Tag: haim

Record Store Day 2014 Wishlist

by James David Patrick

Record Store Day always offers a wide breadth of unique and rare selections for vinyl connoisseurs and music fanatics. While at first glance, 2014 didn’t seem to offer any of the must-have big ticket items of years past, the more I studied the list, the more excited I got. See you crazy folks in line on Friday night.

Ray Parker, Jr. – Ghostbusters 10″

I’ve well documented my affection for Ghostbusters, the Ghostbusters soundtrack and colored vinyl. Holy shit, this release is the perfect storm of 30Hz must have. IT GLOWS IN THE DARK, PEOPLE.

The Cure / Dinosaur, Jr. – Just Like Heaven 7″

One of the greatest running gigs that Record Store Day has going are these Side by Side releases where a band covers a song on Side A (in this case Dinosaur, Jr.) and the original song (The Cure) appears on the B-side. Some of the covers are rather uninspired, but this cover (originally released in 2005) delivers the J. Mascis and Robert Smith in equal measure.

Here’s a live performance of Dinosaur, Jr’s “Just Like Heaven” from KEXP.

Alexander Robotnick – Vintage Robotnicks

Robotnick is a minor legend of the Italo-Disco music scene of the 1980’s. And while we tend have cold sweats when we think of disco… bellbottoms and sequins and John Travolta… this is straight-up synth-heavy electronic. Think a less German Giorgio Moroder. Though much of this compilation was released in the US on a 2003 CD release called Rare Robotnick, I can think of no better place to spin this record than my turntable.

Here’s a sampler of the record:

Electroconvulsive Therapy Vol. 2

Just in case you didn’t get your Italo-Disco fix (not I) with Alexander Robotnick, here’s a collection of very rare tracks from the same era. This stuff is infectious, off-beat and I’ve been spinning stuff from this era pretty heavy of late. It just so happens, #RSD14 noticed my obsession. This record is pressed in “Italian-Flag stripe” colored vinyl.

Nino Rota – Amarcord OST

Apparently 2014 became the unofficial year of the Italians. Nino Rota was an composer, pianist and intellectual most known for his scores for Fellini and Vischonti films. He also won an Oscar for his score for the Godfather Part II. His resume contains more than 150 film scores during his 46-year career. It just so happens that I’m a Fellini junkie and performed a 100% legit double-take when I saw this 180g transparent blue vinyl reissue on the list of RSD releases.

Django Django – The Porpoise Song 7″

First of all, that’s a beautiful 7″. Second, this is Django Django covering a Monkees song. I could seek out the track to sample it but why spoil the moment of initial reveal on my own record player. Third, the B-side of this beaut contains “Flat Of Angles Part 4” a spoken word piece by Benedict Cumberbatch. Spoken word. Benedict Cumberbatch. Cumberbatch. Benedict. Sorry. Once I start with that name I get stuck in some sort of mental loop.

Eric B. & Rakim – Paid in Full 7″

This is a re-issue of the UK 7″ single for “Paid in Full.” The Coldcut Remix on this record reached #15 on the UK charts but was never officially released stateside.

Saturday Looks Good To Me – Love Will Find You, S/T

I’m not sure if Saturday Looks Good To Me was the first modern indie band that brought “Detroit Soul” back into the conversation, but I can’t think of anyone else… so let’s go with that. This is lo-fi garage rock, the kind of music meant to live on vinyl. If I’m not mistaken neither of these albums have ever appeared on vinyl.

Here’s a sample of one of my favorite tracks from Love Will Find You.

Life Without Buildings – Any Other City

This is the first and *only* record ever released by Life Without Buildings. I came to know them through a live record released well after their demise. During their brief tenure as unknown indie-rawk demi-gods, they became known for their furious live sets.

Sample the track “The Leanover” below:

Sun Record Company Vol. 1 (Curated by Record Store Day)

Sun Record Company was an independent record label started in Memphis in 1952. Sun first recorded Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison and Jerry Lee Lewis. This collection of tracks from Sun Records was handpicked by participating Record Store Day vinyl shops. I took a peek at the track list. This one won’t disappoint.

Haim – Forever

So, sure, I’m obsessed with Haim. And I have “Forever” in multiple formats/releases. There’s nothing new about “Forever.” But. BUT. This release contains the Giorgio Moroder “Forever” remix. Chew on that.

Devo – Live at Max’s Kansas City

This is one of three different RSD14 Devo releases. Two full LPs and one 7″. I picked this one to highlight. Consider it highlighted. Buy Devo.

CHVRCHES

I mean, if you’ve been following me at all on Twitter, you’ll know this is a given.

Honorable mentions:

I’m only one dude. I essentially have four jobs. I have no idea when I find the time to listen to enough music to come up with 100 favorite tracks. My 2013 playlist contains more than 7 days worth of music. And that doesn’t even count all the stuff I check out on Spotify and dismiss. But even with all that listening, it’s blind, dumb, stupid luck when a certain song catches my fancy. On some occasions, a song is thrust in my face with the force of the 800 lb. mainstream music machine and those songs must endure hundreds of listens. Staying power, m’f’ers. See: Arcade Fire, Daft Punk. Other times I fall instantly in love with a record. The songs grab me immediately. Those are the easy ones. The bands and the songs I control. See: Frightened Rabbit, Lady Lamb the Beekeeper, Polica. And then there’s that final category. Hearing a song, being in the right frame of mind to accept its advances. You might hear a song a dozen times before it catches you at just the right moment. See: half the songs on this list. For every great song on this list, there are hundreds of equally worthy songs that I just didn’t hear or didn’t hear at the right time in the right place. And to those songs, my apologies. Try harder next time. Everyone else, enjoy the list. Find some new music. Support great artists and music worth listening to and so on and so forth. And keep in mind that the ranking system is just for fun. Any of these songs could movie ten spots in either direction given my mood…