Vinyl Unboxing: Live 2009 (MSSS Series, Part 4)

It is finally time for the final part to the Merch Store Shopping Spree series! If you're new here, last December I went a little... crazy, I guess you could say. I purchased 3 vinyl (Air For Free, Collapsible Lung, and Live 2009) and the 2016 tour shirt... And then I decided to write about it on here.

So, that being said, let's get to it!

Starting on the outside, the record in housed in a regular singlefold cardboard jacket, the front cover art being a black and white photo that Jake Germany snapped during the Looking For America tour.

The back cover show the six song track listing, and is as follows:

SIDE A

Forget and Not Slow Down

The One I'm Waiting For

I Don't Need A Soul

SIDE B

The Thief

Be My Escape

Who I Am Hates Who I've Been

And finally, inside is a standard ten inch black vinyl. If you happened to pre-order this album (I, unfortunately, did not) you would have gotten a special pre-order only laminate!
This album sounds lovely when played, and it's so short you can listen to the whole thing in one sitting (which I love). One of my favorite parts is when the crowd sings along in Be My Escape! It reminds me of when I saw Relient K live. :)

Lastly, before I go, I'd like to wish a late but very happy 10th birthday to Five Score and Seven Years Ago! There has been talk of a tenth anniversary tour...

Possible SET LIST??? Would you be down? https://t.co/YibADkwtm2 #5scoreand10yearsago pic.twitter.com/UzGUx8DNUv

— Relient K (@relientK) March 6, 2017

...and then there's this little mysterious thing.

A post shared by Relient K (@relientk) on Mar 8, 2017 at 11:07am PST

First seen on the Relient K Instagram story, It seems as if the guys are going to be releasing a special edition 7 inch vinyl of Five Score, maybe with a few select songs, or perhaps just Deathbed. Whenever I get more information, you guys will be the first to know!

Don't blink,
Sahara

Collapsible Lung Unboxing (MSSS Series, Part 2)

Read the Air For Free unboxing post by clicking HERE.

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Hello my favorites!

Today we're looking at Collapsible Lung! One of my all time favorites, it's the first Relient K album I listened to. The vinyl itself is packaged in a cardboard jacket along with the easily recognisable lung artwork on the front.

Since before getting this record, I only had the album digitally, so I didn't know what the back looked like. It's very interesting and shows three brown dots with different pictures inside them. The one on the left shows an internal part of the lung, the center one shows a map, and the one on the right depicts a house. I don't know if these pictures have any meaning but they look pretty cool nonetheless! 

The vinyl itself is a cherry red, which I really love! It goes well with the beige and black artwork. The only thing that made me sad was the lack of an insert. Inserts are probably my second favorite part of records themselves, the first being the actual vinyl.

The track listing is the same as the CD, and is as follows:

SIDE A:

Don't Blink

Boomerang

Lost Boy

If I Could Take You Home

Can't Complain

Gloria

SIDE B:

PTL

Disaster 

When You Were My Baby

Sweeter

Collapsible Lung 

I know this wasn't really a well received album, but it does have its gems (Don't Blink, Can't Complain, and Collapsible Lung specifically). In the end I just hope you enjoyed reading this little post! I wish you all the best.

Don't Blink, 

Sahara 

PS: Saw a sneaky tweet from SMLXL Vinyl saying the gold MMHMM vinyls are back in stock! Go grab one now if you don't have one @ smlxlvinyl.com

Vinyl Unboxing: Air For Free (MSSS Series, Part 1)

Now that all the little added extras to the blog are finally up and don't need my full attention, I can dedicate my time to writing more about the guys, their music, and their merch. Today's post is all about Air For Free on vinyl, and it's the start of a little four part series I'm going to call the "Merch Store Shopping Spree" series.

This is something I've wanted to write about for a long time, and now that I have a record player I can finally do it!

I ordered this vinyl along with some other goodies on December 26th and received my package on December 30. I don't think I've ever been so inpatient in my life.

The 2LP 180 gram white vinyl come packaged in a gatefold jacket along with an insert that features photos of the guys and the Air For Free primary color dots, and a digital download card.

Front and Back

Inside

180 gram 2LP vinyl

Inside Notes

Front and Back of the Insert

The track listing is different than the CD, and is as follows:

Side A:
Local Construction
Bummin'
Marigold
Runnin'

Side B:
Mrs. Hippopotamuses
Cat
Elephant Parade
Man

Side C:
Air For Free
God
Prodigal
Empty House

Side D:
Mountaintop
Sleepin'
Flower
Heartache

Matt Hoopes said a lot of time was spent sequencing the vinyl album. Songs on each side are specifically grouped to give the album a nice flow and allow for quick listening sessions. Personally, this is one of my favorite features of the album. It almost reminds me of how Forget and Not Slow Down goes from one track to another with connecting intros/outros. It all just clicks and works.

As for the tracks that really stood out upon the initial listening, all I really want to talk about Empty House.

Empty House was one of the tracks that really hit me. Hearing any song or album on vinyl is an experience in an of itself, but with a song like Empty House? For me it was like no other. I've heard the song numerous times, and it's one of my favorites, but the first time hearing it on vinyl reduced me to tears. The simple piano track paired with the autotuned vocals just convey this feeling that's like no other. It's a truly moving song, even though I still don't have a clue as to what's sung in half of the first verse.

In the end I just want to say this is an amazing album. Each song is of the highest quality and they all sound spectacular on vinyl. If you haven't listened to it yet, please do! And for those of you who haven't bought the vinyl but want to hear it in the same sequencing as the vinyl, check out Relient K's Spotify playlist here.

Hope you guys have a great New Year's. See you then!

Don't blink,
Sahara

PS: I'm uploading the entries to the Creative Corner tab tomorrow, don't forget to check it out and submit your own edits/art!