It’s been heavily bootlegged over the years, and yet Paul McCartney & Wings’ One Hand Clapping is still something of a holy grail among fans. These 1974 live-in-the-studio recordings find the group firing on all cylinders — and then some. Finally, this vital Macca music has been officially released today, June 14, 2024, by MPL/Capitol/UMe as both a 180g 2LP set and a web-exclusive edition that also includes a bonus six-track 45. Read on to see why Mark Smotroff feels One Hand Clapping offers some of the most rocking Macca & Wings music on vinyl to date. . .
Thankfully, Sense is being made once again — quite literally. What I mean by that is, the expanded soundtrack of Talking Heads’ seminal 1984 concert film
Stop Making Sense will be re-released in a pair of 2LP editions by Sire/Rhino on July 26, 2024. Read on to see what tracks comprise the expanded SMS cut, what the two color-vinyl options are, and where you can pre-order your copy (or copies), post-haste. . .
It’s a rite of passage for vinyl enthusiasts and audiophiles alike to bring home a new turntable, isn’t it? Read on to see how new AP contributor Shanon McKellar feels about the many wonderful listening sessions she’s already experienced with her current, and clearly favorite, Acoustic Solid Vintage Exclusive turntable. . .
Could there be a better name for a new phono preamp than the Phonolith?
Lehmannaudio’s latest phono stage just happens to bear that name, and it combines a phono preamp and headphone amp into the same device, alongside a matching power supply unit. Read on to see more about all the Phonolith’s features and specs. . .
The acclaimed hybrid North Carolina/New York four-piece band The dB’s were on the leading edge of the gradually growing indie-rock movement as the calendar turned to the 1980s. Today, we are celebrating the first-ever U.S. vinyl edition of their highly influential January 1981 debut LP, Stands for deciBels, which is set for release by Propeller Sound Recordings next Friday, June 14. Read Mark Smotroff’s review to see why Stands for deciBels continues to stand tall as an influence on much of the music we listen to on vinyl today, and why this new domestic LP version belongs in your collection. . .
What better way to enter the impending summer season than with the second 2024 installment of our ongoing Table Toppers series? Back in late 2023, we posed a simple question to you, the AP faithful — in short, quote, “show us your turntables!” And hence, the almighty Table Toppers section was born, and we’re more than happy to continue on with this popular series as we approach the midpoint of the year. Read on to see how Dave Millon of Royal Oak, Michigan recovered from a devastating gear loss and wound up centering his system around a coolly restored Thorens TD 124 turntable — along with some VPI TNT tables to boot. . .
Maybe we were once too damn cool to buy the 8-track tape, but we’re more than happy to pony up for the upcoming limited-edition Intervention Records 140g yellow-vinyl 1LP edition of Everclear’s July 2000 album Songs From an American Movie Vol One: Learning How to Smile. Set for release on September 13, 2024, it’s the first time this platinum-selling album will be on vinyl. Read on to see how the Intervention team is making sure SFAAM Vol One is going to be one worthwhile analog-centric spin. . .
We’ve always been fans of fruitful collaborative partnerships, so we’re happy to see Denon and Devon Turnbull of OJAS have joined forces to produce the limited-edition Denon DL-103o moving-coil cartridge. Read on to see all the features and specs of the limited-edition DL-103o MC, and to find out which classic Denon cart it’s based on. . .
Pianist and composer Vijay Iyer is someone who should have been on our analog radar much, much sooner, so we’re beyond pleased that we’re now able to marvel at his and his trio’s true artistry on their new 180g 2LP release on ECM Records, Compassion. Read Mark Smotroff’s review to see if Iyer and Compassion should be added to your must-listen list. . .
“A connecting principle, linked to the invisible.” It’s a key line from the ostensible title track to The Police’s blockbuster Synchronicity LP, which is now officially slated for a very-much-visible and quite tangible 40th anniversary box set celebration that will comprise 180g 4LP super deluxe, 2LP color vinyl, and 1LP picture disc editions from Polydor/UMe on July 26, 2024. Read on to see what all the bonus tracks are and which ones make the cut on each LP edition, as well as which version sports an alternate tracklisting. . .