Vinyl Me Please Essentials
- Thread starter Captainfog
- Start date
VinylGuy
Member
This year has easily been my favourite year in Essentials! I actually have really enjoyed all Essentials picks this year, including Caroline Rose’s Superstar and John Mayer’s Continuum!
OutKast, Erykah Badu and Billie Holiday is the icing on the cake though! Then 3 Essentials + The Roots, Dirty Projectors, Spiritualized, Buena Vista Social Club, The Stooges, The White Stripes & Stevie Nicks! That is just incredible! ♥♥♥
I love VMP! They are doing so good at the moment with their R&HH ROTM picks too after the disappointing Future and N*E*R*D ROTM picks! Prince Paul, Lord Finesse, Ghostface Killah and now Redman!!!!!
When I see this, I read this...
NathanRicaud
Well-Known Member
That's because you want to think that! Of course i love free records, but I am being honest and am giving my thoughts! VMP had a few R&HH mediocre picks this year in my opinion. I really do think the Essentials ROTM track though has been superb this year! Much better than 2019, which had the really poor Sleater Kinney pick and Jim Sullivan, a very average Essentials pick too!
Who doesn't love free records though!
I guess that it's just a massive coincidence that I happen to like every Essentials pick so far this year VMP have done! In the past, there were always a few Essential ROTM's I didn't like for each year. I disliked The National, Tennis and Kevin Morby Essential picks in 2017. I didn't like the Nada Surf and Lapsley ROTM's in 2016. In 2018, I didn't like the Townes Van Zandt, TV On The Radio & Moby picks!
2020 Essentials though has been magnificent! I thoroughly enjoyed the music on every pick! The John Mayer and Caroline Rose Essential picks were my least favourite out of the 12, but they are still 8/10 albums for me! Every other pick has been a 9/10 music wise! I love it all!
Diaper Baby Escape Plan
Well-Known Diaper Baby
I know you said you don't read much, but do you ever read or listen to professional critics? I know people have different feelings about critics - music or otherwise - but I, personally, like reading music criticism. People's negative feelings about critics is often more vocal when they disagree with a rating of an album/band that they love. I, however, like reading a negative review of an album I love if it is thoughtful and properly critical (i.e. not just a hit job/critic or publication that has a bias toward an artist/genre); it gives me things to listen to that maybe I was biased not to hear (perhaps b/c it was an artist that I stan and "can do no wrong") or context from which to approach an album/song/artist.Yep! If Baby Monster could, he’d be more than happy to do it!✍
I like the so-called "Dean of American rock critics", Robert Christgau and will listen to Jim Derogatis on Sound Opinions whenever I'm able. But there are countless great music critics and journalists.
I say this because often you take the opportunity to express to some of us why you love an album so much and why they may like to give it another go. However, your write-ups tend to focus on flowery words and hyperbole - i.e. "style" over substance. So, if you tell me an album is expressive, sexy, immersive, enchanting, etc., etc., etc. this gives me very little orientation, and I'm not very likely to put much weight and consideration into those words. If your taste for everything is hyperbolic, then you really have no taste.
You obviously have a love for music. Anyone would be nutty not to think that. But just like any love it can be superficial or deep. I'd love to read why you love an album as a well-thought out piece free of emojis.
NathanRicaud
Well-Known Member
There used to be a thread in the VMP forum where I did in-depth reviews of albums i think were underrated/under-appreciated!
I am definitely someone that is critical of albums and would give a lot of albums negative reviews. I just don't write much negative or mixed reviews on albums on here because I guess I just don't care to make the effort to. Maybe if it was an artist I really liked, such as D'Angelo, and he released a new album which VMP made an exclusive of, I'd definitely talk about my feelings on the album, regardless if they were mixed or negative feelings!
I am a really passionate person when it comes to music, so I guess I try to show it without writing too much, hence the hyperbole style language. I definitely have music taste and am someone who is honestly super critical of albums. I'd hate for someone to think my love for anything is superficial!
I like Robert Christgau too! His favourite album of the 2000's is M.I.A's Kala! And i fucking love that!!!
