Leonard Cohen - Old Ideas

Leonard Cohen
Old Ideas
Columbia 88697986711
Filed between The Clash 'London Calling' and Cowboy Junkies 'The Caution Horses'




The last time I chose to buy a new release on vinyl was 'The Second Coming' by the Stone Roses. As well as sounding the band's death knell, this was also the end of the line as far as me and modern vinyl was concerned. Pressed across two LPs I anticipated a decent bit of product; leaving the quality of the music to one side, what I heard made it abundantly clear that record companies no longer gave a hoot when it came to pressing vinyl. After all, it was the same price as the CD, which was cheaper to both produce and transport and would have sold in greater quantities (though not as many as it would have if it had been released a few years earlier). Basic economics dictated that vinyl was not worth pursuing.

So almost 18 years on I've elected to spend the extra and buy Leonard Cohen's Old Ideas on LP. Many vinyl releases these days also include a code for downloading the album in MP3 format; here Columbia have included a CD (a basic edition in a plain white slip case). With a fold-out lyric insert separate to the picture inner sleeve this is a delightful reminder of former rituals, placing the album on the deck and then poring over the sleeve. Easily worth the additional expense.

The Kinks - Kinks

The Kinks
Kinks
Pye NPL 18096
Filed between The Hollywood Brats (eponymous) and Best of The Kinks 1964-65



It doesn't happen too often, but once in a while I'll be flicking through the records in a charity shop and something I've genuinely been looking for appears. I'd had this, along with other early Kinks releases, on my eBay watch list over the last few months and apart from placing a few insulting bids have never seriously tried to 'win' any of them. And so, inamongst what appeared to be someone's painstakingly built Cliff Richard collection, I came to find a mono pressing for 75p. There are some sticky marks on side two that I'm confident I can ease off (though they don't cause any jumps so I'm not too concerned). And I've used the bargain price to justify a rather more expensive purchase of 'The Village Green Preservation Society'.

Pink Floyd - Relics

Pink Floyd
Relics
Starline SRS 5071
Filed between Tom Petty 'Full Moon Fever' and Iggy Pop 'Lust For Life'



Found in the same charity shop as the first Kinks LP, enabling me to officially write off my other copy that's been in my brother's possession for about 10 years.

Chocolate Watch Band - No Way Out

Chocolate Watch Band

No Way Out
Sundazed LP 5306
£1.04 + P&P



Sundazed's tagline says it all: 'Kinda like a record company, except fun and run by music lovers'. With a keen eye (ear?) for authenticity, Sundazed specialises in 180gsm reissues, using original master tapes where feasible. This was listed on eBay as a reissue but with no mention of the label, and quite possibly went under the radar as a result.

The Phil Spector Christmas Album

Various Artists
The Phil Spector Christmas Album (aka Phil Spector Presents A Christmas Gift To You)
Chrysalis CDL1625
£2.70 + p&p




Hurrah! Had to opt for a 1987 pressing to get the sleeve I wanted, but here it is, in time for Christmas (although I had the CD anyway), the finest seasonal LP of all-time.

Various Artists - Rockin' Christmas: The 60s

Various Artists
Rockin' Christmas - The 60s
Rhino RNLP067
99p + P&P




Alternative Christmas compilation of 60s nuggets, including offerings from The Sonics, The Trashmen, The Turtles, James Brown, Aretha Franklin and, proving there's life after the 'Monster Mash' (assuming 'life' to mean 'releasing another single that sounds virtually identical'), Bobby Pickett & The Crypt-Kickers. And not a Cliff Richard song in sight.

XTC - Ball And Chain

XTC

Ball And Chain
Virgin VS 482-12
95p



As a product of the PMH I couldn't really not buy this, and even more so for the sleeve and the memories evoked. The three houses - very close to where my Nan lived - were the last ones left standing on Westcott Street, Swindon as the resident of the middle dwelling dug his heels in and refused to move while all surrounding buildings were knocked down pending re-development. Somehow this was all resolved sometime in the early/mid-80s. If they'd remained the demolished streets would probably now have conservation status.