Rather You Than Her

The End of Midnight Sales for Record Store Day

jimhankewrites — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 15:54:09 -0500

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I chatted with Steve Warrenfeltz, the owner of my local record store Kiss The Sky in Batavia, IL, the other day. They had moved to their new location last summer and being that the store is about three blocks from my front door, I informed him I was excited to be able to walk to his location for Record Store Day, even late at night for their usual midnight sale. “No midnight sale this year,” Steve replied. He explained that it was part of each store’s pledge (an agreement made with RSD in order to participate and carry several RSD-sanctioned releases), and that although he disagreed with the policy, Kiss The Sky would not be a participating RSD store if they didn’t oblige.

Having interviewed Carrie myself for a podcast last year prior to RSD 2012, I reached out to her via a message on Facebook, wanting to refrain from posting my questions as comments, which I felt would lead to a long back-and-forth between commenters (or even between commenters and Carrie) and I didn’t feel it was my business to “announce” this change publicly before RSD did, if they choose to.

RSD has its detractors, especially from those who actively shop in physical record stores every day of the year. The complaints are often same (limited releases create over-crowding and scalpers; “I don’t need a special day to support my local store”) but for me, I use a probably somewhat-broken analogy of attending a sporting event: Scalpers may take the best tickets and hike up the prices, but I still am going to buy a ticket to the game. I still want to participate. I just don’t let it ruin my outlook. Unless they’re doing something illegal or that could be perceived as soulless, attempting to get more bodies in record stores is something I can always get behind.

Despite all the work that goes into organizing a national event like RSD, Carrie found time to reply - something she didn’t have to do - and her points are well-made. Here’s what I said about the experience of midnight sales in my recap of RSD 2012:

The last album I can remember standing in line for is Radiohead’s seminal Kid A, and it was a neat experience being there: You’d talk with folks in line about what you heard the album might sound like, then you’d walk in and hear it being played overhead. You’d rush to your car after purchasing it and play it the whole way home, and probably one more time all the way through before bed to soak it all in. So as romantic as it is to stand in line at a record store now - and it’s great for RSD to give folks a reason to, who wouldn’t normally - it’s sad that those record release lines are a thing of the past. (An argument could be made that Radiohead themselves have been the primary champions of the communal listening experience in the Internet age: They’ve avoided leaks for their last two records by quietly releasing both In Rainbows and The King of Limbs seemingly overnight digitally, therefore forcing millions fans to hear the album at the precisely the same time. It’s a nice, welcome strategy in the 2000’s, when release dates don’t mean much to your average music consumer.)

Even without midnight sales, RSD is pretty much the only time you’ll stand in line to purchase music these days. With the digital revolution, there is a severe lack of chances for people to await similar, or the same, releases in the flesh at one time. I enjoy pretty much everything about RSD, from the lines to the new releases to the general joy everyone seems to exude in a store that day. And this year in particular, they’ve made a perfect choice in Jack White as their ambassador, inarguably the biggest artist doing the most to keep physical vinyl media alive. But I wanted to know the reasoning behind this change, and why stores that want to open early, like Kiss The Sky, can no longer do so without breaking the RSD pledge.

Here is Carrie’s reply to me, which she has given me permission to post:

“We did ask the stores to refrain from midnight sales, and there are several reasons why. It’s also not the only thing we asked of them. It was part of our revamped Pledge, which was revamped after reading through and taking into consideration every compliment and complaint from customers and stores in the past year. We actually received quite a bit of feedback about midnight sales, and we put a lot of thought into our request to the stores. It basically broke down into three reasons:

1. CUSTOMERS: One of the things RSD does is bring NEW people into record stores. I have said or typed the phrase “find a store near you” so many times, I probably say it in my sleep. But customers are finding stores near them. And going to them, the morning of Record Store Day, to find that all the releases were sold by 12:15 AM. And they are not pleased. No matter how good a store’s promotion is, no matter how complete their email list, or full their Facebook page, they are never going to get the word of a midnight sale out to all their customers, and that leaves them feeling frustrated and angry. We heard from quite a few of these.

