Vinyl Collective

Rise Records artists Sharks are set to finally release their debut full length titled, “No Gods” on March 20th. The band released several EPs which were combined into a full length and released early 2011 titled, “The Joys Of Living 2008-2010“. No Gods will be released on colored vinyl with no official pressing details released yet. You can pre order it now here.

AFI’s “Black Sails In The Sunset” has been repressed. This time it is available on a purple vinyl limited to only 1,000 copies. Other titles available from AFI include:

AFI – Very Proud Of Ya LP
AFI – Answer That and Stay Fashionable LP
AFI – A Fire Inside 7″
AFI – The Art Of Drowning LP
AFI – Shut Your Mouth And Open Your Eyes LP

Here are the Top 10 Albums at Shop Radio Cast for the week of January 24 – January 31, 2012:

1.) Say Anything – Anarchy, My Dear LP
2.) Blink 182 – They Came To Conquer Uranus 7″
3.) Lucero – Women & Work LP
4.) The Menzingers – A Lesson In The Abuse Of Information Technology LP
5.) Brand New – Your Favorite Weapon LP
6.) Sharks – No Gods LP
7.) Mock Orange – Nines & Sixes LP
8.) Hit The Lights – Invicta LP
9.) The Methadones – Not Economically Viable LP
10.) La Dispute – Somewhere At The Bottom Of The River Between Vega And Altair 2XLP

Horrible Crowes – Elsie Vinyl LP -My biggest complaint about The Horrible Crowes’ debut, Elsie, is that upon first listen it doesn’t sound like too much of a departure from The Gaslight Anthem, as the project is also fronted by Brian Fallon and Gaslight guitar tech Ian Perkins. But that’s not much of a complaint, and it also sells the album short a bit, as the subtle differences are what make Elsie all-the-more special.

Elsie is still pulling from the depths of soul music – most notably in the hauntingly beautiful guitar work of “Mary Ann,” the ninth cut of the album – and it is evident right from the start with a short tune called “Last Rites.” Over the eerie tones of piano, Fallon sings:

“Start up the car/bury your memories/Call on your lover, speaking slow and heavy/Call up your boyfriends, from out by the ocean/While I get my last rites read by a thief…”

It’s a strange start for the album, calling for someone’s last rites before we’re even underway. Fallon and Perkins mix it up throughout the album, though, and the “whoa oh oh”s of “Behold the Hurricane” don’t sound like much of a departure from The Gaslight Anthem. But whereas Gaslight seems to often be reflecting somewhat fondly on the past, The Horrible Crowes are delving into darker memories. Both have an equally timeless appeal.

Elsie shows Fallon at the top of his songwriting game, and it’s a good “side project” in that it’s close enough in sound to draw Gaslight fans, but enough of a departure that it feels like we’re listening to something different (if not drastically so). It feels like a true album and still sees Fallon harnessing Springsteen-esque rock styles with a new flair that makes Elsie feel both classic and fresh all at once. For anyone who loves Fallon’s songwriting, it’s more than worth a spin.

The vinyl itself is black, with the printing in the center featuring a tinge of brown and simple design for a very classic feel. The sound is fantastic, and the rest of the package fits the design, predominantly black and gray with those tinges of brown and white. The lettering on the front does a particularly awesome job of standing out, with a spot UV gloss making the letters ring out from the otherwise matte-finished artwork. It’s a beautiful package to complement a beautiful, soulful album.

Buy Horrible Crowes – Elsie Vinyl LP

Review by: Bill Jones

Sound/Pressing Quality: 5/5
The Album: 4/5
Artwork/Packaging: 5/5

Bruce Springsteen’s 17th studio album is due out March 6 and will be available on a double vinyl. “Wrecking Ball” features 11 new tracks and is available for pre order now.

 Buy Saves The Day – Daybreak LP – It may be that Chris Conley is the only remaining member of the Saves the Day lineup that was four year ago with the band’s previous release, Under the Boards, but Daybreak – the final album in a trilogy that started with Sound the Alarm – accomplishes something very interesting. There is a full band behind Saves the Day, and yet many of the songs feel like it’s simply Conley baring his soul all by himself. It’s personal.

