New favorite VINYL Album?

Fleet Foxes Helplessness Blues: this is a weird album reminiscent of Simon and Garfunkel and My Morning Jacket, but very compelling - it really grabbed me on just the first listen. It's recorded well, too.

Jesse Sykes & The Sweet Hereafter, Marble Son. The double LP comes with a CD, but without the vinyl you'll never know how wwll she does like a young Marianne Faithful backing wicked psychedelic R&R. Among the year's best.

John Hiatt, Dirty Jeans and Mudslide Hymns. He's been on a roll with his last few albums, but this one is closest in importance to the seminal period that produced Bring the Family, Stolen Moments, and Slow Turning. "When New York Had Her Heart Broke" is a perfect hymn to 9-11, straight-forward, wonderfully crafted, and unexploitative. Like every bit of this album, it's free of the bluesman affectations that occasionally weaken Hiatt albums. He's on his third wind as an artist-- one of the precious few bridges to the '70s who remains seriously relevant. Excellent New West production on three sides of a double LP.

If you are a fan of Jesse Sykes (I just got my copy of Marble Son) you may wish to consider Nicole Atkin's newest LP " Mondo Amore." I like side B the most. It is similar to "Neptune City" if you are already a fan of Nicole.

The new (came out last week) Muddy Waters "Soul Singer" remaster from Quality Records, 200g 45 RPM. Wow!!!

Also enjoying the Complete Riverside Recordings of Bill Evans, 180g 45 RPM set. I bought at the same time. Best I've ever heard these recordings. "Waltz For Debby" is just killer.