2. FELLOW STORES: Midnight sales were originally created as a way to let folks be the first to get a release — before they could go to a big box store or some other place and get it. These are releases where the competition was those big box stores and midnight sales were a way to turn it into an event. Well, RSD releases are ONLY at record stores, the only competition is your fellow indie record store, if you have one in town. And I hope I don’t sound immodest when I say that RSD is the biggest event a store can have — bigger than any midnight sale. RSD is the one day of the year when a store can open their doors at any time they choose and still have a line of people out the door. But you’re right that when one store in a market opens, the other stores feel they have to as well. And that isn’t always wise or fair. And it also, to be honest, starts leading to a sort of “Black Friday” creep — with more and more focus on the releases, and less on the idea of the day itself — a celebration of the stores.

3. THE INTERNET FLIPPERS: Finally, there’s this. People who buy items and flip them are the bane of our existence. Of course, we do whatever we can to control this if it’s a store employee doing it, but when a customer walks out of a store with a piece, they are free to put it on the internet. And they do. Lots of them. And if someone on the East Coast buys a piece at midnight and immediately puts it on eBay, it’s still 9 PM on the West Coast, and it actually begins to effect whether people will go out to the stores on the West Coast to buy what they’re looking for. There’s a big difference between buying something on eBay at 9 PM the night before, and buying something on eBay at 5 AM the morning of.

As I’ve explained to a few stores upset with our decision, and maybe even to the owner of your store, we don’t have a lot of rules or regulations for the stores. In fact I think most people would be surprised at how few we do have. But when we do implement something like this, it’s after we’ve listened to and weighed a lot of feedback and think it’s best for Record Store Day, the stores, and the customers, taken as a whole.”

I can see the points made about “new” customers, but like anything, it’s a shame that a few bad apples - primarly folks snatching up releases only to sell them immediately for inflated prices - had to spoil an aspect of record shopping that others look forward to. Luckily, it’s just an aspect, and I’ll still be shopping on RSD, and every other day of the year.

Record Store Day is Saturday, April 20, 2013. You can find your participating stores via the RSD website, and follow them on Facebook and Twitter. You can listen to my interview with Carrie prior to RSD 2012 here.

Top 10 Albums of 2012

jimhankewrites — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 14:19:00 -0500

10. Nick Waterhouse - Time’s All Gone (Innovative Leisure) // An unassuming 20-something using all analog equipment and blasting classic sounds of 1950’s R&B. No frills, just great songs with astute attention to detail and an honest desire to match. I caught him at Lincoln Hall in Chicago this year, and went in with the expectation that he’d be good. What I got was one of the best performances I had seen in 2012. // WATCH: “Some Place”

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09. The Tallest Man on Earth - There’s No Leaving Now (Dead Oceans) // It might not be my favorite full-length from Swedish singer-songwriter Kristian Matsson, but the title track alone (where he takes to the piano instead of his normal nimble guitar playing) is easily one of his best. A unique, humble voice that gives me chills nearly any time I listen. // HEAR: “There’s No Leaving Now”

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08. Run, Forever - Settling (Tiny Engines) // Having the feel of a concept record but without a weighty subplot, Settling sounds at once both powerful and nervous. Much like the Thermals’ modern classic The Body, The Blood, The Machine, these songs from the Pittsburgh-area trio deal with a singular topic (the Thermals focused on religion, while Run, Forever sings of connections with people) but with 1,000 routes to get there: franticness, humility, disappointment, pride… They may all be off the map, but they’re all the right way. // HEAR: “Maritime States”

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07. Glen Hansard - Rhythm & Repose (ANTI-) // His first solo album without The Frames of The Swell Season, Hansard is still one of today’s best singer-songwriters. His voice is equally amazing at a whisper or a scream, and this record - though maybe his most quiet overall in his career - stands toe-to-toe with his previous output. // HEAR: “Maybe Not Tonight”

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06. Expatriate - Expatriate (self-released) // A pal of mine from my Milwaukee days relocated to Minnesota, and now plays some reverential Americana tunes with help from Cindy Cashdollar of Ryan Adams & The Cardinals. Outstanding stuff. For a limited time, you can download the entire record via Mediafire (band-approved). // HEAR: “Scott Walker Blues”

