Welcome To Fairhill Records
Supplying The Latest Vinyl Releases And Classic Albums
Established in 2017 selling limited edition records to the vinyl community within Ballymena and beyond.
We offer free local delivery to Ballymena and surrounding areas.
Further afield customers can take advantage of the postal service we provide. Pay postage for 1 record and everything else is free.
Support Live Music
Next up at the Diamond Rock Club is the amazing Davy K Project
Saturday 21st October
Doors Open 6pm
Davy onstage at 7pm
http://www.wegottickets.com/event/562954
Pink Floyd - Dark Side Of The Moon
The Dark Side of the Moon” is Pink Floyd’s ninth album. Originally released in March 1973, this concept album discusses the philosophical and physical ideas that can lead to a person’s insanity, and unfulfilled life. It seems to deal primarily with the depravity of human life, hardly a common subject in rock. The album is a cautionary tale in two parts. The first half describes living a life that goes unfulfilled.The second half of the album consists of individual songs about different ideas and concepts that are detrimental to society and can lead to madness.The philosophical ideas in the second half of the album are a sort of madness in their own right. They are also the root causes to the problem mentioned in the first half of the album that focuses on living an unfulfilled life.
Even though this is a concept album, a number of the cuts can stand on their own. “Time” is a fine country-tinged rocker with a powerful guitar solo by David Gilmour, and “Money” is broadly and satirically played with sax by Dick Parry, who also contributes a wonderfully-stated, breathy solo to “Us And Them.”
The non-vocal “On The Run” is a standout with footsteps racing from side to side successfully eluding any number of odd malevolent rumbles and explosions only to be killed off by the clock’s ticking that leads into “Time.” Throughout the album, the band lays down a solid framework which they embellish with synthesizers, sound effects and spoken voice tapes. The sound is lush and multi-layered while remaining clear and well-structured.
“Great Gig in the Sky” is arguably the most emotional piece in the album. The combination of solid musicianship and incredible vocal talent is both soothing and haunting. Pink Floyd truly allows you to use your imagination to experience the strife, pain, passion and beauty
There are a few weak spots. David Gilmour’s vocals are sometimes weak, and “The Great Gig in the Sky” (which closes the first side) probably could have been shortened or dispensed with, but these are really minor issues. “The Dark Side of the Moon” is a fine album with a textural and conceptual richness that not only invites, but demands involvement. There is a certain splendor here that exceeds mere musical melodramatics and is rarely attempted in rock. “The Dark Side of the Moon” has flash–the true flash that comes from the excellence of a superb performance.
Fleetwood Mac - Rumours
"Rumours" is the eleventh studio album by British-American rock band Fleetwood Mac. Released in 1977, it quickly became one of the most successful and iconic albums in rock history.
The album was recorded during a time of intense emotional turmoil within the band, as various members were going through relationship breakups and personal struggles. Despite these challenges, the resulting music on "Rumours" is a testament to the band's resilience and creativity.
"Rumours" features a diverse range of musical styles, including rock, pop, and folk influences. It includes hit singles such as "Go Your Own Way," "Don't Stop," and "Dreams," which are now considered timeless classics.
One of the defining aspects of the album is the intricate vocal harmonies between Lindsey Buckingham, Stevie Nicks, and Christine McVie. Their combined voices create a unique and captivating sound that perfectly complements the heartfelt and introspective lyrics.
The production on "Rumours" is also noteworthy, with an emphasis on clean and polished sound. The album showcases stellar musicianship, with Buckingham's intricate guitar work, Mick Fleetwood's dynamic drumming, and John McVie's melodic bass lines.
"Rumours" was a commercial success, topping the charts in several countries and selling millions of copies worldwide. It was also critically acclaimed, receiving praise for its songwriting, harmonies, and overall production quality.
The album has had a lasting impact on popular culture, influencing countless artists and becoming a staple of classic rock radio. Its themes of love, heartbreak, and personal growth continue to resonate with listeners of all generations.
If you enjoy well-crafted songs, beautiful harmonies, and an album that captures the essence of the 1970s rock sound, "Rumours" by Fleetwood Mac is definitely worth exploring. It remains a beloved and influential record that has stood the test of time.
Iron Maiden - Powerslave
It's quite common to hear people say that this album is the band's best ever, and it's easy to see why. It's intense, features some of the guys' most demanding playing (especially Bruce), it's gorgeous and exotic in presentation, both aesthetically and musically, and it came out when Iron Maiden were ruling the world, exposing themselves to thousands on the grueling World Slavery tour. But I don't think it sits head and shoulders above the rest of their discography, it fits snugly among its predecessors, but not over them like many believe.
It certainly starts off on the right foot, with "Aces High" and "2 Minutes to Midnight" quite possibly being the greatest one-two-punch opening in metal history, the former typifying the intense, hectic sound of the album, while "Midnight" manages a solid compromise between Maiden's shorter, more accessible songs and their monstrous epics. If someone asked me 'Who's Iron Maiden?', I'd show them this song. The album stumbles slightly with "Losfer Words", the first instrumental since "Genghis Khan" and the last one they've done since. Obviously something's missing (the lyrics), but the nice melodies in the "chorus" make up for it. The song isn't offensively bad or anything and it does change things up a little bit.
"Flash of the Blade" lures you in with the tapping intro, straight into its lyrics based on the legend of St. George and the Dragon. An underrated track, buried underneath greatness. The second half, however, stumbles with "The Duelists" an unremarkable song that goes on too long. The chorus isn't very memorable and I find myself tuning out on repeat listens of the album. "Back in the Village", admittedly, kicks ass musically, but the lyrics come off as silly, even more so than usual, and can distract from the awesomeness if you're paying attention, otherwise you're too busy admiring the crazy riffs to care.
Thankfully everything comes to a head with the final two tracks. The title track injects some exotic, Egyptian flair and could easily have capped the album off by itself, but after it comes the legendary "Rime of the Ancient Mariner", a leviathan of a song, clocking in at 13 minutes and 34 seconds, but not that you would've noticed, for it seems to be over in no time. It's so well paced and enthralling that it's stunning. It's pacing rivals that of "Hallowed Be Thy Name", and puts every longer track on "Piece of Mind" to shame. It's incredible and may very well be Iron Maiden's crowning achievement.
With that the album is over, and we're left with yet another amazing release from Ed and the boys. With its soaring highs it's no wonder people love this album so, however it stills suffers from a couple of weaker tracks that hold it back from true perfection. Even diamonds have flaws, but that doesn't mean they aren't glorious.
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