Wilco Vinyl

[cryptique]

That bundle looks like a pretty sweet deal. I can wait until late October.

[aricandover]

I really feel for anyone who paid ebay prices on the old one.

 

 

I don't.

[Guest Jules]

There's two extra songs tacked onto the end of Side D. Well, one extra if you just count Candyfloss being officially listed by name. The other "extra" is a remix of A Shot in the Arm. There doesn't seem to be any info about whether this is an old remix or a new one or who did the remixing. But anyway...

I have these "extras" on my original CD, too. I like that version of Shot.

 

Also, the new vinyl sounds great.

[LouisvilleGreg]

Got the ST today and am stoked to give it a spin soon. Is it too early to start asking for "Kicking TV" and both of the Mermaids on vinyl? I've actually got MA1, MA2 was never done correct? I'm sure there are lots more logistical issues on that, but KTV is a no brainer. Bring 'em on!

[A Radio Cure]

is anyone else having trouble finding this at their local record store? Several stores that would normally carry this tell me they are having trouble getting it in.

[brianjeremy]

The local store had several copies today. I ordered mone from Nonesuch but it hasn't arrived yet...

[cambot]

The Summerteeth vinyl sounds awesome. Who knew this was a great sounding album in addition to just being a great album. I alway thought the CD was mediocre sounding, especially when compared to YHF.

[MattZ]

Just stopping by to echo the Summerteeth vinyl love. Put the (wo)men and kids to bed and crank this bad boy. Wow.

[Dude]

I've been somewhat obsessed with why the Summerteeth vinyl sounds better since scoring my copy this weekend. Is it the so-called "vinyl warmth"? Is it a different mix? Something was clearly different. So using the USB output port on my turntable, I ripped Via Chicago as a wav file to my laptop to do side by side comparisons to the CD track.

 

The biggest, clearest difference is the compression, or lack thereof, it seems. As we all know, Summerteeth is ridiculously loud - anyone who has had Can't Stand It come on in a iPod mix after a much quieter song can attest to this. It's like being woken up with a jackhammer tied to a ton of bricks during an air raid siren. There are basically two volumes on the Summerteeth CD - loud and really loud. Lowering the volume doesn't really help, because as you do so, you lose the ability to hear all the rich overdubs and subtleties.

 

The Summerteeth vinyl isn't nearly as compressed, so the tracks themselves aren't as loud, and there is therefore way more dynamic range. For example, Via Chicago you can hear the dynamics shifting with a lot more clarity, the noise guitar track(s) gradually build. You can literally hear the sliders being gradually pushed up, and when tracks are soft, they are genuinely soft. When the tracks gets loud, all guitars firing, it isn't so loud as to distort or clip like the CD often does when you attempt to crank it up. All the tracks on the vinyl have way more depth, and you can make out individual instruments better due to the fact that they aren't all competing at the high end of the volume spectrum.

 

It's such that this week I'm planning on doing vinyl rips of all the Summerteeth tracks and replacing my CD-ripped AACs with these.

[Preferred B]

Maybe it's time to get a preamp and speakers so I can use my turntable.

[Elixir Sue]

The Summerteeth vinyl isn't nearly as compressed

What a revelation! Welcome to the world of vinyl - I think once you've listened to more albums you'll find that almost everything, not just Summerteeth, sounds better on vinyl.

[Dude]

What a revelation! Welcome to the world of vinyl - I think once you've listened to more albums you'll find that almost everything, not just Summerteeth, sounds better on vinyl.

 

One of my happiest childhood memories - indeed, before you were born - was when my older brother checked out the Blue Album from the public library and we spend months listening to it (it was way overdue). It was the first time I heard the vast majority of those songs, and to this day I still think of hearing the Blue Album on vinyl when I hear 'Old Brown Shoe'. But thank you for the "welcome".

[broc]

Have to agree with all the previous posts about how good Summerteeth is on vinyl, it's a revelation.

 

I didn't listen to Summerteeth (CD) that often, it just didn't sound great even though it's packed with super songs. I'm no audiophile but a lot of the compression comments make a sense. Can't Stand It was way too loud as someone pointed out. I can hear lots of extra bits n bobs on this, I'm falling for it once again.

 

Can't wait for AM and Being There, according to Amazon BT should be shipped tomorrow.

[Guest Alan]

One of my happiest childhood memories - indeed, before you were born - was when my older brother checked out the Blue Album from the public library and we spend months listening to it (it was way overdue). It was the first time I heard the vast majority of those songs, and to this day I still think of hearing the Blue Album on vinyl when I hear 'Old Brown Shoe'. But thank you for the "welcome".

Definitely my favorite Weezer album.

[imsjry]

Have to agree with all the previous posts about how good Summerteeth is on vinyl, it's a revelation.

 

So since the original wasn't mixed for vinyl in the first place, does this mean this was actually remixed for vinyl? It must have been if all you guys are saying it sounds so different.

[cambot]

Here are some of my more detailed impressions. This is on a blog I contribute to:

 

http://audioexplorer.blogspot.com/2009/09/wilco-summerteeth-vinyl.html

[tongue-tied]

Wilco LPs are too expensive.

[imsjry]

Wilco LPs are too expensive.

