Vinyl Me Please Essentials
- Thread starter Captainfog
- Start date
RobbieBobby
Active Member
I for one am very excited about the John Prine pick, especially if the Classics picks are as underwhelming as they seem like they might be. His lyrics remind me of young Dylan and I have nothing in my collection like it.
Why do people think the January Classic pick is Isaac Hayes btw? Did I miss something?
Why do people think the January Classic pick is Isaac Hayes btw? Did I miss something?
Looking down my main track, Classics for 2020:
1. Hancock - Mr. Hands: Brilliant choice! I would never have considered this record. Opened me to discover more of the Herbie funk period, which I had previously dismissd.
2. Aretha Now: Stone cold classic, essential, and the rare mono to boot. Gold star.
3. Patrice Rushen: I passed. That's what swaps are for. No disrespect, but it wasn't strong to me.
4. Otis: Stone classic, a bullseye.
5. Garner: Spot on the VMP mission, but I'm not a fan, so I swapped for Stevie Nicks - an amazing package and mastering, solid gold.
6. Albert King: Out of left field a bit, but a nice discovery I woud never have considered on my own. A fun record.
7. McCoy Tyner: Better than the MOFI, and a classic. While there are better McCoy Milestone records, this is the best period of Tyner and deserves wider rediscovery.
8. BarKays: The only one this year I question. But it has virtues. I passed though - Buena Vista came calling, and was worth every penny.
9. Rollins: A masterpiece that has been too ignored in favor of warhorses done over and over ad nausem. Thankfully, VMP doesn't fall down that trap. Why doesn't anyone knock Chad Kassem's safe and boring curation of Verve? Yeah, Getz/Gilberto and ALS sure do need another cash grab.
10. Szabo: A reord I had considered fluff that has now beendusted off. A great pick.
11. Coleman: Fantastic. Who gives a rat's ass about a typo. The music is fantastic, the sonics are amazing, and it hasn't been excessively reissued. Nice find.
12. Hathaway: I have the SC so I swapped for Billie Holiday. Despite that, the Hathaway is a great pick. The mono, IMO, is dubious, but still, it offers something unique and rarely heard. That Bilie Holiday though...maginificent, from the mastering through the amazing presentation. Truly defines essential.
Aside from my Classics track, there were three Essential add-ons for me:
The Stooges - prretty unique to have the Cale mix, in exceptional sound. I found the pressing very dirty, but it claened up nicely.
Spiritualized - awesome. Highlight of mt year.
Badu - would never have considered this until VMP brought it on my radar. Exceptional package and a great sounding record.
All in all, a GREAT year. I had zero pressing defects of note. All my packages arrived in reasonable time and in perfect condition.
As to whether this is the 'old' VMP, I have no idea. Maybe there are some who yearn for an earlier period when VMP was smaller. Fair enough, but businesses grow, and this is not inconsistent with the original core mission of VMP - bringing records not typically on the radar to people who may never have considered them or heard them otherwise.
As to the complaining, it does get tiresome, and I do not agree that the internet is the place for this. There's too much negativity and polarization in the world today already, I don't need it on an internet community. I recognize it's only a few who regularly seem to get an inordinately high number of 'defects', but still - it does get tiring.
I recognize that the price has gone up, quite a bit. It is unfortunate that this prices some people out. It hasn't yet for me, but might eventually. However, costs have gone up, shipping costs have risen appreciably, and the number of returns has likely gone up significantly - not due to QC, but IMO due to either equipment/setup issues or an increase in OCD buyers. The bent corner types. This adds greatly to cost.
Anyways, I am happy with VMP. More than happy.
1. Hancock - Mr. Hands: Brilliant choice! I would never have considered this record. Opened me to discover more of the Herbie funk period, which I had previously dismissd.
2. Aretha Now: Stone cold classic, essential, and the rare mono to boot. Gold star.
3. Patrice Rushen: I passed. That's what swaps are for. No disrespect, but it wasn't strong to me.
4. Otis: Stone classic, a bullseye.
5. Garner: Spot on the VMP mission, but I'm not a fan, so I swapped for Stevie Nicks - an amazing package and mastering, solid gold.
6. Albert King: Out of left field a bit, but a nice discovery I woud never have considered on my own. A fun record.
7. McCoy Tyner: Better than the MOFI, and a classic. While there are better McCoy Milestone records, this is the best period of Tyner and deserves wider rediscovery.
8. BarKays: The only one this year I question. But it has virtues. I passed though - Buena Vista came calling, and was worth every penny.
9. Rollins: A masterpiece that has been too ignored in favor of warhorses done over and over ad nausem. Thankfully, VMP doesn't fall down that trap. Why doesn't anyone knock Chad Kassem's safe and boring curation of Verve? Yeah, Getz/Gilberto and ALS sure do need another cash grab.
