Joni Mitchell– Clouds

 

release date: 7th july 2023

 

Clouds is an iconic studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell. Originally released on May 1, 1969, the album is now being re-issued on limited orange vinyl, allowing new audiences to experience Mitchell’s introspective and poetic compositions. As Mitchell’s second studio album, Clouds marked a significant step in her musical career. The album showcases her distinctive folk style blended with elements of pop, jazz, and classical music, highlighting her exceptional songwriting and expressive vocal delivery. The album achieved significant success both critically and commercially. It reached number 31 on the Billboard 200 chart and was certified gold for shipments of 500,000 copies in the US, demonstrating Mitchell’s growing popularity during the late 1960s. The album’s timeless appeal has led to its enduring influence on subsequent generations of musicians and songwriters.

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Taylor Swift – Speak Now

 

release date: 7th july 2023

 

Speak Now is the highly acclaimed studio album by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. Originally released on October 25, 2010, the album has garnered immense popularity and is now being re-issued, allowing fans to rediscover Swift’s heartfelt storytelling and mature songwriting. The album was a commercial triumph, debuting at number one on the Billboard 200 chart and selling over one million copies in its first week. It remained in the top ten for 11 consecutive weeks and ultimately became one of the best-selling albums of 2010. 

 

• Limited Edition Lilac Marbled 3LP

• 22 songs including 6 previously unreleased Songs From The Vault

• Collectible album jacket with unique front and back cover art

• 3 unique Lilac marbled colour vinyl discs

• Collectible album sleeves including lyrics and never-before-seen photos

• Full size gatefold photograph and prologue

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Deftones – Deftones – Limited 20th Anniversary Edition Ruby Red Vinyl

 

release date: 14th july 2023

 

Deftones is a self-titled studio album by the American alternative metal band Deftones. Originally released on May 20, 2003, the album is now being re-issued on limited edition ruby red vinyl version, allowing fans to immerse themselves in the band’s atmospheric and innovative soundscapes. As the band’s fourth studio album, Deftones represents a pivotal point in their career, showcasing their evolution and willingness to experiment with different musical styles. The album blends elements of alternative metal, shoegaze, and post-rock, resulting in a haunting and atmospheric sonic journey. The album debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 chart, marking the band’s highest-charting album at the time. The album’s critical acclaim and commercial success have cemented its status as a fan favorite and a significant contribution to the alternative metal genre.

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Suede – Suede – 30th Anniversary Edition 2LP (Half-speed Master Edition)

 

release date: 7th july 2023

 

As a pioneering album in the Britpop movement of the 1990s, Suede captures the essence of the band’s glam-infused sound and poetic lyricism. It showcased Suede’s unique blend of indie rock and glam rock influences, setting them apart from their contemporaries and establishing them as one of the leading bands of the era. The album made a significant impact on its release, peaking at number one on the UK Albums Chart. The album’s success propelled the band to mainstream recognition and established them as one of the key players in the Britpop movement. It remains one of the best-selling debut albums in British music history. 

 

This edition has been newly mastered by Phil Kinrade from the original ½” tapes and production masters, overseen and approved by producer Ed Buller. The vinyl lacquer was expertly cut using precision half-speed mastering by Barry Grint at AIR Mastering. Half-speed mastering is a vinyl cutting technique that improves groove accuracy and transient information creating an incredibly detailed stereo image with a natural high frequency response.

Pressed on 180g heavyweight vinyl, housed in a poly-lined inner sleeve, featuring an obi strip and a 4-page booklet insert.

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The Strokes – First Impressions of Earth

 

release date: 7th july 2023

 

First Impressions of Earth is the third studio album by the American rock band The Strokes. Originally released on January 3, 2006, the album is now being re-issued on vinyl, giving fans an opportunity to revisit the band’s musical evolution and their exploration of new sonic territories. As a departure from their earlier garage rock sound, First Impressions of Earth showcases The Strokes experimenting with a wider range of musical influences. The album incorporates elements of post-punk, new wave, and alternative rock, while retaining the band’s signature cool and charismatic energy. First Impressions of Earth debuted at number four on the Billboard 200 chart, reaffirming The Strokes’ popularity and commercial success. While it didn’t reach the same heights as their previous albums, it still achieved positive reception from critics and fans alike. This edition is pressed on Hazy Red Vinyl.

