink Dots. I myself enjoy the Dots–selected albums from the mile-long discography–but the pure vitriol against them in this post is so funny and all-consuming that I read it TWICE. I have a healthy respect for anyone who can vent their spleen so completely in pure, unadulterated disgust regardless of subject matter. Sure, Vinyl Mine and I disagree on LPD, but damn, what great fun to read. This one’s a great way to kill a long Friday afternoon at work.

The rest of the blog isn’t 100% vinyl-obsessed, but this is a great read. Recent reviews include Nice Strong Arm where a few brief pokes are taken at Bauhaus and Joy Division, but the thing that makes me keep coming back for more is the post about Neil Diamond.

Great stuff.

LP Mailer Resource: Sleeve City

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I’ve played in my share of bands since 1992 and I never, ever wondered how a record album got mailed out once it was ordered. Even when I was tempted to start selling vinyl on eBay, I never got round to asking “Where the hell do you buy the mailers?” Part of that may have been due to the influence of my friends in Pink Filth, who simply used any cardboard boxes they could get from behind the supermarket. We used to have these box cutting sessions to mail out orders on the band’s label–slash up the boxes to size, bubble wrap the goods and coat them in cardboard.

Except that doesn’t quite work when you need a good first impression from an eBay buyer or other customers…so for the discriminating seller, there are places like Sleeve City (aka SleeveTown.com) that sell everything from cardboard mailers to heavy duty, white-label style LP jackets. You can also get gig cases for your vinyl…sturdy anvil cases with closing tops that hold 100 titles. This site is worth a look for anyone selling records.

Stereolab: Chemical Chords

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I have no idea how this one passed me by in June, but the new vinyl by Stereolab, Chemical Chords is being hailed as one of their best. The album, MP3 download or CD, your choice. I’m always a bit skeptical of some new music that is recorded digitally then put on vinyl, but Stereolab has always had great analog textures to their music. Much like Chris Joss–a musician who uses recording techniques firmly rooted in the 21st century but still has a dedication to audio fidelity and actual honest-to-god instruments–Stereolab is always going to sound warm, interesting and perfectly suited for vinyl. I don’t have this one as I’ve just now been hipped to it, but it’s being added to the collection with haste.

Boy Eats Drum Machine Fre* E*P

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Earlier, I raved about the Boy Eats Drum Machine BooomBoxxx vinyl due out in a few weeks on Tender Loving Empire. Before you can dig on the album, BEDM wants you to check out this free digital EP featuring selected cuts off the vinyl plus a remix by Portland DJ Main Sequence.

The tracklist for the EP includes:

Planets + Stars
The Crack In The Sea
Demonic With Horns
I’m Alive Don’t Bury Me
Immovably Reunited (remix by Main Sequence)

Download it here and be sure to turn up the volume. Nice work, BEDM, especially on I’m Alive Don’t Bury Me. A current favorite.