Frisco-based alt hip hop artist Morsifire is well versed in the art of committing his mental anguish to tape.
He’s experienced an unbelievable amount of trauma in his young adult life, and his honest songs bravely explore the depths of his pain. Yes, his debut LP, Metanoia, is clearly a therapeutic exorcism of his inner demons, but it also shows the boundless promise of an MC who is not afraid to tackle more substantial themes.
“Contact” is about the untimely loss of his younger sister, (one of the several family members he’s lost along the way), and Morsifire succeeds in honoring her by constructing a cathartic memorial of heartfelt verses that delve into the past and project into the future—all weaved together with a beautiful hook from San Fran songbird Emily Afton. It’s an evocative interplay of tones that recalls Eminem’s career high collaboration with Dido, “Stan.”
The forthcoming LP, Metanoia, arrives in stores on October 11, 2019.
Seattle, WA | And the Best Record Store in Seattle Is… …As someone who’s been frequenting record shops since the Carter administration, I obviously champion their cause. Sure, shopping for records online can be rewarding and streaming songs can be convenient and weightless/waitless, but the experience of rifling through bins in a brick-and-mortar emporium remains the gold standard of music consumption. Your chance encounters with other patrons, your interactions with clerks (who are not nearly as annoying as pop-culture depictions would lead you to believe; on the contrary, some are downright oracular—and full of kindness, to boot), your ability to check out the condition of the goods with your own damn eyes—all of these factors add up to a real-ass analog experience that’s more fun and vital than clicking an icon on a screen in your home. At their best, record shops are sources of aural pleasure that could last a lifetime and 
Smart to make the LP disc climate friendly: Interest in the vinyl record is steadily increasing, but the material pvc is hardly environmentally friendly. Now the industry is looking for light and lantern for other materials. “We’re trying to pull our straw to the pile to save the world,” says Pedro Ferreira at Spinroad Vinyl Factory. After living a secluded existence in the 1990s and early 2000s, interest in the vinyl record is now increasing. For a period, the format was mainly kept alive by smaller indie companies and dance music producers, but today more and more new albums are released in at least a limited LP edition and even the music industry’s giants have started to take an interest in the vinyl record again. That’s good news for those who kept their vinyl collections – and for newly started vinyl factories like Spinroad in Lindome outside Gothenburg. However, the panels are made of the plastic Polyvinyl chloride (pvc), which is not very environmentally friendly. But 
These Vintage Vinyl Record Carrying Cases Will Take You Back in Time: In this day and age, all of our music is accessed online. For those who still have their vinyl records, I’m sure you remember what you kept your vinyl albums in. Some of you might currently use a storage cabinet, record shelf, display stand, record rack, or a magazine rack, but you should protect your music in a carrying case. Now, think back to the good ole days. If you had a carrying case, you were probably the DJ at all of your high school and college parties. It’s crazy now that someone just needs Bluetooth or an aux cord to be the person providing all the music at a party. If you need a place for your vinyl records, it’s time for 
London, GB | East London Is Transforming Itself Into A New Vinyl Mile: London’s Vinyl Mile is the stuff of legend. Berwick Street in Soho has long been the city’s main hub for music fans, boasting a huge number of record shops. The downturn in vinyl sales around the Millennium sadly trimmed this number, but some key outlets – Sister Ray, Sounds Of The Universe, Phonica – are still going strong across the Soho area. Over in East London, though, a new generation of retailers are fast transforming the area into a new vinyl mile. From Vinyl Pimp in Hackney Wick through to Love Vinyl on the cusp of Haggerston, Hackney can boast some of the finest vinyl outlets in the city. Thankfully, the team at Vinyl Pimp have crafted a handy map, a kind of ‘vinyl walk’ for those who want to spend a solid afternoon digging through those crates. It’s 
10 Most Expensive Vinyl Records Ever Sold: The music industry might rely on streaming apps to sell, but until some decades ago, vinyl record sales were essential to defining the success of a single or a musician. Not quite obsolete, many people are still passionate about vinyl records, leading to some seriously expensive records. It is hard to believe, but some records are more expensive than a house. But what makes a vinyl copy expensive? It is not only about the quality of the music, but how rare it is. Usually, records that have a limited number can be worth some thousands and the value can increase depending on how unique it is. Details like a rare cover, a handwritten note, or even a serial number, have a strong influence on the final price. Here is a list of the most 
