It’s no surprise that Record Store Day has cemented itself as the biggest record-shopping-related event in the United States. Bringing together “nearly 1,400 independently owned record stores” around the nation, according to the RSD website, the day raises awareness for the vinyl format and offers enticing exclusives to those who purchase records. (Which, by the way, is not just old people, as many old people will have you think.)
Now in its eighth year, Record Store Day seems to have found its place as a reliable celebration of the record store, ditching the novelty it had during its conception. And on Saturday morning, there will be plenty of places to celebrate in and near downtown Phoenix.
Three prominent stores — Revolver Records in downtown Phoenix as well as Stinkweeds and Zia Records along Camelback Road — will be selling RSD releases, along with their own exclusives and freebies. Each of the aforementioned stores will also have special releases from local label President Gator, including a split 10-inch, a split 7-inch and a 12-inch LP from group The Through & Through Gospel Review.
The master Record Store Day exclusives list is a bit of a doozy, and chances are you’ll find too many titles you’re not interested in. To simplify the process, here is a list of some of the unique and alluring releases to keep an eye on when the record store doors open.
A-ha – “Take On Me” (7” Vinyl)
You may know this classic from the famous real-life-meets-art video, or from the sample used in Pitbull’s horrible (amazing?) “Feel this Moment.” However, chances are you’ve already sung this out loud with your friends more than once while it was on the car radio. The RSD cut, pressed for the 30th anniversary of the 1985 hit, is a 7-inch picture disc featuring a frame of that music video, along with a B-side live version that premiered on BBC Radio 2 in 2009. When it comes to buying 7-inch singles, you may as well do it for the Norwegian synth-pop bands with the spot-on falsettos.
Bee Gees – “Extended” (12” Vinyl)
Despite all the damage Disco Demolition Night at Comiskey Park caused in 1979, the mainstream disco kings have never really left us. Hits such as “Stayin’ Alive,” “Night Fever,” “More Than a Woman” and “You Should Be Dancing” are nuggets of sweet, summery bliss that prove three-part falsetto harmonies are all anyone ever really wanted in life. All four of those tracks are on this 12-inch, cased in a black jacket with foil stamping of the Bee Gees logo. (If only “How Deep Is Your Love” were included…) The inner label looks beautiful as well.
D’Angelo – “The Charade” (7” Vinyl)
Caught in the racial tension of the officer-involved deaths of Michael Brown, Eric Garner and Tamir Rice, soul/R&B artist D’Angelo felt the need to release something that represented the moment. “He said: ‘Do you believe this? Do you believe it?’ And then we just sat there in silence. That is when I knew he wanted to say something,” read a quote from his co-manager Kevin Liles in the New York Times. The result was “Black Messiah,” an acclaimed record blending the grooves and idiosyncratic vocals of his past work with expanded instrumentation and a heavier subject matter. This limited-edition 7-inch features two of its songs, the powerful “The Charade” and the volatile “1000 Deaths.”
J Dilla – “F*** the Police” (7” Vinyl)
James Yancey, aka J Dilla, is revered as one of the most influential hip-hop producers of all time. His unique approaches to sampling and beat construction are heard in the music of acts such as Common, The Pharcyde and MF Doom (his beats saw even more light after his untimely death in 2006). Long story short, you know you’ll be getting some good music on this release, which features the driving “F*** the Police” single that has been out of print for more than a decade, according to the Record Store Day folks. Bonus points are given to the pressing, a picture disc cut in the shape of a police badge.
