The Fruits of Record Store Day

In case any of you missed it, yesterday was a national holiday. No, not 4/20. That's today; stop smoking so much and look at a calendar. No, yesterday was Record Store Day, a celebration of the hangout for disaffected music snobs and tourists who stumble in asking where the nearest Best Buy is. My associate and I traversed New York City in honor of this day, documenting our progress as it happened:

-1 p.m., Sound Fix Records. Regina Spektor is doing an in-store performance and signing, neither of which I particularly care about. The line to get into the place goes up a block of Bedford Avenue; most of those waiting do so in futility, for the store's cozy bar setting in the back cannot possibly fit this many people. They let us in, and a line forms immediately to get into the back. I go to the counter rather sheepishly and ask for the holiday-exclusive R.E.M. 7-inch. I've been in love with the band's latest, Accelerate, since it came out; while it isn't the best thing they've done, it's a fast, brash return to form that I would never have expected from the band at this point. The disc contains the album's first single, "Supernatural Superserious" with a b-side entitled "Airliner": later listening will reveal this song to be a space-age surf instrumental...or something like that. Finding the crowd of people harping to see Regina to be kind of annoying, my associate and I depart.

-2 p.m., Other Music. This space gained some notoriety from being the setting of an absolutely hilarious Human Giant sketch. Because of this, I'm assuming, it is now the setting for a series of DJ sets from the movers and shakers of "indie rock", if Interpol can really move and shake anymore. We walked in as The Black Keys began their set: if you know anything about the Keys, you'd be correct in assuming that their record choices leaned heavily on obscure blues rock. Despite offering 10% off of everything in stock, both my associate and myself find the prices to be far out of our price range. So, we settle for grabbing some free promotional discs, specifically a free 7-inch from Merge Records featuring Destroyer and Wye Oak. I have never heard of Wye Oak in my life, but Destroyer's Trouble In Dreams is one of the best albums of the year so far and, as far as I'm concerned, anything Dan Bejar touches turns to gold.

-2:30 p.m., Downtown Music Gallery. This little alcove is a haven for jazz aficionados and anyone who finds Captain Beefheart enjoyable. Needless to say, we both felt slightly out of place. All was not lost, however, as I found-and subsequently purchased-The Velvet Underground's self-titled collection of rarities and demos, originally released in 1985. The free compilation album in the store contained some notably awful musicians, namely Pearl Jam and Coheed and Cambria, so despite my love for free things, I studiously avoided it.

-3 p.m., street fair on Astor Place. The people running the record table have In Rainbows playing on a boombox, which tempts me to stay simply to hear it. Many of the used records are clearly leftovers from someone's embarrassing past in the 1970s; Yes, Rush, and Emerson, Lake, and Palmer crossed my paths so often I considered getting a restraining order. After one quick purchase-John Lennon's Plastic Ono Band-we were off.

-4 p.m., Generation Records. My associate recommended this place to me as a haven for punk albums. Naturally, I go out and try to get the most un-punk record I can find, settling on David Bowie's Heroes, my favorite album by him. We both found ourselves gazing lustily at a collection of 45s on the wall in the store's basement: he at copies of The Clash's "Tommy Gun" and "English Civil War", and myself at what I could only assume was an original pressing of R.E.M.'s "Radio Free Europe." We managed to avoid the temptation to buy these; it probably had something to do with the fatigue in our legs, which was growing more unbearable every second. However, we still had one more stop to make.

-5 p.m., Music Matters. This record shop, situated in an alcove on 7th Avenue in Park Slope, holds a lot more than the "CDs and Tapes" it claims to sell on its banner. The vinyl selection was impeccable, though it had some laughable parts (Avenged Sevenfold's self-titled on vinyl. LOL). Then, I came across an original printing of R.E.M.'s Murmur. For ten dollars. I fumbled for my wallet to see what I had and pulled out...one measly buck. Once again, the devil farts in my face. I ended up begging my associate to get it for me, which he did, but now I owe a life debt to him. Was it worth getting an original release of the album that launched indie rock? Yes. Yes it was.

I leave you today with a few selected songs:

1. R.E.M., "Supernatural Superserious": This has been out for weeks, and anyone who cares probably has heard it already. I just love this song. It warms my heart to see a band who has been around as long as they have play with such vigor and passion.

2. Fleet Foxes, "White Winter Hymnal": Their album doesn't come out until June. Not fast enough. One listen to this and I'm hooked. The acoustic guitars, the exquisite vocal harmonies, the Arcade Fire-esque bombast. God, why is this so good?!

3. Wolf Parade, "Call It A Ritual": I'm not sure how I feel about this song yet. It sounds a bit like an album track in that it seems out of place in the context of a promo CD. On the other hand...it's a new Wolf Parade song! Something to hold us over until the Frustrating-To-Title Wolf Parade Album comes out in June! Yay!


Get Kevin's Record Store Day playlist here:

http://www.sendspace.com/file/e5bd3m