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Steely Dan – Pretzel Logic

 

release date: 28th july 2023

 

Led by Walter Becker and Donald Fagen, Steely Dan released 7 albums from 1972-1980. The vinyl series continues with Pretzel Logic; the band’s first Top 10 album featuring the massive hit ‘Rikki Don’t Lose That Number’. Originally released on February 20, 1974, Pretzel Logic further established Steely Dan’s reputation for their meticulous attention to detail, polished production, and intelligent songwriting. The album showcases the band’s unique blend of complex harmonies, tight arrangements, and cryptic yet thought-provoking lyrics. The album achieved significant success upon its release, reaching number 8 on the Billboard 200 chart.

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Ian Dury and The Blockheads – Laughter

 

release date: 21st july 2023

 

Laughter is the third studio album by Ian Dury and the Blockheads; released in 1980, it was the last studio album Dury made for Stiff Records, and the last studio album with the Blockheads, until 1998’s ‘Mr. Love Pants’, though a live album ‘Warts ‘n’ Audience’ was produced in 1991. The album presents a mix of energetic and playful tracks, highlighting Dury’s charismatic personality and his knack for capturing the idiosyncrasies of everyday life. Laughter achieved commercial success in the UK, reaching number 33 on the UK Albums Chart. While it didn’t achieve the same level of chart success as Dury’s previous album, it received positive reviews from critics and continued to solidify his reputation as an influential and distinctive artist.

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Ornette Coleman – Something Else!!!! The Music of Ornette Coleman

 

release date: 14th july 2023

 

Contemporary Records Acoustic Sounds Series presents this 180-gram LP edition of Ornette Coleman’s debut ‘Something Else!!!! The music of Ornette Coleman’. Originally released in 1958 and recorded by legendary engineer Roy DuNann, the album introduced the world to Coleman’s innovative style and features his band of Don Cherry, Walter Norris, Don Payne and Billy Higgins. This edition features ALL-ANALOG mastering from the original analog tapes by Bernie Grundman and is pressed at QRP and presented in a tip-on jacket.

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Donna Summer – Another Place and Time

 

release date: 7th july 2023

 

Donna’s ‘80s close-out album was 1989’s ‘ANOTHER PLACE AND TIME’, which paired her with multi-hit making, multi-million-selling UK producers Stock Aitken Waterman. The album is widely regarded as the best album they produced, and which was heavily featured in the recent two-part TV documentary Stock Aitken Waterman: Legends of Pop. The album’s lead single ‘This Time I Know It’s For Real’ was an uplifting, club floorfiller and radio-friendly hit, peaking at #3 in the UK (#7 on the US Billboard Hot 100), giving Donna her highest charting solo single for more than a decade.

Four further singles were released from the album including the two Top 20 hits, ‘I Don’t Wanna Get Hurt’ and ‘Love’s About To Change My Heart’, giving Donna back-to-back UK Top 10 hits for the first time since 1977, as well as remixed versions of ‘When Love Takes Over You’ and ‘Breakaway’.

This half-speed master version has been newly mastered by Phil Kinrade, and expertly cut using transfers of the original digital audio tapes using precision half-speed mastering by Cicely Balston at AIR Mastering, London and is pressed on heavyweight 180g vinyl, with a 4-page insert containing the lyrics and personal recollections by Mike Stock, Matt Aitken and Pete Waterman.

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Ravi Shankar – Shankar Family & Friends

 

release date: 14th july 2023

 

World-renowned Indian musician Ravi Shankar’s ‘Shankar Family & Friends’ was originally released in 1974. Produced by George Harrison, this was one of the first album releases on Dark Horse Records. Its east-meets-west musical styles puts western musicians such as Ringo Starr, Billy Preston, Jim Keltner, Klaus Voorman, and Nicky Hopkins side-by-side with Indian music pioneers Alla Rakha, Ashish Khan, Shivkumar Sharma and Hariprasad Chaurasia. The album contains the first single issued on Dark Horse, ‘I Am Missing You’, featuring Lakshmi Shankar on vocals backed by a full western rock band.

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