Though I imagine that won’t be much of a surprise to the fans who have grown up on Saves the Day’s particular brand of pop-emo over the years. What may be a surprise is how much of a better – less anger- and frustration-filled – of a place Conley seems to be. Sure, Daybreak still deals with many of the angsty issues that have marked Saves the Day over the years, but it’s about letting things go and overcoming those issues this time around.

Daybreak starts with a 10-minute-plus opening number of the same name, broken into five sections. It sounds, on paper, a lot like the rock opera stuff fans might associate with Green Day nowadays, but Saves the Day does a better job of blending it all together as cohesive piece of music with what seem like logical transitions. It’s a strong way to open the album, the first for the band with label Razor & Tie.

Daybreak is a moody and very full-sounding effort for Saves the Day, still featuring plenty of catchy hooks to grab hold of fans, along with some engaging guitar work. It’s all a bit straightforward and in some ways lacks a certain musical complexity, but Saves the Day does a great job of creating atmosphere on Daybreak. And longtime fans will agree that the band has come a long way and has carved out a truly unique sound in the scene. Saves the Day isn’t going to be mistaken for any other band. That, and the baseline on “U” is really cool.

The first pressing is absolutely fantastic. On solid 180-gram black vinyl, the sound is fantastic. Buyers are also treated to a download card for the digital version of the album. The artwork is nothing to write home about, though. The image is rather plain – simply looking like a scratched up grayish backdrop with simple text, and of course a muted image of the sun coming up over the horizon. The inside sleeve simply features the lyrics and credits front and back, and the image on the record is equally as dull. But I suspect most fans will be too invested in what’s on the vinyl to mind.

Buy Saves The Day – Daybreak LP

Review by: Bill Jones

 Audio/Press Quality: 5/5
The Album: 4/5
Artwork/Packaging: 3/5

Say Anything will be releasing their new album on Equal Vision March 13th. The release titled, “Anarchy, My Dear” will be released on both CD and LP. You can pre order the vinyl here. No pressing info has been released yet. Other Say Anything vinyl titles available include:

Say Anything – Say Anything

Six classic Bright Eyes releases will be pressed on vinyl for the first time in years, available two per
month in March, April, and May. You can now pre order the two releases set for a March 6th release date; “A Collection Of Songs Written 1995-1997 2XLP” and “Oh Holy Fools – The Music of Son, Ambulance and Bright Eyes LP“. Other Bright Eyes vinyl titles currently available include:

Bright Eyes – I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning LP
Bright Eyes / Neva Dinova – One Jug Of Wine, Two Vessels LP
Bright Eyes – Digital Ash In A Digital Urn LP
Bright Eyes – Lifted Or The Story Is In The Soil, Keep Your Ear To The Ground 2XLP
Bright Eyes – Noise Floor: Rarities (1998-2005) 2XLP
Bright Eyes – Four Winds LP
Bright Eyes – Cassadaga LP
Bright Eyes – The People’s Key

There is a new pressing of the Blink182, “They Came To Conquer Uranus” 7″ floating around. This time it is on white wax. You can purchase it now here. Other records available from Blink 182 include:

Blink 182 – Neighborhoods LP (Blue/White) (LTD 2,500)
Blink 182 – Neighborhoods LP (LTD 3,500 almost OOP)

Here are the Top 10 Albums sold at Shop Radio Cast for the week of January 17 – January 23, 2012:

1.) V/A – Fat Music For Fat People LP
2.) Blink 182 – Neighborhoods LP (Blue/White)
3.) The Black Keys – The Moan / Have Love Will Travel 7″
4.) The Horrible Crowes – Elsie LP
5.) The Methadones – Not Economically Viable LP
6.) Fun. – Aim and Ignite 2XLP
7.) Fun. – Some Nights LP
8.) Brand New – Your Favorite Weapon LP
9.) Silverstein – Short Songs For Short People 10″
10.) Hit The Lights – Invicta LP