.canceling vinyl me please

I first started my 1-year membership with Vinyl Me Please back in September 2015. For those of you who don't know how it works, VMP is an online record store/community. They provide you with an "Album of the Month" which is printed in a special color, might include a booklet, special features among other things. The album also comes with artwork by a featured artist and a cocktail recipe (I'm not a drinker so I toss them or give them to my brother when he lived here). Then once a month at noon EST the membership store is open to members. Here you can shop for a handful of different albums depending on their picks for the month along with merchandise (speakers, hats, hoodies). The scenario goes like this every month; some albums are new releases, some are re-releases, some are box sets. All free of shipping charges. When I first joined I picked up an average of at least 3 albums a month not including their Album of the Month. When they had their "90s" theme of albums I bought 9 in that month of December. I feel I peaked in July with almost 7 albums and then rarely ordered more than 1 or 2 from the store each passing month.

I feel like I have hit a plateau in terms of albums available that interest me. Not all of their monthly albums were that great in my opinion (most I've never heard of) and you only get 1 swap (you can trade it out for another album of the month from the back stock). Currently the membership price went up to $307 which is $25 for each Album of the Month (which sucks if you don't like the AotM). My main peeve is the membership store opens immediately at 12 noon. I am not allowed on my phone until 1 at my job. In a span of that hour going by when I can finally log on my phone, nearly everything I wanted from the store is out of stock! It's like a crazed Black Friday experience of customers crashing the server and particular albums being in demand. They sell out within minutes. It got so frustrating I just gave up. I feel there is also a severe lack of female artists in the catalog too. Overall joining this music community was exciting at first but now almost 2 years in, it's losing flavor. As many concerts as I attend, purchasing the album there at the show (handing the actual artist the money) is better than buying it online. Yes the special edition or colored vinyl is fantastic but vinyl is vinyl. It plays the same, you are getting the same songs no matter which version you buy.  

Here's the kicker. I guess I'm not the only person with the same opinions on my membership. Ironically after claiming reasons they "raised membership prices," they are now letting you have "unlimited swaps" (why this wasn't the case earlier?) and are now letting you curate your genres in music (I'm guessing they will have a survey you fill out with your likes/interests to enhance your shopping experience). This is great and all but still, the "open at noon" is still super annoying. This is why come August I am terminating my membership. Will I go back? Maybe for a month depending on who the Album of the Month is or the membership store picks. But for now I'd rather stick to what I know best, record stores (especially the mom and pop shops that need to stay in business so they don't get overrun by internet sales)

.new stuff

I always feel like I am so far behind on music. There's so much to explore it can be very overwhelming. Here's a post that doesn't bombard you with new sound, just some things to take a listen to...

Chastity Belt has a new album out in June. Their new song "Different Now" and video go in tandem. I found myself drawn to the overcast pacific northwestern beach as the ladies set up their equipment. Julia's portrait surrounded by wind-blown greenery singing about finding yourself and not having the answers you want. As the song transitions from uncertainty to self-realization the darkness falls in as the band is surrounded by one another's company around a bonfire. The song hits a chord about self-discovery. Personally it reminded me of your 20s vs. your 30s. Figuring out your place in the world but surrounding yourself with positive energy / good people.

Tank and the Bangas on Tiny Desk

On Twitter I follow NPR and love their "Tiny Desk" series. When they tweeted about an emotional performance by Tank and the Bangas I clicked to watch. This group is dynamic hailing from Louisiana. They use spoken word and different voice inflections to get the point across. My favorite song was "Roller Coaster." The feeling of sickening butterflies and the exhilaration of being seated in an uncontrolled cart. When people can articulate so clearly emotion into words or voice that is a gift. Check them out. Their outfits are also A+ (banana pants?! C'mon!)

Finally VMP features Tennis as their "Album of the Month." My copy came in the mail yesterday (I see them on Saturday in concert). It's a pretty bubblegum themed blast of coral and powdered blue. The album comes with a booklet (haven't read it yet) of how the songs and theme of the new record came about with photos nicely decorated on each page. My local indie radio station played "Ladies Don't Play Guitar" on loop. I have heard "In the Morning I'll Be Better" but cannot pinpoint where for the life of me. It sounds like something that would be played during the season finale of Orange is the New Black. The songs are an eclectic mix. One in particular sounds a bit Cocteau Twin-ish. It's a good album to listen to on a rainy day or like today, a rainy snowstorm.

So that's about it for new listens. What have you been listening to lately? Please share in the comments below!

.priests @ everybody hits

My woman crush in action

Priests are a punk / riot grrrl band from Washington DC that formed back in 2012. The band consists of Katie Alice Greer on vocals, Daniele on drums and back-up vocals, Taylor on bass and back-up vocals, and GL Jaguar on guitar (he's freaking phenomenal). I have been obsessed with them since 2014 when they opened for The Dismemberment Plan. This is the first time I would see them headline so hooray!

Their new album "Nothing Feels Natural" dropped at the end of January. Since I wanted an element of "surprise" I didn't listen to any of the songs ahead of time. I figured I'd purchase the album after their set and would automatically like what I heard. Of course this was very true and so much more.

Bands Ursula and Snail Mail opened. Each unique in their own way one more angry / edgy, the other more like Sunflower Bean in their sound. Katie came out in almost a prom dress ensemble with boots. My friend complimented her ensemble and she said she hoped dancing around would make her less cold.

Katie in the moment

The band basically played almost all the songs off of their new album. The only two older songs I remember hearing off their first album was "Right Wing" and "And Breeding." She cleverly changed the lyrics in that song to "Fuck Donald Trump! I'm gonna get him for it!" Their new album should really be an anthem for 2017. I equate Katie to the likes of Nadya Tolokonnikova from Pussy Riot. She's very politically aware and not only a musician but an activist in my eyes. On the mic she's very intimidating and powerful (several times I thought she was going to crash into us during the performance!) but behind the merch table she is very sweet and soft spoken. There was a cool moment when the lead singer of Snail Mail and her friend started skanking during Priests set. Katie encouraged it. Katie also had a moment when she climbed on top of the drum kit and played around with the hanging lights. 

Sadly I didn't have a lot of cash on me and just purchased their album. The zine for sale looked pretty amazing though. I told Katie I saw them open for Ought at PhilaMoca and she said, "Thanks for coming back!" Ahhhh I love her. Today I played their new album non-stop. My favorite stand-out tracks are: Nicki, No Big Bang, Suck, and Nothing Feels Natural. The whole album is mind-blowing. I have a soft spot for their first album but this one exceeded all expectations. I highly recommend all my Sleater-Kinney fans to check out Priests. Lance Bangs is a fan so I'm assuming Corin is on board too. Here are some more shots from the show....