VIA PRESS RELEASE | As the summer months come to a close, one can’t help but look ahead and begin daydreaming about the holidays to come. And this year, legendary New York rock band Blondie are bringing a little more fun to the holiday season with the release of their EP “Yuletide Throwdown.” The 3-track EP, released digitally October 8th, and on 12” limited edition vinyl in both magenta and black, on November 5th (via UMe-Capitol/Numero Group) features the ultra-rare ’80s Christmas-inspired track “Yuletide Throwdown,” co-written and performed with Fab 5 Freddy, along with a new, exclusive remix of the song by Cut Chemist.
The ultra-rare 1981 holiday flexi-disc, now being reissued for the first time on 180gram vinyl, was originally given away by the UK magazine Flexipop and then rediscovered as the band was researching and reviewing material from their personal archive for their forthcoming box set, to be released in August of 2022.
If it sounds familiar, here’s why: the track was actually the original recording for what would later become one of Blondie’s biggest hits, “Rapture.” After shelving this version because the tempo was recorded too slowly (it was later recut into what became the global hit song), Chris Stein decided to go back into the studio a year later with the original track to record Debbie Harry and Freddy’s “Throwdown” vocals for this cheeky, holiday masterpiece.
“It has been an impossible amount of time since I believed in Santa Claus, but I could very well believe again if he was Freddy Brathwaite!! Some of my best times have been making music with Chris Stein and Freddy B,” notes Debbie Harry, with Chris Stein adding: “Freddy has done as much as any multi-platinum selling Hip-Hop star to promote rap culture.”
NEW RELEASE PICKS: Sean Conly, The Buzz (577) Unsurprising for a bassist in contemporary jazz, Conly has extensive appearances on records but a tighter discography as a leader or co-leader. He is part of numerous combos that have yet to hit studios, however. His interactive ingenuity shines out brightly here, with pianist Leo Genovese and Francisco Mela on board for a 10-track set (available on vinyl, CD, and digital) with six of the compositions Conly’s; they also tackle pieces by his frequent collaborator Michael Attias, Paul Motion, Sam Rivers, and Sondheim in a closing reading of “Send In the Clowns.” After multiple listens, it seems the bassist’s billing derives from his authorship of the tunes. As said, Conly is wonderfully expressive (and big in a vibrant recording) but so is Mela and Genovese as the three excel in the tried-and-true piano trio format. Yes, the ties to various traditions are strong, but it’s also crystal clear that The Buzz is the byproduct of minds at the forefront of jazz music’s 21st century flourishing. It’s an LP that’s inviting yet rigorous and an utter treat throughout. A
V/A, Sacred Soul of North Carolina (Bible & Tire Recording Co.) Bruce Watson’s newest label hits a home run with this collection of African American gospel, thematically tight yet invigorating in its diversity, all from Eastern North Carolina, and with the entirety recorded across eight days in February of 2020 in a studio assembled in the storefront of a 100-year-old building in the town of Fountain. Anybody conversant with the long history of Hot Gospel will appreciate how these eleven groups extend the style while exuding vitality that registers as thoroughly of the moment. In this case, “of the moment” is not the same thing as contemporary, though the soulfulness that runs through these 18 selections is still very much relevant to modern music. But what makes this comp so vital is skill honed through passion and community-strengthening conviction. The range of Faith & Harmony’s two tracks, the first an a cappella knockout and the second an organ-rich full band-backed groover is indicative of the whole. Sacred Soul of North Carolina is a non-stop delight, available on 2LP, CD, and digital. A
REISSUE/ARCHIVAL PICKS: Tito Arevalo, Mad Doctor of Blood Island OST (Real Gone) The first of two Halloween-appropriate soundtracks culled from the vast reservoir of psychotronic grindhouse (or drive-in, depending on the part of the country you’re from) exploitation cheapies. I know Mad Doctor of Blood Island only by its sketchy reputation. Released in 1969, it’s the second film in the Blood Island saga, and in OST terms, this one is likely the most interesting. I come to this speculative conclusion based on Filipino composer Arevalo’s score being reused in the next two Blood Island installments, 1970’s Beast of Blood and ’71’s Brain of Blood, though Mad Doctor’s is the only one that’s fully orchestral. There are also multiple sequences that reinforce Arevalo is being a non-hack, and I’m not just talking about the pieces that can be described as Horror Exotica (to borrow Real Gone’s term). Quite enjoyable if a tad repetitive. Added value: a killer radio spot for the film and its excerpted opening, which features a William Castle-style “drink this vial of green blood” audience gimmick. Those were the days. B+
William Lava, Dracula Vs. Frankenstein OST (Real Gone) Unlike the above, I have watched Dracula Vs. Frankenstein, once many years ago. If I said it was forgettable, I’d be lying. Dracula had a ring that shot flames. Frankenstein was in wheelchair. There were hippies. Bikers. Russ Tamblyn. Lon Chaney Jr. And a carnival on a boardwalk. But memorable doesn’t necessarily equal good. That Al Adamson, one of more enduring figures in the history of exploitation films, directed, helped a bit (this movie reportedly began as a sequel to Adamson’s Satan’s Sadists, which explains the bikers and Tamblyn), but please don’t get the idea that Drac Vs. Frank is some kind of trash masterpiece. Lava’s soundtrack is solid and with moments of distinctiveness, e.g., touches of vibraphone, weird note slides (at one point mingling with some aggressively blown tuba), and even a few cascades of harp. The alternate takes are worthwhile, especially the “Jazz Chase” sequence (which was unused in the film). Also features a radio spot: “Yesterday they were cold and dead, today they are hot and bothered…Rated PG…” B+
