The fiercely independent creative culture that thrives in the Pacific Northwest has, of late, been receiving an upsurge of deserved attention, and for good reason. No band in the region embodies independence, practices innovative, artful living and is dedicated to their craft more than Point Juncture, WA., a collaboration between four Portland, OR. songwriters, instrumentalists, recording engineers, and friends: Amanda Spring (vocals, drums) Victor Nash (keyboards, vocals) Skyler Norwood (guitar, vibraphone) and Wilson Vediner (guitar). Point Juncture, WA live together in a house they purchased as a band and jointly own. Point Juncture, WA grows a lot of their own food, and camps on tour, cooking said food over campfires. Point Juncture, WA transformed a dilapidated barn on their property into a state-of-the-art, Dwell Magazine-worthy recording studio with their own hands so that they could have the perfect environment in which to create their newest full-length, Handsome Orders. Point Juncture, WA has always recorded their own albums, and they’ve printed their own records. Point Juncture, WA is not a band that is messing around, and it’s their time to shine.
During their years together, the band has toured extensively. They’ve been out as main support for The Thermals, and Stereolab, Dirty Three, and Britt Daniel. They’ve spent years touring the Western states under their own steam, playing festivals like Sasquatch and Bumbershoot and basement shows in towns you’ve never heard of, building a rich and devout network of friends and devotees along the way. They are a band who knows what a good record sounds like, and not just because they’ve been self-recording for seven years: members of the band have recorded records for Horse Feathers, Blind Pilot, Talkdemonic, and collaborated on recordings with The Decemberists, Laura Viers, Thao with The Get Down Stay Down and several others.
The band’s first two full-lengths, Juxtapony and Mama Auto Boss (2004 & 2005) were responses to what the band saw in clubs and basements at that time; love letters to hooky Northwest anthemic pop. 2009’s more diverse, textural Heart To Elk (named as Amazon.com’s Top 100 Records of 2009) was recorded at home over the period of two years by the band as they fully explored their influences and found new ground in the confluence of many different musical tastes.
Now having creatively explored what they’ve seen and what they hadn’t, Handsome Orders shows Point Juncture, WA looking deep within at what, and who, they’ve become as a band. Direct songs like “Violin Case” and “Chronological Order” show the band sticking to a less-is-more compositional philosophy—a practice they weave throughout Handsome Orders. Previously, the band’s catchy rock songs were often blanketed with vibraphone, synthesizer ambiance and layers of guitar feedback that would crest just at the point of obscuring the song’s melody. Now, a driving dissonance is absorbed into the bass and guitar parts themselves, offering the same counterpoint to the pop song’s format, but in a newly nuanced and elegant form. Keyboards, horns and guitar noise exist as textural layers above and underneath the fundamentals ofHandsome Orders‘ tracks, but each song has a dynamic range not common to a band so rooted in it’s live performance.
Point Juncture, WA uses that range to maximum effect, often piling the biggest and most chaotic moments of orchestration right on top of its most intimate and transparent songs (like “Boston Gold”, a whispered vocal melody over a slight but steady brushed drumbeat). The syncopated combination of Southern revival tambourine and auto harp glissando on “Baptist Jesus” (which features Steve Berlin from Los Lobos on baritone saxophone) is coupled with drums and an analog synthesizer right out of the Kraftwork songbook.
To celebrate the release of Handsome Orders The Vinyl District Nashville is giving away a copy of the record. All you have to do is tell us why you need Point Juncture, WA’s Handsome Orders in the comments section for your chance to win the LP! Get your comments posted, we’ll be choosing a winner on May 31st!
ABOUT GROUP – START AND COMPLETE – DOMINO RECORDING CO. – Comprising Alexis Taylor (Hot Chip), Charles Hayward (This Heat), John Coxon (Spring Heel Jack, Spiritualized) and Pat Thomas, who has played with the likes of Derek Bailey, Tony Oxley and others, the band originally formed to make a record of improvised music for the Treader label in 2009, having never played together as a whole before the day it took them to make their first album. After a clutch of live performances (supporting Gang Gang Dance, playing Ornette Coleman’s Meltdown Festival and even Glastonbury, among others) they regrouped to record this album.
AN HORSE – WALLS – MOM & POP MUSIC – Walls has plenty of the whip-smart, energetic rock that propelled An Horse half-way across the world. The album’s opening track, “Dressed Sharply,” is as fizzy and explosive as a shook-up bottle of champagne, spraying the listener with showers of melody and noise. It’s no surprise that the tune is a fan favorite already, thanks to having been previewed in their recent shows. But on the song that follows it, “Not Mine,” the craft and care that went into Walls’ making becomes even clearer. Kate and Damon’s passionate vocals, weave into a pattern with Kate’s chiming guitar, building the intensity slowly and deliberately as Damon’s drums nudge the momentum along.
