Vinyl Blotter, Vol. 3

Busy, busy week. Had my last final, wrote a 15 page report on pesticides, celebrated my birthday -- all reasons to visit the record store for a celebratory dig through those dusty crates I love so much. Here are some highlights in this edition of vinyl blotter.

1. Low (David Bowie, Let it Be Record Sale)

I found this late 70's classic at sale that resembled a vinyl garage sale. The owner of Let it Be Records, formerly a brick and mortar record shop in Minneapolis (I remember when it closed, about 5 years ago -- I was running with the radio on and the Current played "Let it Be" as it closed its doors for the last time. Sad indeed.), gets his record selling buddies together every 6 months or so to have a physical sale (they all sell online). It was weird to see old, crusty musicheads in a very vanilla rec room at some trendy condos off of University in St. Paul. Kind of like seeing your grade school teacher at the supermarket. Something just doesn't seem right when you see people outside of their natural habitat. Anyway, this record was rated by Pitchfork (the hipsters!) as the number one record of the 70's. I don't believe them (I think it was Exile on Main St. by the Rolling Stones, London Calling by the Clash, or My Aim is True by Elvis Costello), but it is a good record. You can hear the influence of the awesome Brian Eno, kind of like you can hear the influence of the awesome Mick Ronson on his earlier albums from the 70's. This guy is good. And he officiates fashion walk-offs, what more can you ask for?

2. Green River (Creedence Clearwater Revival, Cheapo)

I don't think I give CCR enough credit. Their music is some of the most instantly recognizable classic rock imaginable, which probably dilutes their image in my mind. But the emotion John Fogerty sings with paired with good ole' swamp rock really stands out listening to it on vinyl.

3. Daptone Gold (Various Artists, Cheapo)

Ok, so Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings get a lot of the attention when it comes to this record label. But like Atmosphere and the Rhymesayers label, Jones and crew only represent the tip of the iceberg when it comes to talent on the rest of the label. It's so nice to hear "authentic" soul and R&B on fresh vinyl. According to the Daptone website, they do it right -- analog recording, meticulous engineering and mixing, and the oft-forgotten artist development. This sampler album of rarities and B-sides is a great introduction to anyone interested in hearing what modern day soul sounds like.

4. Eric Clapton and the Yardbirds with Sonny Boy Williamson (Hymie's)

Honestly, I had not heard of Sonny Boy Williamson before I got this record. But after reading on the back of the album (mp3's don't have a backside, do they?) that he was an early force in the Chicago Blues sound and an influence on Buddy Guy (misspelled on the album as "Buddy Gay" oops) and Muddy Waters, I was sold. And, hey, it was only $3. I've made more costly mistakes in my time, believe me. In addition, the album is a chance to hear a young Eric Clapton (I wonder if this was before he was a god) back a blues legend. The verdict: definitely a keeper and a good find. It was fun to trace the lineage of the blues past my go-to's of Stevie Ray Vaughan, Muddy Waters, Buddy Guy, and B.B. King.

5. Blood on the Tracks (Dylan, Hymie's)

Sure, upon the release of any new album by Bob Dylan, you'll hear fans say, "This is the best album since Blood on the Tracks," and it's a pretty established notion that this album was his best since Blonde on Blonde and established a second peak in his career, then only little more than a decade old. And in my mind, this album deserves to be a touchstone in his career. You can tell that it was borne out of anguish and, unfortunately, angst makes for good music. But it's not only "fuck off" music, which saves this album from novelty status. My favorite is "You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go," a song about accepting the inevitable loss of a loved one while still feeling the inevitable pain. So yes, it is unlikely that he will again top this album (he arguably reached this level during his late-90's trilogy, but never surpassed it) and so we can forever say each new album is the best since Blood on the Tracks.

Vinyl Blotter, Vol. 2

If my luck at record stores is any indication of how my finals go, I'm going to ace the civil procedure exam tomorrow. Another great day of finds at my new favorite record store and subject of the first Vinyl Blotter, Hymie's Vintage Records. Eight records for $18. You can do the math. And it's not like these were the typical ubiquitous records you find in the $2 bin. I didn't buy another copy of Rumors, Born to Run, or The Doobie Brothers' Greatest Hits. I bought these:

1. Sticky Fingers (The Rolling Stones)

Could be the most famous bulge not associated with Al Gore. Yes, this is the famous 1971 album that features a (working) zipper on the Andy Warhol-designed cover. It's kind of weird and I'm a little afraid that it's going to damage my other records (umm, not in the way you're thinking -- but because of the zipper protruding, sicko), but it's an awesome record. With "Brown Sugar," "Wild Horses," and "Bitch," it's another bluesy stab at rock by a great band smack in the middle of my favorite era of theirs. And it was only $2. At Electric Fetus, it would've been at least $12.

