Credit: Far Out

Jordan Potter

Sun 2 October 2022 13:30, UK

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Welcome back 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 some unmissable limited-edition releases. This week, we’re celebrating the life of the late Nirvana frontman, Kurt Cobain, by bringing you a collection of records either created by the master of grunge or cited as key influences on his music.

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.

Budding collectors around the world will agree that if there’s an artist or album you love, there’s always a good reason to have the turntable at the ready 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 our ten hot picks for this week. We have a selection of classics from Cobain’s beloved collection, from The Stooges to The Clash and Sonic Youth to the Pixies.

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

Nirvana – Nevermind

In 1991, the US grunge heroes broke the mould with their seminal classic Nevermind. The LP followed their 1989 debut, Bleach, and was home to such classics as ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’, ‘Come As You Are’, ‘Something In The Way’ and ‘Lithium’.

The iconic music is met with the eternally iconic and controversial cover art depicting a naked baby swimming after a fish-hooked one-dollar bill. This best-seller can be yours for under £20 following the reissue’s recent sale reduction.

Available for purchase here for £19.82.

Young Marble Giants – Colossal Youth [Deluxe Edition]

Welsh post-punk band Young Marble Giants only released this one album, Colossal Youth. For such a small offering, the album has transcended the years since its 1980 release as one of the most important works of its time.

Cobain placed the album at 22nd on his list of all-time favourite albums, and when writing about it, he said: “The music relaxes you, it’s total atmospherics. It’s just nice, pleasant music. I love it. The drum machine has to have the cheesiest sound ever.”

Available for purchase here for £26.16.

The Vaselines – Dum-Dum [Colour Vinyl]

Scottish band The Vaselines were formed by Eugene Kelly and Frances McKee in 1986. With the addition of James Seenan and Eugene’s brother Charlie Kelly on bass and drums, they released their debut album, Dum-Dum, in 1989.

The album didn’t perform particularly well on the charts, but it caught the attention of Cobain. The Vaselines reformed briefly in 1990 on Cobain’s insistence that they support Nirvana during their visit to Edinburgh on their Bleach tour. Nirvana recorded covers of The Vaselines’s ‘Son of a Gun’ and ‘Molly’s Lips’ on Nirvana’s Incesticide compilation and ‘Jesus Doesn’t Want Me for a Sunbeam’ during their famous MTV Unplugged appearance.

Available for purchase here for £27.99.

R.E.M. – Automatic for the People

In 1992, R.E.M. released their seminal classic, Automatic for the People, which brought poignant classics like ‘Man on the Moon’, ‘Everybody Hurts’ and ‘Nightswimming’. The album is widely regarded as R.E.M.’s masterpiece and one of the greatest albums of the ’90s.

In a 1994 interview with Rolling Stone, Cobain showed huge appreciation for the album. “If I could write just a couple of songs as good as what they’ve written,” the Nirvana singer said. “I don’t know how that band does what they do. God, they’re the greatest.”

Available for purchase here for £20.26.

Pixies – Surfer Rosa

Pixies are often described as the band before Nirvana. The group re-imagined alternative rock with their catchy guitar riffs, unique vocal styles and immersive lyrics. This seminal debut album features the fan favourite ‘Where Is My Mind?’, alongside other Pixies essentials like ‘Bone Machine’, ‘Gigantic’ and ‘Break My Body’.

After releasing their 1991 masterpiece, Nevermind, Nirvana’s Cobain and Krist Novoselic agreed: “This really sounds like the Pixies. People are really going to nail us for this.” Thankfully, it wasn’t enough to get them in any hot water. Cobain placed Surfer Rosa as his second favourite album of all time.

Available for purchase here for £21.99.

Iggy and The Stooges – Raw Power

Iggy Pop’s third and final studio album with his proto-punk group, The Stooges, was among the most impactful rock albums of the early 1970s. The iconic photograph of the androgynous Iggy taken by late photographer Mick Rock draws you in first to The Stooges’ trademark lair of provocative and depraved sounds.

The album’s producer David Bowie described it as a work of “wound-up ferocity and chaos”. Indeed, the pacey music within is marched to perfection with the iconic frontman’s raw howls. Kurt Cobain cited Raw Power as the best of all time on his top albums list – how’s that for a slice of endorsement?

Available for purchase here for £39.99.

Sonic Youth – Daydream Nation

Daydream Nation is often considered Sonic Youth’s masterpiece. Released in 1988, the album seemed to consolidate all the greatest aspects of their first four albums while paving the way for their most successful spell. Daydream Nation is home to the likes of ‘Teen Age Riot’, ‘Cross the Breeze’, ‘The Sprawl’ and ‘Silver Rocket’.

Cobain listed Daydream Nation as his 17th favourite album of all time, just below PJ Harvey’s Dry and beating The Knack’s Get the Knack to the spot. Sonic Youth were a pivotal influence on Nirvana, and the two bands formed a close friendship in the late 1980s before Nirvana had become a household name.

Available for purchase here for £30.39.

The Breeders – Pod

The Breeders’ debut album from 1990, Pod, came as a record practically designed for Cobain’s consumption. Its dark, sexualised lyrics are layered over a raw, guitar-driven grunge sound. The album has perhaps been eclipsed by its follow-up, Last Splash, over time, but it’s no less of a classic with hits like ‘Doe’, ‘Oh!’ and ‘Glorious’.

Cobain listed Pod as having shaped his seminal work with Nirvana, especially for 1991’s Nevermind. “The main reason I like them is for their songs, for the way they structure them, which is totally unique, very atmospheric,” he told Melody Maker in 1992.

Available for purchase here for £21.99.

PJ Harvey – Dry

Dry is the seminal debut studio album by English singer-songwriter PJ Harvey, originally released in 1992. The album brought Harvey to the world with its strong singles’ Dress’ and ‘Sheela-Na-Gig’, as well as several highlight moments in its underbelly.

On Cobain’s list of favourite albums that he scribbled down in the mid-1990s, PJ Harvey’s Dry was ranked 16th, just above Sonic Youth’s Daydream Nation and below The Frogs’ It’s Only Right and Natural.

Available for purchase here for £22.00.

The Clash – Combat Rock [Green Edition]

The Clash enjoyed an emphatic rise to global stardom over the late 1970s, riding the punk wave and gradually incorporating influences of reggae, dub and jazz into their increasingly unique sound. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the London group’s fifth studio album, Combat Rock.

The album is home to some of the band’s most cherished hits, including ‘Should I Stay or Should I Go’, ‘Rock the Casbah’ and ‘Straight to Hell’. This summer, in celebration of its 40th birthday, The Clash have released a limited edition green-coloured vinyl pressing of this punk classic.

Available for purchase here for £20.99.

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