Trip #31: Hey Jealousy
Trip #31: Hey Jealousy
Squid, Nas, and Mapache join the AOTY leaderboard, the Best Records of 1992, and a William Peter Blatty double feature!
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Hello and welcome back to The Wax Museum, the vinyl and vibes curation newsletter, where we dig up grooves from the past, present, and future.
🎧 Listen along to this week’s trip! Spotify | Apple
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Now, on to this week’s exhibits..
The FUTURE Exhibit: New Vinyl Releases
Highlighting records out this Friday, October 27th that I’m excited about.
New Albums
Angie McMahon - Light, Dark, Light Again | The Melbourne singer’s second record is about using your fears as a portal to something bigger and better.
Black Pumas - Chronicles Of A Diamond (Splatter Vinyl) | Black Pumas attempt to capitalize on their Grammy-nominated debut. Ton of variants for this one: clear, golden smoke, golden haze, cloudy gold, red and gold, and purple and red splatter.
Crime In Stereo - House & Trance | The Long Island hardcore punks release their first album in 13 years! More on this album next week.
DJ Shadow - Action Adventure | DJ Shadow’s seventh album “is about my relationship to music. My life as a collector and curator. All my records and tapes."
Duran Duran - Danse Macabre | Duran Duran’s new collection includes three new songs and covers of Billie Eilish, Talking Heads, and The Rolling Stones.
Poppy - Zig (Mint Green/Black & White Marble Vinyl) | Poppy’s anticipated fifth album is filled with electronic beats and metal riffs.
Taking Back Sunday - 152 (Bone Vinyl) | Taking Back Sunday’s eighth album, named after the Charlotte, NC offramp, is produced by Tushar Apte (BTS, Blackpink, Nicki Minaj)
Taylor Swift - 1989 (Taylor's Version) (Crystal Skies Blue Vinyl) | Travis Kelce’s girlfriend’s fourth re-recorded album is also available in sunrise boulevard yellow, rose garden pink, and aquamarine green vinyl.
The Gaslight Anthem - History Books (Pink Vinyl) | The Gaslight Anthem have reunited and will drop their first album in nine years.
The Kills - God Games | The duo of Alison Mosshart and Jamie Hince are back with their first full-length since 2016’s Ash & Ice.
The Mountain Goats - Jenny from Thebes | The Mountain Goats’ new record is a sequel to their beloved 2002 album All Hail West Texas.
Wild Nothing - Hold (Sea Blue in Coke Bottle Clear Vinyl) | Jack Tatum’s new album features collabs with Tommy Davidson of Beach Fossils and Hatchie's Harriette Pilbeam.
New Vinyl
The 1975 - The 1975 (10th Anniversary White Vinyl) | The self titled debut from Matty Healy and the boys celebrates ten years with a colored repress.
Joji - Ballads (5th Anniversary Red Vinyl) | Joji’s debut gets an alternate album art and colored vinyl reissue.
José González - Veener (20th Anniversary Clear Vinyl) | The debut from Spanish folk singer José González turns 20.
Larry June & The Alchemist - The Great Escape | The Wax Museum AOTY candidate finally comes to physical media.
Led Zeppelin - IV (Clear Vinyl) | The Atlantic 75 anniversary collection rolls on with Led Zeppelin’s best selling album.
Macho Man Randy Savage - Be a Man (Blood Orange Vinyl) | Oooooh yeaaaah the Macho Man’s debut hip-hop album can now be yours.
Nirvana - In Utero (30th Anniversary Remaster) | Celebrate In Utero’s 30th with a 180-gram vinyl remaster, plus five B-sides and additional tracks pressed on a 10-inch. There’s also a deluxe 8 LP edition that features two complete concerts from the In Utero tour.
Prince - Diamonds and Pearls (Milky White Marble Vinyl) | Prince & The New Power Generation's multi-platinum album arrives with a double, quadruple, and 13 LP editions.
Royksopp - Senior (Orange Vinyl) | The fourth album by Norwegian electronic music duo Röyksopp desperately needed a repress, and it gets one for the first time on colored wax.
Vic Mensa - Victor (Bone Vinyl) | Vic Mensa’s long-awaited sophomore album from earlier this year arrives on bone-colored vinyl.
