SRC Vinyl have posted up their pre-order for Blink-182’s California. They also have a new blue version of Enema of the State (out June 17th) up for sale, and their versions of Untitled, Dude Ranch, and the live album are all still in stock.
Chatbots Are Out for Rob Gordon’s Job
Christopher Heine, writing for AD Week, on how a chatbot is helping sell vinyl records. And it’s working.
Here’s how it works. People sign up to receive text messages and then get an album recommendation every day on their phone. Upon seeing such an offer, they can text back either “yes,” “like” or “dislike” to inform the chatbot of their musical preferences—and the reply affects what 12-inch slabs of wax are pitched their way in the future. If they answer “yes,” a link appears to let them buy the album in a couple of clicks. The Edit has sold some 50,000 records that way to tens of thousands of subscribers. What’s more, if a subscriber asks a “human question”—such as, “What is currently playing in the office?”—a customer service rep quickly steps in and provides a contextual response to further engage the patron. If the consumer seems ready to buy something but hasn’t pulled the trigger online, the chatbot—not the rep—sends that person a message to call a rep to complete the order.
Rise Against’s ‘The Unraveling’ Getting a Reissue
Fat Wreck Chords has a pre-order up for a reissue of Rise Against’s The Unraveling on vinyl. It’ll be released on May 17th.
Ryan Adams ‘Heartbreaker’ Gets Deluxe Reissue
Ryan Adams’ Heartbreaker is getting a deluxe vinyl reissue. The set will be released on May 6th and comes with a remastered version of the album, outtakes and demos, and is available as a 4xLP vinyl box set, 2xCD edition, and 35-track digital download. You can hear the previously unreleased version of “Locked Away” below.
Saosin’s ‘Along the Shadow’ Vinyl Pre-Order
Relient K’s ‘Air for Free’ Up for Vinyl Pre-Order
Relient K’s upcoming album Air for Free is up for pre-order on vinyl. It’ll have a different sequencing than the digital release.
We spent quite a long time sequencing this album, and while I’m very happy with the digital sequence, I wanted the vinyl to be a bit of a different experience. Listening to a recording on vinyl is a special thing by its very nature, there is a certain reverence that comes with it. The songs are grouped in specific themes, so that each of the four sides can stand alone and also flow on their own. I know sometimes I forget to flip the record or don’t have time to listen to an entire album in one sitting. I wanted each side to feel like a part of the journey that is “Air For Free” but also to be an experience in an of itself. Making this album has been quite a special journey for us and we thank you for coming along.
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Brian Fallon to Release ‘Georgia’ 10″ For RSD
Brian Fallon will be releasing a 3-song, 10″ vinyl, titled Georgia for Record Store Day. A clip can be found below.
Less Than Jake Doing Second Pressing of ‘Hello Rockview’ and ‘Losing Streak’
Less Than Jake’s Losing Streak and Hello Rockview are back up for pre-order on their webstore. These will probably go very fast.
Blink-182’s ‘Untitled’ Gets “Audiophile” Vinyl Pressing
SRC Vinyl have put up pre-orders for an “audiophile” pressing of Blink-182ʼs Untitled on vinyl.
The deluxe version of Blink 182 was mastered for vinyl by Kevin Gray (Coherent Audio), is pressed at RTI on a limited edition 180 gram audiophile, virgin black vinyl. The album will be housed in a thick 24 pt gatefold jacket with a matte and spot UV finish and includes center labels unique to this pressing. The deluxe edition of Blink 182 includes a 12 page booklet featuring lyrics and expanded artwork.
Manchester Orchestra Re-Releasing Albums on Vinyl
Manchester Orchestra are re-releasing their first three albums on limited edition vinyl.
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The Vinyl Art of Video Game Soundtracks
iam8bit is pressing the soundtracks for the videogames Monument Valley, Journey, Guild Wars 2: Heart of Thorns, and Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection on vinyl. The artwork is gorgeous.