BAPTISTS – GOOD PARENTING – SOUTHERN LORD RECORDINGS – “Vancouver four-piece hardcore band Baptists just released their self-titled debut 7” for Southern Lord. Baptists is a fairly new band, having formed in 2010, but is comprised of long-time veterans of the Vancouver hardcore scene. Members have had stints in bands that include Ladyhawk, Sports and A Textbook Tragedy. This new four-track (12 min.) single is raw, aggressive hardcore played in the style of bands like Converge and the Cro-Mags.” –brooklynrocks
BATILLUS – FURNACE – SEVENTH RULE – “Big on atmosphere, big on time and big on tone, the first album from Brooklyn doomers Batillus is a bleak, oppressive six-song outing that’s bound to ring their name out among the underground converted. ” –The Obelisk
Big Pauper – Beyond My Means – Circle Into Square/Fake Four – Portland’s Big Pauper is an acclaimed producer, deejay and visual artist with a penchant for forgotten media and discarded technologies. His ten year stint managing the abstract hip hop label Token Recluse found a wide variety of projects in his lap. Pauper established himself with the notoriety of a full length cut and paste reinterpretation of first Radiohead, and then Beck. In their wake, Pauper performed at Scribble Jam & the Red Bull Music Academy, toured Europe a handful of times and worked with the likes of Two Ton Sloth, Cut Chemist and the Dandy Warhols. Big Pauper also has been producing circuit bent video work within the world-renowned sound art collective Folktek and gearing his projects towards a variety of video-art installations. “Beyond My Means” sits comfortably somewhere between a 93 era instrumental hip hop record and some of the best downtempo electronic work out there today. It is a dusty, glitchy and often times noisy tapestry of found sounds, VHS beats and analog synth textures. The album has it’s roots deep in sixties psych rock, the dregs of new age tape crustiness, our waning industrial society and most evidently, schlock cinema (everything from Portuguese horror, to the sleaziest of nunsploitation). The album draws comparisons to recent works from the Books, Broadcast, Odd Nosdam and Edan. Beyond My Means unfolds like a grindhouse double feature, that private press record you can’t believe you found, or your third eye chakra babbling on after a group reiki session.
BLACK MOUNTAIN – ROLLERCOASTER B/W IN THE DRONE 7″ – JAGJAGUWAR – “Rollercoaster” is the third single from Black Mountain’s Wilderness Heart. This song really showcases the band’s trademark psych-metal sound, and throughout it the interchanging vocals of Steve McBean and Amber Webber are in full force. The song was recorded at Sunset Sound in Hollywood with D. Sardy. The b-side to this single is entitled “In The Drones” and is previously unreleased. It features Webber’s haunting vocals at the forefront, accompanied by reverb-drenched picking and shadowy synth stylings underneath. The song was recorded in Seattle at London Bridge Studio with Randall Dunn.
BLOOD ORANGE – DINNER / BAD GIRLS 7″ – TERRIBLE RECORDS – “Blood Orange is Dev Hynes’ latest project, after releasing music as Lightspeed Champion and Test Icicles and recording with Solange Knowles, Theophilus London, Aaron Pfenning (of Chairlift) among many others. Blood Orange recalls a sweaty 1980s New York dance scene with some R&B flavor and MJ synths. Prince definitely comes to mind as well. These tracks were produced by Chris Taylor with Dev, and are the first official release of any Blood Orange material.” –Insound
Boris – Attention Please – Sargent House
Boris – Heavy Rocks (2011) – Sargent House
BORIS – Attention Please came to be following Boris touring the world in 2008 in support of their last album, Smile. The trio set about recording new material and a new album was completed, then abandoned. The band sought to challenge themselves further, and the end results are two new albums of dramatic growth and the most powerful extension toBoris‘ unparalleled creativity, Attention Please and the all new Heavy Rocks (not to be mistaken for their earlier 2002 release, Heavy Rocks).
Chatham County Line – IV – Yep Roc Records – The North Carolina quartet’s fourth album IV, is a boozy blend of Americana and loose acoustic rockers that exhibits the band’s ever-evolving style. CCL continues their dedication to traditional instruments by using their love for bluegrass as a base on which to layer an eclectic blend of roots music. Bluegrass workouts like “The Carolinian” stand beside pop geared numbers such as “Chip of a Star” and the hard soul of “Birmingham Jail.” The progression seen on IV is helped along by indie pop musician and producer Chris Stamey (Yo La Tengo, Alex Chilton, Alejandro Escovedo), making for a starkly heartfelt testament to making the past new again.
