There is a movement about and quietly the vinyl record is making a comeback. Some artists slough through this process knowing it appeals to a select (but growing) group of audiophiles. There is a false sense that with the ubiquity of digital music, vinyl is the new “artisanal” method for distribution. As the article in Slate states “the vinyl boom can be seen as yet another manifestation of the societal fetishization of all things “vintage” and analog, which is pretty clearly a response to digitization.” The statistic is that 75% of these sales are for rock music – my guess is if you look further, its for classic 60’s artists too. That brings us to this special vinyl record review:
The Turtles “45 RPM Vinyl Singles Collection”
Few bands navigated the tumultuous shift in popular rock style from clean cut pop harmonies of the British Invasion to the Psychedelic era than The Turtles. Lots of great bands just couldn’t make that shift, and just didn’t have the versatility. The list of casualties is long; The Beau Brummels, The Hollies, The Association, The Cryan Shames, etc. And even among contemporaries like The Grass Roots or The Monkees (who also thrived during that time) The Turtles did more than survive. They blazed a trail forward, with an unmatched satirical edge to their music.
Add to this the talents of Howard Kaylan, Mark Volman and Jim Pons (all who would move on to Frank Zappa’s Mothers), arranger/producer/bassist Chip Douglas and John Barbata. Kaylan’s vocals have stood the test of time, as one of the most distinctive in rock and roll, and the bands sense of humor was unlike anyone else at the time. You can hear this on the many singles of this newly-remastered vinyl disc box set. What stood out for me was the quality of the B-sides of these records. Songs like “Outside Chance,” written by a young Warren Zevon or the under-rated “Sound Asleep” which deserves a second listen. These 16 singles were personally compiled and packaged by the band in very limited quantities. The Turtles 45 RPM Vinyl Singles Collection will be released via FloEdCo/Manifesto Records.
