There it is. The rest of your 2 last posts reads like someone who's bitter and jaded about VMP and the current younger record-buying public in general. You're *really* dragging them through the mud because they don't go out of their way to be what *you* want them to be. It's a very odd reaction. I'm not a member because I learned way back when I was a kid with a Columbia House subscription that the whole concept of having someone else pick what you're given isn't something I enjoy. I merely buy the titles I'm interested in - no mud-dragging necessary. Focusing on that aspect of their business or nitpicking their website homepage instead of praising the huge range of genres they've dipped their toes in is missing the point. WMP has provided a lot of interesting reissues (digital and AAA alike) which are very well received and appreciated. In a lot of cases, their reissues are for titles which have gone decades without a reissue at all! In some cases, theirs is the first time the album ever got reissued at all! This could easily become a thread where for the next handful of pages, what's mostly discussed are the various aspects WMP is either deficient or could stand to improve depending on whose POV is being explored but it's all in vain. You can't please everyone, especially when you're dealing with a ridiculous amount of genres and pressings being generated every year. They're a young company of 7 years and have nearly 1000 reissues on Discogs and that isn't counting the sub-labels. They've released 123 reissues so far this year with 1/4 of the year left! You know how many an audiophile label like Analogue Productions has released? *9*! MFSL? 10! 5 years ago? AP; 88! MFSL; 44! I don't care what anyone distracted by their fancy-shmancy 1-Step and UHQR series says; those labels are dying. VMP should be applauded and supported; not vilified or ridiculed. Feel free to boycott VMP all you want but aside from what sounds like a major case of sour grapes, I can't quite understand the logic in doing so. If you know of a reissue label that provides this wide a range of titles which includes a whole bunch of fantastic AAA reissues as well, and that releases more than a dozen titles a year nowadays, please let me know.
Thanks for this. Classics looks really good - Essentials less so. I'll be dropping that Grizzly Bear album like a bad habit. Not my thing at all! Fingers crossed for some decent options in swaps.
I can't see myself continuing with VMP anymore if the rumored albums are what they are. I'm on the quarterly plan and it's not worth it to me anymore to get one album per quarter that I really enjoy. Too many mediocre selections and too many selections that I can get for a third of the price on the open market with no appreciable increase in sound quality. The Classics track that I signed up for has been especially disappointing, with way too many albums that are simply not either the artist's front-line work or are pretty lightweight. The Hip-Hop track selections have actually been really good, but I have most of them on CD already. I have $40 in credit but no earthly idea what to spend it on, as anything that I would like is always sold out and the waitlist times are interminable. Good business model and some interesting selections, but in some ways a victim of its own success and has jumped the shark.
I never said I’m boycotting anything. I am frustrated with the situation I am in as a consumer that has paid for their product only to be disappointed time and time again. Sorry for speaking my OPINION, I really should have consulted you before posting to make sure it was OK with you. My bad.
The Freddie King is probably gonna be the best Classics release of the year IMO. TBD on the December release until we figure out what it is exactly, but Roberta Flack or Lena Horne would be solid. I'm passing on Pendergrass, and I rarely swap Classics. Thankfully November and December Country picks are great, especially if they do them AAA. Also stoked for potentially getting a AAA reissue of The Meters' Rejuvenation in December. That one is gonna SLAP
October is a bust for me. So, I will probably take the credit option. Nov & December look like I'm adding a track. Since I've never used the credit, I assume you can use the credit to pay for your add on track? Is that correct?
none of the supposed forthcoming releases are quite enough to entice me to bite on the increased $400 annual subscription price. honestly looks to be one of the most disappointing spreads yet.
You posted your opinion on a public forum. If you're allergic to any discussion regarding your opinion, I suggest you post it on a Facebook page or a blog where you can remove content from anyone daring to respond to it. I must've missed the memo indicating that your viewpoints on anything should never be questioned or analyzed. Touchy touchy.
October is looking to be a massive bust for me, probably the first time where I'm swapping all 4 tracks. On the plus side, I can get the Philadelphia anthology set for cheaper.
Same. There is exactly one album among those twelve that I'd like to have. I made it three months this time, but I think I'm dropping out again. Especially after the Mars Volta quality fiasco. For what these records cost, they should have better quality control.
Same. I'm dropping 3 of the add-ons (I got all 4 in September, what a month) and swapping my main next month. Pretty sad month.
You’ll need to chat with customer service about applying your store credit to an add on track, but they’ll do it for you.
Just wanted to say that my pickups this month of Emmylou Harris, Wu-Tang Clan and Saba (swapped Lee Morgan) are incredible and very well pressed. 36 Chambers benefits being spread across two discs, but still retains the grit. Superb month!
I've looked back a few pages. Would anybody be so kind as to point me to the next batch of releases? All I've gathered is Buck Owens in December.
The VMP model is to have a few stand out releases couple months a year that entice people to join and hope the lesser titles are decent enuf or use Instagram worthy colors to get people not to opt out I am happy that VMP exists but for $40 a month it should mean AAA only if Master available and if not titles that are pricey because OOP. Too often they release a record that is also being released in standard black but at twice the price in splatter colors
I don't subscribe and I save that money. I then buy the black vinyl versions and buy the AAA stuff WMP does that I want... or even the digitally-sourced well remastered ones they offer like the Fanny reissue which sounds great.
Yeah next three months looking a little weak. Wondering of there were a lot of people reupping their subscription in September based on the previous three month selections. Fingers crossed they add some good swaps.
I don't think it's their strongest three months. The last few months I ordered 3-4 of the tracks. My goal is typically 1-2 tracks per month. Over the next three months there are possibly 3-4 overall. It's not great, it's not terrible. I also understand that many aren't into hip-hop so that track isn't for them. To me it's one of the strongest tracks they offer. The next three for RHH is average. I subscribe to Classic though. If I'm being conservative, I would be interested in the following: Oct - Credit Nov - Gram Parsons (if AAA) Dec - The Meter - Rejuvenations (if AAA) Wild Card: RZA - Bobby Digital (Credit); Teddy Pendergrass (I need to listen) So if those two aren't AAA, then yes, I will be disappointed. I already have good originals. I guess typing this out made me realize I'm probably being a little optimistic.
I'm speculating, but I highly doubt The Meters will be AAA. Essentials are rarely AAA, whereas Classics are usually AAA. From a musical standpoint, The Meters release seem to fit the Classics track so because its not on that, I am guessing the original tapes were not available to work from sadly.
For the life of me I can’t figure out how the rumored November Classics selection — Teddy Pendergrass — fits into the Classics genre of jazz, blues or soul. R & B yes; belongs in the pop category. I’d rather hear chalk scratching a blackboard than listen to one of his songs, let alone a record.
Essentails, especially in December, are usually AAA If they are from the analog era though. Billie Holiday, Aretha Franklin, Loretta Lynn, John Prine, Stevie Nicks, Experience Unlimited, also the more recent Phoenix were all AAA Essentials in the past couple years. I'm expecting Meters to be AAA.
