Great sounding new vinyl

I happened to buy SRV Texas Flood on Pure Pleasure just a couple of months ago.

While the LP doesn't have any major anomalies, or defects, and of course doesn't possess grounds for return, or stating it is bad, I did seem to notice a couple of cuts on the LP, one being "Mary had a little Lamb", that seemed to not similarly match other cuts on the LP, and sounded to me like something wrong was done with re-matering, volume levels, etc. Like I was playing an entirely different LP.

Sadly, it seems, one can pick apart so many of these modern re-issues, and it also seems that for every re-issue there is, it never fails that somebody will note that an original of one flavor, or another always surpasses it.

I know re-issue Vinyl is a godsend for many, but I admit, my purchase of new vinyl has curtailed over recent years, and prefer to hunt down clean originals in almost every case. With that being said though, I may be blind to know that there are probably some very good new vinyl to be had. Unfortunately, my pockets haven't been deep enough lately to take the chance. Mark

I'm recently back into vinyl and have had mixed results with new vinyl from a quality standpoint(i.e. minimal snap, crackle or pops). By far the best of the handful of new vinyl I have purchased so far is Miles Davis' "Relaxin" on the Analogue Productions label. It's quiet as a CD and sounds fantastic. I have read that Analogue Productions issues are generally good, so I have ordered a few more from that label for comparison. As an FYI, my copy of Shelby Lynne's Just a Little Lovin that some mentioned earlier sounds good, but has a bit of surface noise.

Here are two that you should avoid on vinyl:

Portishead "Third"
Ratatat "LP3"

both domestic pressings, both horrible with noise and defects (took one back because it skipped). Also, both domestic...hmmm.

This is the way it was in vinyl's heyday, prior to CD. More LPs sucked than sounded great. That's why CDs were so successful, despite their glare and other shortcomings, they were better. I love good LPs, but this behaviour will probably lead to a second failure of LP format. If you have to pay $50 to be assured a good pressing and master, most people will not support the format.

Dave

I firmly believe some pressings are better than others. I bought the "Once" soundtrack LP and it is full of surface noise. In contrast my new Miles Davis Kind of Blue is excellent. I have a number of Ryan Adams LPs which are good but not as great as they could be. That said I'd love to hear some other people's reviews of other good new recordings.