DENNIS COFFEY – DENNIS COFFEY – STRUT – For these sessions, in addition to a host of new compositions, Coffey personally cherry-picks tracks upon which he first appeared and enlists an illustrious guest list for all-new interpretations. Stones Throw’s new soul hero Mayer Hawthorne takes up The Parliaments’ poignant mid-tempo swayer ’All Your Goodies Are Gone’, Fanny Franklin from killer Hollywood funk combo Orgone voices a new version of Wilson Pickett’s psych-soul jam ’Don’t Knock My Love’ and Lisa Kekaula from California garage-soul band The Bellrays takes on the 100 Proof Aged In Soul stomper ’Somebody’s Been Sleeping’. The Detroit connection looms large throughout the set – Mick Collins from the Dirtbombs alongside Detroit Cobras’ Rachel Nagy unleash a dark, brooding take on Funkadelic’s ’I Bet You’. UK chart sensation Paolo Nutini contributes a passionate version of Rodriguez’ „Only Good For Conversation.“ Completing the list of collaborations, Milwaukee funk sensations Kings Go Forth (Luaka Bop) mould an intense funk jam around some heavy Coffey licks on ’Miss Millie’. For his new compositions on the album, Coffey revisits the uncompromising instrumental style he is renowned for. Album opener ’7th Galaxy’ echoes the hard guitar ’n’ breaks of his Detroit Guitar Band recordings for Sussex, ’Knockabout’ whips up an epic funky soundtrack groove and ’Space Traveller’ simmers on a sleazy, guitar-drenched, slo mo workout.
MATTHEW COOPER – SOME DAYS ARE BETTER THAN OTHERS – TEMPORARY RESIDENCE – We have waited with eager anticipation to release Matthew Cooper’s spellbinding soundtrack to Some Days Are Better Than Others since before his creative breakthrough album, Similes (released under his more widely known Eluvium moniker) was even made. The film stars James Mercer (Broken Bells, The Shins) and Carrie Brownstein (Portlandia, Sleater-Kinney) as strangers whose lives occasionally intersect as they navigate their way through the struggles of personal attachment and disconnection. When viewing the film, Cooper observed themes being presented regarding our throw-away society, and realized that both he andSome Days director Matt McCormick shared a common interest in this world of things left behind and the emotional baggage that is connected to it – whether broken or simply tossed aside for something new; something once considered the future, turning into antiquated rubble. Cooper decided that using a collection of damaged instruments would be a fitting way to underscore this aspect of the film. Here he uses the inherent characteristics of these instruments to create something honest and beautiful, something that is at once familiar, damaged and unique – something we can all relate to.
This week Grimey’s posts their TOP 50 Vinyl best sellers for the week of Record Store Day. Make sure you scroll past the chart for upcoming events at Grimey’s.
Here’s what Grimey’s co-owner Doyle Davis had to say post RSD11:
Wow. Record Store Day. In the immortal words of Talking Heads, “What A Day That Was!” It was our best day ever in the history of Grimey’s. So thank you. Honestly it blew away the previous best day, which was RSD 2010, by the proverbial country mile. Thank you for choosing to spend the day or at least part of the day with us. The weather was crappy and cold but the vibe was warm and fuzzy, the bands were great and Chuck D from Public Enemy dropped by to hang out with us (and you). Chuck D! Here’s a shot of Chuck with Grimey’s owners Doyle (yours truly) and Mike Grimes.
And here’s a video of Chuck D’s passionate speech about creating your own local culture and supporting those doing so in your own community (it’s a Facebook link so you’ll need a FB acct to view it). Chuck also gave much love to our beloved WRVU in their campaign to save their broadcast license. He was only the most righteous, courteous and on point guy you could imagine! And yes, I got my OG copy of “It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back” LP signed. Thank you, Chuck D for putting the icing on our Record Store Day cake.
And thanks to Matt & Kim, the No Name BBQ crew, United Record Pressing, Yeah In The ‘Boro, Jonas Stein and Turbo Time Records, the Nashville Film Festival and everyone else who helped make it such an amazing day. Mark your calendars now for our next big outdoor event: Americanarama Deluxe in the back parking lot on Saturday, October 15th. This year’s annual fall festival will be in conjunction with the Americana Music Association Festival and Conference. We’ll have live bands all day and all the usual goodness plus a storewide sale.
Our Record Store Day event was well-covered in the media. Billboard magazine ran a nice piece about RSD in Nashville with coverage of the goings on at Third Man as well. The Associated Press ran a piece on Jack White and Third Man and also included some love for Grimey’s as well. Here’s the link from Yahoo. And Rolling Stone magazine just won’t quit! Last week they tagged us a one of the best record stores in the US and just last night I got my “dead tree” edition of the new issue and lo-and-behold they feature Nashville as “Best Music Scene” of the moment with a nice mention and photo of our little record store. The article is behind a pay-wall online but here’s a scan of the piece as a PDF. Thanks RS!
That’s all I’m going to say about RSD at this time. We’re still basking in the glow and trying to restock the store. Damn y’all bought a lot of stuff! We learned a lot from this year and we promise to make RSD 2012 even better.
Great job again Grimey’s. We thank you for all that you do! And now, THE CHART!
