6/25 Backspin Records

How do you know if you've gone to a good record store? (I know it sounds like a bad joke) Well if you come out with an armful of classics, that's usually a good sign.

I was driving around and I saw this record store (it was too late for me to go in there when I was initially). They're pretty good, everything is priced really good and they have a pretty big selection. Every record store has to have it's thing and this one is all about DJ stuff, so if you're into that stuff this is the store for you. Still they have a wall dedicated to rock. There were some things that really bugged me though... They didn't have any captain beefheart or david bowie. Sure beefheart is more understandable, but no bowie? Come on...

Anyways... the records
Beggar's Banquet by the Stones -- 10
Big Hits (High Tide and Green Grass) by the Stones -- 5
Da Capo by Love -- 5
VU by The velvet underground (reissue) -- 13
Terror Twilight by Pavement (reissue) -- 12
Trans-europe Express by Kraftwerk -- 9

If you're new to shops remember these things.
1) Always play the record to check for condition (Although this store's records were really really really clean)
2) Always go through the new arrival bin. I swear, really good deals are always in there. This time both beggar's banquet and trans-europe express were in there.

Ok so Beggar's Banquet. This record marked the end of early stones and the beginning of classic stones. Sure the early stuff is great but this is the first album that's on a higher level completely. I mean how can you go wrong? It starts off with sympathy for the devil, and mid way it gets more energy on street fighting man and it caps off with the glorious salt of the earth. As I said, this album returns to a more bluesish sound after the psychedelic their satanic majesties request. Still a great record. (I got the 1986 reissue with the intended cover, the 1968 was just white with letters on it).

Big Hits is a compilation from their first five albums. Eh... it's sort of a stand in until I find those first five albums for decent prices... Hell how can you not have I can't Get No Satisifaction or get off of my cloud in your collection.

Terror Twilight was pavement's last album. It was produced by Nigel Godrich who frequently worked with radiohead and beck sometimes... It's so much different from slanted and enchanted and you can really tell how much they've grown up. It's got some really mellow tracks but some classics too. I don't know if I'm impressed by Nigel... he called cut my hair "the special haircut song"...

The first three velvet underground albums were on Verve/MGM. Verve dropped them because they weren't selling (surprise). But they were in the process of working on the fourth album for Verve... these are some of those tracks and some others. It's pretty cool, stephanie says is great. Oh... speaking of the velvets, Backspin had their fifth offical release "Squeeze". If it wasn't so expensive or mediocre I would have gotten it. But how good could an album with only Doug Yule, Mo Tucker, Sterling Morris, and some other guy be? I mean it sort of falls apart without lou. Oh... and the price for this record was great because the label is selling it for 17.

I was really surprised at seeing kraftwerk. If you don't know who they are, let me explain kraut rock. During the 70's in germany a lot of bands starting coming up with an emphasis on continuous chugging rhythm. Kraftwerk fits in but they're more interested in electronics so they're pretty influential to techno and the like. I haven't heard this album before, but I'm looking forward to it.

Da Capo (or the other love record) is one of those records that you always see reissues of. Arthur Lee's sort of interesting because, besides Jimi Hendrix, He seems to be the only black musician into psych rock during the 60's. Anyways, this album has the classic Seven and Seven Is. I was sort of freaked out when I was looking at the record though. The second side is one track! Apparently it's a jam... oh boy.... Oh... once again, the original of this record is FAR cheaper than the reissue (20 bucks). Sure it's not 180 gram or virgin vinyl, but that shouldn't cost four times the amount.

6/11 Waterloo Records

First off let me start by saying that waterloo records is my favorite record store for reissues. They've got a really good selection and their labels make it really easy to go through stuff really fast. However I do have some problems... I don't understand how they can have every other reissue by 4 men with beards, except judee sill... come on! Also... what is it with reissues costing more than 15 bucks? I saw a reissue of cat steven's Mona Bone Jakon going for 20 bucks when they had a perfectly good used copy for 4. I can understand profit, but did it really cost 15 bucks to make a record? Cat stevens isn't that hard to find, so there's no reason for a 20 dollar price tag.

Anyways on to the records...

Wowee Zowee by Pavement -- 14
Brighten the Corners by Pavement --10
Dreamy by Beat Happening -- 14
Blues and Roots by Charlie Mingus -- 12
Odessa by The Brothers Gibb -- 5
Who Are You -- 4
Jump! by Van Dyke Parks --4

Ok... so I think the pavement albums are the most obvious. What's not to like about pavement? Lo fi-ish... Fun... Indie rock... What more could a girl want? Anyways, Brighten the Corners is my favorite, Wowee's number two. I'll probably pick up Terror Twilight sometime in the near future.

Dreamy. The second to last beat happening album. I really liked You Turn Me On, Black Candy still but less so. I figure this album should hopefully be a nice in between.

Now for the kicker. That's Right... A JAZZ RECORD... I NEVER see Mingus anywhere, but he definitely is my favorite jazz musician. I got this one because it was the one I was least familiar with (I had already heard the clown and Philanthropus erectus). Anyways it has moaning so I'm looking forward to it.

Now for the used records. This copy of odessa is freakish. Odessa was a double album but this is a single lp. It turns out in the late seventies when they did another pressing, they decided to cut down to one disc. I guess that's what you get when the original has a felt cover with golden letters.

Who are you? Who couldn't use some more of the who? "The last reasonably interesting who record"--AMG

Ok... now for the real find. Jump! by Van Dyke Parks. I got into VDP when I was into smile, the brian wilson album where vdp wrote the words. Song Cycle is really good just because it makes you think about structure. That album is due for a reissue!

see you in two weeks!