What’s In My Bag? started out as an inspirational post about things surrounding me and ended being a funny section at the blog from foreign purchases to a full Joy Division set. After receiving the Antiosociolites LP by Alvvays from a friend and currently waiting for the Beyondless record by Iceage to arrive from England, I’ve decided to share my humble vinyl collection that is proudly growing strong and the stories surrounding them.
I believe my first vinyl purchase ever was Favourite Worst Nightmare by the Arctic Monkeys, which is still, in my opinion, one of my favorite records ever. My dad bought it for me when I was fifteen years old and only a few people had LPs from modern bands back then. It took years for me to finally listen to the record on a player after spending a pretty good time hanging on my wall covered in plastic. Whatever People Say I am That’s What I’m Not was not purchased until several years later, and even though I listen less than the sophomore release from the Monkeys, we can’t deny it has one of the coolest art covers ever.
The first time I’ve heard The Black Keys was with their 2010 release Brothers. Even though I’ve ended up loving every single album from the band later, Brothers holds a special place in my heart not only for being the first record I’ve heard from them but also simply for being God damn good. I’ve tried to purchase this record through a trip my parents did but they ended up bringing me Magic Potion instead, which is also a great album. Brothers ended up on my hands years later, but having both of them in my collection is great!
Probably my favorite two records of my collection, Chet Baker Sings and Italian Movie Soundtracks are my most played vinyls ever. I’ve always had an interest for jazz and Chet Baker was the one who finally introduced me to it. Even though I listen to Billie Holiday, Duke Ellington and Thelonious Monk, Chet is still the one that I always come back to when I’m on my jazz mood and makes me discover more about him each time thanks to his huge collection of recordings. Not mentioning his incredible sense of style and coolness. Italian Movies Soundtrack also is an edition that can only be found on LP.
And speaking of Baker, how not to talk about the man who stole his name and transformed into Faker? Build On Glass is an extremely beautiful record by Chet Faker from the musical and the vinyl shape sense. I’m not usually a big fan of slow-electronic house music, but this record was extremely overplayed through 2015 when I was living in Santa Fe, so I’m pretty happy to have it with me, especially for its transparent shape vinyl.
I’ve always had these bands that somehow became a cornerstone when it comes to music and growing up. I’ve always had a favorite band until some other one came along and I think that’s what usually happens when we’re growing up and currently changing our mind about things. Foster the People holds a special place in my heart for not only being good at what they play but also for being normal, human, cool and kind and not in a pretentious way. It’s the indie pop without the hipster bullshit, the songs before the band image, the way they use their influence instead of copying other people. Following them has been a blast and having them on vinyl has also its stories. Torches was bought when I’ve first moved to Santa Fe. I’ve bought Supermodel on a trip to Austin during Spring Break and I still remember about that trip every time I listen to the record for always playing on the background while me and my friend drove for 12 hours to get to Texas. Sacred Hearts Club was a major change not only for the band but also for me coming back to Brazil. So yes, I love Foster the People and of course I have them on vinyl.
I had sort of gave up on Florence + the Machine after Ceremonials until she released How Big How Blue How Beautiful. Probably my favorite record of 2015, this is an album with an outstanding concept. From the songs to the art of the record itself, Florence also made a movie with about 6 songs from the album directed by Vincent Haycock. It serves as a huge influence on me both musically and visually, making me very proud to have it on vinyl. It’s a shame that the audio gets a little slower through the player, but still doesn’t mean I don’t put it on from time to time.
Being of the many surprises of 2016, Everything You’ve Come to Expect by The Last Shadow Puppets is an amazing album with references from the 60s and giallo movie soundtracks (way better than Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino). It’s definitely an album to have it on vinyl, especially for the beautiful photography book that comes inside of it of Miles Kane and Alex Turner. Plus, I’ve bought this on Amsterdam on an incredible cool records store., and it comes with this beautiful small transparent single of Bad Habits!
From all the bands I used to listen from ten years ago, The Kills kept growing strong each album they’ve released, becoming one of my favorite bands ever. To have them on vinyl was difficult because not many people like them, but I’m glad to have found Blood Pressures in Santa Fe and Ash & Ice in Amsterdam. I almost bought No Wow but I had to contain myself and deal with the money I had in front of me, but I’m extremely proud to have these beauties on my shelf. Maybe one day I’ll have all of them!
It’s interesting how electronic music plays so well on vinyl, considering it’s music coming from computers. I was astonished to listen to Discovery by Daft Punk on the player, as well as the mind-blowing Woman by Justice. One way or the other, these both french electronic bands have two vinyls that are beyond worth having. I really want the vinyl version of Justice’s Cross, but apparently is very expensive and hard to find.
Jamie T was one of the guys I used to listen to when I was between fifteen and sixteen years old. I would love how this young British guy would mix hip-hop with rock and indie, creating something different and interesting. Plus, no one really knew him here in Brazil so it was kind of a treasure I had on my hands. Years went by and Jamie T went off the map until he released a very disappointing record in 2015. When I was about to quit my interest on him for good, Trick. came out of nowhere, being not only an extremely pleasant surprise but also Jamie T’s best album ever. It was probably one of the albums I’ve listened the most in 2016 and I end up giving the LP for myself as Christmas present. Plus, have you seen an art cover so beautiful as this one?
Also, another band that no one really knows, La Femme‘s records are one of the things that I’ve been listening to the most nowadays. Even though I’m dying to get my hands on their last record, Mystere, I was happy enough to find the only copy available of Psycho Tropical Berlin in Amsterdam. This record it’s extremely special to me because it’s what I would listen in Santa Fe every time I would dream about traveling to Europe, which ended up resulting in a two-month back-pack trip. Not mentioning is strange, sexy, cool and very, very French.
Two years, one band and one record. It’s still ridiculous to think what the Sex Pistols did with the music with so little. One way or the other, Never Mind the Bollocks Here’s the Sex Pistols it’s one of the best records ever made and having it on vinyl is a must. What I love the most about this LP is that is an original Brazilian version of 1977 that I bought online in a time where I would consider them my favorite band. Every teenager must have their Sex Pistols phase, and if they didn’t, they should have had. I’ve only heard the LP on a players years later, as I was more interested in having the original thing on my hands (so punk of me) than listening on how it was supposed to be heard. Of course that when I’ve first heard on a player, I was impressed of how different and alive the songs seemed, which is something interesting coming from old bands, such as the Chet Baker albums and Unknown Pleasures by Joy Division. They sound better played on vinyl.
2013 was a pretty special year for me so of course that the music released that year ended up having its own mark, especially because very good albums came out. Pure Heroine by Lorde and Modern Vampires of the City by Vampire Weekend was one of them. That was the year I first moved to Santa Fe, did my first short-film, met people from all over the world and traveled to Los Angeles, Vegas, New York, and Chicago. These were some of the soundtracks that were part of it.
Bellow, you can find Volcano by Temples and the two previous Tame Impala albums. After having all these records on LP, of course, Tame Impala had to join the others, just like this beautiful record by Temples, a band so similar to Tame Impala that is impossible not to put them together. The latter, however, was bought online, which is the only way I have now to purchase LPs for my collection. What about you? Do you have a vinyl collection?
Papiro & Mint 