Archive for March, 2011

Record of the Week: While We’ve Been Out

Wednesday, March 23rd, 2011

When you run a small staff like we do here at the store, when things get busy(gearing up for Record Store Day!), some things unfortunately get sacrificed. Well the unfortunate sacrifice this past month has been one of my favorite things, and that is writing Record of the Week. So, to make up for it, I am going to write about a couple albums that have had us going crazy over this past month!

Yuck – Yuck (Fat Possum)

When I first saw the album cover for the debut album by Yuck, I completely judged the book by it’s cover. Mark my word, that will end up being THE WORST ALBUM ART OF THE YEAR. It’s atrocious! Luckily, I gave it a chance as this is one of the best albums I have heard in a long time. Take equal parts Dinosaur Jr., Pavement, Sonic Youth, and maybe even some early Smashing Pumpkins and you are on the right track. There is a very distinct 90′s sound to it. A sound of teenage years and rebellion, although that might only apply to those born from the late 70′s to the early 80′s. Regardless, this album is one of the most essential albums this year.

Listen to “Get Away” from Yuck’s Yuck

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Toro Y Moi – Underneath the Pine (Carpark)

We absolutely loved the first Toro Y Moi album. It rode the chillwave(pun!) to the height of popularity but on this second album, he’s taken a step back and brought in a layer of 60′s psychedelia, along with some rather choice funk bass lines to put together a much more organic sounding record. Beyond organic, this record is absolutely killer.

Listen to “New Beat” from Toro Y Moi’s Underneath the Pine

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Kurt Vile – Smoke Ring For My Halo (Matador)

Our favorite Philly weirdo is back with a new full length! Thing is, he is getting less and less weird but that certainly doesn’t effect how great his output has been or continues to be. Smoke Ring For My Halo finds Vile and his backing band the Violators, toning it down a bit and focusing more on the folk and pop side of things. You could almost consider this album a spiritual sequel to his God Is Saying This To You LP on Mexican Summer. With this record he’s written some of his best songs(see “Jesus Fever”, Peeping Tomboy”, “Runner Ups”) and continues to grow as a songwriter. Essential.

Listen to “Jesus Fever” from Kurt Vile’s Smoke Ring For My Halo

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Obits – Moody, Standard, and Poor (Sub Pop)

First things first: Even though they didn’t put it in their album title, I took it upon myself to add the serial comma in the title. It’s just right.

The other thing that’s right is this album. Undoubtedly one of the best rock bands out there today, and they haven’t slowed down with their sophomore album. Sure, it might not be balls to the wall all the time but we’re completely fine with that. Songs like “You Gotta Lose” and “I Want Results” certainly sound like a continuation of the first album but tracks like “Shift Operator”,  “No Fly List”, and “New August” show a band that continues to grow and get better. There is even a bit of Shadowy Men On a Shadowy Planet on the track “Spot the Pikey” and god does that get us excited.

Listen to “You Gotta Lose” from Obits’ Moody, Standard, and Poor

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True Wid0w – As High as the Highest Heavens and From the Center to the Circumference of the Earth (Kemado)

Quite a few sophomore albums on this list, bucking the trend of the sophomore slumps. Not many people got to hear True Widow’s self titled debut, which is a shame because it was absolutely incredible. This three piece from Austin, TX play what could only be described as a crushingly heavy version of slowcore. If Codeine or Bedhead members got really into getting high and listening to doom metal, you might be on the right track. The dual male / female vocals add a whole lot to the mix and keep the album from ever going stale. One of the best albums this year, bar none. Absolutely essential.