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06. Bob Mould - Silver Age (Merge) // This had made several Best of 2012 lists, so I won’t bore you. This is just blissful, aggressive indie-rock at its best, from one of the best there is. // HEAR: “First Time Joy”

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05. Rocky Votolato - Television of Saints (Undertow/Second Nature) // The only Kickstarter-funded album on my list, this is Rocky’s best since 2006’s Makers. Enlisting his brothers Cody and Sonny on several tracks, there’s something about Television that feels a bit more honed-in than some of his Barsuk releases, which arguably saw a bigger audience. He’s still done the best cover of The Band’s “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down” I’ve ever heard. // HEAR: “Little Spring”

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04. Geronimo! - Exanimate (self-released) // Full disclosure: These are three friends of mine from Chicago making gigantic, fuzzy rock that proudly bows to bands like Dinosaur Jr. and the Meat Puppets. For a band without a bassist, somehow their sound makes you think they have two. Nasty and propulsive all the way through, aside from the gorgeous, Pet Sounds-esque “Please Come Over,” which was inspired by a Twin Peaks episode. How 90’s! // WATCH: “Into The Sun”

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03. Sharon Van Etten - Tramp (Jagjaguwar) // Another one that’ll appear on some of the big blogs’ year-end lists. She’s also responsible for my favorite A.V. Undercover performance this year, partnering up with Shearwater for a blistering rendition of the Tom Petty/Stevie Nicks duet “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around.” // HEAR: “Give Out”

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02. John K. Samson - Provincial (ANTI-) // The Weakerthans’ poetic leader creates a solo record that tugs on the heartstrings as much as any previous release. Though his lyrical references are weirdly a bit more generic (wanting to borrow the car; unrequited love), modern (the Call of Duty video game series; html coding) and sports-related this time, Provincial is no less effecting. Even the boredom of a one-note small town is presented in some hard-hitting verbiage: “This city’s some cheap EQ / with the mids pushed up / in the one long note of wheat”). Musicians and non-musicians can equally relate. // WATCH: “Longitudinal Centre”

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01. Father John Misty - Fear Fun (Sub Pop) // There aren’t many words that truly encapsulate the metamorphosis that Josh Tillman underwent this year, ditching his abbreviated birthname of J. Tillman, as well as his solo minimalist, home-recorded weariness and the household-name folk of Fleet Foxes, for whom he drummed. If his stark and achingly beautiful albums like Cancer & Delirium were black-and-white silent pictures, Fear Fun is The Big Lebowski. That sounds like a weird comparison, but it fits: Rumored to have been inspired by a drug-induced road trip, this album plays like a greatest-hits of a west coast band from the 70’s you’ve never heard, but the songs are timeless and immediately recognizable. From the addictive and mysterious stomp of “Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings” (with a partnering video starring Parks & Recreation’s Aubrey Plaza) to the oddly Schoolhouse Rock-esque “Well, You Can Do It Without Me” to “Only Son of the Ladiesman” (which had one of late-night TV’s strongest performances of 2012), every song sports some sort of dark humor about sex, drugs, music or other worldly conquests, while keeping harmonious vocals and outstanding musicianship at the center. The opening “Funtimes in Babylon” is far and away my favorite track of the year, a campfire ditty with gospel undertones where Tillman seems to be looking back at a fulfilled (if not hazardous) life, hoping to “ride around the wreckage on a horse, knee-deep in blood.” He plays the cocksure yet charming guy everyone wants to talk to at a party to a T. It’s like Rufus Wainwright’s pomp and elaborate songwriting dressed down, in a beat-up Army jacket. Watch some interviews with him on YouTube and his dead-pan amusement at the entire process is intriguing and hilarious. He’s still a mysterious dude, but Fear Fun is possibly the brightest record from one of those in a while.

