Trip #23: Yesterday, I Woke Up Sucking a Lemon 🍋
Updated AOTY standings featuring three new sun-drenched albums, the Best Records from the year 2000, and an autographed vinyl giveaway!
Welcome to The Wax Museum! If you’re new here, each week, we take a trip to the Future (Upcoming Releases), Present (AOTY Leaderboard), and Past (The Best Vinyl from Each Year). Let’s head down the rabbit hole.
🎧 Listen to this week’s Trip! Spotify | Apple
As always, we start with the best thing I heard this week: Turnstile and BADBADNOTGOOD teamed up to make magic with a jazzy three song reimagination of tracks off Turnstile’s legendary 2021 album Glow On. I demand a full album of this!
Now on to the exhibits!
The FUTURE Exhibit: New Vinyl Releases
Where we highlight the notable records coming out this Friday, August 18.
New Albums
Birdy - Potraits | The UK’s Birdy, who you should certainly know from her gorgeous “Skinny Love” cover, continues her prolific career with her fifth album at 26 years old.
Cautious Clay - KARPEH (Coke Bottle Clear Vinyl) | The Brooklyn creative makes his Blue Note debut.
Dizzy - Dizzy (Emerald Green Vinyl) | Dizzy is back with their anticipated third album; 2020’s The Sun and Her Scorch is an underrated alt-pop gem.
Hozier - Unreal Unearth (Burnt Clay Vinyl) | Acclaimed Irish singer Andrew Hozier-Byrne prepares his third album with 16 songs across two vinyl.
Jon Baptiste - World Music Radio (Canary Yellow Vinyl) | The former Stephen Colbert sidekick drops a concept album about an interstellar radio broadcast.
Osees - Intercepted Message | The experimental punk band who changes their name with every new record has done it again.
Rhiannon Giddens - You’re The One (Translucent Sea Blue Vinyl) | Grammy-winning folk artist Rhiannon Giddens’ drops her fifth album and first full band release in over six years.
New Vinyl
Aerosmith - Greatest Hits | The Boston legends have compiled a greatest hits collection with three versions: the 1 LP has ten hits, the 2 LP contains 20 songs, and the deluxe box set packs 44 tracks across four vinyl.
The Airborne Toxic Event - Hollywood Park (Grey/White Splatter Vinyl) | Hollywood Park is a concept album by The Airborne Toxic Event that draws from scenes from frontman Mikel Jollett's memoir of the same name, which I have heard is fantastic and is on my to-read list.
The Beths - Auckland, New Zealand, 2020 (Emerald Green Vinyl) | New Zealand in 2020 was one of the few places where live music was still possible; thank you to The Beths for documenting the anxiety and joy that was touring music at that time.
Between the Buried and Me - Colors II (Red and Cloudy Clear Vinyl) | The thinking man’s metal band is releasing a variant of Colors II for each color of the rainbow.
Bonobo - Dial 'M' for Monkey (Deluxe Clear Vinyl) | The second album by British DJ Simon Green aka Bonobo celebrates 20 years.
DeYarmond Edison - Epoch Box Set | DeYarmond Edison is the former band of the members of Bon Iver, Megafaun, and Field Report, who created two records, a live album, and an unreleased EP, all of which are in this box set.
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard - Murder Of The Universe (Cosmic Carnage Edition Red/Black Splatter) | The "concept album to end all concepts" gets a new colored release.
Silverstein - Arrivals & Departures (Green Marble LP and Translucent Green 7") | Post hardcore band Silverstein’s third album gets remastered to commemorate 15 years.
Talking Heads - Stop Making Sense | The legendary 1983 concerts seen in the classic Jonathan Demme documentary arrives in full on vinyl for the first time with a 28 page booklet.
Viktor Vaughn - Vaudeville Villain (Silver Vinyl) | MF DOOM’s alter ego Viktor Vaughn tells the story of a time-traveling MC who lands in ‘90s New York in this underground classic.
The PRESENT Exhibit: Album of the Year Leaderboard
Behold the 2023 Album of the Year Leaderboard. Standings change frequently; three new albums are added each Wednesday.