Top 50 Record Store Day Releases
1. Mumford & Sons w/ Laura Marling – Dharohar Project 10″
2. Kings Of Leon – Holy Roller Novocain 10″
3. Justin Townes Earle – Move Over Mama 7″
4. The Civil Wars – Dance Me To The End 7″
5. Matt & Kim – Block After Block 7″
6. Ryan Adams – Class Mythology 7″
7. Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues 12″
8. Big Star – 3rd Test Pressing LP
9. Nirvana – Hormoaning 12″
10. The Rolling Stones – Brown Sugar 7″
11. Bob Dylan – In Concert: Brandeis University 1963 LP
12. Bruce Springsteen – Gotta Get That Feeling 10″
13. Ray Lamontagne – Live Fall 2010 LP
14. White Stripes – Let’s Shake Hands 7″
15. White Stripes – Lafayette Blues 7″
16. The Velvet Underground – Foggy Notion 7″
17. Jimi Hendrix – Fire 7″
18. Steve Earle – I’ll Never Get Out Of This World Alive 7″
34. Rome (Danger Mouse/Jack White) – Two Against One 7″
35. Rush – Caravan 7″
36. Fela Kuti – Monday Morning In Lagos 7″
37. The Doors – Riders On The Storm 7″
38. Queen – Keep Yourself Alive 7″
39. The Decemberists – Live At Bull Moose CD
40. Yeasayer – End Blood 12″
41. Grinderman – Palaces Of Montezuma 12″
42. Grinderman – Evil 12″
43. Syd Barrett – An Introduction to Syd Barrett
44. Akron/Family – <BMBZ> LP
45. Superchunk / Coliseum split 7″
46. The Clutters – Under Suspicion 7″
47. The Cars – Sad Song 7″
48. Flogging Molly – Don’t Shut ‘Em Down 7″
49. Various – Follow Me Down: Vanguard’s Lost Psychedelic Era LP
50. Mastodon / ZZ Top – Just Got Paid 7″
Record Store Day is EVERYDAY at Grimey’s so make sure you go check out some free live music and maybe grab a free beer while your at it.
Upcoming In-Store Events
In-stores are all free and all ages, always. Come rock with us.
NATURAL CHILD – Saturday, April 23rd @ 4:20 Infinity Cat sensations Natural Child have been taking it to the people of late, opening for the Black Lips, releasing a single on the Scion/Vice series and dropping 7″ bombs on Infinity Cat. Now it’s time for the full-length. Their brand new album drops on 4-20 (nudge-nudge, wink-wink) and we’ve got them playing in the store the following Saturday at 4:20! So make the proper preparations and head on over to rock out with us and Natural Child! Scuzzy garage rock, psych, a little Southern twang and some heavy, loud thunder await you. Natural Child’s website Infinity Cat’s website
Ik Ben Listening Party – Saturday, April 23rd @ 5PM Our pals in Ik Ben (Dutch for ‘I am’), the Hylbert brothers, have a new vinyl-only album to unleash called “Ocean Wayfare” and they’re bringing it to Grimey’s for all of us to check out. We’ll hang out, drop the needle and soak up the sounds while throwing back some beers. That’s right, it’s beer:30! What’s Ik Ben about you ask? The group offers glimpses of inspiration from the likes of the Velvets, The Dirty Mac, Faces, Big Star, Kristoffersen, Townes van Zant and the Glimmer Twins. Or you could say it’s “brother rock”. Come see Natural Child and stick around, won’t you? Ik Ben on Facebook
Fleet Foxes Listening Party – Saturday, April 30th @ 5PM Another beer:30 event! That means we throw a party and share free beers with you! For this occasion we’ll be previewing the new Fleet Foxes album “Helplessness Blues”. Come hang with us, listen to the golden voices of the Fleet Foxes and drink some beer. We’ll have some cool stuff for you to win as well with the grand prize being an extremely limited color vinyl LP of the new album (only 100 made!!!) plus we’ll have some silk-screened posters and a Sub Pop prize pack to give away. You can also enter to win a pair of tickets to their sold out show at the Ryman on May 13th. Not bad for a Saturday afternoon, eh? Fleet Foxes’ website
The CLUTTERS – Tuesday, May 3rd @ 6PM
The Clutters have long been one of our favorite Nashville bands.I’ll never forget watching Grimey hand Cameron Crowe a copy of their debut “T&C” and passionately recommending it to him. And sure enough, Crowe mentioned it as one of his favorite releases of 2005. And The Clutters keep getting better and better. They just released their new 7″ single “Under Suspicion” for Record Store Day (and we still have it in stock) and now they’re ready to unleash their brand new full-length with a full-on Grimey’s in-store performance. The new album is called “Breaking Bones” and will be out (officially) on May 10th on Chicken Ranch Records. However we’ll have it a week early for this in-store. The Clutters will tear the roof off and I want you to come rock out with us. The Clutters’ website
NEW MASTERSOUNDS – Wednesday, May 4th @ 6PM New Mastersounds are the funkiest band in England and one of the original proponents of the contemporary deep funk scene, along with Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings. They are also a badass soul jazz band with chops to die for. They do it all. Do. Not. Miss. New Mastersounds website
TALIB KWELI – Thursday, May 5th @ 6PM Boo-ya! Straight outta Brooklyn, Talib Kweli will hit Grimey’s for a Q&A with fans and an autograph signing. He’ll be performing later in the evening at The Cannery Ballroom but don’t miss this chance to hang out with the co-founder of Black Star (along with Mos Def) and get him to sign copies of his latest, “Gutter Rainbows”. Talib Kweli’s website
ear X-tacy has reported back to The Vinyl District that they had a fantastic Record Store Day. In addition to performances from Thomas A Minor & Mountain Heart they also had the distinction of being one of FIVE record stores IN THE WORLD to have one of the coveted Big Star original test pressings! A HUGE congratulations to customer Mike Creamer for being the lucky one to find the test pressing (which is 36 years old) contained in his Record Store Day purchase.
