THE BEST VINYL RELEASES OF 2017 PART 2.

dereksmusicblog ♦ February 12, 2018 ♦ Leave a comment

The Best New Vinyl Releases Of 2017 Part 2.

Eric Clapton-Slowhand-Vinyl.

Label: Polydor.

When November 1977, Eric Clapton released his much-anticipated fifth album Slowhand, the reviews were mostly positive. Critics were won over by an album where Slowhand’s playing was much more subtle and understated on an album where he sometimes laid bare his soul. Slowhand featured future favourites Cocaine, Wonderful Tonight and Lay Down Sally, and was certified gold in the UK and triple platinum in America. Nowadays, Slowhand is regarded as a classic album and one of Eric Clapton’s finest albums.

Gabriele Poso Presents The Languages Of Tambores (A Spiritual Journey Through The Cultural Heritage Of Drums).

Label: BBE.

Gabriele Poso Presents The Languages Of Tambores (A Spiritual Journey Through The Cultural Heritage Of Drums) is best described as the musical equivalent of Homeric odyssey. It began in Britain before master percussionist and drummer Gabriele Poso heads to Nigeria, then to his homeland of Italy, where his musical career began. From there, he heads to Columbia and Brazil, before returning to Nigeria, and heeding to America, Cuba and finally Ghana. Soon the listener is Coming Home from an unforgettable and captivating musical journey. During that journey, the music veers between beautiful and soulful to emotive and evocative and even visceral, mesmeric and lysergic. Other times, the music on Gabriele Poso’s masterful musical odyssey is irresistible, melodic, memorable and akin to a call to dance.

Girls With Guitars Take Over!

Label: Ace Records,

There aren’t many compilation series that last for four decides. That is apart from Girls With Guitars series, which has been going strong since 1989. Twenty-eight years later, came the much-anticipated instalment in this long-running and successful series made a welcome return in 2017 with Girls With Guitars Take Over! Just like previous instalments in the series, it’s quality all the way with The Clingers, The Debutantes, The Delmonas, The Tomboys, The Lady-Bugs and The Hairem among the twelve guitar totting groups who make Girls With Guitars Take Over! a welcome addition to the series.

Harry Nilsson-Nilsson Schmilsson.

Label: RCA Legacy.

When Harry Nilsson released Nilsson Schmilsson in November 1971, it featured the number one single that became synonymous with him, Without You. Jump Into The Fire and Coconut were also hits and Nilsson Schmilsson reached number three in the US Billboard 200 and was certified gold. This carefully crafted album of pop and rock is now regarded as a classic album, and Harry Nilsson’s finest hour.

IF Music Presents You Need This–A Journey Into Deep Jazz Vol. 2.

Label: BBE.

For the best part of four decades, Jean-Claude Thompson has been one of the leading lights of London’s vibrant music scene. He also hosts a radio show, runs a record shop and last year, complied IF Music Presents You Need This–A Journey Into Deep Jazz Vol. 2, which features eight tracks that are spread across a triple album. It features a tantalising taste of inventive and innovative deep jazz from yesteryear that will appeal to DJs and dancers, as well as newcomers and veterans of jazz compilations. They’re sure to appreciate what is a lovingly curated compilation. 

IF Music Presents You Need This! An Introduction To Black Saint and Soul Note (1975 To 1985).

Label: BBE.

Two of the great European jazz labels were Black Saint and Soul Note which were founded by producer turned musical impresario Giacomo Pelliciotti who ran the labels until 1975. Over the next ten years, the labels changed hands several times. Still, both labels continued to release a groundbreaking albums from the great and good of free jazz. Proof of this is IF Music Presents You Need This! An Introduction To Black Saint and Soul Note (1975 To 1985). This 3-LP set features talented, inventive and innovative musician at the peak of their powers, as they push musical boundaries to their limits  and beyond, on whats the best free jazz compilation released during 2017. 

Iggy Pop-The Idiot.

Label: UMC.

When Iggy Pop released his debut solo The Idiot in March 1977, it was a stylistic departure from the former leader of The Stooges. The Idiot seemed to have been influenced by Kraftwerk, James Brown and David Bowie’s Berlin trilogy. As for the title, it had been inspired by Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s novel The Idiot. Critics were impressed by The Idiot, which nowadays is regarded as one of his finest albums. It’s also an album that inspired many post punk, gothic and industrial artists and bands. However, with its fusion of art rock and industrial rock, The Idiot wasn’t representative of  Iggy Pop’s music and he never made another album like his critically acclaimed debut.

Insane Times-21 British Psychedelic Artyfacts From The EMI Vaults.

Label: Parlophone.

One of the limited edition releases for Record Store Day 2017 was Insane Times-21 British Psychedelic Artyfacts From The EMI Vaults which feature contributions from old friends, familiar faces and new names. This includes  Kevin Ayers, July, The Idle Race, Orange Bicycle, Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, The Hollies, The Lemon Tree, The Parking Lot, The Koobas and The Yarbirds. There’s also more than a few hidden gems on 21 British Psychedelic Artyfacts From The EMI Vaults. It’s guaranteed to bring back memories for connoisseurs of psychedelia.

Mirwood Northern Soul.

Label: Kent Dance.

For many aficionados of Northern Soul, including  DJs, dancers and collectors, Randy Wood’s Mirwood Records, which was based in Los Angeles, was, and still is, one of their go-to labels. Its discography features many favourites for DJs  and dancers within the Northern Soul scene. They welcomed the  release of Mirwood Northern Soul in the autumn of 2017. Here was a lovingly curated compilation that featured fourteen top dancefloor fillers that showcase Mirwood’s unique and distinctive style. However, these are no ordinary dancefloor fillers that feature on Mirwood Northern Soul. Instead, they’re best  described as: “outstanding stomping soul dancers” and are still favourites on the Northern Soul scene.

Mogwai-Every Country’s Sun.

Label: Rock Action Records.

Every Country’s Sun marks the triumphant, rocky and explosive return of the Mogwai Young Team. Three years have passed since they released their eighth studio album Rave Tapes in January 2014. Over three years later, and Mogwai return with Every Country’s Sun an epic album that is poppy, joyous and uplifting and sometimes, elegiac and ethereal. Other times, the music is dark,  dramatic, eerie, moody, ominous and otherworldly. Often, there’s a cinematic sound to Mogwai’s music, as they switched seamlessly between and combine musical genres and influences on Every Country’s Sun. It marks the welcome return of grand old men of Scottish music, the Mogwai Young Team who put their twenty-two years of experience on this carefully crafted opus.