Vinyl Me Please Essentials

So here are my thoughts on the 2020 Essential ROTM picks so far from VMP!

Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orca
I think this was a spectacular pick. The vocal harmonies that dominate a lot of the album have so much character to them. They are intrusive in the best way possible! They are catchy yet odd, uncomplicated and simple but are quite abstract at the same time, and are executed really tastefully! The detailed and strange drumming was also magnificent and just added more punch and dynamic to the already innovative, loud, baroque-like harmonies! Bitte Orca is intricate, playful yet really controlling and restrained. There’s just something really special about this album and it’s an album that reveals itself more to you, the more you listen yo The pressing sounds and looks great and I’m very happy that we got some bonus cuts as well as some live cute on a bonus/extra LP. A+

The Roots - Phrenology
I just love how the instrumentation on many of the cuts from this album come together like it’s a live jam that is energetic, raw and funky! The tone of this record shifts endlessly through every track, but one thing stays the same - every track sounds organic and earnest! The opening track “Rock You” is an absolute monster track that does so much with little! The thumping drums, propelling distorted guitars, gun shot echoes, that subtle guitar-animal chocking lick, and Black Thoughts propelling, hungry, focused tone is such an opening. And Cody ChesnuTT’s performance on The Seed (2.0) is legendary. Can’t go through every track but this album is truly something special! It’s got a noisy, jazzy, raw, tight, accessible yet left-field, funky sound that I think is unique! Pressing sounds great and I think the overall package was really well done too! A+

Caroline Rose - Superstar
I think this may be VMP’s best Essentials pick so far, along with Moses Sumney’s debut album “Aromanticism”. The tone of this album is very sexual, cinematic and has a retro vintage undertone which I think works really nice! “Freak Like Me” is a track where the more you listen to it, the more you realise how truly of a genius track it is - easily one of the best singles this year. It is a hypnotic, affixing, moody, romantic, kinky, psychotic ballad which has these harp-like twinkling piano embellishment, some echoing, chiming flutes and vocal samples that sound like they are being heard from underwater, a ticking retro drum beat, and a warping, gently rumbling, fuzzy synth line. Caroline’s sensual, calm, smoky vocals sound so nice and just adds to the moody atmosphere of this song. “Do You Think We’ll Last Forever” is too sexy for me to handle! Caroline’s teasing, confident, horny, restrained vocals against that rubberband bass and hand/clap snappy drums sound really fresh! It’s such a quirky, fun, silly, cheeky, cocky song that has so much sex appeal. Even the interlude “Feelings Are A Thing Of The Past” sounds like I’m transfixed on something due to hypnotism and am in a child-hood like dreamy state, but simultaneously it sounds haunting, like a ghostly like theme park, that looks pretty but has so much darkness and evilness underneath it. “Pipe Dreams” alludes to that aesthetic too. It’s textured, creamy, woozy, lonely, sad in a dim-light way, yet dreamy, sensual and romantic but sounds haunting. Superstar is a really cinematic, sexually charged album that has a lot of synth notes, rubbery bass textures, sharp yet smooth drums and it really drips with sex too! This is a horny, breathy, sweaty, lustful yet kinky, badass album and I think it’s the best new release Essentials pick VMP has done so far. The pressing looks and sounds hot too! A

So far, I think the VMP Essential picks have all been stunning! I really, really like these picks! 🔥💎🎯
 
Gavaxeman said:
Tempted to resubmit for three months on pay day , the next three are good ..the last three had no appeal at all for me , I’ve got 2/3 on vinyl but an alt Stooges and that very nicely done white stripes are worthy duplicates ,, and can’t go wrong with Stevie Nicks can you ?
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Joe Mac said:
I think one of them was a heartbreakers song that they gave to Stevie. She also dueted with Tom on the original demo for the Apartment Song. She was big friends with Tom Petty and all of the heartbreakers. It’s no coincidence that Fleetwood Mac brought Mike Campbell in to cover Lindsay Buckingham’s guitar parts live.
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Last time I saw tom petty live was at bonnaroo in 2006...Stevie came out on stage and sang with him...it was pretty epic
 
elusivedisc.com

Stevie Nicks Bella Donna LP (Gold Vinyl)

Elusive Disc, Inc., Features Only The Best In Audiophile Hardware, Accessories and Music. We Offer a Wide Variety Of Audiophile Turntables, Cartridges, Phono Stages, Record Cleaners, SACD Players, Speakers, Headphones, Pre-Amps, LP Cleaning Fluids, Cables, Vibration Control, Record Brushes &...
elusivedisc.com elusivedisc.com

Bella Donna is getting a wider re-release for those who want it and don't want to sign back up to VMP...
 
MikeH said:
elusivedisc.com

Stevie Nicks Bella Donna LP (Gold Vinyl)

Elusive Disc, Inc., Features Only The Best In Audiophile Hardware, Accessories and Music. We Offer a Wide Variety Of Audiophile Turntables, Cartridges, Phono Stages, Record Cleaners, SACD Players, Speakers, Headphones, Pre-Amps, LP Cleaning Fluids, Cables, Vibration Control, Record Brushes &...
elusivedisc.com elusivedisc.com

Bella Donna is getting a wider re-release for those who want it and don't want to sign back up to VMP...
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I think that's the Rhino version. It's not the same mastering as VMP but likely sounds good, most of their releases do.
 
duke86fan said:
why was stevie nicks the essential pick?
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Because she’s a really important artist in the history of rock. Because she has an amazing voice. Because she’s iconic. Because she’s a badass. Because she has an amazing career outside of Fleetwood Mac and away from Lindsay Buckingham that deserves highlighting. There are a million reasons to pick Stevie. Personally I’d have chosen an album after her first two given that rhino have relatively recently released exceptional presses of them.
 
