Uproxx
Anybody who thought the vinyl resurgence was just a fad was mistaken: The industry has experienced a legitimate revival. As a result, music fans are interested in physical media in ways they may not have if the decades-old medium hasn’t made a comeback. That doesn’t mean everybody is listening to just their parents’ old music, though. That’s part of it, sure, thanks to rereleases that present classic albums in new ways. A vital part of the renewed vinyl wave, though, is new projects being released as records, of which there are plenty.
Whatever you might be into, each month brings a new slew of vinyl releases that has something for everybody. Some stand out above the rest, naturally, so check out some of our favorite vinyl releases of February below.
Paul McCartney & Wings — Band On The Run (50th Anniversary Edition)
UMe
The end of The Beatles was a sad moment for music, but the silver lining was that it led to Paul McCartney forming Wings, a band that enjoyed a beloved run of its own. The group’s defining third album, 1973’s Band On The Run, turned 50 recently, so now we have a new vinyl reissue of the album. The 2LP edition includes a treat for fans: an “Underdubbed” Mixes Edition of the album, of which McCartney himself explains, “This is Band On The Run in a way you’ve never heard before. When you are making a song and putting on additional parts, like an extra guitar, that’s an overdub. Well, this version of the album is the opposite, underdubbed.”
Get it here.
Amy Winehouse — Frank (Reissue)
UMe
We lost Amy Winehouse far too soon, but the pair of albums she left behind is special. It all started with Frank in 2003 and the album turned 20 years old recently. To celebrate, we now have the coolest-looking version of the album, a lovely new picture disc vinyl pressing.
Get it here.
The Who — Quadrophenia (Reissue) and The Who By Numbers (Reissue)
UMe
The Who were masters when it came to making music that rewards close listening. Now, the sonic details of two of the group’s finest albums, Quadrophenia and The Who By Numbers, can be enjoyed better than ever with these new vinyl reissues, which got a half-speed mastering for the occasion.
Get Quadrophenia here. Get The Who By Numbers here.
Issac Hayes — Hot Buttered Soul (Reissue)
Craft Recordings
As part of their Small Batch vinyl series, Craft Recordings has come through with an audiophile-friendly version of an Isaac Hayes classic, which features lacquers cut from the original tapes. Ultimately, Craft proclaims this release to be “as close as the listener can get to the original recording.” As the name of the reissue series suggests, this isn’t one to take your time with, as it’s limited to only 3,000 copies. The overall packaging of the reissue is also stunning.
Get it here.
Idles — Tangk
Partisan
Uproxx’s Grant Sharples wrote of the latest album from UK rockers Idles, “The Bristol post-punk band Idles used to operate in one mode: loud, abrasive, and often furious. Their sheer volume was their main signifier, but now they’ve partially softened up, adding more subtlety to their anthemic tunes. On Tangk, their fifth record, the intensity remains, but rather than going in a purely punk direction, they make their noisy guitars and unrelenting drums a bit more rhythmic.”
If that sounds good to you, the band is selling the LP in a number of neat-colored vinyl editions.
Get it here.
John Coltrane — A Love Supreme (VMP Edition)
Vinyl Me, Please
Reissue kings Vinyl Me, Please have an impressive new edition of the John Coltrane classic A Love Supreme. It’s one for completionists: The 8LP box set features the album itself, as well as “every live and alternate take.” If you wanted the ultimate experience of one of jazz’s most iconic recordings, this is it.
Get it here.
Grandaddy — Blu Wav
Dangerbird Records
After some time away, Grandaddy has been back at it over the past few years. February yielded the indie favorites’ sixth album, Blu Wav, and the blue marble vinyl pressing is a gorgeous way to enjoy it.
Get it here.
MGMT — Loss Of Life
Mom + Pop
Similarly, MGMT also pressed their latest LP on some vibrant vinyl colors, like the tangerine version seen above. In her review of the project, Uproxx’s Carolyn Droke wrote, “As a whole, Loss Of Life shows MGMT have gone full circle and come back to their foundations as an indie band, both sonically by shedding the dark melodies of 2018’s Little Dark Age in favor of a more buoyant sound, and literally by signing to an independent record label.”
Get it here.
Usher — Coming Home
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Usher had a bigger February than anybody with his Super Bowl Halftime Show and his new album, Coming Home. The performance was the headline news, but if you’re not sleeping on the new LP, Usher has it available on slick clear vinyl.
Get it here.
Helado Negro — Phasor
4AD
Helado Negro has been consistently rock-solid for over a decade now, busting out a new album usually at least every couple years since 2009. His eighth LP, Phasor, arrived earlier this month, and you have options in terms of vinyl aesthetics. There’s the “coke bottle translucent green” pressing pictured above, or a standard black if you’re more of a tried-and-true traditionalist.
Get it here.
