- By Michael Christopher rockmusicmenu@gmail.com
- Nov 28, 2019
- Comments
Record Store Day pretty much has the market cornered when it comes to raising awareness about independent record stores in a world of big box outlets and online shopping with its marquee event held each April.
Two years after it kicked off in 2008, organizers introduced a November add-on in an effort to shift the focus of department store madness on Black Friday to the mom and pop places who keep the music alive year-round.
Record Store Day Black Friday, now entering its 10th year, isn’t nearly as large as the main affair in the spring, but there’s still plenty of exclusive titles, RSD firsts and small run vinyl nuggets to pick up for that music lover in your life. Below are 10 titles Rock Music Menu will be searching for at local record shops once this year’s turkey coma wears off.
PAUL MCCARTNEY – ‘HOME TONIGHT’/’IN A HURRY’ [7-INCH]
Paul McCartney recently released digitally two never-before-heard tracks in “Home Tonight” and “In A Hurry.” Now the songs are seeing a very limited Record Store Day exclusive double A-side 7-inch picture disc single hit shelves. Both “Home Tonight” and “In A Hurry” were recorded during the Greg Kurstin sessions for Macca’s chart-topping album ‘Egypt Station.’ The limited-edition vinyl picture disc will feature new and exclusively created artwork based upon the parlor game exquisite corpse along with a lyric insert.
ARCADE FIRE – ‘NEIGHBORHOOD #1 (TUNNELS)’ B/W ‘MY BUDDY’ [7-INCH]
Frequently cited as one of the most important alternative songs of the 2000s, “Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)” – the opening track on Arcade Fire debut album ‘Funeral’ – was an early introduction to the band’s sound and encapsulates the essence of the music and themes on the LP. The B-side, “My Buddy,” by The Alvino Rey Orchestra, pays tribute to bandleaders Will and Win Butler’s late grandfather, the jazz musician Alvino Rey, whose passing during the early part of the group’s career would greatly influence ‘Funeral.’
PEARL JAM – ‘MTV UNPLUGGED’
Three days after completing their first American tour, Pearl Jam headed to New York to strip back songs from debut album ‘Ten,’ well on its way to becoming one of 1992’s top rock albums. For the first time on vinyl – and in fact ever, officially – all seven songs featured in the ‘MTV Unplugged’ broadcast see a long overdue release, including “Even Flow,” “Alive,” “Black” and “State of Love and Trust.”
JEFF BUCKLEY – ‘LIVE ON KCRW: MORNING BECOMES ECLECTIC’
One of the most magical live performances by Jeff Buckley debuts on vinyl as part of the continuing celebration of the 25th anniversary of his debut studio album ‘Grace.’ The late singer/songwriter’s captivating appearance on KCRW-FM’s long-running ‘Morning Becomes Eclectic’ was accompanied by the core band with which he recorded the LP, and features favorites from the album including “Mojo Pin,” “So Real” and “Lover, You Should Have Come Over.”
CHEAP TRICK – ‘ARE YOU READY? [LIVE 12/31/79]’
A sonic flashback to the closing night of the 1970s when Cheap Trick, riding high on the year’s ‘Cheap Trick at Budokan’ live album, rang in the ‘80s with their road-tested revelry at the Los Angeles Forum. Included in the set are the hits “I Want You to Want Me,” “Surrender,” “Dream Police” and many more. The two-LP set is being released for the first time officially, featuring previously unreleased mixes from the original multi-track masters.
JIMI HENDRIX – ‘MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR EP’ [12-INCH PICTURE DISC]
While rehearsing the upcoming Fillmore East shows in NYC as Christmas 1969 drew close, Jimi Hendrix, bassist Billy Cox, and drummer Buddy Miles decided to mark the occasion with special medley of holiday favorites to celebrate both the holiday and the dawning of a new decade. This medley of “Little Drummer Boy,” “Silent Night” and “Auld Lang Syne,” backed by “Three Little Bears,” itself a playful ‘Electric Ladyland’ outtake from 1968, makes its debut on picture disc, featuring the album artwork on one side and a photo of Hendrix dressed as Santa Claus on the other.
‘ELVIS PRESLEY – AMERICAN SOUND SESSIONS 1969’
Fresh from the success of the ‘’68 Comeback Special,’ a revitalized Elvis Presley headed to American Sound Studios with producer Chips Moman and a crack group of local session musicians. Out of these gatherings came ‘From Elvis In Memphis,’ one of the most beloved LPs of his career, plus the seminal hits “Suspicious Minds” and “In the Ghetto.” This two-LP set is available for the first time on vinyl and features rare and unreleased outtakes from those legendary sessions.
PRETENDERS – ‘UK SINGLES 1979 – 1981’
This year marks 40 years since the Pretenders’ debut single, a cover of the Kinks classic “Stop Your Sobbing” was released, and to celebrate a collection of their first eight 7-inch singles from their first two albums, ‘Pretenders’ and ‘Pretenders II.’ This 7-inch vinyl boxed set is limited to just 3,500 copies.
PATSY CLINE – ‘SWEET DREAMS: THE COMPLETE DECCA STUDIO MASTERS (1960-1963)’
Released for the first time on vinyl, ‘Sweet Dreams: The Complete Decca Studio Masters (1960 – 1963)’ is an absolute must for any country music fan. This beautiful collection gathers all 51 tracks that Cline recorded with Owen Bradley after she left a restrictive deal at 4 Star Records and joined on with Decca in 1960. Right off the bat, the new sessions struck gold with the classic “I Fall to Pieces,” her first country No. 1. The duo doubled-down on their successes, with sessions that produced chart-toppers “She’s Got You,” “Crazy” and “Sweet Dreams (of You).” The three-LP set contains a yellow, purple and red vinyl.
‘A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS’ [3-INCH]
The Vince Guaraldi Trio’s beloved jazz album ‘A Charlie Brown Christmas’ is now being made available as a 3-inch vinyl. The release is part of a new collaboration featuring a variety of 3-inch vinyl releases based on classic animations that span several generations and are to be played on the RSD3 mini-turntable made by Crosley. This particular “Blind Box” release comes in an outer box that reproduces the original 12-inch album art and includes one of four possible songs; “Christmas Time Is Here (Vocal),” “Hark the Herald Angels Sing,” “Linus and Lucy” and “Skating.” Each track comes with its own unique pull-out poster.
“Vinyl of the Week” will return next week.
To contact music columnist Michael Christopher, send an email to rockmusicmenu@gmail.com. Also, check out his blog at www.thechroniclesofmc.com