Stan Getz & Joao Gilberto – “Selections from Getz/Gilberto” (10” Vinyl)
Responsible for bringing bossa nova music to larger American audiences during the 1960s, Stan Getz from the United States and Joao Gilberto from Brazil were masters of international collaboration. Getz’s breathy tenor sax melodies, Gilberto’s rhythmic guitar plucking and Antonio Carlos Jobim’s gentle singing worked together to create “Getz/Gilberto,” one of the best-selling jazz albums of all time, led by the classic “The Girl From Ipanema.” Now, RSD is putting out a set of selections from the forthcoming “Getz/Gilberto ‘76” that should be released sometime in 2015/2016. The RSD record is a special 10-inch, translucent-green vinyl, and the sleeve artwork was created by Olga Abizu, the same painter behind the “Getz/Gilberto Vol. 1 & 2” artwork of the ’60s.
Grandmaster Flash/Stiff Little Fingers – “The Message” (7” Vinyl)
Record Store Day’s “Side by Side” series features an iconic song performed by the original artist on one side and a cover of the song by another artist on the back. This time around, the song of choice is Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five’s “The Message.” Released in 1982, the song’s themes of gritty urban life and racial inequality showed the power hip-hop that had to spread political commentary. On the back side is a tasteful cover by punk-rock group Stiff Little Fingers. The two tracks are pressed to a 7-inch splatter-color record, complete with the baby-blue Sugar Hill Records label. A vinyl version of this track always seemed like the proper way to listen to it.
Oneohtrix Point Never – “Commissions II” (LP)
Following the “Commissions I” EP released on last year’s Record Store Day, electronic composer Daniel Lopatin is back with another set of commissioned works. This time around, the pieces are inspired by Japanese video game soundtracks and anime from artists such as Manabu Namiki and Koji Morimoto. One is never sure what to expect from OPN, who has done everything from arpeggio-driven synth pieces to slo-mo vaporwave experiments to samples of old TV commercials (all the while opening for Nine Inch Nails and Soundgarden). But precision and professionality are common to all of his work.
Run The Jewels – “Record Store Day Release” (12” Vinyl)
El-P and Killer Mike came out with my favorite record of last year, “Run The Jewels 2.” That LP was a perfect example of what happens when you bring the right people together at the right time to do the right thing. The album was full of rapid-fire verses, exquisitely produced instrumentals and lyrics that were boastful but also supportive of those afflicted in today’s society. Their RSD exclusive has four tracks: “Bust No Moves,” “Blockbuster Night, Pt. 2,” “Pew Pew Pew” and RTJ2’s raunchy “Love Again (Akinyele Black).” These are enough hard-hitting cuts to keep you satisfied until their next full-length.
Various Artists – “When I Reach That Heavenly Shore (Unearthly Black Gospel 1926-1936)” (12” Vinyl)
Forty-two songs. Three LPs. While I know little of the music in this compilation, a strong collection of gospel music is something I have always desired. It’s even more enticing considering that many of the songs were performed during the time of the Great Depression, which had people searching and grasping on to some sort of hope. Thirty-four of these songs have never even been reissued, according to the RSD site, and rare photographs inside give added reason to look for this one while you dig around Saturday morning.
Wu-Tang Clan – “Protect Ya Neck” (12” Vinyl)
Because you won’t be buying the one available copy of “Once Upon a Time in Shaolin,” Record Store Day is here to give you the next best thing. The debut single from NYC’s finest emcees, “Protect Ya Neck” encapsulates the raw energy present all over “Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers).” The black-and-yellow vinyl (!!) will give a bit of flair if you decide to throw this RZA-produced cut on during a mix.
Honorable Mentions
There are still many more RSD releases available at local stores, many of which are worth looking out for. I’ve always felt singer Banks sounded better in remixed versions of her own tracks, so thankfully there is a 12-inch edition of four remixes of “Beggin for Thread,” off her 2014 album “Goddess.” Swedish band Makthaverskan’s explosive single “Witness” will see an expanded release on 7-inch, and there will be an exclusive pressing of 2001’s “What’s Next to the Moon,” a set of AC/DC reinterpretations by Sun Kil Moon’s Mark Kozelek. Gather some dollars, make your list and get up bright and early on Saturday.
Contact the author at motarola@asu.edu. Contact the columnist at Emily.Liu@asu.edu