Cardiff, GB | The Trip – Cardiff’s Best Record Shops: D’Vinyl Records. This is one of those shops that I wish I hadn’t come to first on my visit. I could spend a day here, especially as I have turned up during one of the veteran store’s regular sale periods, with everything half-price. This is certainly the Cardiff venue with the widest range of 7″ singles, and there are plenty of collectables up on the walls that catch my eye, including the five-disc 7″ picturedisc set of Spandau Ballet’s I’ll Fly For You. It’s interesting that their big rivals Duran Duran were employing the same chart-friendly tactic at the same time with a multi-member set for The Wild Boys, which I have already picked up over the years. This set had passed me by. There are also some really nice early Cliff Richard EPs in pristine sleeves that are a real bargain, and I spend some time wading through the crates of singles, picking up 
Kutztown, PA | With Bring Your Own Bag campaign, Kutztown record shop helps teen athletes Niki Nolte and Anthony Myers battle cancer: Like a lot of retailers, Young Ones Record Store in Kutztown encourages customers to reuse bags or go without as a way to reduce their carbon footprints. But the record store, which set up in the borough 29 years ago, took the effort one step further recently by starting the BYOB (Bring Your Own Bag) for Charity campaign. By declining a plastic bag, a customer can choose to donate the 6-cent cost to one of two selected charities. Porter Holt, son of owner Chris Holt and the store’s assistant manager, said many customers dig into their own pockets, giving $1, $10, even $20 to the causes. “Our customers are really good with 
St. Louis, MO | New Punk-Focused Record Shop, Wax Rats, Opens on Cherokee Street: Standing out on a wall behind the counter of Cherokee Street’s newest record shop is a particularly eye-catching album. Its cover art features an anthropomorphic beast with the head of a cat and the body of a man, wearing a belt but no pants, and carrying a knife. The band’s name is spelled out in near bubble-letter font across the top: Pantera. “Oh yeah, that’s Metal Magic,” remarks the store’s owner, Gus Theodorow. “That’s before Phil Anselmo. We can listen to it if you want. It kinda sucks.” Theodorow tosses the slab of wax onto a record player. And it’s true: Pantera’s debut studio album does indeed kind of suck. Released in 1983, the record sees the band still in its hair-metal days, back when drummer Vinnie Paul and guitarist Dimebag Darrell were in their teens and plainly obsessed with the music of bands like Kiss and Ratt. Aside from its ridiculous cover art, Metal Magic is 
Dundee, UK | PICTURES: Hundreds attend final farewell to Groucho’s owner Alastair ‘Breeks’ Brodie: Hundreds of mourners gathered for the funeral of an iconic Dundee record store owner on Tuesday. Alastair “Breeks” Brodie, the owner of Groucho’s on the Nethergate, passed away in late July surrounded by his friends and family. The 65-year-old sold vinyl records in the city for 43 years. Mr Brodie had been suffering from various health issues for some time but took a turn for the worse in July. His funeral took place at Dundee Crematorium on Tuesday at noon. Mourners were instructed to wear “something colourful” instead of black clothing. Groucho’s has been closed as the funeral takes place. Posting to Facebook ahead of the funeral, staff wrote: “All of us here at Groucho’s would like to take a moment this morning to extend an enormous thank you for the overwhelming response to the sad news of the passing of our 
Peoria, IL | For some music lovers, every day is National Vinyl Record Day: Monday morning, like every morning, Craig Moore had his turntable spinning. At his Younger than Yesterday record shop, he was grooving to “Arap Saci,” by Erkin Koray, who in the ’60s pioneered Turkish rock. “He is known around the world as the Turkish Jimi Hendrix,” Moore said. “Some of his stuff is worth a fortune, if you can find in it in mint condition.” I knew none of that before Monday, which is part of the wonder of chatting with Moore. He and his shop, at 2615 N. University St., overflow with nuggets of nostalgia and knowledge. But he was unaware of the reason for my intrusion: what, I asked, would he be doing to mark National Vinyl Record Day? “I didn’t know there was such a thing,” he said. Neither had I, until I saw a blurb on a news feed. In 2002 in California, San Luis Obispo County proclaimed Aug. 12 — the date Thomas Edison invented the photograph, in 1877 — as Vinyl Record Day. A not-for-profit organization has since been pushing to get people to recognize the date as 
Hudson Valley, NY | Where to buy vinyl in the Hudson Valley: It was a sad day when I realized that I should have saved my vinyl record collection. Yes, I was one of those who got tired of packing up my record collection every time I moved in the 80’s and 90’s. CD’s seemed to be so much more portable, NOT! Anyway back in 1990 something I sold all my vinyl records at a yard sale. Some nice gentleman with what seemed like a lot of cash at the time loaded up my entire collection in to his trunk and drove off. I was so thrilled until about 5 years ago. Five years ago I realized that I not only missed my records, I missed my record player. My 80’s stereo sold at the same sale as the records. Since then I have gotten a new record player and have started collecting records again. Today, August 12th is National Vinyl Record Day so I am thinking that if you are like me it would be a good day to start 
