VINYL RECORD COLLECTING: My Picks of the Top Ten Albums that Need to be Issued on Vinyl for their Very First Time...

1. Natalie Merchant - OPHELIA

This is the second studio album by the former lead singer of 10,000 Maniacs released in 1998. It includes her hit songs “Kind & Generous” and “Break Your Heart”. Released during the CD era of the time, vinyl records were rarely being pressed. Recently, Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab released her first album TIGERLILY on two LP vinyl records. It is about time that this album also gets the vinyl record treatment.

2. One EskimO – One EskimO  (aka All Balloons)

English singer Kristian Leontiou is the lead singer of the indie rock band One EskimO and released an amazing album in 2009. The album is listed as both “One EskimO” and “All Balloons”. I tend to go with Discogs that has it listed as “All Balloons”. The atmospheric album, which to my ears sounds like it was influenced by David Bowie, is a very emotional journey with the story of a man in love with a woman who struggles in love. The entire album from start to finish is excellent with each song. The song “Kandi” is a stand out alongwith “Astronauts”, “Simple Day” and the close out “Amazing”. I’m surprised this album hasn’t had more attention. Go to One Eskimo Vinyl Records & Discography - Vinyl Me, Please to ask them to release this on vinyl.

3. B.B. King - Let The Good Times Roll (The Music Of Louis Jordan)

One of my favorite musical artists is the “King of the Jukeboxes” – Louis Jordan. With his orchestra. Louis Jordan and His Tympany Five rocked the juke joints through the 1930’s to the early 1950’s with hits like “Caledonia”, “Choo Choo Ch’Boogie”, “Saturday Night Fish Fry”, “Let The Good Times Roll”, and so many many more. One of my other favorite musical artists is the “King of The Blues” – B.B. King.

Back in 1999, B.B. King released an album that was completely a cover of Louis Jordan’s songs. B.B. King has been on record many times for stating that Louis Jordan was one of his greatest influences. Here he pays tribute. Go to B.B. King Vinyl Records & Discography - Vinyl Me, Please to ask them to release this on vinyl.

4. B.B. King – BLUES ON THE BAYOU

Another B.B. King album on my list. There are actually several that have not been released on vinyl or are just out of print, but this list spotlights three of them. The other one is this 1998 album. B.B. King went into the studio with his band to record this album in just four days, He wrote in the linear notes, "Found some old B. B. King songs. Wrote some new ones. [...] All live, all real. No overdubs, no high-tech tricks. Just basic blues." The album won the 2000 Grammy Award for Best Traditional Blues Album. Maybe Elemental Music might want to press this on vinyl for the first time? https://www.elemental-music.com/

5. Paul McCartney and Wings – WINGS OVER EUROPE

Okay. This is a long shot and will probably never happen. In 2018, Paul McCartney released a combined Archive Collection CD Box Set that contained both RED ROSE SPEEDWAY and WINGS WILD LIFE into an exclusive box set entitled WINGS 1971-73 that included a bonus live album of WINGS OVER EUROPE. The Box Set sold out in minutes online and I was unable to purchase a copy. The 1972 live album was unfortunately not sold separately, however I was able to acquire just the CD off of eBay from a seller. My CD looks legitimate but could possibly be a counterfeit. It is hard to tell. Still, I really want to see this released on vinyl record since it has not yet. Perhaps a Record Store Day exclusive?

6. John Lennon – ACOUSTIC

In 2004, Capitol Records released ACOUSTIC. This contained is a compilation of John Lennon’s solo era demos, studio and live performances featuring his acoustic guitar work. The album was met with criticism as many of the song had appeared on one of his compilations albums previous with the others were available unofficially on the LOST LENNON TAPES set of bootleg albums.  The album was taken out of print and you cannot officially stream it anywhere. I do have the original Capitol Records CD and admit I haven’t listened to it in over a decade, but realized when making this list that it would be a good addition now since the bootleg material is now hard to find and expensive and the other anthology is out of print also.

7. The Beatles – GET BACK – THE ROOFTOP PERFORMANCE *

In 2022, Disney+ released the marvelous Peter Jackson produced series GET BACK which featured the Beatles recording LET IT BE. He would also clean up the LET IT BE film for a release that came out about a year ago. At the same time, Giles Martin released a remastered anniversary box set of LET IT BE that include outtakes and the original Glynn Johns album. There were many extras, however the glaring omission was the Beatles Rooftop performance. This classic performance first seen in the LET IT BE film is the culmination of these sessions which was the last time all four would play live together on the rooftop of their Apple Records office building in downtown London on January 30, 1969 with Billy Preston on keyboards.   

Since it was wrongly omitted in the LET IT BE boxset, many Beatles fans expected this album would be released separately --- and it officially was released by The Beatles as it can be found available for streaming format ONLY. Not on any physical media!!!  (I’m listening to it at the moment as I write this on YouTube Music). Why oh why it hasn’t been released in physical media on CD or vinyl record I do not know. This concert was often bootlegged over the years, but The Beatles and Martin put together an “official” cleaned up copy. (*Some bootleggers recently ripped the new audio and put out their own counterfeit vinyl record bootleg using these new audio upgrades and even used the official cover of the album cover using the new branding and art. I confess that I bought a copy on eBay. However, I would love to see Apple Records release an official version and I think Beatles fans deserve this.)

8. Johnny Cash / Willie Nelson – VH1 STORYTELLERS

Another one of those albums released in 1998 that did not get a vinyl record release. This was Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson sitting down with a small studio audience taking turns on playing each other’s songs together, joking, and telling stories. This album was produced by Rick Rubin during that resurgence era for Johnny Cash and is one of his last live recordings released before his death. It is a treat to hear these two friends sit around on their stools, play their acoustic guitars, and sing together. Available on CD and streaming, it would be nice to have a vinyl copy edition.

9. B.B. King – LIVE

Okay, I am slipping in a third B.B. King album needing released on vinyl. In 2008, B.B. King released an album of his live show from Memphis in his club. This show was released on CD, DVD, and Blu-Ray at the time, but missed the vinyl record treatment as it happened just when the vinyl resurgence was about to take off. I particularly enjoyed this album because it represented what I saw live in concert with B.B. King at that time.

10. Jim Byrnes – FRESH HORSES

One of my favorite modern bluesmen is actor/singer Jim Byrnes who is originally from St. Louis and has been living up in Canada for decades now. He has won many Blues Album awards in Canada and worked with many blues artists. Most of Jim’s discography is available only on CD and only a few albums are available through streaming. However, his album FRESH HORSES released in 2004 is such a great album. I wish all of his albums would receive more recognition and receive vinyl record treatment, but this album in particular.

 

I hope in a year or two, that some of these albums will be issued on vinyl for the first time.

What are some of your favorite albums never released on vinyl that you would like to see pressed?

Next time, I will write about ten albums that I think should be re-released on vinyl records with a new pressing.