STACK #200 Jun 2021

MUSIC FEATURE

CHART Vinyl

Record Fare

bath are two rollers that can be moved to accommodate a 12, 10, and seven-inch record. Two adjacent velvet brushes slip into the middle of the bath and hold the vinyl in place. Add the cleaning fluid and water (preferably distilled or de-ionised) to a predetermined level before gently slipping the record between the two rollers. Once in place, turn the vinyl for three revolutions in one direction and three in the reverse before extracting it using the provided micro-fibre cloths. Dry the record in a clockwise circular motion before

Sometimes, your carbon fibre brush just isn’t going to cut the mustard when it comes to cleaning records. If you’ve spent time crate- digging vinyl at op shops or left albums out of sleeves at parties, you’ll know all about greasy fingerprints and thick dust that will make your records pop and click like an arthritic limb. An effective, budget-friendly option for deep cleaning vinyl is a record bath. Easy to use, you can get a Flea Market vinyl record washer at your local JB, or online

popping it in the drying rack. Once completely dry, the record is ready to be put back in its sleeve or placed on the turntable to be played. One bath should clean between 30 and 50 records. For an entry level solution,

if your nearest store doesn’t carry them. What you get in the box is specifically formulated vinyl cleaning fluid, a bath, drying rack, and two different sized micro- fibre cloths. Situated in the top of the

1. HARRY STYLES Fine Line 2. QUEEN Greatest Hits 3. JOJI Nectar 4. AMY SHARK Cry Forever 5. ARCTIC MONKEYS AM 6. ADELE 25 7. FLEETWOOD MAC Rumours 8. NIRVANA Nevermind 9. DUA LIPA Future Nostalgia 10. TYLER, THE CREATOR Igor

the vinyl record bath provides an affordable way to eliminate those annoying surface sounds that

can spoil the listening experience.

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Reasons why playing and collecting vinyl will always be better Album artwork. Quality – and thoughtful – album artwork is hard to appreciate on something CD-sized and under. However, holding a record in hand places a fully-fledged art-filled canvas before your eyes for complete scrutiny. It’s not just the album cover either – perusing album liner notes to glean any information about the album and its production is just as satisfying. And who doesn’t love a gatefold cover?

ALICE IN CHAINS FACELIFT (1990) 30th ANNIVERSARY VINYL

Masters of the heavier side of the Seattle sound, Alice in Chains beat Nirvana to be the first “grunge” band to nab a gold disc for this, their debut long-player. They’d

thrills of second single Sea of Sorrow right through to the Led Zep-like album closer Real Thing (complete with its shoutout to Eddie Murphy’s Coming to America , “Sexual Chocolate, baby!”). TOP TRACK: Man in the Box

go on to receive many more accolades, not least for the kicking second track in – and first single – Man in a Box , which, with its catchy hooks and wild, throaty intro from singer Layne Staley, remains a rock radio staple today. The album thrums with intensity, from the stop-go

FAST FACT: Drummer Sean Kinney nearly didn’t appear on the album, as he had a broken hand. Soldiering on, he removed his cast and played, icing up the offending paw regularly.

On The Record Radar

BILLIE EILISH Happier Than Ever (JB-exclusive pale blue vinyl, opaque brown vinyl, black vinyl)

JIMMY BARNES Flesh and Blood (Blood red vinyl) Blood harmonies abound in Jimmy's latest, which celebrates the bonds of family and features appearances by his wife, son, daughters and son-in-law. OUT 2/7

NGAIIRE 3 (JB-exclusive back vinyl) PNG-born and Sydney-

LITTLE SIMZ Sometimes I Might Be Introvert (Milky clear vinyl)

OUT 30/7

OUT 27/8

OUT 3/9

residing neo-soul artist Ngaiire is about to release her enormously- anticipated third album, which delves into identity, heritage and personal history.

The Nigerian-British artist saunters back into the spotlight (post Mercury Prize- nommed previous LP GREY Area ) with a rich and authoritative collection of modern hip-hop gems.

Precocious pop pro Billie follows up her ridiculously-decorated debut with this 16-track feast, once again co-written with her brother FINNEAS.

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