Burlington, NC | Alamance has plenty of vinyl lovers: Vinyl Record Day marks a growing trend. Vinyl records have been declared dead many times, but keep rallying, and now there are two local businesses living on vinyl records and a couple of others at least making some money on them. “I’ve had 17-year-old girls ask for Frank Sinatra records and a 9-year-old kid say ‘look dad — Dean Martin,’ ” said Jon Guza, owner of HiFi Records in downtown Graham, which sells new and used records and draft beer. Vinyl sales increased 15 percent in 2018 with record-breaking Record Store Day sales in April, according to Nielsen, amid rapid growth of total music sales, especially streaming, which increased 49 percent. August 12 is Vinyl Record Day, which marks the day Thomas Edison invented the phonograph in 1877. Vinyl enthusiast — if that’s a strong enough word — Gary Freiberg had it designated in 2002 in San Obispo County, Calif., and dedicated a non-profit organization to 
Chicago, IL | Oak Park artist chosen to paint Val mural: Mini-mural project to commemorate late local entrepreneur, celebrity. The Oak Park Area Arts Council has announced its second round of winners for its 2019 mini-mural project, and Oak Parker Joe Abboreno was chosen to paint the mural the group is dedicating to the late Val Camilletti. Camilletti was a beloved figure in Oak Park for decades as owner of Val’s halla Records, a music store located at 723½ South Boulevard for more than three decades before moving to 239 Harrison St. in 2006. Shortly after Camilletti’s death in 2018, Oak Park residents aimed to have an honorary street sign installed on South Boulevard for the late record purveyor, but the Oak Park Board of Trustees denied the request, instead choosing to commission a mural. The Oak Park Area Arts Council, which commissions 20 murals per year along Union Pacific Railroad retaining wall along North and South boulevards as part of its mini-mural project, specified that one of the murals would commemorate Camilletti. “
North Adams, MA | North Adams’ Belltower Records to Host Summer Jam II: Belltower Records has settled into the community as a hub for music fans, musicians, and audiophiles alike. It is easy to lose a few hours on the third floor of the Norad Mill digging through the overflowing record crates at the independent music store. “We have just been longtime collectors, my wife and I, and we have been looking to do something for a while and we basically stumbled upon this,” owner Wes Nelson said recently. With news that Hal March, owner of Toonerville Trolley Records in Williamstown, was looking to close and sell his business in 2017, a shockwave rippled through the Northern Berkshire record collecting community. Collectors knew that in the near future they would have to travel farther than Williamstown to satiate their need to fervently dig through crates of records. That day came and a “closed” sign was fixed to March’s door. 
Philadelphia, PA | Record store owner keeps the soundtrack of ‘bubblegum pop’ playing: In a small red brick building at the end of an alley, a door opens to a room crammed with records. Light filters through the windows, shining on shelves along the walls packed with vinyl, leaving space for nothing other than a record player, two speakers and a narrow walking area for customers to browse the record collection. This is the home of Afrosynth Records, a vinyl shop, record label and internet blog that specializes in South African music. It is located in the Maboneng Precinct, a redeveloped district located on the eastern edge of Johannesburg that has numerous art galleries, studios, restaurants, coffee shops and bars. David Durbach, whose stage name is “DJ Okapi,” owns Afrosynth. He is also a record collector, a DJ and journalist originally from Cape Town. He grew up on the sounds of American music that local radio stations played, gravitating toward American soul and funk. What he was listening to, what was widely available to him, prompted 
Odessa, TX | Vintage Deluxe ready for large showing at vinyl and comic show: Vintage Deluxe manager Apryl Patino said there’s a rumor floating around that there will be a line of people waiting outside the front door of the shop this weekend. The antique store is expecting between 200 and 300 people to attend its vinyl and comic show from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Patino said a majority of the vendors will have their own booths set up inside, but depending on the size of those booths some of the merchandise could spill out into the parking lot. “The fact that we are able to host something like this and bring everyone together is pretty cool,” Patino said. “They tend to like everything else that’s in our shop. It all works out.” Vintage Deluxe owner Keith Camp, who lives in Kerrville, plans to be at the store on Friday to help put the finishing touches on the vinyl and comic show. The 52-year-old Odessan said there be two more additional record vendors and more than 1,000 comics brought into the store this weekend. “It should be a really good showing for the people 
Burien, WA | New vinyl record shop, print studio & art space Clone Press opens in downtown Burien: Clone Press Studio & Records has opened its doors in Burien as a multipurpose print studio, art and community space. Formerly operating since 2001 as screen printing studio Clone Press in Ballard and Sodo, co-founder and owner Brandon Bay is expanding his business in this new downtown Burien location. Bay is also co-founder of Sinister Torch Records, a reissue record label founded in 2014. The new space combines his longtime passion for sharing great musical finds with his print studio, which has been serving small business clients with t-shirts, garments, and posters for the last 18 years. The carefully curated selection of both new and used vinyl includes the new must-haves and current reissues as well as rarities and hidden gems across genres. You can also peruse an 
