 | | | If only the CD case could deliver LP-size cover art. | |
In this age of immaterial information flows there is an emotional, even ideological attachment to fading formats, with the vinyl disc as a particular all-time favourite. While mass-market CD struggles, vinyl persists as the aficionados’ choice. To add a touch of that vintage appeal to the moldy old compact disc Helsinki indie-rockers Underwater Sleeping Society’s latest album The Dead Vegas was launched 15 October as Finland’s first VinylCD. A counterpunch to those who proclaim the age of the mp3 and death of the LP, a VinylCD is a double-sided disc with a full-length CD on one side and single-length vinyl on the other. The gimmick fits Underwater Sleeping Society’s somewhat anti-technocratic image perfectly, and the album itself is compelling evidence of the vitality of the long-play format. Namechecking Pyramid Song in the album opener should be a warning sign of yet more fanboys trying their tiny feet into Radiohead’s galactic boots. But these are not just any art school dropouts, but a band that is in it for the long haul with a sound of their own. The Dead Vegas is a lush and engaging record with a light and wide open feel to it. The music flows, swoops and swirls like a cage bird set free, with one track seamlessly melding to the next. And there is a charming timeless quality to the band’s vaguely retro prog-rock sound that is truly refreshing amid the electronic claustrophobia ubiquitous in much of today’s indie music. But how does the VinylCD perform in practice? Poorly, it must be said. Working the little foam fitter piece for the spindle turned out to be surprisingly difficult, and thus the disc would not spin properly on the plate. Inferior sound quality or not, the mp3 download might be easier after all. Matti Koskinen - HT |