🎧 Full AOTY 2023 Playlist: Spotify | Apple (75+ Albums and Counting…)
Jungle - Volcano
Get Vinyl: Black | Discogs (colored variants)
It’s roughly one million degrees here in Orlando, so I’m grateful for the palm-tree breezy vibes of Jungle’s new fourth album Volcano. The 14 upbeat jams strike the perfect balance between musical nostalgia and contemporary cool. Just good, light-hearted fun best enjoyed with a tropical drink in a tropical climate.
Bethany Cosentino - Natural Disaster
Get Vinyl: Black | Discogs (colored variants)
Bethany Cosentino of Best Coast fame trades out the lo-fi surf vibes for a more Americana alt-country sound for her first solo record. As Best Coast, she wrote about getting high (the legendary debut Crazy For You) and getting sober (Always Tomorrow), but now her focus is on an uncertain future, specifically climate disasters and our pre-apocalyptic landscape.
“This is the hottest summer I can ever remember / 'Cause the world is on fire / And hey if we’re all dying, then what does it matter / We’re a natural disaster”
Did I mention how fucking hot it is? The catchy, nihilistic chorus on opener “Natural Disaster” is really hitting close to home right now.
✍️ Scroll down to The Wax Museum Gift Shop to win an AUTOGRAPHED VINYL of Natural Disaster on creamsicle colored wax!
Beach Fossils - Bunny
Get Vinyl: Powder Blue | Opaque Bubblegum | Discogs (colored variants)
Rounding out this week’s sun-baked trio is Beach Fossils’ Bunny, a chilled-out, laid-back slacker rock of an album. The jangly guitars, dripping with reverb, along with the incredible bass lines that anchor each track, envelop you in a dreamlike haze. These groovy, pleasant vibes are perfect for lazy afternoons under the sun.
The PAST Exhibit: 2000’s Must-Have Vinyl
Each week we look at a year gone by to find ten timeless albums that are must-haves in your vinyl collection. All vinyl are easy to find unless otherwise stated.
Archive: 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001
🎧 Full Essential Vinyl Playlist: Spotify | Apple (230 Records and Counting…)
Radiohead - Kid A
Get Vinyl: Black | Discogs (colored variant)
Of course, we have to start with Kid A, a watershed moment in the music industry, a radical departure from Radiohead’s previous sound that redefined the boundaries of alternative rock and electronic music.
After the triumph of 1997’s OK Computer, Radiohead was burned out. Thom Yorke plunged into a vortex of illness, dubbing himself "a complete mess ... completely unhinged." Amid a wave of imitative acts, he grappled with writer's block, leaving guitar-driven compositions stranded. Rock's "mythology" felt stale, its course run.
Seeking inspiration, Yorke dove into electronic realms, entranced by Aphex Twin and peers. The voiceless artistry of the genre struck deep chords, reshaping his view of music. He saw his voice no longer as the centerpiece, rather another instrument, and prioritized the overall sound over songwriting.
The result was an incredible creative streak that included 2001’s Amnesiac, recorded simultaneously, and reunited in 2021 with the Kid A Mnesia vinyl box set.
Grandaddy - The Sophtware Slump
Get Vinyl: Green | Discogs (colored variants)
Grandaddy's second album The Sophtware Slump emerges as a standout among dystopian future sci-fi albums. Cleverly titled to reference both a sophomore slump and software, the record delves into the woes of modern technology's impact on society via lush melodies and clever lyrics. An example of this is “Jed the Humanoid” about a robot who drinks himself to death after his creators neglect him, surely the saddest android eulogy ever sung.
Speaking of Radiohead, Mike Powell of Pitchfork wrote this in retrospect, comparing Sophtware Slump with the similarly themed OK Computer:
"If Radiohead captured a feeling of pre-millenial tension, The Sophtware Slump captured the feeling of disappointment that came afterward — the feeling that life was going to be more or less the same as it had been, only now we'd have to live with the fact that we once thought it'd be so different: the feeling of January 2, 2000."
The Avalanches - Since I Left You
Get Vinyl: Discogs
Since I Left You introduced the world to The Avalanches, who would forever alter the course of plunderphonics – a genre defined by the art of crafting music through sampled fragments of existing compositions, first made famous by DJ Shadow’s 1996 Endtroducing….
