Over the past few months you've probably heard us mention Vinyl Me Please. The subscription-based record club frequently partners with the major labels to create exclusive pressings from across genres. They also curate Records of the Month for subscribers - available in three tracks: Classics, Essentials, and Hip Hop - specially selected by their staff to spotlight albums of importance in pop, rock, soul, world music, jazz, and beyond. This year, the offerings ran the gamut from The Stooges,
Vinyl Me Please is at it again! Following their celebrations of Blue Note, Motown, and Ghostly International, the subscription service is set to release a new volume of their acclaimed VMP Anthology Series. This time, they're shining a light on the history of Stax Records. As with previous volumes, The Story of Stax Records will be told in four chapters. The eight albums included in the box will be wrapped in "secrecy sleeves" that can be unveiled at specific points in the journey. Though
This fall, Craft Recordings will continue its celebration of the rich and varied sounds of Stax Records with a further batch of reissues in the Soul Explosion series. The year-long campaign puts a spotlight on Stax's years as an independent label following their split from Atlantic fifty years ago. During that period, the label released a staggering 27 albums and 30 singles in just a handful of months. With a host of hits and best-selling albums from evergreen acts and new signers-on alike, Stax
When the latest sequel/reboot of Shaft hit screens this past June, one essential element was missing: the music of Isaac Hayes. While the late composer-artist's seminal "Theme from Shaft" was referenced in Christopher Lennertz's score, Hayes' commanding voice was nowhere to be found - some said to the detriment of the film. While the new Shaft underperformed in theatres, it had at least one happy byproduct as Craft Recordings revisited the classic original 1971 film soundtrack with a new
Now in their sixth decade, The Bar-Kays' place in the R&B pantheon is assured. From the Memphis soul stew of their first single "Soul Finger" in 1967 through the funk-drenched workouts of the 1970s, the common factors have been the band's authenticity, grit, and musicianship. Now, the full story of the band has been told on Cherry Red and Robinsongs' recent release The Definitive Collection, a 3-CD, 46-song anthology spanning their 1967-1989 recordings on the Stax/Volt and Mercury
Record Store Day announcements are coming fast and furious, and one of the first out of the gate hails from Craft Recordings. The label has a variety of packages coming soon for the RSD festivities at your local independent retailer on Saturday, April 13! Here's the full list from Craft with descriptions provided by the label. Violent Femmes, Hallowed Ground (LP): Hallowed Ground is the follow up to the Violent Femmes' legendary self-titled 1983 debut. As with the first album, all of the