IMAGI-BLOG

Which albums must be heard on vinyl to fully appreciate?

Submitted by imaginary dana on September 20, 2007.

Our imaginary household has recently acquired a kickass turntable and a decent pair of speakers, so we've spent many the evening geeking out with our (very small) pile of records. So many albums sound SO MUCH more extraordinary when spun on vinyl than via any other format.

Needless to say, this means my fella and I have spent loads of time persuing record aisles to grow our collection. So far we've acquired a bit of the old, a bit of the new... pretty much, whatever our neighborhood Sonic Boom Records in Ballard has had in stock that has tickled our fancy. Some faves include:

  • The Pogues, If I Should Fall From Grace With God
  • Amy Winehouse, Back to Black
  • The Smiths, Louder Than Bombs
  • Okkervil River, Black Sheep Boy
  • U2, The Unforgetable Fire
  • New Pornographers, Challengers
  • The Postal Service, Give Up

But now we're hooked, and clearly, we need waaaaay more vinyl! David's next must buy is Miles Davis' Kind of Blue and mine is Nick Cave's Let Love In. I'm also coveting the whole Long Winters vinyl boxset Sonic Boom currently has in stock (purr! purr!).

My question for all of you, dear readers and bloggers: What are your essential "Must Owns" on vinyl? Which albums simply must be heard on vinyl to fully appreciate them?

categories: Amy Winehouse | Miles Davis | New Pornographers | Okkervil River | The Long Winters | The Pogues | The Postal Service | The Smiths | U2
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1

seattleRuss said on September 20, 2007:

Both Mezzanine & Blue Lines - Massive Attack

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2

Jim said on September 20, 2007:

Minor Threat - Minor Threat

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3

Jimmy Legs said on September 20, 2007:

AC/DC - Back in Black

...duh

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4

imaginary stella said on September 20, 2007:

How about "Purple Rain"? And Coltrane's "A Love Supreme" would be sublime.

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5

Lincoln said on September 20, 2007:

Any album sounds better on wax. Just a few...

Slint - Spiderland (they even tell you this on the cover)
Anything on Sarah Records
Red House Painters - Rollercoaster
Tindersticks - II

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6

imaginary dana said on September 20, 2007:

Ooh, these are great suggestions!! Keep 'em coming... Am considering a run to the Sonic Boom record store annex after going to meet Peter Bjorn and John at the General Store

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7

Levi said on September 20, 2007:

Steve Albini would concur with #5, and tell you to get Shellac's entire catalog on vinyl - if you're going to get it at all, that is. Most of the albums come with a CD version rattling around in the sleeve as well. The packaging on the LP of Excellent Italian Greyhound is superb.

Shellac and Fugazi are the two bands I always buy on vinyl.

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8

Rick said on September 20, 2007:

I would say Whipped Cream and Other Delights

Now you're going to start raiding Bop Street! What am I going to do? All the cool stuff will be taken!

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9

imaginary stella said on September 20, 2007:

Oh hell yes on the Herb Alpert. Good call, Rick. I listen to that one all the time and should've informed igDana :)

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10

Shane C said on September 20, 2007:

As far as new stuff, anything Godspeed You Black Emporer! and, strangely, I didn't truly fall in love with Thom Yorke's Eraser album until I heard it on vinyl.

ooooooh and if you're going older, Scott Walker. That's pure magic.

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11

Imaginary-Kiku said on September 20, 2007:

Modest Mouse on vinyl is truely an experience. The little pops and clicks make it that much more raw

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12

toby said on September 20, 2007:

Marvin Gaye's What's Going On and any Clientele record, though I'm partial to the newest one.

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13

Dan said on September 21, 2007:

Rolling Stones, "Exile On Mainstreet."

Otis Redding.

Lou Reed "Take No Prisoners."

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14

saundrah said on September 21, 2007:

Is that U2 on your list, Dana??

Anything by the Beatles..

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15

Joseph Riippi said on September 21, 2007:

Anything originally released on vinyl, as that was their intended venue. The Beatles, Zeppelin, Miles, and Allman Brothers in particular.

My personal preference is that all electronic music (or quasi-electronic) sounds better on vinyl, as it adds a physical aspect to a sound that's often too clean digitally. Favorites in this category:

Amon Tobin's "Bricolage" and "Foley Room"
Sigur Ros
Radiohead's "Kid A" and "Ok Computer"

And: The Faint's "Danse Macabre" sounds amazing on vinyl.

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16

scott said on September 21, 2007:

I love my Math and Physics Club LP! I've played it over and over!

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17

MC "Big Freak" Estey said on September 21, 2007:

Dan, you're right -- "Take No Prisoners" sounds like shit on CD. Actually all the 70s "binaural" stuff Reed was experimenting with after "Metal Machine Music" till he signed to Arista is necessary on vinyl.

