John-Paul Shiver

It’s widely believed that vinyl purchases began to increase worldwide around 2007, and during and after the pandemic, those numbers soared. Heavyweight is a column that helps you sort through the worthy and eliminate the meh. It covers archival digs, classic albums, and essential re-releases spanning rock, jazz, and experimental music. Each edition will feature a “Dusty Fingers” pick—something so incredible that you won’t believe it until you hear it. Join us as we indulge in your favorite vinyl addiction.

Plus: Thee Oh Sees veer fabulously 'Off Course,' DUM1 spawns a diamond under drastic circumstances, more music

Plus: Nate Mercereau strums up 'Fantastic Thoughts,' Issa Rae and Kool Keith come to SF, Eric André gets his bag, more music

After several reinventions, on their fourth album 'Stakes Is High,' De La Soul held up a mirror to hip-hop in 1996

A tribute to the late industry exec who introduced listeners to so many legends

On her third album 'New Avatar,' Kelela offers a smelting of indie-rock communiques with electronic and R&B elements

Plus: Mos Def's 'The Ecstatic' resurfaces, Diagonal Lines emerges, atmos bloom, The Chutes 'Widow's Bay'—we're slipping it all in

Plus: Hardly Strictly lineup, Womack Sisters and Dark Star Orchestra at the Greek, summer stoner flick 'The Wrong Girls,' more.

Plus: Black Marble plucks college radio strings, Twin Bloom bronzes out, The Koreatown Oddity raps it all up, more great listens

The debut album by Sade, 'Diamond Life' told snippets and offered vignettes of dimly lit torch song narrative