February 23, 2023
Gorillaz Listening Event - Friday, February 24th at 10:00am
Gorillaz fans! Join us Friday February 24th at 10AM for a Gorillaz 'Cracker Island' listening party! We will have all kinds of free swag with purchase and one lucky customer will win a Gorillaz hoodie.
Pre-order the new record HERE.
THIS LISTENING EVENT IS FREE AND OPEN TO ALL AGES.
New This Week At The Shop
Pop genre-ambassadors GORILLAZ have made classic records so consistently for so long, they're no longer described as "Damon from Blur's band". Few groups have pushed their songcraft into so many new spaces, and they've always done it with eye-catching guests, several of which turn up on their latest, 'Cracker Island'. Thundercat, Stevie Nicks, Tame Impala, and, quite memorably, Bad Bunny all make appearances on this record, which many critics are calling their best yet. We'll be having a listening event for this record beginning when we open at 10 on Friday, with cool Gorillaz merch to give away, and all purchases (including pre-orders) of the LP or CD being entered to win a super-nice Gorillaz hoodie, just in time for the next ice storm to hit. We're pelted with other new releases this week, including a blazing new record from ALGIERS, the Atlanta experimental afro-punk band that has attracted a lot of talented, high profile friends who are around every corner on 'Shook'. Zack De La Rocha, Boy Harsher, billy woods, Sam Herring of Future Islands, DeForrest Brown Jr, and Big Rube of Dungeon Family all turn up on this roiling record of poignant polemic poetics. It's been an incredible career arc for U.S. GIRLS, who began her career playing noise on the frozen floors of Chicago DIY spots, and now delivers her fourth album of languid soft-soul fusion for the 4AD label, 'Bless This Mess', a rumination on motherhood that is electrifyingly funky. The DAVID BOWIE estate has more than enough to work with when it comes to re-inventing 'Hunky Dory', the alien don's fourth studio album. A single LP version of 'A Divine Symmetry' distills a nice selection of demos from 1971, including a cover of 'Waiting For The Man' that really gets the drop on you.
We have been waiting quite some time for the vinyl version of BILL CALLAHAN's latest album, 'YTILAER', just long enough to figure out how to type its title. Despite the complications there, this might be Bill's most straight-forward, instant-classic record yet. The arrangements this time around edge closer to barrelhouse territory compared to the laconic pacing of the Smog era, a lively companion to the lyrical ellipticals that come out of Callahan's pen. Country crooner DOUGIE POOLE takes a similar approach, hiding nuggets of unusual songwriting wisdom amidst traditional trappings on 'The Rainbow Wheel Of Death'. The 80s country rock classic from THE DESERT ROSE BAND is back in print, showcasing young Chris Hillman and Herb Pedersen early in their careers. We missed the incredible mini-album 'Harping' from HOLY HIVE when it first came around in 2019, and now we've got a fresh crack at this lush disc of immortal soul, which finds harpist Mary Lattimore joining the chorus of falsetto.
London five piece SHAME have cemented themselves as figureheads of the Brexit-era post-punk scene, and they've generated another strong batch of knotty anthems on the Flood-produced 'Food For Worms'. Illinois pop-punkers REAL FRIENDS return with 'There's Nothing Worse Than Too Late', and we've got new editions, at a slightly more friendly list price, of a pair of sought-after MARS VOLTA titles: 'De-Loused In The Comatorium' and 'Frances The Mute'.
Beloved neo-soul merchants Durand Jones and the Indications have announced a new record out in May, and to tide us over we've got a new record from their keyboardist, Steve, who as it just so happens has a softer, spiritual side with his solo recordings as OKONSKI. Pioneering jazz-rock ensemble THE BAD PLUS have reconfigured as a quartet for a stunning new record called 'The Bad Plus.', with fresh guitar contributions from Ben Monder. The Iranian-American brother duo SAINT ABDULLAH link up with Brooklyn drummer JASON NAZARY from Anteloper on 'Evicted In The Morning', a fascinating set of rhythmic excursions for fans of Eli Keszler or Vlad Delay. Eternal Aussie trio THE NECKS are back with 'Travel', another cant-miss session of arboreal, hypnotic jazz mysticism.
Goth rock icons assemble! We've got a nice color edition of the massive sophomore album 'Love' by THE CULT in stock, alongside limited color reissues of a trio of classic LPs from the Aussie bad boys CRIME & THE CITY SOLUTION, who added Neubauten's Alexander Hacke and DAF's Chrislo Haas into the mix for 'Shine', 'The Bride Ship' and 'Paradise Discotheque'.
The conscious rapper's best revenge is living well, and OPEN MIKE EAGLE proves it with his best record yet, 'Component System With The Auto Reverse', close to two decades into his career. Incredible production here from a host of familiar names, and Mike's hilariously insightful rhymes are as sharp as ever. Maryland rapper IDK has built up a great deal of hype in a self-made Kendrick style over the last few years; this week we get vinyl editions of his last 3 albums, 'Is He Real?', 'USEE4YOURSELF', and 'Simple.'
