panchor

cultshock

Metallica - ...And Justice For All -2018 180g double vinyl remaster -I've never been thrilled with the production on this album, dry guitar and drums, almost no bass, but this release has a bit more low end that helps things somewhat, sounds better than the CD I bought back in 1988 anyway. And the usual top notch quality vinyl pressed on the MetalilPress. Starting with this album they started losing the script for me, so although I bought the deluxe box sets for the first three albums, I'll just be picking up the individual vinyl releases from this point on.

dex14

Gary Clark, Jr. - This Land

Adam Tyner

My first new album of 2019! Haven't actually listened to it yet.

stvn1974

PhantomStranger

The Smiths' Louder Than Bombs - Yes, I am a little late on hearing a Smiths' album for the first time despite being a huge fan of British music across the decades. I can see why they have a reputation and are well beloved by a group of fans. If I were a 13-year-old emo kid slightly more intelligent than my teenage peers, the lyrics are a real calling card. It's not going to change my life but I understand why music critics love them.

stvn1974

cultshock

Cool, I really need to get some Smiths on vinyl, Louder Than Bombs is a great compilation!

My latest pick up is The Misfits' "Die Die My Darling" 12" single. First album I've ever owned that is 45 rpm on one side (one song) and 33 rpm on the second side (two songs).

andicus

Vinyl: Pink Floyd: The Wall - Early Japanese pressing

CD: Metronomy: The English Riviera

stvn1974

Paff

Took me a while to appreciate The Smiths. Some of it was the maturing process, but some of it was just being into other music (that I still enjoy today) at the time that was just more important to me. Like, when The Smiths were big, I was more into hardcore punk. And I'm talking about being able to regularly buy new records from Black Flag, Circle Jerks, Husker Du, Dead Kennedys, The Descendents, Ramones (not really HC, I know) as well see them live with their original lineups. Morrissey's whines just did not fit in with that bunch. After that I got into the late 80's female-fronted "buzzpop" like The Primitives and The Darling Buds, then the 90s brought ska-core. Finally after all of this, when I'd hear a Smiths song (when the alternative radio station went into what they call "resurrection classic" mode), I found I liked them a lot more. Again, some of that was maturing of my musical tastes, some of it was noticing that The Smiths were far better than what was now being played on the radio regularly.

Long story short, I do like The Smiths now, particularly the guitar work of Johnny Marr. I don't usually dig "tribute" bands, but I've seen Sweet and Tender Hooligans, and they do put on a hell of a show of Smiths music. Morrissey himself has given them a shout-out. Go see 'em if you get a chance.

Paff

Love a good day digging through the record bins.

Tom Banjo

cultshock

Behemoth - I Loved You At Your Darkest

Double vinyl (45 rpm) with gorgeous gatefold sleeve and a 24 page album sized booklet with artwork and lyrics. The discs were even picture discs (which I wasn't expecting, the Amazon listing didn't mention that). I hope they sound good, I know that the technology for these has come a long way, the picture discs included with the Metallica box sets are dead quiet and sound fantastic. Here's hoping!

cultshock

Dammit, the picture discs I described above have noticeable surface noise and one side has pops like a sumbitch, so I guess this is going back to Amazon, especially since I specifically didn't want the picture disc version for this reason, I just wanted plain black vinyl. I guess the Metallica vinyl reissues have been spoiling me, they've all been flawless, even the picture discs.

slop101

Colored vinyl is usually fine, but "picture-disc" vinyls are notorious for surface noise.
I have Tool's Lateralus on a picture-disc vinyl, and while it's mastered really well and sounds phenomenal, it's loaded with surface noise.

cultshock

Oh yeah, I've never had a problem with colored vinyl, but the amount of surface noise on these picture discs really surprised me. Too bad, because they look awesome, everything about this set looks amazing, I just wish it had the sound to match.

stvn1974

I ebayed all original CD versions of Metallica's Kill Em All through ...And Justice For All. I sold them when they announced the remaster projects. The remasters suck.

I also bought an original Def Jam version of Slayer's Reign On Blood on CD. All the remasters for that suck too.

cultshock

Not sure about the CDs but the new Metallica remasters sound great on vinyl. Again, these are the new remasters from the last couple years. The first remasters that came out when Metallica first started their Blackened record label did indeed suck though.

I still have my original Def Jam CD of Reign in Blood, but recently picked up the new vinyl remaster of the album and it sounds great. But I have heard bad things about some of the Slayer remasters on CD.

stvn1974

I really dislike what was done to Kill Em All and Ride The Lightning for the Metallica remasters. They really nuked the shit out of them and I am no audiophile in the least. Master Of Puppets is actually too soft which is odd for a remaster and Justice is probably the best of the four but I still like the original since I am so used to it.

The remasters of Reign In Blood not only sound like shit but there are several drop out during songs.

cultshock

Fair enough, I realize that things like this are subjective, I've heard wildly varying reviews on almost every remastered album. I guess different people are more sensitive to different aspects of the audio.

Drop outs on the other hand are a whole different thing! Do you know any examples on RIB where any might occur? I might need to listen to my vinyl more closely.

panchor

I found this Van Halen bootleg at a record store when I was visiting New Orleans last week.

Adam Tyner

Placed my first ever order through CD Japan:



And, on the very different end of the musical spectrum, I just got confirmation that my preorder just shipped for:

slop101

cultshock

Picked up Behemoth's "The Satanist" on CD, because the vinyl prices for this one are kind of crazy right now. Great album!