10. Szabo: A reord I had considered fluff that has now beendusted off. A great pick.
11. Coleman: Fantastic. Who gives a rat's ass about a typo. The music is fantastic, the sonics are amazing, and it hasn't been excessively reissued. Nice find.
12. Hathaway: I have the SC so I swapped for Billie Holiday. Despite that, the Hathaway is a great pick. The mono, IMO, is dubious, but still, it offers something unique and rarely heard. That Bilie Holiday though...maginificent, from the mastering through the amazing presentation. Truly defines essential.
Aside from my Classics track, there were three Essential add-ons for me:
The Stooges - prretty unique to have the Cale mix, in exceptional sound. I found the pressing very dirty, but it claened up nicely.
Spiritualized - awesome. Highlight of mt year.
Badu - would never have considered this until VMP brought it on my radar. Exceptional package and a great sounding record.
All in all, a GREAT year. I had zero pressing defects of note. All my packages arrived in reasonable time and in perfect condition.
As to whether this is the 'old' VMP, I have no idea. Maybe there are some who yearn for an earlier period when VMP was smaller. Fair enough, but businesses grow, and this is not inconsistent with the original core mission of VMP - bringing records not typically on the radar to people who may never have considered them or heard them otherwise.
As to the complaining, it does get tiresome, and I do not agree that the internet is the place for this. There's too much negativity and polarization in the world today already, I don't need it on an internet community. I recognize it's only a few who regularly seem to get an inordinately high number of 'defects', but still - it does get tiring.
I recognize that the price has gone up, quite a bit. It is unfortunate that this prices some people out. It hasn't yet for me, but might eventually. However, costs have gone up, shipping costs have risen appreciably, and the number of returns has likely gone up significantly - not due to QC, but IMO due to either equipment/setup issues or an increase in OCD buyers. The bent corner types. This adds greatly to cost.
Anyways, I am happy with VMP. More than happy.
Lol This may be one of the reasons I'm extra Pro-VMP lately. Despite the issues, their CS was always great and then became absolute Garbage. Lately I've been seeing it go back to the way it was before between quick responses and the Chat feature. Though the no replacements for damaged sleeves is BS, enforced or not. If I'm paying this much for an album, I want it pristine all around.
Fair. I just ignore all advertising from them essentially and focus on only the product. I think their article about Future 'Honest' was really the nail in the coffin for me in that respect (And that's as a Storf defender). But I get how it can be seen as advertising as something they are not, especially to new subscribers.
In terms of the prices, the quality is still very fair for me, but that's as a US subscriber with the Annual plan. If I paid what you have to, it may be a very different story. When my annual goes up in price in about 9 months, I'll likely be alot more selective on what I keep for Essentails and what I trade in for Credit. (Classics and Country I can't see ever going anywhere for me)
Joe Mac
Well-Known Member
True but that’s your choice to not engage. It exists, is pushed, and creates a legitimate expectation. I wish I could stop engaging with it. I’ve cancelled myself from the mailing list so often it’s untrue, to no avail. It kinda feels like trolling, particularly when I get anthology email adverts
Rowan
Well-Known Member
You know what... I was enjoying that post till I got to that part. As someone who has had a few issues with VMP pressings this year (whether my spiritualized with a warp I could stick my dogs head under, my dead box, the catastrophic Billie they sent me or the Coleman Hawkins with track one issues) I actually take umbarage at that. There is nothing wrong with my set up. Not one bit. And if there was why would that bring out issues that others have in identical spots on exactly the same records? All my issues are repeatable. They happen in the same spot everytime. Every single time. Without fail yet other records (the AS Ninas for example) play flawlessly.
If they send shit they're going to get called out and I'm not having a pop to deflect from the fact my £1300 turntable isn't of a required quality to get the most out of whatever they sent me.
And frankly more could have been said. Especially given I know on one occasion Mather and I have been good enough not to publicly chuck out an absolute, no holds bar lie that came back about a packaging issue. But that was probably the bent corner brigade too eh?
Love it. I wish I had time to do this to show my overall satisfaction. I did not swap any of the 3 tracks this year and I would say mine came at
Essentials: 10/12 (I didn't really care for Dirty Projectors, and Caroline Rose is good but not worth the money)
Classics: 12/12 (I know Patrice could be found cheaper but this was one I meant to pick up many times,
Rap/HipHop: 10/12 (NERD and Future are the misses for me. Enjoy both but didnt need a copy)
So overall a very good hit record for me.
I'll agree here. I said earlier, good equipment should not be blamed for pressing flaws. A shitty crosley or LP60 is another story, but I doubt folks on here are using those.