This innovative masterpiece propelled the group from Melbourne students to global music sensations. Album highlights include the stunning title track and the John Waters-sampling "Frontier Psychiatrist.” This album's enduring legacy encapsulates the art of pushing boundaries through creative sound manipulation.
This album is tough to find at regular prices and doesn’t get repressed often; the best value may be grabbing the 2022 Turntable Lab exclusive yellow/pink marbled vinyl in the $60 range of Discogs.
Dead Prez - Let’s Get Free
Get Vinyl: Black | Discogs (colored variant)
As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of hip-hop music, Let’s Get Free, the debut studio album by dynamic duo dead prez (M-1 and stic.man), emerges as a forceful testament to the enduring power of socially conscious rap. The album is a blunt call to action, blending militant and socialist lyricism with infectious beats that compel you to join in. A rallying cry often compared to Public Enemy, Let’s Get Free carves its own path with starkly direct lyrics confronting media, politics, poverty, and the music industry.
Highlight "Police State" remains as relevant today as upon release, highlighting the issues that continue to plague our society. This album serves as an inspiring reminder of hip-hop's legacy in speaking truth to power and pleading for change.
Outkast - Stankonia
Get Vinyl: Black | Discogs (colored variants)
Outkast's fourth album emerged from sessions at their newly acquired Atlanta studio – a space with personal significance as the duo's first collaborative recording occurred there on a TLC remix. The studio, affectionately named "Stankonia," encapsulates the essence of the album, its moniker born from André 3000's fusion of "stank" (evoking funkiness) and "Plutonia" (inspired by a futuristic poster). "Stankonia" transcended mere walls, becoming a realm where boundaries dissolved, granting Outkast the creative liberty to explore without the constraints of rented studio time. This album, infused with the studio's spirit, is regarded as one of the greatest hip-hop albums of all time.
Aside from the hits that have received hundreds of millions of listens, I want to highlight “Snappin’ and Trappin’,” which features the debut of then-unknown Killer Mike, who boasts “one muthafuckin' verse and already it's a classic.”
Erykah Badu - Mama’s Gun
Get Vinyl: Black | Discogs (colored variants)
We move on to Andre 3000’s ex-partner Erykah Badu, who’s Mama’s Gun stands as a remarkable milestone in the R&B realm. The album's fusion of funk and jazz defies easy categorization. Drawing comparisons to the legendary Billie Holiday, Mama's Gun delves into themes of love, identity, and social consciousness. Through introspective lyrics, lush instrumentation, and her ethereal vocals, Badu crafted an immersive world that still resonants with listeners and established Badu as a pioneer in the neo-soul movement.
Yo La Tengo - And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside-Out
Get Vinyl: Black | Discogs (colored variant)
AllMusic’s Heather Phares, while reviewing the ninth Yo La Tengo album, commented on the enduring quality of their catalog and that they are “the perfect band to grow old with."
This sentiment proved prophetic, as here we are two and a half decades later, and Yo La Tengo is featured on our 2023 Album of the Year leaderboard with a stellar seventeenth offering.
And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside-Out married subdued ballads, highlighted by ethereal percussion and hypnotic textures on single “You Can Have It All,” with nods to their noise rock origins on tracks like"Cherry Chapstick" and the sprawling 17-minute closer "Night Falls on Hoboken." My favorite Yo La Tengo album, and I’ll love it forever.
A Perfect Circle - Mer De Noms
Get Vinyl: Black | Discogs
Billy Howerdel's transformation from guitar tech for giants like Nine Inch Nails and Smashing Pumpkins to a metal side-project figurehead, coupled with the enlistment of Tool's frontman Maynard James Keenan as vocalist, set the stage for a concoction that married Tool's formidable weightiness with an expansive cinematic atmosphere.
The debut album strikes a chord with its prog-rock echoes, straddling alt-rock and hard metal. The album's lyrics are dedicated to people known by Keenan, encapsulated by the title Mer de Noms, meaning “Sea Of Names” in French. Lead single "Judith" is a tribute to Keenan's mother, who suffered a stroke, became wheelchair bound for life, and continued her blind faith in God, something Keenan vowed never to emulate.
