The Vinyl Countdown is the fourth EP

Extended play

An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...

 by Christian rock

Christian rock

Christian rock is a form of rock music played by individuals and bands whose members are Christians and who often focus the lyrics on matters concerned with the Christian faith. The extent to which their lyrics are explicitly Christian varies between bands...

 band Relient K

Relient K

Relient K is an American rock band formed in 1998 in Canton, Ohio by Matt Thiessen, Brian Pittman, and Matt Hoopes during the band's junior year in high school and their time at Malone University...

, released exclusively on a clear red 7" vinyl record on Mono Vs Stereo Records. It was released in 2003, a few months after the band's third full-length album

Album

An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...

, Two Lefts Don't Make a Right...but Three Do

Two Lefts Don't Make a Right...but Three Do

Two Lefts Don't Make a Right...but Three Do is the third full-length album released by Christian rock band Relient K. The album was nominated for a Grammy for Best Rock Gospel Album, but the award that year ended up being won by Worldwide by Audio Adrenaline...

was released. The Vinyl Countdown was followed a few months later by the band's Christmas

Christmas

Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...

 CD, Deck the Halls, Bruise Your Hand

Deck the Halls, Bruise Your Hand

Deck the Halls, Bruise Your Hand is the first Christmas album released by Christian rock band Relient K. It was released in many stores as a combo pack with later copies of their previous full-length album, Two Lefts Don't Make a Right...but Three Do....

, giving the band three releases in one year, and also the second recording on MVS.

The 7" was dedicated to super fan Jesse Alkire (with a note in the bottom corner of the vinyl sleeve reading "Here's to Jesse Alkire"). Jesse is a good friend of lead singer Matthew Thiessen and the rest of the band and received the dedication because he helped write the title track off the release, "The Vinyl Countdown."

Side B

1. "We're Nothing Without You" – 3:47
2. "Five Iron Frenzy
   Five Iron Frenzy
   Five Iron Frenzy is a Christian ska band formed in Denver, Colorado in 1995 and disbanded in 2003. The band announced they were recording new material on November 22, 2011....
   
    Is Either Dead or Dying (Wannabe Ska Version)" – 0:38

Credits

• Matt Thiessen
  Matt Thiessen
  Matthew Arnold Thiessen is a Canadian-American musician, known for being co-founder, lead singer, guitarist, pianist, and primary songwriter for the Christian rock band Relient K. With Relient K, he has released six full-length albums, including three that were certified Gold, and three that...
  
   – lead vocals, guitar
  Guitar
  The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
  
  , piano
  Piano
  The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
  
  
• Matt Hoopes
  Matt Hoopes
  Matthew Ryan Hoopes is the lead guitarist of Relient K, a Christian rock band that was formed in 1998. Hoopes has played guitar and performed backing vocals for Relient K for twelve years. Hoopes has slowly developed into the band's lead guitarist over the years, despite Matt Thiessen playing lead...
  
   – guitar, backing vocals
  Backing vocalist
  A backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
  
  
• Brian Pittman
  Brian Pittman
  Brian Lee Pittman is an American musician most notable as the former bassist for the Christian rock band Relient K, of which he was a founding member...
  
   – bass
  Bass guitar
  The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
  
  
• Dave Douglas
  Dave Douglas (drummer)
  Dave Douglas is a musician, most widely known for being in the Christian music industry as the former drummer of the Christian rock band Relient K. Douglas joined the band after their former drummer, Stephen Cushman, departed in late 2000. Douglas had been playing the drums and doing background...
  
   – drums
  Drum kit
  A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
  
  , backing vocals (drums on "We're Nothing Without You only)
• Brett Schoneman - drums (all but "We're Nothing Without You")

The credits in the booklet of The Bird and the Bee Sides

The Bird and the Bee Sides

-The Bird and the Bee Sides:-Bonus material:Those who pre-ordered The Bird and the Bee Sides received two "instant song downloads" , a Relient K and Gotee Records sticker pack, and a collector's-edition postcard....

showed that Philmore drummer and former Relient K fill in drummer, Brett Schoneman, played drums on every song of this EP except "We're Nothing Without You".

Trivia

"The Vinyl Countdown" is probably a play on the name of one of 1980s band Europe

Europe (band)

Europe is a Swedish rock band formed in Upplands Väsby in 1979 under the name Force by vocalist Joey Tempest, guitarist John Norum and drummer Tony Reno. Although widely associated with glam metal, the band's sound incorporates heavy metal and hard rock elements...

's best known songs: "The Final Countdown

The Final Countdown (song)

"The Final Countdown" is a rock song by the Swedish band Europe released in 1986. Written by Joey Tempest, it was the first single from the band's third studio album which was also named The Final Countdown. It is considered by some to be the band's most recognizable and popular song. The song...

".