The Comeback of Vinyl
By: Anna Costa
Staff Writer
“They are big you can’t lose them. They make me feel like a hipster. They are clearer than radios. I love them. Records take me back in time.” Kesigh Deloatch an eleventh grader said when asked what he liked about vinyls. Are you one of the growing number of people, like Kesigh who are listening to their favorite artist's music on vinyl?
Casey Purtell, a sophomore, is one of the many who listen to their favorite indie and non indie bands, said “They have better sound, more to buy and come with cool posters. They come with a free download code so it’s like a CD too and they are fun to collect. I have 50 and I’ve been collecting for a year. I got my player for a present and since then I’ve been addicted.”
The music industry was taken by shock when the news that the sales of vinyls had gone up 52% in the last year. Many were confused to as who exactly were the ones doing the purchasing of these vinyls and the answer is, our generation. Artist such as The Strokes have begun to sell their albums on vinyl again. Which is causing the teens and young adults to rush to buy the closest record player to play their new vinyls on.
Henry Newhard a tenth grade student when asked why he likes vinyls said “I like the sound of them. They are more original than CDs.” The sound itself has been a draw to students and teacher alike since records were first invented in the 1950s. If you ask your grandparents they more likely than not to have an old record player and some records from the 60s when records were popular. For a while their popularity decreased as CDs started to really come to play and programs like MTV played music on the TV for the first time. The spike in the demand for vinyls is mostly to thank for the amazing sound that you hear when listening to a vinyl instead of a CD. The sound is one of the many reasons that sets vinyls apart from CDs. Many people when asked about why they like vinyls over CDs or on an IPhone or some other way, almost always said sound. The sound sounds more real, in the sense that you can hear the music and the vocals better and more authentically.
Sarah Kaplan a sophomore said “So I have always been super into music, so I figured using a record player would be a cool and different way to listen to it. I found a lot of great artists and bands when looking through old records in my mom's collection and in antique and thrift stores. I really enjoy listening to music on vinyl because it sounds way nicer than through headphones or a CD! I love how they are becoming more popular and I can buy modern bands’ records.” She like many others were drawn to the sound quality of records. Along with Sarah, Ruby Page a freshman said “People own vinyl records because it’s like a hard copy of music that means something rather than music just existing on your phone. They sound more real ”.
Many artist think that their music sounds more real when put on vinyl rather than copied and put on ITunes or Spotify where it is electronically transferred. Though vinyls have not been able to surpass things such as Spotify Premium. This will probably not happen for a while or may never because some people can not afford the cost of vinyls and players for all of their music. The cost of vinyls is one of the reasons that some people have not been able to jump onto the vinyl band wagon. They usually listen to it on a friend of theirs or just have to end up listening to it other ways.
Record producing companies have had to start making more at a faster rate. The companies try to stick to the artist who have keep them in business through a time when vinyls weren’t very in. But with larger artists suddenly seeing the spike, they jump to try and get their music on vinyl for their fans. Vinyl producing companies have had to go on a search for more machines to make vinyls to help meet the large demand. “Between January and March of 2015, vinyl sales were 53% higher than the first three months of 2014, according to a Nielsen Report.” This was stated in the article Time for vinyl to get back in its groove after pressing times.
The machines that they end up finding are usually broken and in need of big repairs. They take them anyway and fix them up but this process usually takes time because making vinyls is such a process. But in the end the time and heavy costs are worth it because the demand is so strong.
Mrs. Brozycki, an English teacher, said, “I used to listen to small 45 records, they were like singles back then. You would buy one and listen to the hit you listened to on the radio on it. I would play them on a turntable in my room but I remember that you would not be able to dance to crazy cause you could move the record out of place.”
Music will forever be an important part of people's lives and the way they listen to it will be just as important. As the vinyl sales continue to grow from people telling each other just how much more authentic it sounds on vinyl compared to listening to it on headphones or through a speaker. Vinyls will always be a strong force in the music industry, even when they start to create even more insane ways than they have to listen to music. I would play them on a turntable in my room but I remember that you would not be able to dance to crazy cause you could move the record out of place.”
