5 Ways Third Man Records Made Vinyl Cool Again
By Torey Markowitz on Tixr Blog
Jack White has been influencing rock music for nearly two decades. He clearly has a passion for creating unique sounds, but his newest passion seems to be vinyl records. In 2001 White founded the record label, Third Man Records, which releases singles and albums primarily on vinyl. On April 19th Jack White’s most recently released album, Lazaretto, set the record for the fastest record ever pressed. Now it’s breaking a new record: the one for the coolest vinyl record ever made. (That may not be an actual record but with all of these crazy features it should be.)
1. Side A plays from the inside out.
Traditionally records play from the outside in, but not side A of Lazaretto. Side A plays from the inside out because he’s Jack White, he’s eccentric, and he’s breaking all of the rules. He’s our very own vinyl outlaw and he’s wanted for blowing our minds.
2. It has 2 hidden tracks embedded into the center label.
My mom always taught me that it’s what’s on the inside that counts. Apparently Third Man Records feels the same way and their vinyl records are no exception. The center label’s sole purpose is no longer to add aesthetic value. Two hidden tracks are embedded into the center label. If that wasn’t enough incentive to buy this album on vinyl know that these tracks don’t appear on the digital or CD version of the album.
Bonus: These two extra tracks play at 78 RPM and 45 RPM as opposed to the standard 33 RPM that the rest of the record plays at. This may make it the first 3-speed record ever produced.
3. It has an outside locked groove.
Once you have completed side A the audio doesn’t just stop. The needle locks into the final groove and plays the finale of the final track on an infinite loop. This may be the first time this has ever been done. But who wants to listen to the final 3 seconds of one track on repeat forever and ever? Third Man Records does and I’m not going to argue with it.
4. Three words: Dual Groove Technology.
The song “Just One Drink” features dual groove technology. This means that there are two different paths that the needle can take, depending on placement, that produce different intro sounds. One set of grooves creates an acoustic intro and the other creates an electric intro. Eventually the grooves come together for the rest of the song. It’s good to have options and Third Man Records is here to give em’ to you.
5. There is a hologram etched into the dead space of the record.
Yep. I just said Hologram. In the dead space of Side A there is a hand etching created by holographic artist Tristan Duke. When the needle runs over this etching it projects a hologram of an angel above the record. If that doesn’t make you feel all of the feels then there’s just no pleasing you.
Third Man Records has set a new precedent for vinyl records and the fans seem to be loving it. The vinyl version of Lazaretto has sold over 60,000 copies, which makes it the best selling vinyl LP since Pearl Jam’s Vitalogy in 1994. Don’t act like you’re not impressed.
This is what it took to make vinyl cool? While I agree that all of that is amazing, I think it was already on its way to being cool again. I’m 27, and was somehow convinced convinced to drop
money on a turntable. Then I was convinced to press my own band’s records on vinyl.
There is already a cool factor that diverted me away from streaming services and convinced me somehow that vinyl was the way to go.