At the Drive-In - Relationship of Command
Get Vinyl: Discogs
Widely regarded as a pinnacle of post-hardcore, At the Drive-In’s third album reached beyond, cementing its place among rock's paramount creations.
Unfortunately, the band burned too bright, and shortly after release, went on indefinite hiatus, with the members splitting to form The Mars Volta and Sparta.
Looking back, this was a damn shame. Their electricity was off the fucking charts; for instance, check out this live video of album opener “Arcarsenal,” are you kidding me??
Another unfortunate tidbit: this vinyl is in a major need of a reissue, with the cheapest pressing currently going for $125 on Discogs.
Godspeed You! Black Emperor - Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven
Get Vinyl: Black | Discogs
Rounding out 2000’s Must-Have Vinyl list and today’s playlist is a four track, 88 minute double album epic by Montreal instrumental group Godspeed You! Black Emperor.
The album is a symphony of contrasts: from gentle crescendos that draw you into contemplation to explosive, weighty sequences that demand your attention.
Capturing this essence in one word: "breathtaking." The album has etched a permanent mark in the halls of post-rock and experimental music and is essential for those looking to transcend the boundaries of sound and emotion.
The RABBIT HOLE Exhibit
Welcome to the non-music wing of the Museum. Take a trip down the pop culture rabbit hole with new recommendations each week.
📺 Videos from all trips can be found here.
Full Circle, Command Z, The Knick | Did you know that Steven Soderbergh is our most prolific film director? He’s made 33 movies in the last 32 years, beating the likes of Woody Allen, Steven Spielberg, Clint Eastwood, etc. The genre-hopping polymath somehow also has time to create other non-film projects, and he has two new ones out now: Full Circle and Command Z.
Full Circle, now streaming on MAX, is a twisty riff on Akira Kurosawa's High and Low and features a stacked cast of Zazie Beetz, Claire Danes, Timothy Olyphant, CCH Pounder, and Jim Gaffigan. The six-episode standalone series takes about two episodes to hit its stride, but once it does, the mystery is gripping to the thrilling conclusion.
While Full Circle is a compelling drama, Command Z is on the other end of the spectrum. The quasi-sketch comedy web series stars Michael Cera as a dead Elon Musk-type who’s been AI resurrected to help three people return to the year 2023 to fix their present time. The eight episodes range in length from eight to twenty minutes, and the result is an absurd hybrid of Being John Malkovich and Black Mirror. Command Z is streaming online now for $7.99, which goes to charity. Each episode ends with three thought-provoking film recs about the episode’s subject.
In that similar vein, I’ll recommend my favorite Soderbergh series, and that’s 2014’s The Knick which ran for two seasons, with Soderbergh directing all 20 episodes. The Knick takes place in 1900, featuring Clive Owen as a chief surgeon attempting to limit hospital morbidity. Unfortunately, Owen’s character spends his days injecting himself with cocaine and his nights in a Chinatown opium den. The Good Doctor this is not. This fascinating, tense, and often gruesome spectacle is one of the most underrated period dramas ever. Best of all, the series, available on MAX, appears to be resurrected a decade later for a third season with Soderbergh’s blessing, with Andre Holland starring and Barry Jenkins directing.
Exit Through The Gift Shop
Thanks for visiting! If you would like to support The Wax Museum, become a paid subscriber for just $3.33 a month and be entered into our monthly vinyl giveaway. There are less than 20 paid subs at the moment, so your odds will never be better. This month the winner will choose one of four AUTOGRAPHED vinyl:
Bethany Cosentino - Natural Disaster (Creamsicle Vinyl)
Fleet Foxes - A Very Lonely Solstice
Girl in Red - if i could make it go quiet
Alex G - God Save the Animals
The winner will be picked at the end of August.
Lastly, if you collect vinyl, and I would hope you do if you’ve made it this far, you must follow Twitter’s #1 vinyl deal finder. Expect about five to ten tweets a day. Be sure to turn on notifications because some deals go fast!
Thanks for visiting and leave a comment card on your way out!
The Avalanches on any list is a good thing! What a great tune / album!
Thanks for the heads up on the new Airborne Toxic Event album!!!