Listen to “Skull Eyes” from True Widow’s As High as the Highest Heavens and From the Center to the Circumference of the Earth

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Anna Calvi – Anna Calvi (Domino)

If you’ve been in the store in the last month, you’ve heard us playing Anna Calvi. We’ve listened to this album so much, I should be absolutely sick of it. Thing is, it’s seriously incredible and we cannot get enough of it. The combination of Anna’s insane guitar playing, incredible voice and the arrangements of all these tracks make for an album that sounds like Nick Cave scoring a David Lynch. This album actually would make for an excellent companion to the latest Grinderman now that we think about it…

Listen to “Desire” from Anna Calvi’s Anna Calvi

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What We’re Doing for Record Store Day 2011: Part One

Thursday, March 17th, 2011

Can you believe it’s been a year since the last Record Store Day? Seems like just last week we we’re having that unbelievable day with Deadstring Brothers, Dosh, White Hinterland and the legendary Sir Mack Rice playing some great tunes in the store while we were all bombarded by hundreds of excellent, exclusive Record Store Day releases. The camaraderie was through the roof and all year we thought “I am not sure there is anyway we could possibly top that.” Well…

We are pleased as punch to finally announce the first part of our plans for this year’s Record Store Day…


THE BLACK ANGELS!!!

Seriously, by far, one of our favorite bands is going to be playing here, in the store, for Record Store Day!!! Their record, Phosphene Dream, still is played non-stop in here  and I have a feeling it was played a whole lot in your homes as well!

We still have a lot more to announce(at least one more great national touring act, along with some other news) but we couldn’t hold our excitement about this much longer!

Still you might be wondering, “what the heck is coming out for Record Store Day?” Well, here is the list…

Check back on the website next week for another announcement, along with a brand new website that has been in the works for a couple months!

