30 Seconds To Mars: This Is War

A big '09 fave of mine on the iPod, I finally got around to ordering the LP this summer. This album has a bigger-than-life optimistic sound & concept.

This is a double disc set in gatefold jacket, white die-cut inner sleeves and full CD (without the bonus remixes on various versions and downloads).

There's also a double picture-disc version.

30 Seconds To Mars online.
30 Seconds To Mars on Facebook.
This Is War on metacritic.

Blondie: Panic Of Girls

Fantastic album from Blondie, that I took way too long to order. Bravo to the band for coming back to vinyl, and using the 12" format to showcase incredible album art!

Their 3rd studio album since reuniting the original band as Blondie in 1997 and releasing the excellent No Exit in '99 and The Curse Of Blondie in '03. Jimmi Destri did not return for this project.

This is a single 180 gram disc in a stunning gatefold, with printed inner sleeve, all featuring the incredible artwork of Chris Berens.


Blondie online.

Blondie on Facebook.

Panic Of Girls on Metacritic.

Chris Berens online.

The xx: The xx & Coexist

Thanks to an iTunes recommendation, I found The xx in Feb 2011 when I downloaded Islands from their 2009 album for a compilation CD. That track ended up being a standout along with tunes from Band of Skulls, !!!, Spoon, Carney, Everest, and Grace Potter. When their new album popped up, it was the perfect time to pick them up as a pair- and what a perfect pair they are- wonderfully fresh and spacious! 

The first album (black, self-titled) and the standard edition of Coexist (white) are both in single X die-cut jackets with standard weight discs in white sleeves. Both contain lyric posters- a 4-panel in the 1st, a 2 panel in Coexist. Both come with downloads- neither of which contain the bonus tracks (5 from The xx, including the Aaliyah cover Hot Like Fire, 1 from Coexist).

Coexist also has a much pricier deluxe vinyl package, which includes a 180 gram disc, die-cut gatefold jacket, 24 page booklet on 'rainbow mirri board', and download with additional visuals.

The xx online.
On Facebook.
The xx on metacritic.