Includes favorite new releases, reissues and compilations
Reissues that make this list are usually of good pressing/mastering quality
Purchased LP or EP unless otherwise stated BD, SACD, DVD-A or CD (*don't own)
2024 List (So Far)
Favorite New Releases
- Black Crowes - Happiness Bastards (2024,Amazon Exclusive Opaque Orange LP)
- Grandaddy - Blu Wav (2024, Opaque Light Blue LP)
- Judas Priest - Invincible Shield (2024, EU iMusic LEx1000 "Hot Pink" 2xLP)
- Rolling Stones - Live at The Wiltern (2024, Amazon Exclusive Bronze/Black 3xLP)
- Sean Ono Lennon - Asterisms (2024,LP)
Favorite Reissues
- AC/DC - For Those About to Rock... (1981,2024 50th Walmart Exclusive Metallic Gold LP)
- AC/DC - Highway to Hell (1979,2024 50th Walmart Exclusive Metallic Gold LP)
- AC/DC - Back in Black (1980,2024 50th Walmart Exclusive Metallic Gold LP)
- AC/DC - Live (1992,2024 50th Walmart Exclusive Gold LP)
- Atomic Rooster - Atomic Rooster (1970, 2024 Green Translucent MOV LP)
- Fleetwood Mac - Fleetwood Mac (1975, 2024 Black/White Split VMP Exclusive LP)
- Fleetwood Mac - Mirage (1982, 2024 Translucent Purple Swirl VMP Exclusive LP)
- Fleetwood Mac - Tango in the Night (1987, 2024 Green Swirl VMP Exclusive LP)
- Fu Manchu - Go For It...Live! (2003,2024 Neon Orange + Neon Yellow 2xLP)
- Gentle Giant - The Missing Piece (1977,2024 Opaque Green LP Steven Wilson Remix)
- Rodrigo y Gabriela - Rodrigo y Gabriela (2006,2024 "Crocodile Green" Swirl Deluxe 2xLP)
- Steely Dan - Guacho (1980,2024 MFSL UHQR AP 45rpm Clear 2xLP)
- UFO - Lights Out (1977, 2024 RM LP + Live at The Roundhouse, London, April 1977 2xLP)
Not sure yet...
- Blackberry Smoke - Be Right Here (2024,"Monarch Edition" Red/Orange Marble LP)
- Les Claypool - Adverse Yaw: The Prawn Song Years (2024, Color 7xLP Box Set)
- Pineapple Thief - It Leads to This (2024,LP)
- The Quill - Wheel of Illusion (2024, Opaque Red LP)
- Sean Ono Lennon - Asterisms (2024,LP)
- Strfkr - Parallel Realms (2024,"Kelly Green & Cobalt Blue Cornetto w/Pink Splatter" 2xLP)
Top 10 2024 Favorite New Releases TBD
Top 10 2024 Favorite Reissues TBD
Best Sound (Nice Pressing + Great Mastering = Sublime Sound)
- Fu Manchu - Go For It...Live! (2003,2024 Neon Orange + Neon Yellow 2xLP)
- Strfkr - Parallel Realms (2024,"Kelly Green & Cobalt Blue Cornetto w/Pink Splatter" 2xLP)
Special note: 2024 Blue Note Tone Poet and Classic Vinyl series of vintage jazz recordings mastered by Kevin Gray. These all-analog pressings are manufactured at RTI and are reliably flat and quiet.
Favorite 4.0 / 5.1 Multichannel
Favorite Color Vinyl
- Blackberry Smoke - Be Right Here (2024,"Monarch Edition" Red/Orange Marble LP)
- Rodrigo y Gabriela - Rodrigo y Gabriela (2006,2024 "Crocodile Green" Swirl Deluxe 2xLP)
- Strfkr - Parallel Realms (2024,"Kelly Green & Cobalt Blue Cornetto w/Pink Splatter" 2xLP)
Favorite Cover Art
- Richard Thompson - Ship to Shore (2024,LP)
Worst Cover Art
- Black Crowes - Happiness Bastards (2024,Amazon Exclusive Opaque Orange LP)
Presentation Standouts
Special note: All of the 2024 Blue Note Tone Poet Series of vintage jazz recordings.
Presented on high-quality laminated Stoughton "Tip-On" gatefold jackets printed on heavy card stock.
Disappointments
- Blackberry Smoke - Be Right Here (2024,"Monarch Edition" Red/Orange Marble LP) - big Smoke fan and this was a disappointment for me. My wife liked it. The orange vinyl is pretty.
- Black Crowes - Happiness Bastards (2024,Amazon Exclusive Opaque Orange LP) - The music is great for the most part, but wow shameful horrible production on this one. Wall of obnoxious sound! Sounds like a brickwalled CD of yesteryear. Let it breath a little and this gets 4 or 4.5 stars from me.
- Kacey Musgraves - Deeper Well (2024,Amazon Exclusive Translucent Green Splatter LP) - not bad, but a bit mediocre. Not willing to shell out $35 for this ugly Amazon exclusive, so returned it.
Bad Pressings and Other Annoyances
Best Sale of the Year
In Memorium 2024
- Eric Carmen (The Raspberries)
- Jim Beard (Keyboardist, Steely Dan)
- Mary Weiss (The Shangri-La's)
- Melanie
- Mojo Nixon
- Steve Lawrence
- Toby Keith