86 – TELESTERION
13TH FLOOR ELEVATORS – WAIT FOR MY LOVE (7 INCH)
DAY TO REMEMBER – ALL I WANT 7″ (Colored, Limited to 2,000)
AC/DC – SHOOT TO THRILL/WAR MACHINE (7 INCH)
ADELE – ROLLING IN THE DEEP (JAMIE XX SHUFFLE)/ROLLING IN (10 INCH)
ANBERLIN – CITIES 2XLP (Limited to 1,000)
ARCHITECTURE IN HELSINKI -PLACES LIKE THIS
ARP – PASTORAL SYMPHONY
ART HOSPITAL -ART HOSPITAL (7″)
BAD BRAINS – PAY TO CUM (7″)
BAD BRAINS – GOD OF LOVE
BARRETT,SYD – INTRODUCTION TO SYD BARRETT (180GM VINYL/GATEFOLD )
BEACH BOYS – GOOD VIBRATIONS/HEROES & VILLAINS (10 INCH SINGLE/DOUBLE 78RPM)
BEADY EYE – BEADY EYE EXCLUSIVE (BOX SET)
BELLE BRIGADE – BELLE BRIGADE
BETWEEN THE BURIED & ME – PARALLAX: HYPERSLEEP DIALOGS LP (Limited to 1,000)
BIBIO/CLARK – WILLENHALL/BASKERVILLE GRINCH
BLACK ANGELS – PHOSGENE NIGHTMARE
BLACK ANGELS – ANOTHER NICE PAIR LP (Red, LTD 2,000 and 100 random inserts will be signed by the band)
BLACK MARKET BABY – POTENTIAL SUICIDE 7″ (LTD 200 on Gold)
BLACK TWIG PICKERS & GLENN JONES – SPLIT
BLAKE,JAMES – JAMES BLAKE
BLITZEN TRAPPER – MAYBE BABY (7″)
BORIS – ATTENTION PLEASE LP (Gatefold w/ Poster, LTD 3,500)
BOUNCING SOULS – LIVE AT GENERATION RECORDS (LTD 1,500 and wont be pressed again)
BUILT TO SPILL – RIPPLE (PICTURE DISC 7″, LTD 3,000)
BURN – S/T 7″ (Yellow LTD500)
BUSDRIVER – ATM (7″)
BUSH,KATE – HOUNDS OF LOVE (10″)
CARIBOU – SWIM REMIXES
CARS – SAD SONGS (7″)
CIRCA SURVIVE – APPENDAGE 7″ (LTD 3,00)
CIRCA SURVIVE – APPENDAGE (Oxblood colored Vinyl, LTD 3,00)
CITY AND COLOUR – SOMETIMES 2XLP (Silk Screen Covers, LTD 500, Hand numbered & Bonus Track)
CIVIL WARS – DANCE ME TO THE END OF LOVE 7″
CLAPTON,ERIC – UNPLUGGED (180 Gram)
CLOUDS – B CHUGGAS MAY BE LOGGING
COFFEE,DENNIS – UNIQUITOUS (7″)
COSTA,MATT – SONGS WE SING
COUNTRY JOE & THE FISH – ELECTRIC MUSIC FOR THE MIND & BODY
CRIME IN STEREO – LOVE 7″
(with arigato cover limited to 100)
CSC FUNK BAND – TROLL’S SOIREE (7″)
CULTS – ABDUCTED/GO OUTSIDE (REMIX) (7″)
DAEDELUS – TAILOR-MADE
DB’S – PICTURE SLEEVE (7″)
DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE – ATLANTIC RECORDS PRESENTS: DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE 7″(LTD 4,000)
DECEMBERISTS – LIVE AT BULL MOOSE
DEERHOOF – FRIEND OPPORTUNITY (180 Gram, Clear Green LTD 1,000)
DEERHOOF/XIU XIU – ALMOST XIU XIU ALMOST DEERHOOF 7″ (LTD 2,000)
DEFTONES – COVERS (Rumored to be white vinyl, LTD 3,000)
DENGUE FEVER – CANNIBAL COURTSHIP
DENNEN,BRETT -B SIDE TO THE D SIDE 7″
DEREK & THE DOMINOS – GOT TO GET BETTER IN A LITTLE WHILE/LAYLA 7″
DIO – KILLING THE DRAGON LP (LTD 1,000)
DISCORDANCE AXIS – INALIENABLE DREAMLESS
DITTO,BETH – I WROTE THE BOOK/GOOD NIGHT GOOD MORNING