2. Rocks (Aerosmith)
Another band with a lead singer best known for his lips and drug use. Another great album from their mid-70's peak. Another steal at $3.

3. & 4. Ram (Paul McCartney) & Band on the Run (Wings)

Is it bad that Paul is my favorite Beatle? Sure, John was more angsty and more "high art" minded and George was more mystical and Ringo was...on Shining Time Station, but has there been anyone more melodic than Macca? I love his bouncy basslines and pop-centric arrangements on these albums. They aren't up to the standards of his other band, but these two albums are right on their heels.

5. Hank Williams' Greatest Hits
For when you're so lonesome you could cry. I take Hank over Dierks Bently, Big & Rich, or almost any other mainstream "country" musician any day. 

6. Endless Summer (The Beach Boys)
Ok, so this isn't Brian Wilson's artistic statement like Pet Sounds or SMILE, but these instantly recognizable summer songs are just what I needed on a drizzly, cool May day. And, at 50 cents, how could you go wrong?

7. The Shirelles
A short (18 min) compilation of this 1960's girl band that will sound great on a lazy August weekend evening.

8. Texas Flood (Stevie Ray Vaughan)
One of the best blues records ever.

The point of this post and this whole Vinyl Blotter series of posts is not to try and convince people that I have "good' taste in music. It's to try and convince people to explore music outside of the mainstream. Sure, all of these bands were or still are "mainstream," but the point is that they're not being force-fed to the public on the iTunes homepage or on KS95. For less than the price of a song, you can find music either forgotten or shoved into some niche (oldies, classic rock, country western) and therefore ignored by most casual music listeners. I write about vinyl so much because it's something I really enjoy doing and sharing. Each time I dig into a dusty crate, it's like an instant history lesson. So this is what people used to listen to. I find myself thinking about who the previous owner was, why they bought the album -- why they decided to sell it. I love new music too, but discovering influences it makes it all the more enjoyable. It's listening to the band Girls and hearing Elvis Costello's exaggerated snarl. Or hearing Dusty Springfield in Cat Power. Or the Shirelles in Beyonce. And while it's easy to fall into a "spot-the-influences" trap, it's also easy to think that the music that comes out today somehow came out of a musical test tube, with no antecedent. Kind of like teaching creationism in schools ;o)

Vinyl Blotter, Vol. 1

I go to record stores a lot. If you know me, you know this. There is a singular rush I get, the thrill of finding that perfect record, when I walk in the door. Sometimes I'm looking for something specific, but more often than not, I go in with an open mind and see what I find. The following are some of this week's finds:

1. Hymie's Records
Hymie's Records, off of E. Lake Street, has been in business for as long as I've been alive. But in exciting news, they just opened the doors to a new location, 5 blocks away from their old store. I never went to their old store, but their new one already has that disheveled yet organized feel every record store worth its salt should have. Large, vintage speakers spewing warm, vinyl goodness all over the store from a Pro-ject Debut II turntable (the one I have!) and vinyl spills out every nook and cranny. How did I not know this vinyl utopia existed? For one, blame my recovering, sheltered suburbanite self, -- I'm just now discovering the plethora of great record stores not named Cheapo we have in this city (Treehouse, Roadrunner, Shuga, etc etc.). But the well-stocked Hymie's may be my new favorite. It's not really in a trendy part of town, which I think suits records stores just fine. They should be a destination, not a place you stop off at on the way to Chino Latino. Hymie's will now be a regular  destination for me. Great selection, great vibe, great prices. Where have you been all my life?