And bent corners are unacceptable. VMP is a subscription company so they have to get items to me in good condition. Shipping is one of their main responsibilities, and one of the beautiful things with Vinyl (that they also always advertise) is the packaging. The cover and presentation is a prime draw over physical media and a big crunched corner takes away from that. There are plenty of companies that are able to ship with no issue, and VMP should up their packaging game.
And I'm OCD about the package but I think within reason. Things like small seam splits I overlook since they are sometimes unpreventable unless they ship outside the cover (which would be logistical nightmare I don't trust their fulfillment team to handle)
True but that’s your choice to not engage. It exists, is pushed, and creates a legitimate expectation. I wish I could stop engaging with it. I’ve cancelled myself from the mailing list so often it’s untrue, to no avail. It kinda feels like trolling, particularly when I get anthology email adverts
I mean, that's fair. And super annoying. Those email reminders of "you left something in your cart" for sold out items, people were getting earlier this year were understandably infuriating too.
Look what y'all did to me. My last 2/3 posts are now mostly anti-VMP.
Mather
Unknown Member
Ha. Gimme a break bruh. I guess all these photos of actual visually identifiable pressing defects that cause multitudes of audio issues on these $50+ albums must just be a figment of my imagination, or OCD, or my bent corner syndrome talking. Thanks for clearing that up.
dhodo
Well-Known Member
It's wild to me to see people write off the Prine because they don't like country. To me it has always been in my head as a songwriter album. I guess he does sing with an accent. I don't know if I could argue it isn't country but I've never really thought of it that way for some reason. One of the greatest songwriters ever.
I definitely consider it Country, but he should be in the same category as Cash. But I'm a country fan. I still think it's unfairly written off in general because of biases based on what's on the radio or Honky Tonk music (though i do like both).
Most genres are not represented the best by what's out there in the maintstream. It's just the most basic, easily digestible stuff. Country seems to be the only one that's defined by it though.
Regardless, you're right and Prine is great. And I'm glad more people will give this amazing album a listen.
dhodo
Well-Known Member
Yeah, maybe it would be better to say the only things I generally dislike about country are totally absent from this album. It seems like the "smarter" great folky songwriting arm of country became branded as Americana to differentiate it from the negative connotation some people had for pop country. I want to say a prominent "Americana" artist has a quote about how that is stupid but I can't remember who. But, maybe I am guilty of some of that bias.
Tyler Childers was the guy who said it, and I kind of agree. Not to say Americana isn't a thing but I see it as the current most popular sub-genre of country music, while others use it as a label to say they still don't like Country.
How someone can say Tyler Childers isnt country is beyond me...
You do seem to have an excess number of issues, bruh. Like, way more than average. If I had as many issues as you do, I would stick to CD's. That way, you wouldn't have to worry about missing pictures either!
TenderLovingKiller®
Well-Known Member
So, I use genre tags when I catalogue my digital music collection and I used to have separate categories for Alternative Country, Americana, Bluegrass, and Country music but then I watched the Ken Burns PBS Doc County Music and realized how much they were all connected and went through recategorized everything under “Country & Western” and I feel much better about it all.
Here’s Childers Quote -
“As a man who identifies as a country music singer, I feel Americana ain’t no part of nothin. It is a distraction from the issues that we are facing on a bigger level as country music singers. It kind of feels like ‘Purgatory’.”
Mather
Unknown Member
What they don't include pictures with $200+ CD box sets? This was a feature I was heretofore unaware of. Thanks again Bub.
TenderLovingKiller®
Well-Known Member
This is a bit of a shitty sentiment, I will let Mather stick up for himself as he is more than capable but it’s like telling someone who enjoys hunting but only rarely picks off a 12 point buck to stick to the grocery store. It seems kind of besides the point.
Fair enough, but I do find that VMP's packaging is quite good. I have never received anything other than a perfect record and cover. I do have a problem, though, with blaming VMP constantly because it is obvious that some people have a problem with their local mail delivery person,or handling at their local depot. Or even I guess some people whose living situation is such that packages get tossed around, dropped or whatever.
The best way to ship a record is tight, with two layers of cardboard on each side to keep it very stiff. Movement in the box causes seam splits and corner crunching, other than, obviously, if the delivery truck drives over it or the delivery guy treats it like a frisbee.
I hate seamplits, but most I can fix with no noticeable signs. Bent corners, within reason, are not that big a thing. I have seen some pics here of egregious damage in shipping, but these sem to me to flow from handing in the postal system.
And I am not knocking anyone personally, but I am aware that there are many styli past their prime n use, or misaigned carts, or VTL settings not optimal, or tracking force not correct, or the table not being perfectly level, and a multitude of other user issues that account for many issues.
Even the choice of platter can have a big impact. Glass platters particularly, and felt mats.
I agree that a flaw is a flaw. I get them ocasionally. But not to the extent that a few do, and that makes me wonder why some get far more than a fair average. Maybe karma.