DODOS – ALL NIGHT (7″)
DOE,JOHN & JILL SOBULE – DAY AT THE PASS
DOM – THINGS CHANGE/JESUS 10″
DOORS – RIDERS ON THE STORM(STEREO)/RIDERS ON THE STORM 7″
DURAN DURAN -GIRL PANIC! 7″
DYLAN,BOB – BOB DYLAN IN CONCERT: BRANDEIS UNIVERSITY 1963
EARLE,JUSTIN TOWNES – MOVE OVER MAMA 7″
EARLE,STEVE – I’LL NEVER GET OUT OF THIS WORLD ALIVE 7″
ELLIOTT – US SONGS LP (Gray LTD330)
FAHEY,JOHN – REQUIA (OTHER COMPOSITIONS FOR GUITAR SOLO)
FISTFUL OF MERCY – FISTFUL OF MERCY
FITZSIMMONS,WILLIAM – GOLD IN THE SHADOW
FLAMING LIPS – HEADY NUGGS: THE FIRST 5 WARNER BROS. RECORDS 1992(Numbered and LTD 6,500)
FLEET FOXES – HELPLESSNESS BLUES (LTD 3,000)
FLEETWOOD MAC – RUMOURS
FLEETWOOD MAC – RUMOURS (180 Gram)
FLOGGING MOLLY – DON’T SHUT ‘EM DOWN 7″
FLYING LOTUS – COSMOGRAMMA ALT TAKES
FOO FIGHTERS – MEDIUM RARE LP (12 Cover songs)
FRANZ FERDINAND TRIBUTE – FRANZ FERDINAND TRIBUTE
FRUSTRATORS – GRILLER 7″ (LTD 200 copies on Red)
GELB,HOWE – SNO ANGEL + MELTED WIRES7″
GHOST OF A SABER TOOTH TIGER – LA CAROTTE BLEUE
GLASSJAW – WORSHIP & TRIBUTE (LTD 1,000)
GORDON,MIKE – MOSS REMIXES (7″)
GORDON,MIKE – INSIDE IN
GORILLAZ – FALL
GRATEFUL DEAD – GRATEFUL DEAD (MONO) (180 Gram)
GREEN DAY/HUSKER DN – DON’T WANT TO KNOW IF YOU ARE LONELY (ORANGE VINYL 7″ Limited to 6,500)
GRINDERMAN – EVIL
GRINDERMAN – PALACES OF MONTEZUMA
GROWLERS – GAY THOUGHTS (7″)
GUIDED BY VOICES TRIBUTE: SING FOR YOUR MEAT – GUIDED BY VOICES TRIBUTE: SING FOR YOUR MEAT
GUNN,STEVE & ILYAS AHMED – SPLIT (7″)
HAMMOND,JOHN – SO MANY ROADS
HEAD & THE HEART – HEAD & THE HEART
HENDRIX,JIMI – FIRE/TOUCH YOU/CAT TALKING TO ME
HENDRIX,JIMI – FIRE/TOUCH YOU
HENDRIX,JIMI TRIBUTE -FOXEY LADY/SPANISH CASTLE MAGIC/PURPLE HAZE GREEN/SANTANA/RANDOLPH
HOLLYWOOD UNDEAD – AMERICAN TRAGEDY (Picture Disc)
HURT,MISSISSIPPI JOHN – IMMORTAL
IN THIS MOMENT – PROMISE
INTERNATIONAL SUBMARINE BAND – SAFE AT HOME MONO EDITION
JACKSON,MICHAEL – HOLLYWOOD TONIGHT/BEHIND THE MASK (7″)
JAMES,SKIP – TODAY!
JAVELIN – COLERIDGE/COLLEAGUES (7″)
JAVELIN – CANYON CANDY ( 10INCH SINGLE/HAND PRINTED)
JENNY & JOHNNY/GRAM PARSONS & THE FALLEN ANGELS- LOVE HURTS (LIGHT BLUE 7″ VINYL)
JIMMY EAT WORLD – BLEED AMERICAN 3LP (Will be numbered and LTD 3,000)
JOAN JETT & THE BLACKHEARTS – I LOVE ROCK & ROLL (180GM CLEAR VINYL/LMTD ED.)
JOAN OF ARC – PRESENTS: DON’T MIND CONTROL (LTD 500)
JOB FOR A COWBOY – RUINATION 10″
JOHN LEGUIZAMO’S FREAK – JOHN LEGUIZAMO’S FREAK
JOY FORMIDIBLE – WHIRRING/CHWYRLIO
KILL ROCK STARS – KILL ROCK STARS
KILLS – SATELLITE 10″ (LTD 500)
KING,FREDDY – WASH OUT/BUTTERSCOTCH (7″)
KINGS OF LEON – HOLY ROLLER NOVOCAINE 10″ (First time released in USA, Red Vinyl)