Smoking Popes' "Born To Quit" delays + YTVC fun

jimhankewrites — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 13:07:55 -0500

Hey, long time, no post! My vinyl collection has been growing exponentially. I’ve been to my first Record Collectors Show, and I’ve been communicating online a lot more about records in general as part of the YouTube Vinyl Community, which I suddenly fell upon a few weeks ago. Folks post videos of new treasures, how they care for their vinyl, etc. and I’m really enjoying a wide range of opinions from an even wider range of the planet. Visit the VC on Facebook, and I’ll try to update the blog with the videos I’ve submitted as they happen.

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On to some disappointing news: There is now another delay for the Smoking Popes’ Born To Quit vinyl reissue (pictured above), the second in as many months. Originally released in 1994, this is one of those albums that blew me away in high-school. I still know every word to it, and to see it get the vinyl treatment with some bonus tracks, is fantastic. Unfortunately, it’s the way I, as a person who pre-ordered, was alerted to these delays that is leaving me with a bad taste.

I pre-ordered the record on October 16th. The album, according to the Popes’ website, was to be shipped out on or around October 23rd. Because I ordered it so close to the original ship date, I figured my order might not go out in the first batch. No big deal.

I receive an email on October 24th from Benchmark Merchandising, who is running the webstore for the Smoking Popes, informing me that due to production delays, the release date was being pushed back until November 20th. My order was pending and would now ship on November 16th. I would’ve loved to have this information with more notice, not the day after it was supposed to ship. But, delays happen and I imagine this might have been out of their control. Hey, I’ve never pressed anything on vinyl in my life. I felt unworthy to judge.

Fast-forward to November 19th. That’s three days after my order was to ship, and one day prior to the retail release date. Through a tweet from the Smoking Popes, I learn that Side One Dummy, the label putting out the BTQ reissue, has posted what’s below.

Yep, now we’re talking a delay until February 2013, almost five months from the original release date.

As I type this, it’s now November 28th and I have yet to receive the aforementioned email.

I can understand production miscues, but this second push-back with (again) no prior notice (in fact, LATE notice) and now an almost 10-day delay in getting an official email on it, have me not only ticked, but now worried. I replied to that same tweet a third time today, indicating that I have still yet to receive that email.

And the special offer mentioned? Unless it’s something free to compensate for my wait time, I can tell you that I’m going to pass. No reason to spend more money on something that also could - hell, probably will - be delayed.

I cannot blame the band themselves, but the finger has to be pointed at either Benchmark, Side One Dummy or both. Let me be clear, they’re not bad people, bad businesses or bad labels. Far from it. But the lack of notice and professional courtesy here has soured me on any future dealings with either. I shouldn’t have to go to Side One Dummy’s website myself to find a news update about this. And in fact, as of Noon CST today (11/28/12), the webstore STILL lists a shipdate of November 16th. You’d think someone could update that. I’d guess it’s the same person who has to send out that mysteriously missing email, but these are two different entities.

The album is currently streaming online, but I don’t want to hear it that way. I want to pull this record out of its sleeve and treat myself to a great experience with my turntable. It’s an album that deserves that.

You know what’s sad? Born To Quit is near and dear to my heart, and I’m no longer even looking forward to even receiving it. I’m simply anticipating another delay, come February. That’s how bad this has gotten. This whole story can be summed up by the title of the band’s also-incredible 1997 follow-up: Destination Failure.

TARGET, BEST COAST, A BEAR AND CALIFORNIA

jimhankewrites — Sun, 27 May 2012 21:48:31 -0400

I was in my local Target store this weekend when I spotted something eerie: A t-shirt for sale that resembles - although awkwardly - the cover for Best Coast’s latest record The Only Place. I snapped the photo on the left, and the album cover is obviously on the right.

Although I can’t think of anything specific offhand, I feel like this is far from the first time I’ve seen something like this. Pretty recently, Disney had used infused the trademark Mickey head and ears in with the iconic art of Joy Division’s Unknown Pleasures album, and while this is clearly less deliberate, there are too many similarities to just write it off as a coincidence.

If you’ve seen this similarity posted elsewhere online, let me know. I came up empty on the Googling that I’ve done on it, only finding that Best Coast did a Christmas song for Target in 2010. Maybe there’s some other explanation out there, but on first glance, it seems like a clear stab at The Only Place, one that has merit for a possible lawsuit if this is news to the band.