Wale - Ambition (Rose Red Vinyl) | Wale’s 2011 entertaining Maybach Music debut finally comes to vinyl.
The PRESENT Exhibit: AOTY 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 (100+ Albums and Counting…)
Squid - O Monolith
Debuts at #24 on Leaderboard
Get Vinyl: Black | Discogs (multiple colored variants)
Buzzy Brighton band Squid broaden their horizons with O Monolith, defying the sophomore slump and diving deep into a sonorous blend of math-rock, post-punk, and Radiohead-esque vibes.
There’s so much going on here: most songs demand multiple listens, promising an ever-evolving experience each time. Aided by prolific producer Dan Carey, tracks like the opener “Swing (In A Dream)” and “The Blades” immediately captivate, while “Undergrowth” astonishes with its gleefully abrasive sound.
The record marries Squid's British post-punk nostalgia with experimental inclinations, yet break new ground by further incorporating krautrock and refining their self-coined "anxiety rock" genre. O Monolith solidifies Squid's reputation as a torchbearer for some of the most riveting music emerging from Britain today.
Mapache - Swinging Stars
Debuts at #35 on Leaderboard
Get Vinyl: Black | Discogs (colored variant)
Mapache's fourth album in as many years is their most magnetic yet, a whirlwind of stellar songwriting and tasty picking by Los Angeles high school friends Sam Blasucci and Clay Finch.
Swinging Stars takes listeners through all sorts of folk-rock terrain: opening track “Sentir” is entirely in Spanish, which leads into “French Kiss,” featuring arresting guitar solos and delightful piano riffs, followed by lead single “What a Summer,” a pastoral jam that marries Neil Young with Fleet Foxes.
Later in the album, the juxtaposition of old-country vibes in "Encinal Cannon" and the passionate grandeur of "Ghosts" showcases Mapache's versatility and innovative approach to the genre.
This is the sound of two old friends pushing boundaries, and I’m excited to see how they continue to evolve upon their psychedelic folk sound.
Nas - Magic 3
Debuts at #53 on Leaderboard
Get Vinyl: Black/White Split | OBI (out January 26)
On Nas’ Magic 2, released earlier this year, he spits on “Abracadabra” that “by the time y'all hear this we'll be half way through the next one.”
He wasn’t lying, as here comes Magic 3 less than two months later. The finale, released on Nas’ 50th birthday, is all killer no filler. While others may wane with age (*cough* Jay Z), Nas has proven otherwise, dropping a staggering six quality projects with legendary producer Hit-Boy since 2020.
I’m happy to report that the trilogy ends on a high note. We get one feature, courtesy of Lil Wayne on “Never Die,” and he rises to the occasion. Other highlights include the wild “TSK” beat, the silky smoothness of “Speechless, Pt. 2” and the incisive storytelling rhythms on “Based on True Events, Pt. 2.”
Closing track “1-800-Nas&Hit” sees Nas looking back at this sixth album run and taking a much-deserved victory lap. Magic 3 puts the stamp on one of the most interesting late-career series in hip hop history, a feat that may not be duplicated for some time.
The PAST Exhibit: 1992’s Must-Have Records
Each week we look at a year gone by to find 10 timeless albums that are must-haves in your record 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 | 2000 | 1999 | 1998 | 1997 | 1996 | 1995 | 1994 | 1993
🎧 The Essential Vinyl Playlist: Spotify | Apple (310 Records and Counting…)
Gin Blossoms - New Miserable Experience
Get Vinyl: Black | Discogs (multiple colored variants)
Arizona's Gin Blossoms skyrocketed to prominence with their breakthrough debut New Miserable Experience, an album filled with earworms like “Found Out About You,” “Allison Road,” and the unforgettable “Hey Jealousy,” penned by guitarist Doug Hopkins.
Despite his stellar songwriting talent, Hopkins was let go from the band on the precipice of the album's completion due to alcoholism. The very songs that catalyzed the band's major label deal were also a testament to the turbulence he faced personally.
After receiving a Gold Record for his contributions, the weight of personal demons proved too heavy, culminating in his tragic suicide. The legacy of New Miserable Experience remains dual-faceted: a showcase of the Gin Blossoms' brilliance and a somber reminder of the fragility behind its creation.
