Beatles, Pearl Jam, Wailers, and More Eddie Vedder!

Sweet trip through the record stores of Seattle yielded the one that got away, the one that just came out, the stereo one I needed, and the coolest EP ever.

Into the Wild

I'm not going to review this album because the last time I listened to it I didn't like it. I'm going to listen to it again so if I end up liking it now I'll update this post. I will however say that I never should have been buying this album this late in the game. When this album first came out I actually happened to walk into Easy Street just browsing and had it in my hand because there was a sign saying "Limited Pressing One to a Customer" and it was Pearl Jam's front man. So I was going to buy it for 20 bucks and then thought "Why buy this, I don't like it!" So I put it back. Later the same day I realized it was going for 300 bucks on ebay and went back to the store. Too late. So this has plagued my mind every time I go to a record store. Not anymore! Sonic Boom had it still sealed (for more than 20 but tons less than 300). So I am now complete.

Vinyl Sealed/Cover Sealed

Outburst!

I love this album. It's 2nd only to "Wailers Wailers Everywhere!" as my favorite Wailers album. This is in their harder more rocking days and even though the first track begins like a Monkees song I promise the album is outstanding. I've always thought that The Wailers had really unique and interesting harmonies and you can see those here on the quieter tracks like "Think Kindly Baby." The standout rocker is the title track to their previous album "Out of Our Tree." United Artists must have wanted in on that as this was their first album on the new label. I really love the song "Hold" and it's psych-rock sound. Good stuff. This is the more valuable stereo pressing of the album to go along with the mono copy I already have. 2 more to go and I've got them all!

Vinyl EX+/Cover VG

Ten

I'm not going to write much about this album because I also got the Delux Edition that has this and much more and that will get its own seperate post. I had to get this as well because the cover is different than what I already have. I'm ridiculous. Awesome album features the mastered for vinyl by Bob Ludgwig audiophile pressing! Also includes a new mix of the album by their current producer that is really quite good. More in that post.

Vinyl Sealed/Cover Sealed

Magical Mystery Tour

The coolest EP ever. This is the British version of the "Magical Mystery Tour" album or rather the American "Magical Mystery Tour" is our version of this British EP. When Parlophone offered Capitol this EP, they were sick of putting out EP's because nobody was buying them. So, they took this EP and added a series of singles to create the "Magical Mystery Tour" LP. The British version however is just side 1. It has two 45 rpm discs in it and a lyric book like we see in the LP. It's really a cool little package and even though I already had one, this was too cheap to pass up.

Vinyl VG+/Cover VG+

The Three Greatest Groups Ever?

Went to Aladdin's for lunch with some friends today and stopped in at 2nd time around. Great idea. Came away with this stuff for less than 5 bucks.

12 x 5

This is one of the stone's early albums. Full of early Rock and R&B covers. Only 3 of the 12 songs are written by Keith Richards and Mick Jagger. Unfortunately none of those 3 are hits. 2 songs off of this album however are. "Time is On My Side" and "It's All Over Now" are great songs and are hits for good reason although the rest of the album deserves a listen as well. The best thing about this album for me was the fact that it was a first pressing. I have had a real hard time coming across early first pressing Stones albums. The originals feature the London logo followed by "ffrr" for "Full Frequency Range Recording" and on the mono maroon label. For some reason I never see them. Anyway, this one is an "ffrr" Stones album. I was giddy. The cover is slaughtered but I know a guy who has a mono cover and no record that he'll probably give me so I should be in good shape. Good album, way cooler edition.

Vinyl VG+/Cover G-

Introducing the Beatles

The first American Beatles album. Also probably the most pirated album ever (especially the Stereo edition). This is basically an American Please, Please, Me that VeeJay records happily issued after Capital turned down the rights to The Beatles in America (which they quickly reaquired when the mania occured). Great early rock and roll album that everyone has probably heard before. If you haven't check it out. I don't feel the need to review Beatles albums since everyone knows they are outstanding. I had never seen this record in the non-pirated form until a month or so ago. Now I have 5 of them. This purchase had a cracked record and cost me 9 cents. Before anyone asks why I bought a cracked record, I have a legitimate record that at the time had no cover. Now it does. So the cracked record is pinned to the wall.

Vinyl Cracked/Cover VG

II

The second Zeppelin album (obviously). This is a great album and would be worthy of purchase regardless of the pressing. This pressing, however, is special. The very first pressings of II were mastered for vinyl by Bob Ludwig (who also did the mastering for the latest Pearl Jam re-release of Ten). Well Mr. Ludwig's mix was very loud and very awesome. Too awesome for the stereo setups of the 1970's. The mix caused stereo speakers to pop and crack and people assumed that the record was the problem so they returned them. Not wanting to lose out on sales Atlantic quickly mastered it down again and put it out again. The new mix is the one that has been used ever since. The original mix is louder and fuller. The drums kick harder and the guitars are raw and loud. Yet, amazingly Plant's powerful vocals are clear and up front not getting lost in the mix. It's like hearing it all over again. The way this is identified is by finding a tiny "RL" etched into the dead wax on both sides. Most record shops don't know about this and thus, don't price these up or call attention to them. So always look. Great mix of a great album.

Vinyl VG+/Cover VG+

The Beatles! Neko Case!

Today I headed up to The Husky Deli to grab some ice cream to make malts with. I happened to be passing Easy Street Records and decided to see if the new Neko Case album was out on vinyl yet (it is not until the 24th of March). While I did not find the new Neko Case album I did find an import The Tigers Have Spoken and a The Beatles Second Album in shrink!!!