KODE9 & THE SPACEAPE – OTHERMAN/LOVE IS THE DRUG
KUTI,FELA & THE AFRICA ’70 – MONDAY MORNING IN LAGOS PT. 1 & 2 (7″)
LADY GAGA – BORN THIS WAY
LAMONTAGNE,RAY – LIVE FALL 2010
LENKA – TWO
LOWER DENS – DEER KNIVES
MACHINE HEAD – BLACK PROCESSION (10″)
MANCHESTER ORCHESTRA – SIMPLE MATH/THE PLAN (7″)
MANHATTAN MURDER MYSTERY- MANHATTAN MURDER MYSTERY
MASTODON – LIVE AT THE ARAGON (180 Gram 2 LP, LTD 3,000)
MASTODON/ZZ TOP – JUST GOT PAID (YELLOW 7″ VINYL)
MATES OF STATE – TEAM BOO
MATT & KIM – BLOCK AFTER BLOCK (7″)
MAYALL,JOHN & ERIC CLAPTON – LONELY YEARS/BERNARD JENKINS (7″)
MCKAGAN,DUFF LOADED – TAKING
MENZINGERS – CHAMBERLAIN WAITS
MIDLAKE – AM I GOING INSANE
MIGHTY CLOUDS – MIGHTY CLOUDS
MITCHELL & MANLEY – NORCAL VALUES
MONA – LISTEN TO YOUR LOVE/ALL THIS TIME (7″)
MUMFORD & SONS – DHAROHAR PROJECT LAURA MARLING & MUMFORD & SONS 10″
MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE – NA NA NA
MY MORNING JACKET – IT STILL MOVES
MY MORNING JACKET – Z
MY MORNING JACKET – EVIL URGES
NADA SURF – MOON IS CALLING 7″
NAKED & FAMOUS – THIS MACHINE/NO LIGHT
NEUROSIS – SOVEREIGN
NEW YORK DOLLS – FOOL FOR YOU BABY 7″
NEW YORK DOLLS – DANCING BACKWARD IN HIGH HEELS
NICKEL CREEK – NICKEL CREEK
NICKEL CREEK – THIS SIDE
NICKEL CREEK – WHY SHOULD THE FIRE DIE
NIRVANA – HORMOANING (Colored, LTD 6,000)
NO ONE GOT HURT – NO ONE GOT HURT
OF MONTREAL – PAST IS A GROTESQUE ANIMAL LP (Black 180 Gram, LTD 1,000)
OFF! -LIVE AT GENERATION RECORDS 7″
OPETH – THROAT OF WINTER 7″
ORBISON,ROY – ONLY THE LONELY (MONO)/OH PRETTY WOMAN 7″
OS MUTANTES -EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE: WORLD PSYCHEDELIC CLASSICS (180GM VINYL)
OSBOURNE,OZZY – BLIZZARD OF OZ
OSBOURNE,OZZY – DIARY OF A MADMAN
OSBOURNE,OZZY – FLYIN’ HIGH/I DON’T KNOW (LIVE) (7″)
OVAL/LITURGY – SPLIT
OWEN – O EVELYN (7″)
OXBOW – KING OF THE JEWS
PARLOPHONE – PARLOPHONE (7″ Box Set)
PEARL JAM – VITALOGY
PEARL JAM – VS.
PEARL JAM – IMMORTALITY (7″)
PETTY,TOM & THE HEARTBREAKERS – TOM PETTY & THE HEARTBREAKERS (WHITE VINYL)
PETTY,TOM & THE HEARTBREAKERS – YOR’RE GONNA GET IT (BLUE VINYL)
PHISH – PHISH: TWO SOUNDCHECKS 7″
PIEBALD – VOL I-III TRIPLE GATEFOLD (Each vinyl is a different color, LTD 1,000)
PINK FLOYD – LONDON 66/67
POLVO -CELEBRATE THE NEW DARK AGE
PORTABLE SHRINES MAGICAL SOUND THEATRE – VOL. 1-PORTABLE SHRINES MAGICAL SOUND THEATRE
PRURIENT – MANY JEWELS SURROUND THE CROWN (7″)
QUEEN – KEEP YOURSELF ALIVE (7″)
QUICKSAND – S/T 7″ (LTD 500 on Blue)
R.E.M.- R.E.M. THREE: FIRST THREE SINGLES FROM COLLAPSE (7″)
RANCID – LET THE DOMINOES FALL-COLLECTOR’S EDITION (Incl. Regular CD, Acoustic CD, Regular 180 Gram LP, Acoustic 180 Gram LP, 72 page booklet, poster, four guitar pics and DVD)