You know what Lord Diaper Baby, from 2021, I'll write mini reviews on the Essentials picks! If I'm still around, I'll try and do it! But, I think I write less reviews and am less expressive than I was before because this isn't a VMP forum and so much people dislike VMP now. It's kinda off-putting in that sense. It's not the same anymore in that sense. I think when i got banned, then took 3-4 months off, then found out the forum was closing down due to someone emailing me about it, it was all very weird. And ever since, I just don't have that same love for reviewing albums I once did. The energy towards VMP has shifted too much and I dunno...it's just like ceebs with the negativity. Like i don't want to commit too much to the reviewing anymore.
Selaws
Well-Known Member
I know this gets brought up a lot, but one thing I have to say is that @NathanRicaud certainly hasn't ramped up his enthusiasm since getting the gift, he's been consistently hyperactive in his enthusiasm since the start
NathanRicaud
Well-Known Member
Yeah, my enthusiasm literally hasn't change since i got the free membership gift, I was always like that. That would've been one of the reasons why VMP gifted me that free membership in the first place - because I was so vocal with their releases and loved their work in general, even though everything was a total mess during the site merge!I know this gets brought up a lot, but one thing I have to say is that @NathanRicaud certainly hasn't ramped up his enthusiasm since getting the gift, he's been consistently hyperactive in his enthusiasm since the start
VinylGuy
Member
I know, I was just messing, I think you've a 'live for the moment' kinda attitude combined with a huge love for music. Maybe I'm envious of your positivityYeah, my enthusiasm literally hasn't change since i got the free membership gift, I was always like that. That would've been one of the reasons why VMP gifted me that free membership in the first place - because I was so vocal with their releases and loved their work in general, even though everything was a total mess during the site merge!
doncornelius
Well-Known Member
Outkast, Badu, and Holiday are impressive, but all these are going to be repeat buys for me. I may yet go along with Stankonia, but I'm going to consider swapping the other two and hope one of the other two tracks have what I want coming.
Same. These are 3 fantastic albums, but I likely have all 3 (Depending which Billie Holliday and Badu. I have Baduizm and ALOT of Holiday, including Lady in Satin and Lady Sings the Blues, so it's likely).
Considering, in my whole time of never swapping I've only had I think 4 repeats (Outkast, Loretta Lynn, White Stripes, Aretha) I'm ok with that. Honestly I may be an idiot, but I think these repressing are going to be so solid, I doubt I'll swap regardless. I got all 4 of those previous repeasts and didnt regret it. I'll just sell off my older copies to offset the price a bit.
wmeugene
Well-Known Member
I remember on the old forum Storf complaining about the previous Stankonia releases and stating that they wouldn't do it until it could sound better
Rowan
Well-Known Member
I honestly think that as nice as it would be for everyone there is no way on earth that they've an exclusive of this. Absolutely no way. Fiona Apple and Spiritualized are big in their markets but Outkast is gargantuan. Looking at reviews my best is they use the MOV
dbarila
Well-Known Member
That's what people said when it was looking like Demon Days too.
ByersVinyl
Well-Known Member
The good ole days eh
dbarila
Well-Known Member
We fought the good fight against all those doubters didn't we?
ByersVinyl
Well-Known Member
And heres me thinking Outkast mehhh
Curation just cant keep everyone happy i know.
I admit to having a tiny wobble around 1 week ago - considered if just chucking out a 12m onth sub might be worth it. Would take some effort with swaps and keepiing an eye on everything - but maybe.
I quickly got over that and im happy - i cant believe i wobbled given it took me weeks of harrassing to get any kind of response before my vinyl was finally delivered. These 3 months are my long farewell
or until the next time haha
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RobbieBobby
Active Member
I think its completely plausible they could get a definitive remaster of Stankonia on a limited/timed exclusivity deal, just like Demon Days. They really need to bring it to justify the price hike, these next 3 months are where they will go all out. I almost hope its not so I can save money and swap the color variant of an old mastering for whatever Classics has coming next month.
4080
Well-Known Member
I've thought about re-upping for Outkast but then I realized, I already have this record and I don't know if it needs an upgrade because I can't remember the last time I played it! I do love Outkast but I really don't find myself listening to them all that often and paying a premium for what I hope is a better pressing just doesn't feel right!
I just don’t know if Stankonia will ever sound good. Or at least audiophile level like Aquemini. It’s always sounded pretty flat throughout to me. I’m assuming it wasn’t the best recording in the first place. I’m nearly positive it is fully digital too but I could be wrong. Maybe someone can breathe new life into it but I’m betting they will just throw it to GZ to cut on splatter colored vinyl.