Robedk, when I first started out in this hobby I used to feel as you do. The surface noise of vinyl turned me off, and CDs were so clean and clear-sounding. One day, Mike O'Keefe, then a salesman at my local stereo hangout, asked me to listen to a then high end analog system consisting of a SOTA Star Saphire, SME arm and Monster Alpha Genesis 1000 cartridge. My first reaction was to ask what happened to the surface noise--a good turntable setup will greatly reduce that noise. Next I jumped at the dynamics I was hearing, something I didn't realize from my cheap turntable setup was possible. And I found I could really get lost in the music far more easily than I could with CDs. I wound up buying a Well Tempered TT and have been enjoying vinyl, as well as digital, since. In answer to your questions, yes there are still new releases on vinyl, much of them new rock albums as well as superb reissues of rock, jazz and classical from Classic Records, DCC, Speakers Corner, Testament, King and others. No Perry Como, either, thank goodness. You can get them from mail order and on-line dealers such as Music Direct, Elusive Disc, Analog Productions and others, and there are literally millions available, for a song, at used record shops.
I won't dispute the advantages of digital that you mention, but vinyl has certain advantages as well (check out the many threads at this site), and is likely to be a lot better than you remember it. My advice to you would be to go listen to a well set up turntable as I did and give it a fair listen. If you can't get past the surface noise and ticks, and there are many out there on who cannot, fine, digital is better for you. But you may find, as I did to my surprise, that vinyl's strengths (ease of presentation, warmth, realistic dynamics and the ability to listen at higher volume levels because there is no harshness for high level dynamic swings, among others) are worth investing in a good analog setup to go along with your digital setup. In any event, happy listening!
