Album Picks From The Atlas Records Team

As Christmas quickly draws closer with each piece of Advent calendar chocolate, we thought it was an apt time of year to poll the office for Christmas present ideas. Each staff member has selected a record they love, and we hope their choices encourage you to give the gift of vinyl this Christmas.

Read on to discover some of our favourites!

"This is a near-perfect album. It exhibits T.Rex’s (then Tyrannosaurus Rex’s) folk roots in all their eccentric charm, capturing the playful essence of a band on the cusp of a meteoric rise. It is stripped back and rough around the edges, but rich with experimentation. The record reveals the humble genius behind their early work before mainstream success set in. Listening to this album reaffirms to me why they remain one of the greatest bands of all time."

-Ed, Record Expert

This was Tyrannosaurus Rex's second studio album, which peaked at number 28 when it was first released. After being disappointed by the production of their first album, Marc Bolan spent hours on the production of their second, making sure he couldn't find fault with it.

"Breaking The Girl is my favourite song from the album, but the song with the most interesting story (and arguably one of the bands most popular) is Under The Bridge: the song started out as a poem that Anthony Kiedis (lead singer) had wrote. Rick Rubin found it and managed to persuade Anthony to show it to the band members as initially Anthony thought it was too emotional and not the 'usual chili style'"

- Ellie, Marketing

Released in 1991, this was the band's fifth album, which has sold over 14 million copies, making it their second best-selling album, behind Californication. Around 25 songs were written for this album, but only 17 made the final cut. However, the album's singles contained four outtakes from the album sessions as B sides. 

"The album feels very real and emotional, both in terms of the vocals/lyrics but also in the instrumental performances."

- Sam, Record Expert

Like their debut album 'Sports', released in 2012, Modern Baseball's second album 'You're Gonna Miss It All' was written while the band members were attending college. They self-produced the album, releasing music videos alongside it, and then they embarked on a successful UK tour.

"It's very loud and aggressive, but also very political and raw, and the vocals by Amy Taylor are the exact vibe of punk that I love. Also, the album/the band won several ARIA awards for i,t which are the Australian Recording Industry Association awards (basically the Australian version of the Grammys), which is cool."

- Jack, Record Expert

Nominated for Australian Album of the Year in 2024, and winning Independent Album of the Year and Best Independent Rock Album or EP in 2025, this record was the first for the band since 2021. All the lyrics for the album were written by the band's lead vocalist Amy Taylor, and the album artwork had to be censored, and a disclaimer issued for it to only be viewed by people 18 years or older.  

"A perfect album, with each track blending into the next, so it sounds like one flowing story in song. Each track is poignant, focusing on romance, regret, and real life. There is a juxtaposition of softness and grit to lead vocalist Dolores O'Riordan's voice and lyrics, which pairs so well with the sometimes controversial topics that The Cranberries liked to cover in their songs." 

- Hannah, Record Expert

The copy pictured is an 180g reissue, released as a half-speed master. You can read more about this in our audiophile pressings blog post. Audiophile pressings are made to enhance the audio quality of a record, and in the case of this album, I can safely say that this is the case. The remastered audio plays perfectly, enhancing the original sound quality, and creating a better listening experience. 

"My one and only Masayoshi Takanaka record. I picked it up in 2020, when his music was still pretty hard to find - no streaming, no reissues, and definitely not cheap. Cut to 2026, he’s finally getting the attention he deserves on this side of the world, and he’s playing some of his first shows outside Japan… and I got tickets! If you’re into jazz fusion, funk, or just having a smile on your face, you can’t go without Masayoshi Takanaka and his red surfboard guitar."

- Holly, Operations Manager

Across his many albums, Takanaka carved out a sound that feels both effortless and exhilarating, with richly arranged tracks that have made him a cult favourite among music lovers worldwide. For years, original pressings were hard to track down outside Japan, and his catalogue grew in legend partly because it was so difficult to access. As renewed interest in Japanese jazz fusion and city pop has grown, Takanaka’s profile has risen with it, introducing his music to a whole new audience.

"This is one of my most prized possessions - it’s the first press of the ‘Atlas’ album by sleeping at last, which is pressed on random vinyl colours. I saw him with the London Contemporary Orchestra at the RAH earlier this year with my sister and it was amazing."

- Chris, Founder

This box set was self released by Sleeping At Last, rather than being released under a label. It was released on random coloured vinyl - each of the three records as different colours, Chris's copy being purple, yellow and grey. Random vinyl colour pressings are often a more eco-friendly way of pressing records, as it can use up offcuts of other records, saving the offcuts from being thrown away, and creating beautiful records in the process.  

"This album conjures an eerie world, parallel to ours but dark. As you listen, you venture through its creepy forests, encountering pagan villagers worshipping their gods through shamanic rituals before taking refuge by an idyllic stream through a steamy clearing surrounded by a glistening morning dew. Comus have done a fantastic job of blending many styles, for example British folk, rock, psychedelic and prog with rudimentary and somewhat crude forms of musical expression through the 'drum circle' style percussion similar to something you may find during a summer solstice at Stonehenge. It's one of my faves."

- Harvey, Record Expert

As the name suggests, First Utterance was Comus's first studio album. The cover artwork was drawn in ballpoint pen by the band's lead singer, Roger Wootton, and the centrefold artwork was painted by their guitarist, Glenn Goring. The album received a mainly positive reception, with many enjoying its unique blend of genres, however, album sales were limited as the band dissolved after this album's release, making copies of First Utterance a very rare find. At time of writing, we don't have any Comus records in stock, but keep an eye on the Rare Vinyl section of our website for anything we may get in the future. 

"This album for me is a 10/10, no-skip album that I'll play in it's entirety whenever I'm struggling to find something to play. It's got a really nostalgic, colourful vibe that is just perfect for a long drive - or even just to have on in the background."

- Tom, Record Expert

Most pressings of this record were pressed on 180g vinyl, which is argued to be superior quality, and harder to damage, especially looking at breakage ability. Because of this, it is often favoured for modern releases, remasters of older records, sometimes paired with a half-speed master, enhancing the audio quality further. 

• Lots of collectors will add their collections to Discogs, which also allows you to build a wantlist, as well as catalogue your collection. Getting them something from their wantlist could be the way to go!
• Get them something to protect their record collection. Protecting the sound quality of a collection is very important to maintain its longevity. You can browse our record accessories for ideas. 
• New arrivals drop onto our website daily, so there's always something new to browse!