Thomas A. Minor & The Picket Line
Mountain Heart
But I’m getting ahead of myself because before Record Store Even began ear X-tacy was named one of the best record stores in the USA by Rolling StoneAND TIME Magazine!
A big, comfortable space in a medium-sized, comfortable town, Ear X-tacy is arguably Louisville’s second-greatest tourist attraction after the Kentucky Derby. Yet there’s nothing touristy about it: From a packed schedule of in-store performances to a generous selection of local artists — not to mention national and international ones — this is a classic hometown record shop, with generous amounts of music-related items (not just CDs and vinyl). You know that long out of print title you’ve always hoped to run across in person? Chances are that it’s here — and that it’s cheap. -Rolling Stone
John Timmons grew up as a music fanatic in the ’60s, buying records, then 8-track tapes, then cassettes and CDs. He opened ear X-tacy in 1985, and it’s become the launch pad for a handful of Louisville bands that have gone on to wider fame, most notably My Morning Jacket. The store will be selling half the copies of a super-limited MMJ single coming out on Record Store Day. “The artists really do care about the physical, brick-and-mortar stores,” Timmons says. “And our employees are true music junkies — they can talk to anybody about any sort of music. It’s that personal interaction that’s kept us going.” -Time Magazine
Not too shabby guys! Keep up the good work!
The Chart:
ear X-tacy’s top 25 Vinyl sales 4.11-4.17.2011 (including RSD11)
Take a deep breath… I know you all have a back log of records to listen to right now. There were literally HUNDREDS of new vinyl goodness released between last Tuesday and Record Store Day. Did you get everything you wanted? If you didn’t, no worries because there is always another Tuesday and more new stuff to peruse.
Before I move on to the list, did you hear that Jack White was given the first-ever Music City Ambassador Award on Saturday, presented to him by Nashville Mayor Karl Dean and the Nashville Music Council. I think that’s pretty cool. Here is what the Mayor had to say:
“Today’s award recognizes an individual who carries Nashville’s diverse musical message worldwide, Jack White’s individual talent and unique creative spirit bridges gaps between genres and generations and I couldn’t be more pleased to thank him for his work on behalf of the music industry and its hometown.”
NEW VINYL RELEASES 4.19.2011
The B-52s – s/t – Mobile Fidelity – The B-52s were about a decade ahead of the alt-rock revolution when they recorded this delightfully campy, intentionally goofy, lyrically tawdry, and undeniably harmonic 1979 new-wave set that comes off as the best dance party you might ever hear. This is 40 minutes of nothing but a good time. Mastered on Mobile Fidelity’s world-renowned mastering system and pressed at RTI (America’s best record plant), Silver Label numbered limited edition LP presents the B-52’s brilliant debut in a fidelity it’s never previously enjoyed. So detailed and realistic are the timbres, accents, and harmonies, you’ll think the band’s bright outfits are appearing right in front of you. Plus, the LP is worth the cost alone for the iconic album cover, which spotlights those bouffant ‘dos.
Alela Diane & Wild Divine – s/t – Rough Trade – “Following up the mesmerizing, occasionally grave psych-folk of 2009’s To Be Still, Diane seems to be craving a wider audience. Alela Diane & Wild Divine — referencing the backing band that includes both her husband and father — sports brighter, sunnier textures, thanks to producer Scott Litt (R.E.M., Nirvana), who keeps the quaint splotches of mandolin and steel guitar to a minimum. It’s not pop, but it’s getting closer.” –SPIN
No need for introductions this week, Grimey’s is featured on TVD today because they are one of YOUR favorite record shops! Make sure you click the link for all the information about their Record Store Day Celebration, TOMORROW!
Record Store Day is only a few days away!!! Here is your guide to all those various artist titles that are coming out on Saturday.
