Anniversary of Hope

There are still quite a few posts from RSD that I haven't got around to; but I figured this one can just jump the queue as I couldn't find it on the day and only just got around to getting a copy. 

Regina Spektor - Begin To Hope - Sire Records - 1st Press - /3000 (10th Anniversary Double LP - RSD '16) 

Begin To Hope is definitely a strange album for me. A classic case of you fall in love with an album, you buy the album for the girl you're in love with, girl loves album, girl breaks up with you, and then you can't listen to the album. Before buying this copy and spinning if for the first time (today) I haven't touched this record in maybe 5 years or more. 

So this album originally came out in 2006, with a vinyl release not seeing the light of day until 2009. The first LP is the record, and the second LP is a bunch of great bonus stuff that's definitely worth owning. That 2009 copy also included most of what is on this 2nd LP as it was also a double LP release. The exclusive material on this anniversary edition is the song 'Baby Jesus' as stated on the shrink below. 

Yes I'm a creep who cuts the stickers out from the shrink, waits for more polysleeves to arrive and then carefully peels the stickers off and reapplies them. No shame. 

Here is the track-listing from the back cover. The artwork from this LP always made me smile, it looks pretty accurate for how it sounds. It's been really great hearing these songs again. 

More of this great artwork takes up the gatefold. The sleeve is this oddly textured glossy stuff that's pretty awkward to photograph so I hope I've managed to give you a rough idea. It really should be seen in person though. 

A close up of the centre label. I like how it isn't labelled as sides A-D, it goes Disc 1 Side A through to Disc 2 Side B. And the tiny heart is sweet. 

The insert comes with the LP lyrics on one side, the bonus disc lyrics on the other. Sometimes with bonus stuff, the lyrics never get printed so it's a nice change of pace. But a 12''x12'' white insert with small black text never makes for a good photograph so here's a small excerpt. 

This has been fun to write about, and really fun to hear again. Never stop listening to great records for dumb reasons right? 

Cheers!

Desolate Beige

Sometimes I like to take a quick dive into my collection, looking for something to post about that I may have overlooked or just not bothered to photograph. In the case of this record I may not have even ran this blog when it came out. 

State Faults - Desolate Peaks - Tiny Engines - 1st Press - Beige Marble - /275 

The first reason for posting this record, is that it's a great record from an incredible band that might not get the attention they deserve. Another reason is this variant is lovely. It looks a little more lavender than beige in this light, and I'm a sucker for a marble record. With the amount of No Idea Records releases I own, you kind of have to learn to love marbled records! 

Another great thing about this LP is the letter-pressed cover. The art in itself is beautiful, but the lettering just makes the packaging a little more lush. 

Back Cover 

I accidentally cut the back cover photo out, but if you head to the Discogs release page for this LP you can see it. 

The insert comes with this woodcut style illustration that I'm a big fan of. 

The other side of the insert houses all of the lyrics. All thanks and credits are printed on the back of the jacket. 

A couple of years ago there was a mad rush for people to get this record, and there still should be.