Record Store Day 2012: My Report

jimhankewrites — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 15:16:00 -0400

Being a music enthusiast and not living in or near a major city must be heartbreaking. I’ve resided about an hour west of Chicago for almost five years - after spending most of my life in Milwaukee, where legendary Atomic Records did wonders for my growing up - and my location is definitely on the far left end of the area’s record store map. But I’m lucky enough to have some good spots relatively close by: I can easily kill an afternoon at Rediscover Records in Elgin or Kiss The Sky of Geneva, and even Bloomingdale’s Half Price Books offers some choice finds for cheap. With my wife and I sharing a car, heading into the city for a proper attack of several stores takes a bit more planning, and I have some favorites there as well: Logan Hardware ingeniously will let you play arcade games of your youth for free in their back room with any purchase, and between their three locations, Reckless Records usually has what I’m looking for (I also appreciate being able to search their inventory online beforehand). There are plenty more - Saki and Laurie’s Planet of Sound, for starters - that I’ve been meaning to hit as well, but in Illinois alone, what is someone to do if they live west of me? A quick Google Maps search leads to nearly zero record stores in the state’s northwestern corner and this is in the age where more stores are closing than ever. I know it’s small potatoes in a world rife with war and disease, but I seriously feel awful for the kid unable to walk into an independent retailer and hold a vinyl record before they buy it.

So although I frequent my local stores as much as I can, I feel Record Store Day is a great chance to remember why we appreciate them in the first place. True, it can be a madhouse when participating stores open, due to an overwhelming list of limited releases for sale that day. Several folks on Twitter went as far as to compare RSD to St. Patrick’s Day, in its ability to bring out the amateurs in full force. It’s a cute joke, but shortsighted; at the going rate, are we really going to start calling out fairweather fans of a dying business model? I just feel I need to be there early to participate, not elbow my fellow man for a box set. The world is weird, and I could be living in nowheresville with 17 cats in an apartment straight out of Hoarders, so even if I’m spending just $5.00, it’s a tiny thank-you to those that are still open to serve me. I greatly appreciate them sticking it out in this current financial climate, because they give me something rare when I spend money: A thrill. I can’t say I feel the same grocery shopping, you know?

So here’s a rundown of what I did on Record Store Day. Although I went to just two stores, I wanted to showcase how differently things were handled at both. Feel free to share your stories, purchases and more with me via email - ratheryouthanher(at)gmail(dot)com - or on Twitter: @rythvinyl.

KISS THE SKY (Geneva, IL - 301 W. State) - I admittedly have close ties with KTS: My band’s bass player is a former employee, we played the store’s midnight sale for Record Store Day last year, and I currently run the store’s Twitter feed. Owners Steve Warrenfeltz and Mike Messerschmidt are great guys and although their store has a noticeable lean towards classic rock, it’s been my go-to if I plan on popping in for one particular item.

Like last year, KTS held a free performance next door at restaurant Bistro Thai for about two hours prior to officially opening, this time featuring Aurora, IL vocalist Andrea Dawn. Warrenfeltz put out Dawn’s recent album Theories of How We Can Be Friends on his own Waterloo Sunset label, so the booking made great business sense: On KTS’ busiest day of the year, ads for her record were scattered through out the store and Theories blared over the speakers. He had done a similar thing last year as well with a local compilation he helped release called Made In Aurora.

I arrived at 11pm on 4/20, approximately an hour before KTS’ doors opened, and found about 10 other guys mingling in front of the store. We began to chat a bit and one asked me what my number was. While I stress my love for the store and those who run it, I had no idea that predetermined spots in line were being given out, and don’t know how anyone else could’ve known it, either. There were no signs stating this, and I felt a bit silly since running the store’s Twitter feed didn’t give me any knowledge to pass on. It was pointed out that Steve was watching Andrea’s set, and that he was giving out numbers to those who asked. I made my way in, snagged #34, and continued my vigil outside. A poster in the store’s window noted that 50 customers would be let in at a time, so I was happy with my placement, despite the confusion.