Dr. Dre - The Chronic
Get Vinyl: Black | Discogs
Dr. Dre's The Chronic introduced the world to G-funk, a subgenre of hip-hop that blended raw lyricism with melodic synthesizers, slow-tempo grooves, and deep basslines sampled from 1970s funk tracks. What made the album transcendent, however, was the way it paired these arrangements with vivid narratives about life in South Central Los Angeles.
The Chronic also introduced the world to the charismatic Snoop Dogg, whose laid-back flow and unique voice perfectly complemented Dre's beats.
Beyond its sound, The Chronic was significant for solidifying West Coast hip-hop's place in the industry and influencing countless artists and producers in its wake.
Dre’s classic was recently reissued on vinyl, and just this month, Interscope announced their own vinyl subscription service; this month features The Chronic on chronic-green wax, its first time ever on colored vinyl.
Alice in Chains - Dirt
Get Vinyl: Red | Yellow | Black | Discogs (multiple colored variants)
Here we have one of the best metal albums of the 90’s with Alice in Chains’ second album and career highlight Dirt. It’s a grunge masterclass, featuring Jerry Cantrell's haunting guitar riffs and Layne Staley's anguished vocals that created a bleak and captivating soundscape.
Staley was addicted to heroin during recording and it shows up frequently in the album’s themes. In Steve Huey of AllMusic’s review, he says “nearly every song is imbued with the morbidity, self-disgust, and/or resignation of a self-aware yet powerless addict.” Staley says the album is about:
"[…] dealing with personal anguish and turmoil, which turns into drugs to ease that pain, and being confident that that was the answer. Then later on the songs start to slip down closer and closer to hell, and then he figures out that drugs were not, and are not, the way to ease that pain. Basically, it's the whole story of the last three years of my life."
Dirt was a white whale for vinyl collectors until last year when it received a wide remaster release, including a red vinyl to match the album art.
Rage Against the Machine - Rage Against the Machine
Get Vinyl: Black | Discogs (multiple colored variants)
Rage Against the Machine's self-titled debut album stands as an electrifying collision of rock, hip-hop, and revolutionary spirit thanks to Tom Morello's innovative guitar work and Zack de la Rocha's fiery lyricism.
Songs like "Killing in the Name" and "Bombtrack" were rallying cries articulating frustrations about institutionalized racism, capitalist greed, and state-sanctioned violence that unfortunately remains all too familiar today. RATM's unapologetic political ethos served as a wake-up call for many, merging the personal with the political and confirming music can be both a form of protest and a means of empowerment.
R.E.M. - Automatic for the People
Get Vinyl: Black | Discogs (colored variant)
R.E.M.'s Automatic for the People is often heralded as one of the band's crowning achievements, encapsulating their evolution from indie darlings to global rockstars. Moving away from the rock sound that characterized their early work, this album is more contemplative. Drenched in melancholia, with only three songs that go beyond mid-tempo, this is Michael Stipe and company at their most vulnerable and profound.
Body Count - Body Count
Get Vinyl: Discogs (colored bootlegs)
Body Count's self-titled debut album was a jolting fusion of punk and rap that confronted societal issues with an aggressive fervor. Fronted by rapper Ice-T, Body Count defied conventions by merging hip-hop lyrics with heavy metal riffs and pounding drums, creating a sound that was both fresh and incendiary.
Central to the album's legacy is the controversial track "Cop Killer." Framed as a protest song, it became a lightning rod for discussions on censorship, artistic freedom, and police violence. The track even drew criticism from then-President George H.W. Bush, leading to its removal from later pressings of the album. Maybe because of that, this vinyl is very hard to find, though there’s bootlegs aplenty.
While Ice-T now plays a cop on Law and Order: SVU, Body Count has aged well as a no-holds-barred reflection of societal fissures and a demand for justice and change.
Pavement - Slanted and Enchanted
Get Vinyl: Black | Discogs (multiple colored variants)
Pavement's debut Slanted and Enchanted can be seen as one of the defining moments in 90’s indie rock, with its lo-fi aesthetic and sharp songwriting that influenced a generation of bands. From the very outset, with the opener "Summer Babe," you hear a laid back melody, jangly guitars, drum reverb, and Stephen Malkmus' first words “Ice baby,” referencing Vanilla’s Ice single from two years prior. Entertaining way to start your rock career.