Portable Shrines Magic Sound Theater Vol. 1 – Light In The Attic – 1000 copies
In early 2009, tired of being virtually the only two people in attendance at some of the most exciting rock shows to come through town, Seattle music fans Aubrey Nehring and Darlene Nordyke founded the Portable Shrines Collective, a DIYorganization devoted to the promotion of psychedelic, garage, and experimental music. In addition to assembling local bills for nationally touring bands and providing custom projections and poster art, Portable Shrines currently hosts a bi-weekly DJ night, publishes a blog, and produces Escalator Fest, an annual multimedia happening bringing together bands, psych DJs, video artists, and enthusiastic crowds.
The collective’s first compilation—the first ever Seattle-based comp of its kind—Portable Shrines Magic Sound Theatre Vol. I is an exquisitely curated treasure trove of rare or exclusive tracks from eighteen of the most lucid acts currently working in the Pacific Northwest and beyond. The compilation features heavy hitters AFCGT and Kinski (Sub Pop), Eternal Tapestry (Thrill Jockey, Not Not Fun), Prince Rama (Paw Tracks), Master Musicians of Bukkake (Important Records) and Diminished Men (Abduction), as well as tracks by a host of up-and-coming Northwest psych acts including Night Beats, Purple Rhinestone Eagle, Midday Veil, This Blinding Light and Brother Raven, all of whom have performed at Escalator Fest or another Shrines-curated event.
Mastered by Mell Dettmer at Seattle’s Aleph Studios and pressed on virgin audiophile vinyl, Portable Shrines Magic Sound Theatre Vol. I is being issued in a limited vinyl-only run of 1000 pieces in gorgeous gatefold packaging featuring original artwork by collective members Aubrey Nehring, Emily Pothast and Steve Quenell.
1. Circles – Geist and the Sacred Ensemble
2. Astro Fields – Plankton Wat
3. Shasta – Tiny Light
4. Oblong Trance – Diminished Men
5. Gotta Make Your Hands Work – To Get Her Together
Welcome to our weekly check in with our friends in Louisville, KY, ear X-tacy! This week: their Top 5 vinyl best sellers followed by the details of their Record Store Day Celebration. But before we get to that check this out:
You’re looking at one of the INCREDIBLY limited edition My Morning Jacket exclusive Record Store Day releases that you’ll ONLY be able to find at ear X-tacy and at CD Central in Lexington. Only 600 of these white label MMJ records exist worldwide — 300 at ear X-tacy, and 300 at CD Central. A huge thanks to the band for making this happen!
Chalk Circle – Reflection – PPM Records – THIS RECORD IS FINALLY COMING OUT! CHALK CIRCLE COMPLETE RECORDINGS FROM WASHINGTON DC 1981 – 1983. POST PUNK, harDCore, THE WOMEN KILLING IT IN DC BACK IN THE DAY! IMPORTANT RELEASE, SPLIT WITH MISSISSIPPI RECORDS.
Dennis Coffey – All Your Goodies Are Gone – Strut – Detroit guitar legend, Dennis Coffey, previews his excellent forthcoming self-titled album with two essential cuts from the sessions on a 45, a cover of the Parliaments’ ’All Your Goodies Are Gone’ featuring Mayer Hawthorne and a new composition, ’Miss Millie’, featuring Kings Go Forth.
The Curious Mystery – We Creeling – K Records – A junkyard band with a heart of dirt, smoke, and wires; The Curious Mystery involves slowburn psych and garage experimentalism. Cool night air, Captain Beefheart, late night crawlers, native fowl, dinner, all over me, river blindness; these are some of the things the mysterians bide their time thinking about.
Record Store Day is right around the corner, and cover songs seem to be a ubiquitous choice this year. Here at TVD, we’ve got the lowdown on all of ‘em!
Foo Fighters – Medium Rare LP
One of two full length covers albums coming out this year, highlights include the Wings tune “Band On The Run” and Thin Lizzy’s “Bad Reputation”.
Deftones – Covers LP
Our only other full length devoted entirely to covers, tracks of note include Sade’s “No Ordinary Love”, Lynyrd Skynyrd’s“Simple Man”, and “Drive” by The Cars.
The Entrance Band – I Want You 7″
The psych rock trio cover The Troggs “I Want You” and “A House Is Not A Motel” by Love. Limited to 500 copies with hand printed covers.
Green Day/Husker Du – Don’t Want to Know If You’re Lonely7″ Green Day covers Husker Du, with the original on the b-side.
Superchunk/Coliseum – Misfits Covers 7″
An odd pairing for this split, Superchunk take on “Horror Business”, while Coliseum play “Bullet”. Multiple colors of vinyl available.
Karen Elson – Vicious 7″
Jack White’s significant other takes on the Lou Reed classic on a limited edition clear vinyl single, with rose petals IN THE VINYL!