 

Yeah, I do not understand the price point of new vinyl these days. I just bought the double Plant/Krauss "Rising Sand" for $15.99, a older Yo La Tengo for $17.00, but The Drive-By Truckers last one was $29.99 and the Wilco's are a lot. I guess they realize vinyl is a fringe thing that people who love it will pay for,

[tongue-tied]

Yeah, I do not understand the price point of new vinyl these days. I just bought the double Plant/Krauss "Rising Sand" for $15.99, a older Yo La Tengo for $17.00, but The Drive-By Truckers last one was $29.99 and the Wilco's are a lot. I guess they realize vinyl is a fringe thing that people who love it will pay for,

 

Some indie labels are still fairly priced, single LPs usually $12. Thrill Jockey has a base price of $13 for double LPS. I realize Wilco has a larger company on its back, but it's a little steep for single albums stretched over two discs.

[Guest Alan]

Aural Exploits had Summerteeth for 17 but it's sold out now. I'd love to by Wilco The Album but at the price I'm in no hurry. There are also so many other albums I still need that I like so much more than that one. The new Yo La Tengo album was 30 bucks, that hurt.

[LouieB]

Its all simple economics, supply and demand. As soon as the demand goes down or the supply goes up, prices will fall. As long as folks are willing to pay these prices, vinyl records will cost too much. Even used LPs now cost far more than ever before.

 

LouieB

[Guest Alan]

Its all simple economics, supply and demand. As soon as the demand goes down or the supply goes up, prices will fall. As long as folks are willing to pay these prices, vinyl records will cost too much. Even used LPs now cost far more than ever before.

 

LouieB

As far as used Lp's, that goes against your supply and demand theory. There are more used LP's than ever before, so shouldn't they be cheaper? And not every band is charging 30 dollars for new records these days. I think 15 bucks seems to be the average price of a new record, but I understand a record costing 30 when it's a double LP and on 180 gram vinyl. I don't know if supply and demand has as much to do with it as simple rules of inflation.

 

Used records cost more now because new records cost more. Everything cost more than it did in the 70s/80s (last time vinyl was relevant).

[LouisvilleGreg]

"A.M." is only a few days away. Anyone get one in the mail early? Any details?

[brianjeremy]

I'm gnna look at the record store today for A.M. They typically have LPs out a few days early...if it's not out I'll be back up there on Tuesday. I am definitely excited about A.M> on vinyl. I already have Being There, so this will be the last one I need to pick up of the re-issues. I do need YHF on vinyl and SBS, but I hate SBS, so I guess I only need to get YHF.

[LouieB]

As far as used Lp's, that goes against your supply and demand theory. There are more used LP's than ever before, so shouldn't they be cheaper? And not every band is charging 30 dollars for new records these days. I think 15 bucks seems to be the average price of a new record, but I understand a record costing 30 when it's a double LP and on 180 gram vinyl. I don't know if supply and demand has as much to do with it as simple rules of inflation.

 

Used records cost more now because new records cost more. Everything cost more than it did in the 70s/80s (last time vinyl was relevant).

 

I never claimed to be an economist, since my class was back when I was a freshman and 8 AM, a horrid time for that kind of thing. You are correct that there are more used LPs than ever as well as many many more new LPs, but the demand is much greater than it was even 4 or 5 years ago. Inflation is one thing, but simply trying to find the limit on what the market will bear is part of what is going on now. Thirty bucks for a double album of 180 grams (for whatever that matters for a few more grams of plastic) is ridiculous. It is the same reason that CDs cost too much in the early days too. It isn't about what is being produced, it is about what the market will bear. And the supply and demand curve certainly takes that into account. Once the market has been saturated, costs will naturally come down, or the product will disappear all together. I am firmly convinced that after the hip factor of vinyl is over in about 5 years, LPs are also going to go away. We are still the minority of consumers. Most don't even know that LPs still exist. Some people have never even seen them.

 

If vinyl is to be the savior of recorded music then the record companies once again have it wrong. Bring the cost down, make it easier to buy, increase the quality (which clearly isn't all that great)and start producing good new turntables at a reasonable cost and availability. Meanwhile during my limited experience selling LPs and CDs, CDs still outsell LPs by a pretty good margin. I watched the Numero Group sell a ton of merch at Pitchfork and the CDs were being sold at about 5 times (or more) the rate than what the LPs were being sold. When I sold merch for Bloodshot a couple weeks ago, the CDs were going like hotcakes, whereas the LPs were selling nicely, but at a far slower rate. And this is at events where the hip congregate, not your usual retail outlets like WalMart or Best Buy. Last night at the Poco show (see the Mannassas thread) the merch table had zero LPs, which was a mystery to me, since the audience demographic was clearly from the LP age. None the less the CDs were selling quite well.

 

LPs will continue to be a niche market, plagued by high prices, since LP buyers are a captive audience.

 

And I disagree with one thing you say, used LPs cost more not because new LPs cost more (I don't even think they are being sold to the same people much of the time), but because the record stores and dealers (particularly on eBay, etc.) know that the demand for good used LPs is so high. However you can still find good cheap common LPs even at record stores and junk shops.

 

"A.M." is only a few days away. Anyone get one in the mail early? Any details?

Apparently I have a copy at Lauries....

 

LouieB