Music will forever be an important part of people's lives and the way they listen to it will be just as important. As the vinyl sales continue to grow from people telling each other just how much more authentic it sounds on vinyl compared to listening to it on headphones or through a speaker. Vinyls will always be a strong force in the music industry, even when they start to create even more insane ways than they have to listen to music.
Staff Writer
“They are big you can’t lose them. They make me feel like a hipster. They are clearer than radios. I love them. Records take me back in time.” Kesigh Deloatch an eleventh grader said when asked what he liked about vinyls. Are you one of the growing number of people, like Kesigh who are listening to their favorite artist's music on vinyl?
Casey Purtell, a sophomore, is one of the many who listen to their favorite indie and non indie bands, said “They have better sound, more to buy and come with cool posters. They come with a free download code so it’s like a CD too and they are fun to collect. I have 50 and I’ve been collecting for a year. I got my player for a present and since then I’ve been addicted.”
The music industry was taken by shock when the news that the sales of vinyls had gone up 52% in the last year. Many were confused to as who exactly were the ones doing the purchasing of these vinyls and the answer is, our generation. Artist such as The Strokes have begun to sell their albums on vinyl again. Which is causing the teens and young adults to rush to buy the closest record player to play their new vinyls on.
Henry Newhard a tenth grade student when asked why he likes vinyls said “I like the sound of them. They are more original than CDs.” The sound itself has been a draw to students and teacher alike since records were first invented in the 1950s. If you ask your grandparents they more likely than not to have an old record player and some records from the 60s when records were popular. For a while their popularity decreased as CDs started to really come to play and programs like MTV played music on the TV for the first time. The spike in the demand for vinyls is mostly to thank for the amazing sound that you hear when listening to a vinyl instead of a CD. The sound is one of the many reasons that sets vinyls apart from CDs. Many people when asked about why they like vinyls over CDs or on an IPhone or some other way, almost always said sound. The sound sounds more real, in the sense that you can hear the music and the vocals better and more authentically.
Sarah Kaplan a sophomore said “So I have always been super into music, so I figured using a record player would be a cool and different way to listen to it. I found a lot of great artists and bands when looking through old records in my mom's collection and in antique and thrift stores. I really enjoy listening to music on vinyl because it sounds way nicer than through headphones or a CD! I love how they are becoming more popular and I can buy modern bands’ records.” She like many others were drawn to the sound quality of records. Along with Sarah, Ruby Page a freshman said “People own vinyl records because it’s like a hard copy of music that means something rather than music just existing on your phone. They sound more real ”.
Many artist think that their music sounds more real when put on vinyl rather than copied and put on ITunes or Spotify where it is electronically transferred. Though vinyls have not been able to surpass things such as Spotify Premium. This will probably not happen for a while or may never because some people can not afford the cost of vinyls and players for all of their music. The cost of vinyls is one of the reasons that some people have not been able to jump onto the vinyl band wagon. They usually listen to it on a friend of theirs or just have to end up listening to it other ways.
Record producing companies have had to start making more at a faster rate. The companies try to stick to the artist who have keep them in business through a time when vinyls weren’t very in. But with larger artists suddenly seeing the spike, they jump to try and get their music on vinyl for their fans. Vinyl producing companies have had to go on a search for more machines to make vinyls to help meet the large demand. “Between January and March of 2015, vinyl sales were 53% higher than the first three months of 2014, according to a Nielsen Report.” This was stated in the article Time for vinyl to get back in its groove after pressing times.
The machines that they end up finding are usually broken and in need of big repairs. They take them anyway and fix them up but this process usually takes time because making vinyls is such a process. But in the end the time and heavy costs are worth it because the demand is so strong.