Mastodon/ZZ Top – Just Got Paid 7″ Mastodon covering ZZ Top, with the original on the b-side
Sonic Youth – Whores Moaning 12″
While not strictly a covers release, the reissue of this rare Australian EP includes the groups version of “Personality Crisis” by New York Dolls.
Red Hot Chili Peppers/The Ramones – Havana Affair 7″ RHCP play “Havana Affair”, with The Ramones original on the b-side.
Lots to look forward to this April 16th! Is there a covers release we missed? Let us know in the comments, or drop us a line at chicago@thevinyldistrict.com!
A Comprehensive list of all the releases for Record Store Day 2011 – Part 2 features the second HALF of the RSD2011 exclusive releases. View the first half here.
Part 2: The “Exclusives N-Z”
New York Dolls – Fool For You Baby / Pills – Savoy – 7″ – Live b-side track.
Nirvana – Hormoaning – UMe – 12″ – 4000 copies – This EP was originally released in Australia, this is the first time it has been released in the U.S. Includes 4 covers: Devo’s “Turnaround“, “Molly’s Lips” and “Son Of A Gun” originally by The Vaselines and “D-7” originally by The Wipers. Also includes “Aneurysm” and “Even In His Youth“, originally b-sides for the “Smells Like Teen Spirit” single.
of Montreal – The Past is a Grotesque Animal – Polyvinyl – LP – 1000 copies – The A-side features the album version of “The Past Is a Grotesque Animal” from 2007’s Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer? at 45 RPM! The B-side is a new version of “The Past Is a Grotesque Animal” that was made for the Spike Jonze short film “I’m Here” in which a fake robot band called The Lost Trees perform the song. The song was re-envisioned by of Montreal chief musician Kevin Barnes, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ guitarist Nick Zinner, and members of the Moonrats.
OFF! – Live at Generation Records – VICE – 7″ – 2000 copies
Opeth – The Throat of Winter – Roadrunner – 7″ – 1000 copies – 7″ Single Exclusive to RSD. Track previously available digitally, only the second 7″ the band has ever released, b-side is etched.
Roy Orbison – Only the Lonely / Oh, Pretty Woman (live in Holland) – Legacy – 7″ – 7″ featuring mono mix of “Only The Lonely” & unreleased live version of “Oh Pretty Woman.”
Record Store Day 2011 is 8 days away and The Groove has some great things lined up for their celebration. Make sure you check out the details after the chart!
Tallest Man On Earth – Sometimes The Blues Is Just A Passing Bird
Bibio – Mind Bokeh
The Strokes -Angles
Deltron 3030 – Deltron 3030
Those Darlins -Screws Get Loose
DeVotchka – 100 Lovers
Mike Watt – Hyphenated-Man
Obits – Moody, Standard & Poor
J Mascis – Several Shades Of Why
Pujol – Mayday 7”
Wagon Christ – Toomorrow
Nas – Illmatic
Sharon Van Etten – Epic
PJ Harvey – Let England Shake
Mountain Goats – All Eternals Deck
Bad Brains – Black Dots
Pains Of Being Pure At Heart – Belong
Matthew Dear – Black City
Toro Y Moi / Cloud Nothings – I Will Talk To You / For No Reason 7” split
So, what have the guys over at The Groove been cooking up for RSD2011? Here’s what they had to say about it:
It’s that time of year again!! Every music lovers’ favorite holiday – Record Store Day – is right around the corner and we’re really excited to announce the details: We will be opening at 10am that day… In addition to the near 300 Record Store Day releases coming out, we will also be having a store-wide sale — with everything (excluding RSD titles) at 15% off all day! We’ll also have tons of discounted vinyl and CDs outside throughout the day…
We are also happy to have an excellent day of live music, with performances by: Hacienda, The Coolin’ System, Magic In Threes, Bad Cop, Evan P. Donohue, Faux Ferocious, The Shakes, Nite Nite Mom & Dad, Chris Crofton (emcee and performance)…and more to come!!
as well as DJ sets from: The Record Wranglers (Bob and Tim from Sundazed Records), DJ His & Hers (Jay and Marcia Millar – Microfiche Records), Nashville’s Dead and booths from: United Record Pressing (who will be explaining the record pressing process), Tennessee Teens Rock N’ Roll Camp (TNTRC), GED Soul Records, Save WRVU.
Mas Tacos will also be on site all day serving up delicious tacos, grilled elote and more…. Plus, the nice folks over at New Belgium Brewery have supplied us with plenty of beverages (for those of age…) We will also have lots of contests and giveaways throughout the day, including your chance to win a Numark TT-USB turntable, a prize pack from Onitsuka Tiger, tickets to upcoming shows, as well as signed goodies from John Prine, The Decemberists, Amos Lee and more!! HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!!
A Comprehensive list of all the releases for Record Store Day 2011 – Part 1 features the first HALF of the RSD2011 exclusive releases. Not only are there some great things coming out, but the cover art on some of these guys is quite lovely. So many reasons to buy vinyl!
