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That's great advice. So while we're at it, let me just say that I think you're awesome and I am really loving what you're doing with the site. Keep it up.

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Robert Ham @robertham.bsky.social · 5h

Feeling down in the dumps and anxious as all get out. If anyone has any words of encouragement or a pep talk in them I'm all ears.

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Robert Ham @robertham.bsky.social · 1d

I'm probably better off not knowing.

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Robert Ham @robertham.bsky.social · 1d

My man @nedl.bsky.social went deep into Rhino's High-Fidelity edition of The Monkees' PISCES, AQUARIUS... over at our spot @vinylcut.net

www.vinylcut.net/review-the-m...

Review: The Monkees in Rhino High Fidelity

1967’s Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd. is cut directly from the master—for the very first time. It makes perfect sense that the Rhino High Fidelity series take on a Monkees album. No, really...

www.vinylcut.net

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Robert Ham @robertham.bsky.social · 1d

WTF is this?

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Robert Ham @robertham.bsky.social · 1d

He's now the head of product development at Rhino.

Robert Ham @robertham.bsky.social · 1d

My review of last month's Grandaddy show at Revolution Hall here in Portland is featured in the new issue of Uncut.

AS Grandaddy take the stage for the second of a two-night stand at this high-school-turned-concert-hall, the front cover of their 2000 classic album The Sophtware Slump appears on the screen above them, but with a handwritten addition: “(More or Less)”. It is a curious caveat. As the goal of this tour is to celebrate that record’s 25th anniversary, is it a cheeky commentary on the band’s inability or unwillingness to completely recreate the sound of the album? A warning that they’ll leave songs from the LP off the setlist? Or a poignant nod to the fact they are touring without bassist and co-founder Kevin Garcia, who passed away suddenly in 2017?

Whatever the reason, it is soon forgotten as the image evolves into a rolling green landscape with blue skies above, and frontman Jason Lytle hits the first chords of “He’s Simple, He’s Dumb, He’s The Pilot”, Sophtware’s slinky opener. No, this isn’t a note-for-note reconstruction of the home-recorded paranoid sprawl of the original album. Lytle’s lyrics of suburban discontent and our fraught relationship with technology may still ring as true as they did in 2000, but the music takes on a more lived-in, human quality – not so much muted as comfortable and well-honed, an understandable outcome as this is the last date of the tour’s first leg.

This is material many of these men know well. Though Grandaddy has been an off-again, on-again concern since the group’s initial split in 2006, their lineup remains impressively steadfast. As ever, Lytle is joined by drummer Aaron Burtch and guitarist Jim Fairchild, both of whom contributed to Sophtware and nearly everything the group has released since. While that trio remain the anchors tonight, particularly on the punchy “Chartsengrafs” and the splashy bursts of volume in “Hewlett’s Daughter”, the support staff on stage, all of whom are established artists in their own right, are vital throughout.

Though used sparingly, Jason Steady’s pedal steel is a shimmering counterpoint to th…

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Robert Ham @robertham.bsky.social · 1d

I'm sure the 12 people who have working players and the discretionary funds are going to enjoy the hell out of these.

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Robert Ham @robertham.bsky.social · 1d

I see you, NYT Connections.

The first eight squares from today's NYT Connections that read Third Sister Lovers Magic Big Star Serious Wonder

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Robert Ham @robertham.bsky.social · 1d

If you think the people who buy LPs but never listen to them are annoying, wait until you meet the people who spend $300 on a reel to reel tape that will sit on their shelves indefinitely.

store.rhino.com/en/rhino-sto...

Reel-to-Reel Rhino - Official Store

Reel-to-Reel - Browse the vast selection of products available at Rhino - Official Store.

store.rhino.com

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Robert Ham @robertham.bsky.social · 1d

Is there a backlog of Johnny Cash records in the Amazon warehouse?

The Wall Street Journal @wsj.com · 1d

Compared to Dylan and Springsteen, country-music legend Johnny Cash can seem deeply uncool. It took time for me to appreciate his profound, plainspoken strength, writes Jon Fasman.

Essay | Can We Finally Give Johnny Cash His Due?

Compared to Dylan and Springsteen, the country-music legend can seem deeply uncool. It took time for me to appreciate his profound, plainspoken strength.

on.wsj.com

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Robert Ham @robertham.bsky.social · 1d

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Robert Ham @robertham.bsky.social · 1d

The people of Reddit gave us a hearty TL;DR in response to this. But we know you're better than them here at Bluesky. So go forth and read. We had a great time writing this up.

Ned Lannamann @nedl.bsky.social · 2d

For our @vinylcut.net newsletter, @robertham.bsky.social and I went long on this week's #vinyl reissues. There's Dr. Dre, Tom Petty, Patti Smith, a new all-analog jazz series from Verve, and lots more. Read and subscribe!

New vinyl re-releases: October 10, 2025

There are so many records to tell you about right now. What with Record Store Day’s Black Friday around the corner, the near-assaultive Rhino ROCKtober campaign, and the regular barrage of reissues th...

www.vinylcut.net

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Reposted by Robert Ham

Ned Lannamann @nedl.bsky.social · 2d

For our @vinylcut.net newsletter, @robertham.bsky.social and I went long on this week's #vinyl reissues. There's Dr. Dre, Tom Petty, Patti Smith, a new all-analog jazz series from Verve, and lots more. Read and subscribe!

New vinyl re-releases: October 10, 2025

There are so many records to tell you about right now. What with Record Store Day’s Black Friday around the corner, the near-assaultive Rhino ROCKtober campaign, and the regular barrage of reissues th...

www.vinylcut.net

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Robert Ham @robertham.bsky.social · 2d

The torrent of vinyl reissues is gushing like never before and we at the @vinylcut.net did our best to cover the most interesting titles arriving tomorrow in stores. Look upon our mighty works and subscribe to the newsletter.

www.vinylcut.net/new-vinyl-re...

New vinyl re-releases: October 10, 2025

There are so many records to tell you about right now. What with Record Store Day’s Black Friday around the corner, the near-assaultive Rhino ROCKtober campaign, and the regular barrage of reissues th...

www.vinylcut.net

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Robert Ham @robertham.bsky.social · 2d

Mild temperature take: The three EPs are good and all, but The Beta Band's creative high point is HOT SHOTS II.

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Robert Ham @robertham.bsky.social · 2d

How soon do we think the Yankees home office takes before they boot Aaron Boone. First thing in the morning? End of the day?

Robert Ham @robertham.bsky.social · 2d

Pronounced "balrog."

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Robert Ham @robertham.bsky.social · 2d

Was crucial reading during my HS years.

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