Celebrating 2000s indie: The 10 best vinyl deals available on Amazon this week
Welcome to Far Out’s weekly vinyl corner feature, where we look to bring you a tempting selection of records from some of our favourite artists, bargain vinyl deals to look out for, and unmissable limited-edition releases. This week we’re travelling back two decades to the turn of the millennium to unearth some indie-rock gems.
In 2021, the vinyl comeback enjoyed another milestone year as record sales surpassed that of CDs for the first time in three decades. The return to plastic has been steadily climbing since the invasion of streaming services in the late 2000s. While the weightless, highly accessible and practical format is great for discovering and consuming lots of new music while you’re out and about, there’s nothing like coming home to a bit of vinyl.
Fellow collectors will agree that if there’s an artist or album you love, there’s always a good reason to have the turntable primed and a 12” space reserved on the shelf for inevitable expansion. The sound quality of vinyl brings something more hearty and vibrant with its analogue warmth and crisp definition that there really isn’t a substitute for.
So if, like me, you have a soft spot for these groovy discs of plastic, allow me to walk you through ten hot picks for this week. We have a selection of modern British classics from Arctic Monkeys to The Horrors and some US picks from Interpol and LCD Soundsystem.
The following selections have been handpicked by Far Out Magazine, and as a result, we may earn from qualifying purchases.
The 10 best vinyl deals available on Amazon this week
The Horrors – Primary Colours
Primary Colours was released in 2009 as the second studio album for the English alt-rockers. The album was produced by Geoff Barrow of Portishead and received a Mercury Prize nomination in the same year. Reflecting on the record, Rhys from the band said: “That album is particularly special because it still feels at the point of youthful freedom and really being surprised and excited beyond belief at what we were doing”.
The album is a masterpiece of rock exploration that sounds like a cross between My Bloody Valentine and The Chameleons. If you’re partial to a bit of post-punk, synth or shoegaze, no doubt you’ll be partial to this wonderfully unique work of art.
Available for purchase here for £22.99.
Arctic Monkeys – Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not
This is a must for any respectable rock collection. The Sheffield-based band broke the mould from the off with this stellar debut album. The album was emphatic upon its release thanks to the pre-dating singles ‘I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor’ and ‘When The Sun Goes Down’.
After its release, the radiowaves went berzerk with the bounty of single-worthy classics littered throughout the rest of the album, including ‘Fake Tales Of San Francisco’, ‘Dancing Shoes’, ‘Riot Van’ and ‘Mardy Bum’. I’ve never seen this seminal classic sold cheaper than this.
Available for purchase here for £21.74.
LCD Soundsystem – Sound Of Silver
Following an emphatic entrance with their eponymous debut in 2005, New York indie explorers LCD Soundsystem got straight to work on its follow-up, and it didn’t disappoint. Sound Of Silver offered a new edge to the band’s characteristic electro-punk sound.
The album’s central focus, the brilliant ‘All My Friends’, is flanked by an absorbing platter of memorable hits, including ‘Someone Great’, ‘New York, I Love You, but You’re Bringing Me Down’ and ‘North American Scum’.
Available for purchase here for £39.99.
Radiohead – In Rainbows
In 2007, Radiohead released their seventh studio album, In Rainbows. The album saw the Oxford alt-rock legends once again morph their sound into something original and timeless. The album is finely balanced with slower atmospheric tracks and more upbeat, high-tempo rock-outs.
The album soared to the number one spot in the UK and US following its release and has since been frequently placed among the greatest albums of the 2000s. The indie essential is home to highlights such as ‘Weird Fishes/Arpeggi’, ’15 Step’, ‘Reckoner’ and ‘Jigsaw Falling Into Place’.
Available for purchase here for £22.38.
The Libertines – The Libertines
The Libertines, released in 2004, remains the group’s finest moment to this day, with many heralding it as one of the finest indie records of the 2000s. In 2004, Mick Jones, the former co-frontman of The Clash, sang praises for the LP in an interview with The Observer: “A future classic – believe. All-time great.”
Jones’ statement stood the test of time, and the album now stands proud as an icon of its era. This masterpiece includes hits like ‘Can’t Stand Me Now’, ‘Music When The Lights Go Out’ and ‘What Katie Did’.
Available for purchase here for £24.99.
Interpol – Turn On The Bright Lights
New York’s indie icons Interpol released their debut album, Turn On The Bright Lights, 20 years ago this year. As well as making me feel extremely old, this classic is one of the year’s most satisfying listens and sets out the strong foundations that the band developed impressively over the decade.
Turn On The Bright Lights is home to some of Interpol’s most cherished classics, including ‘Untitled’, ‘Obstacle 1’, ‘Say Hello to the Angels’ and ‘Stella Was a Diver and She Was Always Down’.
Available for purchase here for £19.31.
Maximo Park – Our Earthly Pleasures [silver vinyl]
Newcastle-based indie-group Maxïmo Park served up something special with their 2007 sophomore album. Our Earthly Pleasures reached number two on the UK charts and was showered with rave reviews upon its release.
The album’s success relied heavily on its first two singles, ‘Our Velocity’ and ‘Books From Boxes’, but there’s so much more to explore beneath the surface of this energetically erudite collection of nostalgic gems.
Available for purchase here for £24.00.
Bloc Party – Silent Alarm
While their sound is rooted in rock, London’s Bloc Party carved their identity with a winning formula inspired by electronica and house music. After forming in 1999, Bloc Party had their big break after sharing their first demo tape with BBC Radio 1 DJ Steve Lamacq and Franz Ferdinand’s lead singer, Alex Kapranos.
The group finally unleashed their debut album, Silent Alarm, in 2005, which peaked at number three on the UK Albums chart and was met with rave reviews across the board. This indie classic is home to the likes of ‘Helicopter’, ‘Banquet’ and ‘This Modern Love’.
Available for purchase here for £19.94.
The xx – xx
The xx brought something new to the indie table in 2005 with their Mercury prize-winning debut album, xx. Just 20 years old at the time of recording, the trio of former school friends sounded far beyond their years of experience with this classy and refined guitar-driven beauty.
The album is a beast to be consumed as a whole, but its highlight moments include ‘Crystalised’, ‘Basic Space’, ‘Islands’ and ‘Heart Skipped a Beat’.
Available for purchase here for £19.11.
The Cribs – The Cribs [pink vinyl]
Hailing from Wakefield, Yorkshire, The Cribs injected classic punk energy into the 2000s indie scene. The central trio consists of twins Gary and Ryan Jarman and their younger brother Ross Jarman. Some four years before The Smiths’ legend Johnny Marr joined them, they released their pivotal debut album.
This 2004 eponymous album is home to some of the most popular fan favourites, including ‘Another Number’, ‘Things You Should Be Knowing’, ‘You Were Always The One’ and ‘The Lights Went Out’.