Mrs. Brozycki, an English teacher, said, “I used to listen to small 45 records, they were like singles back then. You would buy one and listen to the hit you listened to on the radio on it. I would play them on a turntable in my room but I remember that you would not be able to dance to crazy cause you could move the record out of place.”
Music will forever be an important part of people's lives and the way they listen to it will be just as important. As the vinyl sales continue to grow from people telling each other just how much more authentic it sounds on vinyl compared to listening to it on headphones or through a speaker. Vinyls will always be a strong force in the music industry, even when they start to create even more insane ways than they have to listen to music. I would play them on a turntable in my room but I remember that you would not be able to dance to crazy cause you could move the record out of place.”
Music will forever be an important part of people's lives and the way they listen to it will be just as important. As the vinyl sales continue to grow from people telling each other just how much more authentic it sounds on vinyl compared to listening to it on headphones or through a speaker. Vinyls will always be a strong force in the music industry, even when they start to create even more insane ways than they have to listen to music.
Review of CHVCHES every open eye
Review by: Kirk Kitson
Fronted by Lauren Mayberry and originating from Glasgow, Scotland, Chvrches(pronounced “churches”) is an electro-pop band that takes a heavy influence from the sounds of the 80’s and mixes them with modern indie-pop. They started gaining popularity after Recover EP, featuring their song “Recover”, back in 2013. Their debut album, The Bones of What You Believe, spawned 7 singles including “The Mother We Share”(which broke the top ten in Belgium and Japan), “Recover”, and “Lies.” Their 2013 efforts were mainly characterized by clean production, sugary vocals, and a clear 80’s aesthetic. WVHS senior Pamela Loperena, spoke of them fondly, saying “They are fresh, emerging, got a fresh synth pop sound and I think the album is going to be better than the old one. They really put a twist on things.” They are now back with their sophomore effort, entitled Every Open Eye. Every Open Eye is a bit of a departure from their last album, as the very bright and clear production is traded for a more reserved and multilayered sound. According to keyboardist and vocalist Martin Doherty, Every Open Eye was intended to be “big and happy and sad and a banger.” The eighties still lives on inside these songs, and personally I admire how much flavor Chvrches have always put in their music and in this album in particular. Everything about Every Open Eye has a retro sheen to it, just like their last album. In fact, a lot is kept intact from their last album, which is where problems of Every Open Eye start.
It seemed like they played it way safer this time around, only improving their sound and sticking to what works. As lead vocalist and keyboardist Lauren Mayberry belted on “Make Them Gold”, “we took the best parts of ourselves and made them gold,” which could be interpreted as the direction that Chvrches are taking with their music. Almost all of the songs off this record follow the same formula as their last album- either make a catchy song with a good hook under a heavy 80’s aesthetic or make a ballad with a good hook under a heavy 80’s aesthetic. There also seemed to be a distinct lack of experimentation in all of the songs, save for maybe the closing track Afterglow, which is a stark contrast from the sugary songs before. It seemed like they really only improved their previous songs without giving much thought to how they could make the songs different from each other. The only difference between The Bones Of What You Believe and Every Open Eye is the production, this time a little deeper than their previous effort. While TBOFYB was bright and crisp, allowing you to hear everything on the first or second listen, EOE has a more layered and faded sound requiring multiple listens. While EOE has improved production, I felt like the squeaky-clean and bright sound of TBOWYB made it more unique and gave it more character.
Still, this album is great for people who are fans of Chvrches or for people wanting to listen to Chvrches for the first time. When asked to listen to “Leave a Trace”, junior year student Jessica Miller said, “It seems like the thing you would kind of listen to with some friends while cruising down the road at night, chilling.’” The melodies are very catchy and will get stuck in your head after a while. The hooks on this album keep getting better and better with each song. The high points are gratifying and the low points are even a bit lower than before. The music itself is very enjoyable, and there are a lot of great sounds to be heard here, thanks to the layered production. My personal favorite songs were “Leave a Trace”, “Keep You On My Side”, “Clearest Blue,” “Empty Threat”, “Bury It”, and “Afterglow” “Afterglow” had to be the most notable. It’s a slow ballad, but it sounded great and felt different from the rest of the album. It was the only song on the album that felt like a risk to me, and I commend it for that. My least favorite had to be “Down Side of Me.” I felt like it was the most forgettable out of the eleven songs overall, even though it was the longest track on the album. Chvrches may be sticking to the same formula this time around, but it’s still a good album to those looking for catchy, fun synth pop music.