RATELIFF,NATHANIEL – SHROUD 7″
RED CRAYOLA – HURRICANE FIGHTER PLANE B/W PINK STAINLE 7″
RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS/THE RAMONES – HAVANA AFFAIR (RED 7″ VINYL, Total 6,500)
REKORDS REKORDS – REKORDS REKORDS
REPUBLIC TIGERS – MERRYMAKE IT WITH ME 7″
REPUBLIC TIGERS – NO LAND’S MAN EP
RHYMESAYERS VINYL PICTURE DISC – RHYMESAYERS VINYL PICTURE DISC
RISE AGAINST – JOIN THE RANKS 7″ (LTD 800 Copies)
RIVAL SCHOOLS – WRING IT OUT/CHOOSE YOUR ADVENTURE 7″ (LTD 1,500)
ROBERTSON,ROBBIE – HOW TO BE CLAIRVOYANT
RODRIGUEZ-LOPEZ,OMAR -TELESTERION
ROLLING STONES- BROWN SUGAR (7″)
RYAN ADAMS & THE CARDINALS – CLASS MYTHOLOGY EP 2×7″ (LTD 2,500 one orange 7″, one yellow 7″. Four unreleased outtakes from Cardinology Era. Cover is a collage done by Ryan Adams)
SENNEN – AGE OF DENIAL
SILVERSTEIN – SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL RECORD STORE 7″ (LTD 500. Includes one new track plus four covers from Kid Dynamite, American Nightmare and Propagandhi)
SIMON,PAUL – SO BEAUTIFUL OR SO WHAT
SKYSAW – NO ON CAN TELL/SERATED (7″)
SOMEONE STILL LOVES YOUR BORIS YELTSIN – BROOM LP (Includes 2 songs not on CD, LTD 500)
SONIC YOUTH – WHORE’S MOANING: OZ ’93 TOUR EDITION
SPEKTOR,REGINA – FOUR FROM FAR (POWDER BLUE 7″ VINYL)
SPRINGSTEEN,BRUCE & THE E STREET BAND- GOTTA GET THAT FEELING/RACING IN THE S (10″)
SUBMARINES – LOVE NOTES/LETTER BOMBS
SUPERCHUNK – HERE’S WHERE THE STRINGS COME IN
TELEVISION – LIVE AT THE OLD WALDORF (180GM WHITE VINYL)
THERAPIES SON – OVER THE SEA 10″
TOADIES – NO DELIVERANCE/SOMEONE GREAT 7″
TOSH,PETER – LEGALIZE IT (7 INCH SINGLE/COLORED VINYL)
TRANSIT – PROMISE NOTHING 7″ (LTD 1,000 copies with 300 on green/gray and 700 on blue/clear)
TRON TRANSLUCENCE EP -SOUNDTRACK 10″
TOUCHE AMORE – TO THE BEAT OF A DEAD HORSE LP
(White, LTD 250)
URGE OVERKILL – EFFIGY 7″
VELVET UNDERGROUND – FOGGY NOTION/I CAN’T STAND IT 7″
VILLAGERS/CHARLOTTE GAINSBOURG – MEMOIR/SET THE TIGERS FREE 7″
VIVIAN GIRLS – I HEARD YOU SAY 7″
VORWARTS – VORWARTS
WAVVES/TRASH TALK – THORNS/TV LUV SONG 7″
WHITMORE,WILLIAM ELLIOTT & P.O.S – SPLIT 7″
WILD FLAG – FUTURE CRIMES 7″
WILLIAM ELLIOT WHITMORE/POS 7″
WILLIAMS,HANK III- DAMN RIGHT REBEL PROUD
WILLIAMS,HANK III – STRAIGHT TO HELL
WILLIAMS,HANK III – RISIN’ OUTLAW
WILLIAMS,HANK III – LOVESICK BROKE & DRIFTIN’
WILLIAMS,HANK III – REBEL WITHIN
WIZ KHALIFA – ROLLING PAPERS
YARDBIRDS – GOODNIGHT SWEET JOSEPHINE/THINK ABOUT IT 7″
YOUNG THE GIANT – APARTMENT 7″
YOUTH OF TODAY – S/T 7″ (RED, LTD500)
THE WONDER YEARS – THE UPSIDES LP (Gatefold, orange, limited to 500)