#VNYL - Vinyl Record Curated Subscription Box #2 Review
To view my entire collection visit https://www.discogs.com/user/jguiney/collection.
After a year with Vinyl Me Please, I have actively been searching for a “Better” subscription service. I read about #VYNL and Flying Vinyl, and have been cooling on the Vinyl Me Please offerings, so I decided to give #VYNL, the first curated record subscription box, a shot. Whereas VMP releases one record a month, that members can “SWAP” for something that better fits their taste, VYNL has the customer fill out an exhaustive profile and pick a “#vibe” that all records will pertain to. For my first box, I picked the #SpringBreak Vibe.
I signed up for #VYNL at the end of February, and spent 3 hours answering questions and connecting social media accounts to give the staff the roundest profile I possibly could. After about a month, countless Slack messages back and forth with the #help channel, I noticed that my box had been “curated” but was still sitting somewhere in their warehouse. I notified them through the Slack channel, which is a great way to connect the community, and within 3 days my first box was “shipped”.
After my first review, I was excited to see what #VYNL could do with alittle more practice curating and some more knowledge about my taste. As an avid Hip Hop fan, I chose #BlingTraining. The playlist seemed tight, and with the creation of Bling coming from the South I figured there would be something relevant to Southern Rap. I was wrong, but this box did include some Jazz, "Hip Hop", and Americana Psychedelic Rock. This was definitely an improvement over box #1, to keep with the baseball theme it was like a broken bat triple with a man on. Really hoping box #3 will be a home run. Box #2 was a 3 of 5.
The VYNL box costs $38.00/month
This card was included in my VNYL Box to explain the curation.
Thelonious Monk - London Session 2
8 Pure Jazz tracks played expertly by their original composer.
Thelonious Monk - London Sessions 2
“Thelonious Monks final recording session in London"
Thelonious Sphere Monk was a Jazz piano virtuoso. Similar to his contemporaries like John Coltrane and Duke Ellington, Monk revolutionized Jazz.
The London Sessions 2, is the middle volume, in a 3-volume collection. The London Sessions is a compilation of Pianist-composer Thelonious Monk's final recording session as a leader (cut in London during a Giants of Jazz tour). His recording trio consists of bassist Al McKibbon and drummer Art Blakey on eight trio renditions of Monk's tunes.
Many reviewers, more familiar with Jazz than myself, claim that “Monk proves to be in prime form during this final effort.”
This record is pure Jazz, and 8 pure Monk tunes.
The songs are tight, the recording is clean and this is a great must have for any Monk fan or someone just trying to get more familiar with Jazz.
4 of 5
The Last Artful, Dodgr and Neill Von Tally -Bone Music
Cool points for the coke bottle clear vinyl..
The Last Artful, Dodgr. - Bone Music (Clear LP)
"tight hip-hop collab that makes a star out of Portland's badass rapper The Last Artful, Dodgr ”
My friend Todd summed up this record in the clearest way, “It’s slow, if this is what they think is killing the Portland scene, I’m ok with the Portland rap scene.”
Bone Music may grow on you, but in general it is slow, stripped down, sparse beats,… and droning. The slow beat progression seems to build over the 3 -4 minute time of the song, but the record does not progress similarly as a whole.
Lyrically, the story telling is basic and there are a few memorable lines. The lyrical style is reminiscent of late 90’s Wayne or 36Mafia, but instead of over pronunciation and annunciate, staccato flow, the words slur together and her raspy sing-song voice, tends to distort the lyrics and the message of the song. Dodgr does have a unique, recognizable voice, but she does not have the mastery of her vocal instrument like some of his contemporaries, Syd (of the Internet), Cardi B, or Rapsody.
In the, still heavily, male dominated art form that is rap, some songs may be catchy enough to be on the radio, like college or public radio,… like “Good/Gravy” and “Oofda” but in general there are no club bangers on this record, and though it gives The Last Artful, Dodgr a larger platform, it probably won’t be her breakout into the mainstream. For those reasons, Dodgr will probably never overtake Missy, or Foxy, or Eve, or Niki as your go to female rap records.
It’s ok. It grows on you. It’s atmospheric, not the rap duo, more like put it on while you vibe out or focus on almost anything else.
Cool points for the coke bottle clear vinyl.
3 out of 5
The Molochs- America's Velvet Glory
It was sort of a surprise to find this album in my April, 2018 #BlingTraining #VYNL box.
Jalal Salaam X Ewonee. - Past Lives (2x LP, Album)
“Finally a sleepy rock record... that's got the all best parts of 60's psychadelia.”
The Molochs are a two-piece Los Angeles-base rock band led by Lucas Fitzsimons, (if that means anything to you, it didn’t to me). The Molochs released this album, America’s Velvet Glory, in Jan. 2017, on Innovative Leisure, a label responsible for BADBADNOTGOOD IV, one of my favorite discoveries in 2017.
It was sort of a surprise to find this album in my April, 2018 #BlingTraining #VYNL box.
It was a bigger surprise when I threw it on. From the first note I was transported back to the mid 60’s, a time period fabricated in my mind, based on family stories, videos archives, news clippings, and the “pop” music that has lasted and permeated the FM airwaves of my youth.
In my personal 60’s, I envision a mix of beat poets, hippies, Civil Rights activists, Vietnam Vets, protesters and experimental Rock and R & B. In my personal 60’s the Molochs were playing midday at Woodstock, not competing with anyone for a headlines spot. It doesn’t matter that they weren’t alive; they could have been placed, Forrest Gump-style, into any of the 3 days, and the dancing crowd and festival vibe wouldn’t miss a beat.
Obviously, my personal 60’s is an extremely narrow view of a complex era of American history formed by an Upstate NY upbringing, my family’s record collection, “oldies” stations, documentaries and museum exhibits.
It catchy, and familiar, but it’s not growing the sound. This record has the vibe but doesn’t really do anything new. If you like that vibe though, pile in your Vanagon and enjoy this record.
3.5 outta 5
Be sure to read the poem on the cover explaining the name of both the group and the record. My favorite excerpt, and new name for the internet.
the Glory is ours to take-
not America’s Putrid Stink,
not the violence, not the internet
not the ending suicidal scrolling
(do you know it never ends?
The digital cyber-fiber-fucked-up-rabbit-hole never ends!)