Fronted by Lauren Mayberry and originating from Glasgow, Scotland, Chvrches(pronounced “churches”) is an electro-pop band that takes a heavy influence from the sounds of the 80’s and mixes them with modern indie-pop. They started gaining popularity after Recover EP, featuring their song “Recover”, back in 2013. Their debut album, The Bones of What You Believe, spawned 7 singles including “The Mother We Share”(which broke the top ten in Belgium and Japan), “Recover”, and “Lies.” Their 2013 efforts were mainly characterized by clean production, sugary vocals, and a clear 80’s aesthetic. WVHS senior Pamela Loperena, spoke of them fondly, saying “They are fresh, emerging, got a fresh synth pop sound and I think the album is going to be better than the old one. They really put a twist on things.” They are now back with their sophomore effort, entitled Every Open Eye. Every Open Eye is a bit of a departure from their last album, as the very bright and clear production is traded for a more reserved and multilayered sound. According to keyboardist and vocalist Martin Doherty, Every Open Eye was intended to be “big and happy and sad and a banger.” The eighties still lives on inside these songs, and personally I admire how much flavor Chvrches have always put in their music and in this album in particular. Everything about Every Open Eye has a retro sheen to it, just like their last album. In fact, a lot is kept intact from their last album, which is where problems of Every Open Eye start.
It seemed like they played it way safer this time around, only improving their sound and sticking to what works. As lead vocalist and keyboardist Lauren Mayberry belted on “Make Them Gold”, “we took the best parts of ourselves and made them gold,” which could be interpreted as the direction that Chvrches are taking with their music. Almost all of the songs off this record follow the same formula as their last album- either make a catchy song with a good hook under a heavy 80’s aesthetic or make a ballad with a good hook under a heavy 80’s aesthetic. There also seemed to be a distinct lack of experimentation in all of the songs, save for maybe the closing track Afterglow, which is a stark contrast from the sugary songs before. It seemed like they really only improved their previous songs without giving much thought to how they could make the songs different from each other. The only difference between The Bones Of What You Believe and Every Open Eye is the production, this time a little deeper than their previous effort. While TBOFYB was bright and crisp, allowing you to hear everything on the first or second listen, EOE has a more layered and faded sound requiring multiple listens. While EOE has improved production, I felt like the squeaky-clean and bright sound of TBOWYB made it more unique and gave it more character.
Still, this album is great for people who are fans of Chvrches or for people wanting to listen to Chvrches for the first time. When asked to listen to “Leave a Trace”, junior year student Jessica Miller said, “It seems like the thing you would kind of listen to with some friends while cruising down the road at night, chilling.’” The melodies are very catchy and will get stuck in your head after a while. The hooks on this album keep getting better and better with each song. The high points are gratifying and the low points are even a bit lower than before. The music itself is very enjoyable, and there are a lot of great sounds to be heard here, thanks to the layered production. My personal favorite songs were “Leave a Trace”, “Keep You On My Side”, “Clearest Blue,” “Empty Threat”, “Bury It”, and “Afterglow” “Afterglow” had to be the most notable. It’s a slow ballad, but it sounded great and felt different from the rest of the album. It was the only song on the album that felt like a risk to me, and I commend it for that. My least favorite had to be “Down Side of Me.” I felt like it was the most forgettable out of the eleven songs overall, even though it was the longest track on the album. Chvrches may be sticking to the same formula this time around, but it’s still a good album to those looking for catchy, fun synth pop music.