Joe Mac said:
Because she’s a really important artist in the history of rock. Because she has an amazing voice. Because she’s iconic. Because she’s a badass. Because she has an amazing career outside of Fleetwood Mac and away from Lindsay Buckingham that deserves highlighting. There are a million reasons to pick Stevie. Personally I’d have chosen an album after her first two given that rhino have relatively recently released exceptional presses of them.
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I was in the process of writing something in response but don't think I could do better than what you just wrote haha. You pretty much captured all of the main reasons. Agree it would have been cool to choose a different album but this album is pretty amazing. Forgot how much I liked it until I started relistening recently after it was announced.
 
MikeH said:
I was in the process of writing something in response but don't think I could do better than what you just wrote haha. You pretty much captured all of the main reasons. Agree it would have been cool to choose a different album but this album is pretty amazing. Forgot how much I liked it until I started relistening recently after it was announced.
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Yeah I hadn’t heard her first two albums all the way through since I was a child and my dad used to play them and I saw the 2016 rhino ones new in store when they came out and bought them on a whim. It was a great call, such good albums. I think the reason I wouldn’t have picked them is that the rhino ones sound oh so good and cost around €20 here, I’m sure it’s something similar over there, so it’d have been nice to maybe get Rock A Little instead, it’s a great album too.

That said I’m not a current subscriber and am unlikely to be in the near future, I’m just happy to be involved in giving Stevie some much deserved love while I hunt Discogs for a good second hand copy of Rock a Little and the Otis Redding Album!
 
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Joe Mac said:
Yeah I hadn’t heard her first two albums all the way through since I was a child and my dad used to play them and I saw the 2016 rhino ones new in store when they came out and bought them on a whim. It was a great call, such good albums. I think the reason I wouldn’t have picked them is that the rhino ones sound oh so good and cost around €20 here, I’m sure it’s something similar over there, so it’d have been nice to maybe get Rock A Little instead, it’s a great album too.

That said I’m not a current subscriber and am unlikely to be in the near future, I’m just happy to be involved in giving Stevie some much deserved love while I hunt Discogs for a good second hand copy of Rock a Little and the Otis Redding Album!
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If you weren’t across the ocean I would have sold you my older copy of Otis for a good price! I’m debating sticking around for Stevie...I really do love that album and don’t own it yet but could probably make due with one of the reissues or find an OG...
 
MikeH said:
I was in the process of writing something in response but don't think I could do better than what you just wrote haha. You pretty much captured all of the main reasons. Agree it would have been cool to choose a different album but this album is pretty amazing. Forgot how much I liked it until I started relistening recently after it was announced.
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Having Tom Petty is an added bonus as well.

I probably won't pick it up the month of release, but I could see myself adding it as a swaption some time down the road.
 
Joe Mac said:
Because she’s a really important artist in the history of rock. Because she has an amazing voice. Because she’s iconic. Because she’s a badass. Because she has an amazing career outside of Fleetwood Mac and away from Lindsay Buckingham that deserves highlighting. There are a million reasons to pick Stevie. Personally I’d have chosen an album after her first two given that rhino have relatively recently released exceptional presses of them.
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Well said! I agree it woulda been nice to get a different album since there are other available versions out there but I like the choice.
I think this is really the type of album that should be in the 'Essentials' track, in that it's a well regarded album that everyone should have.
I know there's a need for them to release new albums from newer artists, but that should be a different track along with the other random stuff they choose. Maybe a 'Standard' track or something. I know it's unlikely they would add another track, but it would be nice to have an Essentials track where I'm not getting a true must-have like Aretha Franklin one month but then Bitte Orca the next month. Nothing against Bitte Orca but it's not going to make any 'All Time' lists anytime soon.
 
imajindat said:
Well said! I agree it woulda been nice to get a different album since there are other available versions out there but I like the choice.
I think this is really the type of album that should be in the 'Essentials' track, in that it's a well regarded album that everyone should have.
I know there's a need for them to release new albums from newer artists, but that should be a different track along with the other random stuff they choose. Maybe a 'Standard' track or something. I know it's unlikely they would add another track, but it would be nice to have an Essentials track where I'm not getting a true must-have like Aretha Franklin one month but then Bitte Orca the next month. Nothing against Bitte Orca but it's not going to make any 'All Time' lists anytime soon.
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I actually disagree. If they did an all time stream most of us would have to dip in and out all the time because we already owned them, unless they were treating it as an excuse to give us the bizarre or hidden albums in the big artists careers. I think it has to be an attempt at giving you albums that you should be hearing but also that you’re not likely to already own. Essentials is a dumb name though and they don’t curate that well to my taste, I get oasis’ of magnificence in vast deserts of meh.
 
Joe Mac said:
I actually disagree. If they did an all time stream most of us would have to dip in and out all the time because we already owned them, unless they were treating it as an excuse to give us the bizarre or hidden albums in the big artists careers. I think it has to be an attempt at giving you albums that you should be hearing but also that you’re not likely to already own. Essentials is a dumb name though and they don’t curate that well to my taste, I get oasis’ of magnificence in vast deserts of meh.
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I can relate to that, but I would only expect them to do that if the track is specifically set up for that purpose (which I would be totally for! Would be the best track hands down). Agree that Essentials is a poor choice for their category name, their selection is entirely random (ie. "Storf didn't have this in his collection so we're pressing it!") and/or opportunistic (ie. "Hey we're releasing this album because the band reached out to us"). I guess I'm just looking for consistency if I'm subbing to the track, and that goes for all tracks. Like if they were to say Essentials will only include must-have albums in music history and they released Sgt Pepper, I wouldn't be thrilled because I have like 20 versions of it already but I could understand why it was picked.
 
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