Every Autumn I go through a phase when I have to listen to Type O Negative - a mood envelopes me. There's something about it that takes me back to a particular era in my life, and the sound of TON is a heartwarming and cleansing retrospection that re-energizes my heart; it's a ritual. There is no other band out there like TON, and there never will be. Their dry dark humor and over-the-top melodrama masked a truly beautiful core expression - one that provided solace to those absorbed with feelings of negativity, self blame, and emptiness. They dissolved depression and self-pity by recognizing and embracing the dark extremities of the human emotional scale in sometimes ridiculous and sometimes very intense ways.
Today I am very happy to have in my possession the Type O Negative vinyl box set. Limited to just 1000 copies and containing all six Roadrunner-released albums on green vinyl, this was the only RSD title that got me really excited. As soon as I had the box open I had to jump right to Haunted...and oh my, to finally hear this on vinyl is...a holy moment.
I also left with the Songbook double vinyl by Chris Cornell. This is a collection of stripped-down acoustic versions of several Cornell originals (spanning his entire career) and a few covers, all recorded live during his Songbook tour. This may have been worth it alone for the incredible version of Fell On Black Days...
The pressing quality and vinyl mastering is quite good; the clarity of sound is beyond what I was expecting to hear - it's almost as though I am hearing these albums for the first time...the songs are the same, but there is a hint of difference in sonic character and a greater depth of clarity. Each album comes in its own gatefold jacket with brand new liner notes; the original album art adorning the front and back - only now unobscured by the iconic Type O Negative corner logo and album title, giving these editions a classic and clean look...well...as classic and clean as a hairy asshole can look I suppose. This really is a fantastic tribute to Mr. Peter T. Ratajczyk, one of the most unique and talented songwriters in rock history. The only thing missing is Dead Again - though since it was not originally released by Roadrunner, I am not surprised; I guess I'll be adding that to my vinyl wish list.
...and I picked up a copy of the only Small Sur album I did not have, We Live In Houses Made Of Wood. I didn't even know this existed - I can't wait to listen to it. It came in a lovely recycled cardboard sleeve by Tender Loving Empire - a Portland, OR label and store. I usually avoid purchasing CDs, but I made an exception for this one.
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