Audiophile Vinyl

Johnny Sharp explores the perils and the payoffs of pop's paradigm shifts before bringing you 20 albums from artists whose bold, about-turns in musical style just have to be heard

If it ain't broke, so the maxim goes, don't fix it. But no artist worth their garlands ever paid much heed to that way of thinking - with a few honourable exceptions such as The Ramones. Nonetheless, most musicians prefer evolution to revolution, letting their approach to their work develop naturally as the muse dictates, sudden changes in style only running the risk of alienating fans.

Indulge yourself with linen-wrapped slipcases, in-depth liner notes and heavy art-card covers as Ken Kessler brings you 20 of the best deluxe reissue LPs coming your way...

With the vinyl revival now so firmly established that new pressing plants are being built, the competition has heated up regarding mastering, pressing techniques, vinyl thickness, playback speed and, as seen here, presentation. Deluxe packaging and pressings cost more, so it is applied mainly to milestone albums.

This month we review: Miles Davis, Curtis Counce, Sandy Salisbury & Curt Boettcher, and The Undertones

Rarities, remixes, outtakes and alternate tracks... Ken Kessler picks his way through the latest single-artist compilation albums to bring you the perfectly curated must-have sets

Compilations primarily used to mean ‘best ofs’ with, say, all the hits for those who just weren’t invested enough to crave an artist’s or band’s complete catalogue. While more focused than ‘various artists’ collections like the interminable Now That’s What I Call… series, they were just as variable sonically because the track selection might span several decades.

This month we review: Ben Harper With Charlie Musselwhite, Caravan, Fleetwood Mac and Jackie Deshannon.

This month we review: The Doors, The Connells, John Fogerty and The Yellow Balloon.