Beloved electronic duo AUTECHRE welcomed a new century with gusto on 2001's 'Confield', the unit's most thrillingly abstract album at that point (and in some ways, even still), which polarized their fanbase like a well-timed glitch. The phrase "artificial intelligence" got thrown around a lot to describe this music back then, and I vastly prefer that version, which celebrated the inhuman dimensions of computerized sound, to the frightening coinage we hear about so often today. 'Confield' and its equally intrepid follow-up, 'Draft 7.30', are both back in print on LP this week. Louche indie-poppers SAINT ETIENNE hit a glorious high on 1998's 'Good Humor', back in print on limited marble wax this week; plus we've got a domestic edition of the massive EDM heater 'Bloom' from RUFUS DU SOL.
A 60s rarity from Japanese hard-bopper HIDEO SHIRAKI leading a sextet through a selection of Horace Silver tunes gets its first ever release outside of Japan this week. Numero embellishes the lovely tropical pop perfection of ISABELLE ANTENA's 1986 solo debut 'En Cavale' with a nice new edition, plus we've got new LP pressings of a couple incredible early 70s albums by soundtrack composer PIERO UMILIANI.
Used Vinyl LP Alert
In this week's Used Vinyl drop we've got jams so hot it'll make you forget about the snow we got this week. We've got a huge run of Soul and R&B reissues and classics from the likes of Prince, Janet Jackson, John Legend, Stevie Wonder, Ike and Tina, Leon Bridges, and Alicia Keys.
There's also a great selection of recent Jazz reissues of classic titles from folks like Thelonious Monk, Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Hank Mobley, John Coltrane, Lonnie Smith, Grant Green, and Art Blakey.
A great selection of Hip-Hop and Rap from The Roots, Wu-Tang Clan, Brother Ali, Public Enemy, Outkast, Dr. Dre, and Missy Elliott.
As always we've got plenty of rock represented. Veterans like The Beatles, Beach Boys, Cheap Trick, Elton John, Fleetwood Mac, Black Sabbath, Madonna, ABBA, and Clapton. We've even got some recent surprises like Evanescence, My Chemical Romance, Fall Out Boy, Haim, and Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Rounding things out for the week we've got plenty of folk, country, soundtracks, electronic, blues, country, and classical with what we've highlighted above.
There's also a great selection of recent Jazz reissues of classic titles from folks like Thelonious Monk, Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Hank Mobley, John Coltrane, Lonnie Smith, Grant Green, and Art Blakey.
A great selection of Hip-Hop and Rap from The Roots, Wu-Tang Clan, Brother Ali, Public Enemy, Outkast, Dr. Dre, and Missy Elliott.
As always we've got plenty of rock represented. Veterans like The Beatles, Beach Boys, Cheap Trick, Elton John, Fleetwood Mac, Black Sabbath, Madonna, ABBA, and Clapton. We've even got some recent surprises like Evanescence, My Chemical Romance, Fall Out Boy, Haim, and Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Rounding things out for the week we've got plenty of folk, country, soundtracks, electronic, blues, country, and classical with what we've highlighted above.
SAVE THE DATE - RECORD STORE DAY 2023 IS APRIL 22ND
RECORD STORE DAY IS APRIL 22ND:
Launched in 2007 with the humble idea to recognize independent record stores, Record Store Day (RSD) has blossomed into a global phenomenon. The list of RSD vinyl and CD exclusives continues to expand, as more labels continue to throw open their catalogs to an appreciative audience that grows each year.
Beyond the day-long frenzy, RSD exists to offer proof of the lively role record stores play in the community and a chance for folks on both sides of the counter to offer gratitude for each other. It's a capsule-sized snapshot of what this whole record world is about. Whether you’re a hardcore type who times their arrival for a spot at the front of the line or somebody who waits until the afternoon for a more leisurely experience, we hope you’ll join us.
WISHLISTS:
Record Store Day wish lists can be made HERE. The deadline to create or modify a RSD WISH LIST was Thursday, February 23rd at NOON.
Launched in 2007 with the humble idea to recognize independent record stores, Record Store Day (RSD) has blossomed into a global phenomenon. The list of RSD vinyl and CD exclusives continues to expand, as more labels continue to throw open their catalogs to an appreciative audience that grows each year.
Beyond the day-long frenzy, RSD exists to offer proof of the lively role record stores play in the community and a chance for folks on both sides of the counter to offer gratitude for each other. It's a capsule-sized snapshot of what this whole record world is about. Whether you’re a hardcore type who times their arrival for a spot at the front of the line or somebody who waits until the afternoon for a more leisurely experience, we hope you’ll join us.
WISHLISTS:
Record Store Day wish lists can be made HERE. The deadline to create or modify a RSD WISH LIST was Thursday, February 23rd at NOON.
SELL US YOUR CDS & LPS
Yes, we are still buying! Call Ron to schedule (608.213.3610).
Ron, Ryan, Angie, Marty, Evan, Matt, Ed, Eric, Jack, Steve, Mark, Brad, Roger, & Adam