I would really recommend anyone who likes hardcore punk or party funk to always go with the vinyl. The early EPs by Gang of Four (yellow jacket, between the first two albums), Rip Rig and Panic, Battalion of Saints, or the Dead Kennedys all sound insanely good with fat spread out grooves, as does "Street Songs" by Rick James and anything by or near the P-Funk tribe obviously.

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18

Leigh B said on September 21, 2007:

Elliot Smith Either/Or just the right amount of scratchiness....

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19

Lincoln said on September 21, 2007:

Yes. The MAPC LP on vinyl is the best!

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20

imaginary dana said on September 21, 2007:

Ooh, I just thought of XTC Skylarking! That would sound SO GOOD on vinyl, right now!!

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21

Justin said on September 21, 2007:

Oooh. You may want to check out Golden Oldies for XTC. I think a huge XTC fan must have passed on recently because they've got a load of the stuff. Skylarking included.

Vinyl just sounds so buttery, most albums sound better on it, but here are just a few that I did not appreciate before hearing them on vinyl.

Steely Dan - Aja
Justice - [Cross]
Franz Ferdinand (sorry) - You Could Have it So Much Better
Kinks - Any of the 80's albums are likable on Vinyl, which is weird because they totally sucked on cassette and CD.
The National - Boxer, and Alligator which was just reissued.

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22

Krause said on September 21, 2007:

Tom Waits is magic on vinyl. Elvis Costello sounds great as well.

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23

Symi said on September 22, 2007:

Ill second Joseph Riippi's thoughts re: classic albums and electronic music being extra kick-ass on vinyl.

Silent Shout by The Knife is killer on wax!
I just picked up the new Minus The Bear record (on transparent vinyl) - I think its going to be glorious...

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24

Cal Ledbetter said on September 22, 2007:

My wife bought me a record player a few years back purely for the purpose of listening to certain artists on vinyl, particularaly:
JOHNNY CASH, TOM WAITS and JAMES BROWN

Others I realized are much better on vinyl:
Springsteen's "Born to Run"
White Stripes' "White Blood Cells"
Black Keys' "Rubber Factory"
MJ's "Thriller"
and, my recent addition, MIA's new album sounds GREAT on record.
So there ya go.

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25

imaginary stella said on September 23, 2007:

One more to add: Blondie's "Parallel Lines." I also just picked up Herb Alpert's Christmas album on vinyl, today. I can't wait for December! (Christmas may come early in our household just for an excuse to hear those jolly horns.)

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26

imaginary stella said on September 23, 2007:

One more to add: Blondie's "Parallel Lines." I also just picked up Herb Alpert's Christmas album on vinyl, today. I can't wait for December! (Christmas may come early in our household just for an excuse to hear those jolly horns.)

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27

sam said on November 28, 2007:

Talking Heads....yes yes yes.

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28

lydiafaye said on December 9, 2007:

Bob Dylan is always best on vinyl, especially "Planet Waves."

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29

tnt said on December 9, 2007:

dylan's "new morning" is great on vinyl as well. so is yo la tengo's "i can feel the heart..." and cat power's "greatest"

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30

Mary for Certain said on December 9, 2007:

Sinatra and Rolling Stones......

I was just gifted these on vinyl and its just SOOOOOOOO cool....

I also treasure my 'Do They Know It's Christmas' 12" and an Eurythmics live EP called 'Rough and Tough at the Roxy'.

Ooh, and Grace Jones.....

and....and....and....don't get me started on vinyl....

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31

Rudzitis said on April 3, 2008:

Fleetwod Mac - Tusk

Slint - all three releases

The Stooges - first three albums - as they are unlistenable to me on CD, plus the original mix of Raw Power is no longer in print on CD

Any of the post punk classics probably.

and I suspect Talk Talk are excellent on vinyl.

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32

Imaginary Shrie said on April 3, 2008:

Slint FO SHO. King Tubby... um.... Dirty Three!

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33

Chris Estey said on April 3, 2008:

Congratulations, Mary! Sinatra and the Stones sound great on vinyl for sure. Actually, I just played albums by them this week ... and it was from my rather small-medium vinyl collection, not all the CDs I have. Interesting to note. (For the record, the records were 'Only the Lonely,' 'Trilogy,' 'Between the Buttons,' 'Emotional Rescue,' 'Let It Bleed,' and 'Some Girls.')

Also got out this week:

Peggy Lee, "Is That All There Is?"
"NIck Lowe, "Jesus of Cool"

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34

Mike Mess said on April 4, 2008:

Sonic Youth - Daydream Nation
Burial - Untrue
Mum - Finally We Are No One

These sounded so good I transfered them at an ungodly bit-rate and put them on my iPod as well.

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35

Jon Harthun said on April 4, 2008:

Maybe this is an obvious choice, but Beach Boys "Pet Sounds"

My buddy bought me Brian Wilson's "Smile" on vinyl, but haven't got a chance to hear it on a decent stereo yet. I presume that would be good, too.

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