The Tigers Have Spoken

This is basically a live album taken from various tour dates in 2004 and includes guest musicians The Sadies, Carolyn Mark, Kelly Hogan and Jon Rauhouse. If you've never listened to Neko Case then you really owe it to yourself to check her out. She's got an amazingly distinct voice and as a solo artist (apart from the sometimes wonderful New Pornographers) she is at the forefront of alterna-country and is all around fantastic. I'll be upfront and say that I don't usually go for Live albums or albums where an artist I like alot features artists I've never heard of. Thankfully, this album is better than most. Case shines and the band is tight. The guest musicians don't overshadow her work and if they weren't mentioned you'd hardly know they were there. The album has alot of pep to it compared to some of her studio efforts. The lead off track on side 2 "Loretta" is a short quick rocker that would be at home on any early 60's rock album. Case still does have her operatic soaring vocal moments on tracks like "Favorite" and the 2 tracks co credited to Case and The Sadies are also standouts. I would still recommend Blacklisted as the album to star with, but this definately made me want to see her live. It's nice to know that some artists pack the same intensity and powerful voice when playing live as they do on their records.

Vinyl New/Cover New

The Beatles Second Album

Again another Beatles album that needs no review. I already own 3 or 4 of these but this one actually had the shrink wrap on it with the original price sticker! I guess records used to cost $2.27. Unreal. I would kill for that. Either way this is a great album. If you haven't heard it check it out. Starts out with Roll Over Beethoven and never lets up. Some people consider this the Beatles only true Rock and Roll album.

Vinyl VG+/Cover NM

Portland 3-14-09

Headed down to Portland this weekend for some engagement ring shopping and ended up finding some record stores to shop at as well (I'm pretending I didn't know they were there). So as you can see above I came away with 5 albums.

Beatlemania! With The Beatles

This one was new for me. I'd never seen it and after looking at it and quickly realizing it was a Canadian Beatles album, I took a shot. Turns out it was the first North American Beatles album (I would have thought Introducing the Beatles was first). The front is interesting with numerous reviews of The Beatles phenomenon. Including the following:

"A new disease is sweeping through Britain...and the doctors are powerless to stop it....it's Beatlemania! This Liverpool group play to packed houses wherever they go..."
- Sandy Gardiener.

I don't know who Sandy is but she nailed it. Anyway, the album is basically just a Canadian issue of the British "With the Beatles" album with all 14 tracks included (so basically only Capital America decided to go lop off 2 tracks each album). Since everyone has heard it I won't bother going into detail reviewing it, but it is a great album.

Vinyl VG/ Cover VG /Mono

Magical Mystery Tour

Another album that needs no review. The British EP with the singles tacked on makes for a marvelous album. Is side 2 much better than side 1 though? Maybe that's just me. Either way this was the mono press with the book inside (Mono on this one is much more rare). Awesome.

Vinyl VG+/Cover VG+/Mono

You Really Got Me

I love The Kinks. I think they're one of the most underrated bands to come out of the 60's (maybe only second to The Zombies). This is their first US album. It continues the tradition of mangling British albums to create their US counterparts. This album features 11 of the 14 tracks off the British The Kinks album. This album sounds alot like the early stuff from the Stones and The Who with that Kinks flair. So early R&B rock. Besides the title track "Bald Headed Woman," "Stop Your Sobbing," and "So Mystifying" are great tracks. I love this early stuff from these British Invasion bands. This album is great and serves as a great starter as you work your way up to gems like The Kinks are the Village Green Preservation Society and Muswell Hillbillies. God save the Kinks!!

Vinyl VG+/Cover VG-/Mono

Percy

This is an interesting one. This is a soundtrack that The Kinks recorded for the film Percy. It never came out in the US and never really did much in the UK. I managed to find an original copy awhile back. This one, however, is a reissue from 2000. The album is more interesting than amazing. It features a number of pretty good songs and then some instrumentals. The standout song being the lead off track "God's Children." This is a great song and it's a shame that it isn't heard more. The instrumental version of "Lola" is also interesting to hear. Overall it's not The Kinks best work. But being released the same year as Muswell Hillbillies you know that it's still head and shoulders above what most bands were doing.

Vinyl EX/Cover EX/Stereo

Yesterday and Today (Butcher)

Now the find of the day. The Beatles Butcher Cover. I have one of these framed and hanging on my wall that my uncle gave me for Christmas years back. It's my favorite Beatles item. I love it. This one I pulled out of the "Over $20" Beatles box that 2nd Avenue Records has behind the counter to prevent theft. The guy working immediately made sure to keep his eye on me and told me "You can buy that," as if there was some reason I couldn't. Anyway, the price tag on it didn't lead me to immediately reach for my wallet and i put it back in the box. After about 15 seconds of thought, I checked my cash situation and decided to try the old standby. "Would you take X amount of dollars cash?" One of the workers told me "no" while the other one told him that they should call the owner and ask. After deciding that calling was the way to go, they made the phone call and got the go ahead. I handed over my hard earned cash and headed out the door with glee and a girlfriend who could not understand why somebody would pay that much for a record (I was able to convince her later that I significantly underpaid for it). No need for a review of this one either. If you don't know The Beatles then you probably should be heading to a record store as we speak.

Vinly EX/Cover VG/Mono