Vinyl Pre-Order Roundup: Gorillaz, Sylvan Esso, Mac Demarco, and more
Vinyl Me, Please April Record of the Month. Courtesy VMP website.
We may as well just get to it and address the elephant in the room. Gorillaz' Demon Days has been a white whale for many, many collectors since its release in 2005. There has only been one official UK press, along with a couple counterfeit releases floating around. As expected, UK originals command a king's ransom on the secondary market, so most fans have been patiently waiting over a decade for a proper reissue. And without much warning, their prayers were finally answered by the crew over at Vinyl Me, Please.
Message boards and record release sites were ablaze yesterday morning when VMP confirmed their rumored April Record of the Month, Demon Days. People almost couldn't believe their eyes and internet pandemonium ensued. For as long as VMP has been in existence, I can't remember a more high profile RotM. Usually people get excited, memberships are bought, the record ships, and then any extra inventory goes to VMP's online store for weeks or months until all copies find a home. Yesterday didn't go according to plan.
Waxy reviewed Vinyl Me, Please last month, and the point we made about their monthly records being widely available for under $30 on the secondary market seemed to quickly be losing credibility as the afternoon rolled around. Right off the bat, we could tell this RotM was going to be anything but ordinary. Within a couple hours of the announcement, the one-month subscription option disappeared, as they almost instantly sold out of their monthly allotment - a VMP first. After seeing that happen, I scrambled to reactivate my subscription, as this has been on my wantlist for an eternity - I just had a feeling copies weren't going to be cheap once they inevitably started popping up on Discogs.
Via their Twitter account and through their online forum, VMP staff answered the questions of the crazed masses and explained that they expected every subscription level (one-month, three-month, and one-year) to be sold out by the end of this week. But as the day went on, the three-month option vanished, then all of a sudden, would-be members trying to signup were greeted with this devastating message. And just like that, in less than 12 hours, the long-awaited Demon Days reissue came and went.
There is speculation that VMP might realize how much they grossly underestimated demand for this release and will press more, which could allow more people to join the club and finally own their holy grail, but don't hold your breath.
Sylvan Esso, What Now limited edition white vinyl. Courtesy Sylvanesso.com
Sylvan Esso's self-titled debut was a perfectly crafted electro-pop album. Lead singer, Amelia Meath, has a sultry voice that compliments the soundscapes created by the band's other half, Nicholas Sanborn. Not surprisingly, it had a couple hit singles that you would have had to be living under a rock to miss, most notably "Coffee" and "Play It Right." Hopefully the North Carolina duo can improve upon their already unique style, and from the sounds of the first single on What Now, "Die Young," they are heading in that direction.
Grab the pre-order exclusive white vinyl here, or look for the regular version at your local shop on April 28th.
This Old Dog limited edition on ombre vinyl. Courtesy Omnianmusicgroup.com
Canadian singer-songwriter Mac Demarco has been steadily making a name for himself over the past few years. Thanks to his jangly guitar and smooth, laid-back vocals, Mac's three studio LPs — 2 (2012), Salads Days (2014), and Another One (2015) — have earned him a cult-like following. It's hard take a mid-20s Millennial that calls himself an "old dog" seriously, but he sounds more seasoned than some 50-something musicians, so we'll give him a pass.
Unfortunately, the limited ombre variant is sold out, but grab the indie exclusive white wax here. Street release is May 5th.