When the show let out around 11:40pm, there was now an official crowd building outside the store and anticipation built: A few folks tried to get a peak through the windows to see where certain releases were placed in the store (see the first photo in this post), while others traded want-lists verbally with friends or fellow customers. The overall vibe was genial, if not a bit jittery.

At 11:58pm, Mike opened the doors and what could’ve been an easy entry system (there were numbers, after all) became close to a near mess. In a low volume that not everyone could hear, Mike asked that people come up in order, leaving him to take the proper numbers as people held them up half-heartedly, pushing towards one open door. This then led to folks rushing the walls once inside, and with KTS’ narrow aisles (the store is far deeper than it is wide), anyone with numbers 25 or over were pretty blocked off from the area right off the bat.

I’m no business owner, nor do I have to deal with the stress of running said business in the ramp up to Record Store Day. But I can’t help but think that if less people were let in at once - maybe 10-15 every five minutes, taking the store’s layout into consideration - and if there had been a proper announcement for all of us to actually form a physical line according to order, things might’ve gone more smoothly for those hoping to grab a specific release. Steve and Mike are laid back guys, and no one needs to act like a dictator all of a sudden, but sometimes a little bass in your voice when addressing nearly 100 people helps. You run the store. Tell us what to do to help you out, especially on Record Store Day, and we’ll listen.

Now, I don’t say all of the above in a pissy manner because I was beaten to the punch on some seven-inches by others ahead of me. Quite the contrary: I was able to snag Cursive’s Burst & Bloom EP as well as Uncle Tupelo’s Still Feel Gone, both reissued on vinyl in celebration of RSD, and both releases I very much wanted. Just as an observer and frequent customer, it seemed that it could’ve been handled better. I’m not sure if an announcement about grabbing a number was made prior to Andrea’s set, but if so, you can’t assume that everyone will show up on time. Documentation in your window can do wonders.

In my recent chat with RSD’s Carrie Colliton, she stresses several times that this now 5-year-old celebration is about the stores, not the releases (Colliton even recalled a story of how she was rebuffed by committee when suggesting that there be zero special releases on RSD). I felt the way entry was handled at KTS just throws gas on the fire for RSD haters, as the doors seemed to be opened with a shrug rather than a proud sense of community. Either way, KTS will be leaving Geneva for my town of Batavia this summer, so I’m glad they’ll be just a hop, skip and a jump away!

RECKLESS RECORDS (Chicago, IL - 26 E. Madison) - After going to bed around 1:30am on Saturday, I awoke about 5:45am to take the train to Chicago for Part 2 of my RSD activities. Reckless is Chicago locations strong and although this is their smallest, it’s a short 15 minute walk from the train depot. Without the car, I didn’t feel like riding the L or cabbing it all day, so I decided early on that this would be my only stop while in the city.

I arrived in Chicago about 8am and took a brisk stride down Madison. After seeing pictures of UK record store lines stretching for blocks in my Twitter feed - they call ‘em “queues” over there; Europe, you so crazy! - I prepared myself for the possibility that plenty of folks were already camping out. I was kind of astounded to find only ten folks ahead of me when I got to the store, and already in a clearly defined line. In reality, I shouldn’t have been incredibly shocked because I was hoping this destination would turn in this result: While all three Reckless locations are in bustling areas, the Madison store is sandwiched downtown in blink-and-you’ll-miss-it fashion. The larger stores reside in what you could classify as actual “neighborhoods,” so I figured this may be a forgotten choice on RSD. By the time the doors would open, I’d say 35 people tops were ready to go, which is tiny compared to reports at other various Chicago retailers via Twitter.