2. The Rolling Stones "Beggars Banquet" @ Hymie's

Most Rolling Stones albums in record stores today come from the unfortunate period in many great 60's/70's bands: the 1980's. Nothing is ever really in stock from bands' heydays either because people smartly hold on to these albums or because finding them in good condition some 40 years hence proves to be a difficult task. But my new favorite record store happened to have this album today, to my delight. At first, I thought it was some sort of bootleg -- the album art I'm most familiar with looks like this:

So I was confused when I saw the spare "Beggars Banquet" album staring at me. Apparently the toilet graffiti cover was nixed by record execs (the fools) and the spare, White Album-ish cover was chosen for the original release instead. Beggars Banquet comes from my favorite period of the Stones' career and kicked off a run of albums (Let it Bleed, Sticky Fingers, Exile on Main St.) over the course of four years that may be paralleled only by the Beatles (Rubber Soul through Abbey Road) and Led Zeppelin (Led Zeppelin through Zoso (or maybe Physical Graffiti if we're feeling charitable)). It's bluesy, it's country, but most of all, it's rock.

3. B.B. King "Back in the Alley: The Classic Blues of B.B. King" & "20/20: Twenty No. 1 Hits from Twenty Years at Motown" @ Hymie's
If you visit me at my apartment (please do!) I will be occupying one of two rooms: the living room or my bedroom. Really, besides the bathroom, that's all my apartment has to offer. But I have a record player in each room. In the living room, you'll find my Pro-ject turntable (with a Grado Green cartridge), my custom made (thanks Dad!) transmission line floor speakers, and my Pioneer (soon to be replaced with a Marantz!) receiver. This is the good system. In my bedroom, you'll find an old receiver, bookshelf speakers, and a donated record player (thanks Uncle Herb!). I reserve the bedroom system for older records that I can just play in the background. Well, this is the room the B.B. King and Motown albums were headed for. Until I listened to them. "Back in the Alley" has some really great music on it, from "Paid the Cost to be the Boss" to "Lucille," a song written about his beloved guitar. The Motown album has classic singles from the Jackson 5, Diana Ross, Marvin Gaye, and Stevie Wonder. I might put it next to my Supremes Anthology for when I'm feeling all Motown-y. Point of this entry: sometimes the cheapest, "throwaway" records are really the hidden jewels, ready for the big show (the living room player) kind of like Wilson Ramos.

The musical intstrument everyone knows how to play

I found this gem in the dust jacket of an old Pete Seeger ("We Shall Overcome") album from the 60's I got today:

HERE'S HOW RECORDS GIVE YOU MORE OF WHAT YOU WANT:

1. THEY'RE YOUR BEST ENTERTAINMENT BUY. Records give you top quality for less money than any other recorded form. Every album is a show in itself. And once you've paid the price of admission, you can hear it over and over.

2. THEY ALLOW SELECTIVITY OF SONGS AND TRACKS. With records it's easy to pick out the songs you want to play, or to play again a particular song or side. All you have to do is life the tone arm and place it where you want it. You can't do this as easily with anything but a phonograph record.

3. THEY'RE CONVENIENT AND EASY TO HANDLE. With the long-playing record you get what you want to hear, when you want to hear it. Everybody's familiar with records, too. And you can go anywhere with them because they're light and don't take up space.

4. THEY'RE ATTRACTIVE, INFORMATIVE AND EASY TO STORE. Record albums are never out of place. Because of the aesthetic appeal of the jacket design, they're beautifully at home in any living room or library. They've also got important information on the backs -- about the artists, about the performances or about the program. And because they're flat and not bulky, you can store hundreds in a minimum of space and still see every title.

5. THEY'LL GIVE YOU HOURS OF CONTINUOUS AND UNINTERRUPTED ENJOYMENT. Just stack them up on your automatic changer and relax.


6. THEY'RE THE PROVEN MEDIUM. Long-playing phonograph records look the same now as when they were introduced in 1948, but there's a world of difference. Countless refinements and developments have been made to perfect the long-playing record's technical excellence and insure the best in sound reproduction and quality.


7. IF IT'S IN RECORDED FORM, YOU KNOW IT'LL BE AVAILABLE ON RECORDS. Everything's on long-playing records these days...your favorite artists, shows, comedy, movie sound tracks, concerts, drama, documented history, educational material...you name it. This is not so with any other kind of recording.


8. THEY MAKE A GREAT GIFT because everybody you know likes music. And everyone owns a phonograph because it's the musical instrument everyone knows how to play. Records are a gift that says a lot to the person you're giving them to. And they keep on remembering.


AND REMEMBER...IT ALWAYS HAPPENS FIRST ON RECORDS.

[Well put, Don Draper.]