Record Store Day 2017 – The Album Cover
We’re almost to a favorite holiday of mine, Record Store Day. Thanks to Toxic Beauty Records in Yellow Springs, I’ve been able to get my hands on a few limited releases from The Afghan Whigs and Butch Walker.
On April 22nd there will be quite a few 12″ singles and re-releases coming out (the full list is here).
- Alice in Chains – Get Born
- Big Star – Complete Third: Vol 3: Final Masters
- Blitzen Trapper – Unreleased Recordings Series: Waking Bullets at Breakneck Speed
- Johnny Cash – Children’s Album
- Drive-by Truckers – Electric Lady Sessions
- Marcy Playground – Marcy Playground
- Old 97s – “Terlingua” / “Off My Mynd”
- Yes – 90125
Some of the vinyl on my list include’s Johnny Cash’s album my first grade teacher, Mrs. Cook used to play to our class, unreleased Big Star, Blitzen Trapper and new Old 97s.
The beauty of vinyl is threefold to me:
- Album. You listen to an album, not just a track. You know, the way it was meant to be listened to.
- Liner notes. Finding out who played, who wrote, who engineered and who produced will give you a pathway to finding new music.
- Artwork. In today’s instant world, you miss the cover of an album on your iPhone. You’ll get to see some great a
rtwork when you hold up an album, hell, hold up a CD. One of my favorites is artwork from my friend Dan Schmidt on the 2005 album, Stairs and Elevators by the Heartless Bastards.
Now get out, find your local record store, flip through their selection and bring a new album or two home.