The 90 minutes I waited honestly flew by, as I chatted with a few nice gents ahead of me, sharing a box of donut holes that were being passed around. A few passersby asked what we were in line for and some seemed perplexed that it wasn’t for one specific release per se, aside from just shopping on RSD in general. It got me thinking that about 15 years ago, this was the kind of line that would form for midnight sales for just one record. The last album I can remember standing in line for is Radiohead’s seminal Kid A, and it was a neat experience being there: You’d talk with folks in line about what you heard the album might sound like, then you’d walk in and hear it being played overhead. You’d rush to your car after purchasing it and play it the whole way home, and probably one more time all the way through before bed to soak it all in. So as romantic as it is to stand in line at a record store now - and it’s great for RSD to give folks a reason to, who wouldn’t normally - it’s sad that those record release lines are a thing of the past. (An argument could be made that Radiohead themselves have been the primary champions of the communal listening experience in the Internet age: They’ve avoided leaks for their last two records by quietly releasing both In Rainbows and The King of Limbs seemingly overnight digitally, therefore forcing millions fans to hear the album at the precisely the same time. It’s a nice, welcome strategy in the 2000’s, when release dates don’t mean much to your average music consumer.)

When the doors opened for Reckless at 10am, it was a much different story than Kiss The Sky just a few hours prior: An employee simply announced that everyone come to the back desk in the same line, provide a list of what specific RSD exclusives they’re looking for, and they’ll do their best to get everyone what they can. While this would bypass the adrenaline rush of sifting through the racks ourselves, it would also avoid a smash-and-grab scenario in a tiny room, as this Reckless is easily 1/3rd the size of Kiss The Sky. This proved to be damn near perfect. Conversations between patrons continued, the staff was kind and accommodating, and everyone could make their purchases in the order they were in originally. Though the Civil Wars 7” I was hoping for was long gone - or maybe not there at all - the Ryan Adams and Tallest Man on Earth releases were, so I was pumped to have scored those (the former being somewhat surprising, as Adams’ die-hard fans are notably cultish and completist).

I exited the store, ventured for a bit of food nearby and got back in line to do some actual browsing. By this time, the line was moving briskly and less folks were hunting for RSD exclusives. I found some stuff I didn’t expect to, and some releases that had been on the backburner of my brain for quite some time. Despite only entering two stores, I found the majority of what I was hoping for and had a great time doing it. Here’s a list of my finds:

Ryan Adams, “Heartbreak A Stranger”/”Black Sheets Of Rain” 7” - These two Bob Mould covers were recorded live in November of last year at a tribute to the former Husker Du/Sugar frontman that also starred Dave Grohl, Craig Finn and others. Though the originals are some of Mould’s darkest works, Adams’ acoustic renditions - complete with a trembly falsetto here and there - present these masterpieces in a new light. It’s gorgeous stuff, and the blue vinyl and the Husker Du font are nice touches. LISTEN: “Heartbreak A Stranger” (Original) / “Heartbreak A Stranger” (Cover)

A Camp, Colonia LP - This was a used find at Reckless, and in great shape, no less. Though not as famous as singer Nina Persson’s previous band The Cardigans, nor as influential as guitarist Nathan Larson’s ex-groups Shudder To Think and Swiz, A Camp has a knack for direct, pretty, outstanding pop songs. My wife and brother-in-law had turned me on to Colonia around its original 2009 release and tracks like “Stronger Than Jesus” and “Golden Teeth and Silver Medals” jumped out at me right away. There’s something special about a line like “Let’s raise our glasses / to murderous asses like you,” sung without a trace of bitterness. So despite not finding The Civil Wars RSD exclusives, I considered this one a rare score in its place. LISTEN: “Love Has Left The Room”

The Tallest Man On Earth, King Of Spain 12” - When the official list of RSD releases came out, I was excited to see something from TMOE - aka Swedish singer/songwriter Kristian Matsson - but a shade confused. With a new full-length coming in June (There’s No Leaving Now), I figured the first single might be a nice RSD tie-in. Instead, the goosebump-inducing “King of Spain,” from 2010’s near-perfect The Wild Hunt, was slapped onto vinyl for the first time, sporting two tremendous B-sides: His take on the Paul Simon classic “Graceland” and new original “Where I Thought I Met The Angels.” Like his previous releases, this one’s got the trademark wilderness photo and no-frills text, which is a nice running theme to have hand-in-hand with Matsson’s barebones, though emotional, tales of woe. LISTEN: “King Of Spain”