Part 1: The “Exclusives A-M”
13th Floor Elevators – Wait For My Love – Snapper Music – 7” Green vinyl – 1000 copies – The lost 6th single – Originally planned as a single in 1968 but never released as a 7” with “May The Circle Remain Unbroken“, Remixed by ‘Sonic Boom’ (Pete Kember of Spacemen Three & producer of MGMT)
A Day To Remember – All I Want – Victory Records – Etched 7″ – 2000 copies “VICTORY RECORDS is proud to announce the release of the limited edition, Record Store Day exclusive, A DAY TO REMEMBER – “All I Want“ 7″ record. This highly collectible piece is especially unique because it will be the first time the acoustic version of “All I Want” is being made available. The b-side of this colored vinyl, limited edition 7″ features an exclusive etching. Support your local INDEPENDENT record store on APRIL 16th and get your hands on a copy before they are gone forever.” AC/DC – Shoot To Thrill / War Machine – Columbia – 7″ – No other plans to release audio from the upcoming live DVD.
Adele – Rolling In The Deep – Columbia – 10″ single – Both versions are exclusive to this RSD release! Side A: Rolling in the Deep (Jamie XX Shuffle) Side B: Rolling In the Deep (Live at World Café)
Akron/Family – <bmbz> – Dead Oceans – 12” Double Vinyl – RSD LIMITED EDITION 1900 COPIES – Over the 25 songs composing this Record Store Day exclusive 2xLP, Akron/Family enlist collaborators, kindred spirits, and extended family to re-imagine/reinterpret/re-illuminate S/T II: The Cosmic Birth and Journey of Shinju TNT.
Everyday is a day closer to Record Store Day 2011 and the news of what is in store for all of us is starting to fill the airwaves. Make sure you check out upcoming events and RSD2011 news from Grimey’s after the chart!
GRIMEY’S VINYL BEST SELLERS 3.28 – 4.03, 2011
1. Those Darlins – Screws Get Loose
2. Cold War Kids – Mine Is Yours
3. The Flaming Lips w/ Neon Indian – S/T 12″
4. Radiohead – King Of Limbs
5. The Vaccines – The Vaccines 10″
6. Broken Bells – Meyrin Fields EP
7. The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart – Belong
8. The Mountain Goats – All Eternals Deck
9. The Strokes – Angles
10. Mars Classroom (Robert Pollard) – The New Theory of Everything Read More »
Third Man Records announced what they have planned for Record Store Day 2011 and it’s killer.. The Killer to be a little more specific. Jerry Lee Lewis will be performing and recording a live album for Third Man’s Live at Third Man vinyl series which will, of course, be recorded direct to tape with Jack White Producing. From Third Man Records:
Rock & Roll icon Jerry Lee Lewis will perform a special one-off live concert on Saturday, April 16th at Jack White’s Third Man Records in Nashville, TN. The show will be recorded direct to analog tape at the Third Man complex in downtown Nashville, with Jack White producing, as with all the Third Man recordings. Lewis’ live show will then be pressed and packaged locally at United Record Pressing just down the street from Third Man and will be sold at the label’s retail outlet within weeks, reminiscent of the spontaneous releases of Lewis’ early career. It has been over half a century since true American original Jerry Lee Lewis first rocketed to the top of America’s pop, country and R&B charts with Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On and Great Balls of Fire. While those iconoclastic performances still define the essence of rock’n’roll for millions, The Killer himself continues to thrill audiences around the world with his unique, scorching blend of rock, blues, country and gospel–and will no doubt do so at Third Man, backed by a stellar band of Steve Cropper, Jim Keltner, and Jack Lawrence.
Tickets go on sale tomorrow, April 5th at noon at the Third Man store front and online. Doors will open at 4pm and the show will begin at 5pm on April 16th, RSD2011!! This set will be the culmination of Third Man Records’ RSD2011 celebration which will begin and 11:30am. The label’s store front outlet as well as their Rolling Record Store will be open to sell you their 4 Record Store Day vinyl offerings:
The White Stripes – Let’s Shake Hands b/w Look Me Over Closely (TMR-088)
The White Stripes – Lafayette Blues b/w Sugar Never Tasted So Good (TMR-089)
Karen Elson – Vicious b/w In Trouble With the Lord (TMR090)
Danger Mouse and Daniele Luppe Present ROME starring Jack White and Norah Jones – Two Against One b/w Black (TMR093)
All titles will be on sale at Third Man Records on RSD as well as other “finer independent record shops the world over”. Anyone who shows up for Third Man’s RSD celebration will be able to purchase the Jerry Lee Lewis Live at Third Man limited edition black and blue vinyl.
And don’t forget on Friday, April 8th, Detroit rapper/producer, Black Milk, will be performing at TMR with a live band. This will, of course, be record for the Live at Third Man series with black and blue vinyl available to those who attend. Tickets are $10, all ages show, doors at 8pm show at9pm.
