Bangor, ME | CDs see a revival at record stores in Maine: Compact disc sales rose last year after declining for nearly two decades, partly the result of pandemic-related spending and their low cost compared with vinyl records. Bull Moose saw CD sales across its 11 stores in Maine and New Hampshire rise 20 percent in 2021 compared with the previous year, a much higher rate than the 1 percent sales rise for CDs nationally. Vinyl sales still eclipsed those of CDs, with 109 million units sold nationally compared to 40.6 million CDs, according to Billboard magazine and MRC Data. Streamed music had the highest sales with 1.13 trillion downloads. The uptick in CD sales has some Maine record stores dusting off boxes in the storeroom and putting them back on the shelves. CD prices, which have plummeted in recent years, are regaining their value, giving store owners a reason to reconsider stocking them.
Waterford, IE | Well known record store in Waterford to permanently close its doors: Rainbow Records on Michael Street in Waterford City centre will sadly close its doors for good at the end of this month. The record shop offers a buy, sell and exchange service, whilst housing a huge collection of new and used LPs, 12″ singles, DVDs and CDs. The owner of the store took to Facebook to share the disappointing news but thanked all the customers that had frequented the store in the past few years and also announced a closing down sale that will start from Tuesday March 1. The resurgence in popularity of vinyl and record players in recent years saw the shop attract customers from all over the South East and beyond.
Cocteau Twins’ Elizabeth Fraser to release first album in over a decade: The Scottish shoegazer will drop an EP as part of this year’s Record Store Day. Lead singer of Scottish dream-pop trio Cocteau Twins, Elizabeth Fraser, is returning this year with her first new music in over a decade. Under a new alias Sun’s Signature, Fraser is set to release a five-track self-titled EP for this year’s Record Store Day on April 23. The record will mark Fraser’s first musical release in 13 years. The singer’s last release came in the form of solo single ‘Moses’, a dream-like, ethereal track using her notorious falsetto vocals and indecipherable lyrics. Now, the shoegazer is set to release five tracks including the rare noughties single ‘Underwater’, and two additional tracks played by Fraser at a solo gig in 2012, ‘Golden Air’ and ‘Make Lovely The Day’. Two new tracks, ‘Bluedusk’ and ‘Apples’, will also appear on the EP. Sun’s Signature is a collaborative project with her current partner Damon Reece, previously a drummer for groups such as Spiritualized.
Paul McCartney’s “Women and Wives” named Record Store Day Song of the Year; special vinyl release due in June: Record Store Day is celebrating its 15th anniversary this year, and in honor of the milestone, a limited-edition 12-inch vinyl single featuring two versions of the recent Paul McCartney tune “Women and Wives” has been chosen as Record Store Day’s first Song of the Year release. The single will feature McCartney’s original version of “Women and Wives” — which appeared on 2020’s McCartney III album — on one side, and alt-rocker St. Vincent‘s 2021 remix of the tune on the other. St. Vincent’s “Women and Wives” remix was featured on the McCartney III Imagined album, which was released in April 2021 and included covers or remixes of all the McCartney III tracks by various artists. As previously reported, Record Store Day 2022 will take place on April 23, with an additional drop date for select releases on June 18. The “Women and Wives” vinyl single will be released on June 18, and a limited run of 3,000 numbered copies will be available.
Johnson City, TN | Music Collectors spin vinyl in JC: If you’re a fan of the crackle and pop of old-school vinyl or are kind enough to rewind cassettes, you may want to swing by the East Tennessee Music Collectors Show in Johnson City. The gathering marked the first of the year, and will run until 4 p.m. on Sunday. Entry is $2 per person. “Music Brings people together,” said Gregg Biggs of CVC Collectibles. “There’s all kind of different people that like all kinds of different things so this is probably the best one day record store in Johnson City.” The venue plays host to music of varying genre and format, including international recordings and press kits. While today’s may not last forever, the event is slated for sometime in May of 2022.