Amesbury, MA | Mel’s Record Shop shares space in downtown Amesbury: While growing up in Haverhill, Mel Webster remembers hanging out at the local record store. “Tuesday was always the new record release date, and so we would rush there each week,” Webster said. “I have so many great memories growing up amongst the vinyl, and I used to say how great it would be to open a store of my own.” While record store ownership was a dream of a young man, Webster ended up going to college and majoring in English/ journalism at UMass Amherst, briefly spending time as a newspaper reporter before pursuing a decades-long career in marketing and public relations. “I worked for technology companies like IBM and Hewlett-Packard,” Webster said in a press release. “And so, I always had the best stereo systems.” He retired from the marketing world in 2019, the same year he and his wife moved to Amesbury. Webster stepped up to volunteer on the Amesbury School Committee. But with the newfound free time that came with retirement, he found himself thinking more and more of his 
Denver, CO | Step Inside Denver’s First HiFi Listening Bar: ESP, a HiFi bar and cafe, offers audiophiles a curated music experience like nothing else in the city. On the northern edge of the Santa Fe Arts District, you might notice a door marked with a tree-ring imprint and the letters “ESP,” subtly welcoming you into a cozy space filled with cafe tables, vintage rugs, and records. Belly up to the custom bar, where you’ll find a musical host spinning records at a built-in turntable, the sounds of Ella Fitzgerald, James Brown, or Phoebe Bridgers reverberating throughout the space. You’re at ESP, Denver’s first HiFi cafe and bar—and one of only a handful of listening bars in the country. Co-owners Mitch Foster and Will Minter opened the bar in September, filling a void in the city’s music scene and giving guests a place to relax, unplug, and simply listen to tunes while enjoying barista-crafted beverages by day, and highballs and natural wines by night. “Our whole idea with the cocktail menu was to keep things simple and beautiful,” Foster says. “We opted to exclude any shaken drinks from the menu to help keep noise below the music, since 
The Woodlands, TX | Sawdust Road record store Volume Music nears two years of sharing a love of vinyl: Within months of opening the record shop Volume Music with her husband, Joel, in November 2019, owner Tiffany Cochran had concerns about staying in business due to the coronavirus pandemic. However, Cochran said business has improved since the store reopened in May 2020. “We were moving right along, and in March nobody was coming into the store,” Cochran said. “In May when we were opening back up, things just started going up from there. I think we … were not terribly crowded, you could easily keep your distance from somebody else.” With plans to continue to grow and expand in the future, Cochran said her store grew from a lifelong passion for music. Cochran said she began appreciating music from a young age. At the time, she said she would check the credits on the albums to see which producers and artists had worked on the albums. “I got to learn where I could go to a record store or online, and follow that producer or artist and see what they were working on,” she said. “I would usually 
Flint, MI | Record store moving to new location in downtown Flint: At the end of October, downtown record store Jack’s Record Stache will be moving to a new location—but not very far away. “We’re just going next door,” said owner Jerry Crago. Jack’s will be relocating to a larger space about 20 feet west of the current storefront of Healthy Dollar. “I don’t have to worry about losing my customer base by moving there,” he said. “I mean, at least I hope no one says ‘I can’t find your shop!’” The added space is really Crago’s reason for the move, he said. Jack’s Record Stache is currently under 300 square feet. Crago said he hopes the nearby, larger location will allow him to begin offering vintage clothing and showcase even more vinyl without upsetting regulars. Crago has made use of every square inch. Wooden custom-built drawers of records slide under tabletops full of yet more vinyl, an area near the front door highlights newer inventory, and music memorabilia coats the space’s beige walls from shelves to ceiling. But he said there just isn’t enough room to give people a good look at his inventory of 
Sydney, AU | 12 Best Record Stores in Sydney For Vinyl Lovers: The last decade has seen a significant and surprising rise in popularity for vinyl. Although vinyl never really went out of style many artists are choosing to also release their albums on vinyl more and more. Some even re-releasing their older albums too. Luckily Sydney is known for its music scene because of this there’s no shortage of places to get your hands on some quality new and second-hand vinyl. And with Sydney being Sydney you’ll be able to get your hands on pretty much any genre of music you’d like, but that just makes it harder to decide which store to visit. So to help guide you on your vinyl hunting journey, we’ve found the 12 best record stores in Sydney 
The White Stripes releasing 20th anniversary peppermint vinyl reissue of ‘White Blood Cells’: The White Stripes are releasing a vinyl reissue of their 2001 album White Blood Cells in honor of its 20th anniversary. The limited-edition disc will be available on special 
