Vandoliers - Life Behind Bars (Indie Exclusive, White, Blue, Splatter Vinyl)
Vandoliers - Life Behind Bars (Indie Exclusive, White, Blue, Splatter Vinyl)
Format: Vinyl LP
UPC: 732388000289
Release Date: 06/27/25
Condition: N
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"Most personal album yet" is a well-worn cliché within the cliché-addled world of music promotion. But Life Behind Bars, the fifth studio album from beloved Texas country-punk ensemble Vandoliers, brings new meaning to that phrase. This album marks a series of firsts for the band, it's their first release with upstart Break Maiden Records and distributed by storied indie Thirty Tigers, their first with Grammy-winning producer Ted Hutt (The Gaslight Anthem, Flogging Molly, Lucero), and their first recorded at the sprawling Sonic Ranch studios in West Texas. Most importantly, though, this collection of songs offers a window into frontwoman Jenni Rose's journey through addiction and gender dysphoria - a journey that has culminated in her decision to come out as a trans woman while working in the macho worlds of Texas country and punk rock, at a moment when the rights of trans people are more intensely threatened by the day. For the uninitiated, even the most melancholy Vandoliers song has a degree of exuberance and verve, full of an irrepressible energy that has led the band to tour with everyone from Flogging Molly to the Turnpike Troubadours to fellow Dallas-Fort Worth natives the Toadies and the Old 97s. Their unique ability to bring together the worlds of the square-toed boot-clad hicks with the steel-toed boot-wearing punks has helped the band find a devoted following across the world, fans who pack out shows that are always life-affirming and usually end with some Vandoliers hopping around onstage shirtless. While the 10 tracks on Life Behind Bars are upbeat and sing-a-long-ready in classic Vandoliers fashion, they're a little more stripped-down and intimate than the band's typical raucous fare. The title track has all the sharp observations and catchy melodies of Vandoliers' best work, but with the added context and depth of Rose's path to self-discovery. The album has more explicitly political tracks as well: "Bible Belt," which Rose wrote about the fear and pain of feeling like an outsider deep in the Fort Worth suburbs, and "Thoughts and Prayers," a darkly funny composition written and sung by Graves about the epidemic of gun violence in America. These are the songs of a band that is fearless and fun, hellbent on spreading joy wherever they go, and who has made a career of pushing boundaries and taking all-comers - of making a bigger, brighter, bolder tent in a musical space that is still too often hidebound by tradition.
SHIPPING & RETURNS
SHIPPING & RETURNS
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RETURNS
Items may be returned within 60 days of the delivery date.
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GRADING
GRADING
Yellow Racket assigns condition based on the Goldmine Standard for grading records.
New (N) (Not typically included in the Goldmine Standard)
New records are purchased directly from the label, distributor, or registered wholesaler. Records are still sealed. Jackets may have slight shelf wear, but media has never been played.
Mint (M)
Still sealed. Never played. No observable flaws. Items have been purchased secondhand.
Near Mint (NM)
A Near Mint (NM) record will play perfectly, with no imperfections during playback. The record should show no obvious signs of wear.
The cover (and any additional packaging) has no creases, folds, seam splits, cut-out holes, or other noticeable defects.
Very Good Plus (VG+)
A Very Good Plus (VG+) record will show some signs that it was played and otherwise handled by a previous owner who took good care of it.
Defects should be more of a cosmetic nature, not affecting the actual playback as a whole. Record surfaces may show some signs of wear and may have slight scuffs or very light scratches.
The disc and LP cover may have slight signs of wear, and may be gently marred by spindle marks, paper scuffs, wrinkled corners, etc.
Very Good (VG)
Many of the defects found in a VG+ record will be more pronounced in a VG disc. Surface noise will be evident, but will not overpower the music. Disc may have light scratches (deep enough to feel with a fingernail) that will affect the sound.
Labels, jackets, and inserts will have visible cosmetic flaws such as wrinkles, cut-outs, slight splitting, etc. However, it will usually have less than a dozen minor flaws.
Good (G)
A record in Good condition can be played through without skipping. But it will have significant surface noise, scratches, and visible groove wear. A cover or sleeve will have seam splits, especially at the bottom or on the spine. Tape, writing, ring wear, or other defects will be present.
While the record will be playable without skipping, noticeable surface noise and "ticks" will almost certainly accompany the playback.
Poor (P), Fair (F)
The record may be cracked, badly warped, or won't play through without skipping or repeating. The picture sleeve may be water damaged, split, or heavily marred by wear and writing.
