More compelling voices and Kevin Gray-mastered must-haves.
Hello, Friends.
One of our favourites to get things rolling this week and a fiftieth anniversary pressing of Gal Costa’s wonderful India album via Mr. Bongo. Originally released in 1973 on the Philips record label, India is very much a post-Tropicália masterpiece, with the iconic Brazilian singer moving into quite experimental spaces and outside of the samba staples that had very much made her a star. Features a stellar line-up of musicians including Gilberto Gil, Arthur Verocai, Dominguinhos, Rogerio Duprat and Tenorio Jr. amongst others.
Mr Bongo have done a great job here, enlisting the sensational mastering and lacquer-cutting engineer Miles Showell from Abbey Road to cut a half-speed master for a beautiful, spacious sound. The album is housed in its original replica gatefold cover (that was banned by the Brazilian military government in 1973 during that brutal dictatorship) with an obi strip. There is also an insert with an interview, and an A2 poster exclusive to this release.
A really great compilation this week on Chrysalis Records called The Endless Coloured Ways, a collection of songs by legendary singer/songwriter, Nick Drake. Arranged, performed and recorded by a formidable collection of artists that includes; Fontaines D.C., Let's Eat Grandma, Emeli Sandé, John Grant, Nadia Reid, Ben Harper, Philip Selway, Skullcrusher featuring Gia Margaret, Liz Phair and more more more. From the more straight-up to the out-there, lots of interesting directions with everyone offering their own take on a timeless classic.
Heavenly Recordings have repressed Gwenno’s psychedelic debut solo LP Y Dydd Olaf, which benefits from one of the most crystal-clear, crystal-clear pressings we’ve ever seen. Includes a download code sticker for nine bonus tracks too. Absolutely lush, this; it’s been a joy revisiting it on the shop stereo.
Transgressive issue the long out-of-print, self-titled, debut recording from Beverly Glenn Copeland, plus it’s subsequent Beverly Copeland that also debuted in the early seventies as a private pressing. Both have been lovingly remastered and re-cut for this release by Guy Davie and are a great jumping-on point to celebrate his forthcoming The Ones Ahead LP that lands later this month.
A swinging bop set from Sonny Clark as Sonny Clark Trio this week under the Blue Note Tone Poet Vinyl Edition series. Such a lightness of touch. Also available as a Tone Poet version is Hank Mobley’s absolutely ripping A Caddy For Daddy, five fast-moving cuts with an impeccable lineup.
+ Both editions are in stereo and produced by Joe Harley. They’re mastered by Kevin Gray from the original analog master tapes, pressed on 180g vinyl at RTI and packaged in a deluxe gatefold tip-on jackets.
We have a really special one on Craft Recordings with Waltz For Debby from Bill Evans Trio. It was the fourth and final album by one of the most influential groups in jazz history, and originally released in 1962 as a companion to the iconic “Sunday At The Village Vanguard”.
+ It’s another case of something special being delivered the way we’d want it, with this new edition pressed on 180-gram vinyl at RTI with all-analogue mastering from the original tapes by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio and presented in a Tip-On Jacket.
Also this week; Matador have made a 30th Anniversary edition of Dutch indie band Bettie Serveert's debut record Palomine. Taylor Swift drops her “Taylor's Version” of her third LP Speak Now from 2010. That one is available on limited Lilac Marbled colour vinyl. Rhino have produced a new Yellow colour vinyl edition of Joni Mitchell’s Song To A Seagull debut LP. We’ll also have her following Clouds album (on Orange vinyl) shortly too.
Lastly this week, Light In The Attic reissue a custom 50th Anniversary Edition of Karen Dalton’s utterly beguiling In My Own Time. She might well be the most evocative and distinctive song-interpreter we’ve ever heard, with her unique phrasing and world-weary vocals taking ownership of whatever she sang; from Motown hits, obscure country tunes through to forgotten folk standards. Often far from easy-going, you can feel the weight in every word. Amazing stuff.
+ This is the 2021 remaster and it is pressed on limited Silver colour vinyl.
Some pretty big pre order announcements going into the week’s calendar and that includes a Dinked Edition at 10am Tuesday. Good stuff, speak shortly!
- Drift