Manic Street Preachers - Generation Terrorists
Get Vinyl: Discogs (multiple colored variants)
Manic Street Preachers' debut album Generation Terrorists brims with a frenetic energy, featuring a wide range of influences from the raw edge of The Clash to the grandiosity of Guns N' Roses.
Right from the outset, the double album showcases the Manics' ambition and unapologetic political fervor. The lyrics, penned by Richey Edwards and Nicky Wire, are scathing commentaries on the landscape of the time, running the gauntlet from late stage capitalism (“Motorcycle Emptiness”) to third world exploitation (opener “Slash and Burn”) to even the US government creating AIDS (“Another Invented Disease”).
Generation Terrorists is currently out of production, but you can still find it on Discogs for a decent price.
Lush - Spooky
Get Vinyl: Black | Discogs (multiple colored variants)
Lush's Spooky and their 1990’s Gala are shoegaze quintessentials, capturing the ethereal essence and dreamy soundscapes of the movement. Produced by Robin Guthrie of Cocteau Twins, Spooky is layered with reverb-drenched guitars and ghostly vocals that seem to float in a sonic haze. Lush's frontwomen, Miki Berenyi and Emma Anderson, sound great on top of the wall of sound to create memorable melodies that linger 30+ years later.
Sade - Love Deluxe
Get Vinyl: Best of Sade | Box Set | Discogs
Love Deluxe is the fourth album from English band Sade; their only 90’s album is perhaps best known for the Grammy-winning opener “No Ordinary Love.” The album luxuriates in its atmospheric production, which serves as a canvas for Sade Adu's husky vocals. This is jazz-infused mood music at its best.
This album is tough to find on vinyl; right now it is only available on Sade’s This Far discography box set. However, four of the nine tracks can be found on The Best of Sade vinyl: “No Ordinary Love,” “Like a Tattoo,” “Kiss of Life,” and “Pearls.”
The Rabbit Hole Exhibit
Welcome to the non-music wing of the Wax Museum. Take a trip down the rabbit hole to see what I found interesting this week.
It’s October, so that means the Wax Museum Spooky Movie Club watched two more horror flicks this week: The Ninth Configuration (1980) and The Exorcist III (1990).
This exhibit today is going to be a tribute to William Peter Blatty, best known as the writer behind The Exorcist. He directed only two films in his life, ten years apart: The Ninth Configuration and The Exorcist III, and then peaced out. He went out on top, creating two deeply ambitious and personal bangers.
At the core of Blatty's work is a reflection of his spiritual conflicts. As a tortured Catholic, Blatty's deep-rooted beliefs and questions about faith, evil, and redemption permeate his narratives. While most horror stories evoke fear through external entities, Blatty is more concerned with the battle between salvation and damnation.
In The Ninth Configuration, a psychiatrist is sent to a remote castle-turned-asylum to assess the sanity of U.S. military personnel, only to find himself drawn into intense and often hilarious philosophical debates with one particular inmate, a spaceman who went crazy right before a mission to the moon. What starts as a disorienting comedy slowly shifts into a haunting examination of humanity's struggle with the concept of God in a seemingly godless universe.
Similarly, The Exorcist III, a direct sequel to the original (you do not need to watch The Exorcist II, which is garbage), further emphasizes Blatty's spiritual anguish. While it retains the chilling supernatural elements that made the original so iconic, at its core, it's a contemplative exploration of the nature of evil and the possibility of an afterlife.
Blatty’s confidence behind the lens is hard to explain; again, this man comes out of nowhere and drops two classics, where he threads the line between humor and horror, films some truly insane shit (Patrick Ewing cameos as an angel of death), and gets incredible performances from his casts. George C. Scott delivers a powerhouse performance, with his commanding presence punctuated by his barely contained rage, played for laughs.
Yet it's Brad Dourif who truly shines in one of the most unforgettable horror villain roles of all time as The Gemini Killer / Damien Karras. Dourif's portrayal is haunting and electrifying, showcasing a depth and intensity that elevates this film to cult status.
Both films get the Wax Museum seal of approval, and much respect to Blatty for going for it and making some wildly creative filmmaking.
Comment your thoughts on Blatty’s films below. This week we finish with a double feature of Don’t Look Now (1973) and Trick 'r Treat (2007). Have a spooky Halloween!
I'll have to give The Ninth Configuration a watch!