Uncle Tupelo, Still Feel Gone LP re-issue - Long before Jeff Tweedy and Jay Farrar had their own separate takes on Woody Guthrie songs - and even longer before they fronted Wilco and Son Volt, respectively - they were the brains behind Uncle Tupelo, still regarded as one of the touchstone bands of the 90’s alt-country movement. Legacy reissued UT’s first three albums on RSD and this is my fave of those. Although their final record Anodyne would eventually become my holy grail, Gone rumbles with nods to Dinosaur Jr. and The Minutemen along with the band’s usual twang. LISTEN: “Gun”

Cursive, Burst & Bloom 12” EP re-issue - “I’ll try to make this perfectly clear,” Cursive vocalist Tim Kasher states during the opening strums of this five-cut in a rhythmic near-whisper, and he’d succeed: In 2002, between a tag-team of groundbreaking LP’s in Domestica and The Ugly Organ, came this equally outspoken smash of an EP. 10 years later - and on marbled yellow vinyl this time - “Sink” easily remains both one of the band’s creative peaks, as well as a definitive Saddle Creek release. You could write an essay on the song’s lyrics that at once are a personal reflection and an advertisement (how often did singers of Kasher’s ilk reference their own record label?), but it’s the song’s final minute that goes into the indie-rock Smithsonian: macabre, minimalist drama is built by Kasher, guitarist Ted Stevens and then drummer Clint Schnase before ripping into an explosion of epic proportions that’d fit in any bloody, climactic mob flick of Martin Scorsese’s. And that’s just the first track here. LISTEN: “Sink To The Beat”

Iron & Wine, Woman King 12” EP - In 2005, as Sam Beam’s household status climbed on the success of Our Endless Numbered Days, Iron & Wine released two EP’s: In The Reins was a collaboration with Calexico, and Woman King began to introduce Beam’s percussive side. The Shepherd’s Dog in ‘07 would thrive on some of the circular, brooding rhythms that were first given legs here on Woman King, a six-song love letter to the power of femininity, in more than name only. Although Beam had tackled tales of sex and betrayal before, a line like “We were born to fuck each other / one way or another” (from the closer “Evening on the Ground”) still came as a shock, and the best kind of punch in the gut. LISTEN: “Woman King”

POINT-COUNTERPOINT: Pop-ups on Record Store Day

jimhankewrites — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 22:25:41 -0400

I don’t offer a whole lot of debate on the blog, but in the few hours we have left up until Record Store Day, I’d like to present the following piece and you can feel free to share, comment or whathaveyou.

The heart of the story is that the Chicago-based Numero Group - responsible for releasing countless great soul/R&B nuggets, usually from artists far underneath the radar - will be opening a pop-up store on Record Store Day for the second consecutive year, meaning it will only exist for one day (this year it’ll reside inside the Empty Bottle, a renowned Chicago venue that I’ve had the pleasure of performing at). Many Chicago record retailers have taken umbrage with this, including Patrick Monaghan of Saki.

In a detailed posting on the store’s blog, Patrick runs down his many arguments politely and thoughtfully. He gives a point-by-point breakdown on why he disagrees with Numero’s decision - mentioning that The Metro is also doing a similar pop-up this year - and it’s a worthwhile read.

What are your thoughts? Should labels not be able to set-up a pop-up store, or maybe just avoid it on Record Store Day? Or do Numero and other labels have just as much right as brick-and-mortar retailers, to showcase their stuff by any means necessary?

Feel free to comment or get at me on Twitter. And in case you missed it, please stream or download my chat with Record Store Day’s Director of Marketing Carrie Colliton here.

PODCAST: CARRIE COLLITON of RECORD STORE DAY

jimhankewrites — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 11:47:28 -0400

Record Store Day, the five-year-old nationally-organized event intended to celebrate brick-and-mortar retail outlets, is coming soon and it’s one of my favorite days of the year. To help shine a light on the neighborhood shops where we’ve all gone to discuss and discover new and classic albums, some of the biggest names in music put out limited-edition releases, perform in-stores or set up autograph signings. None of us should need a gigantic promotional push to get out of the house and visit our favorite record store - let alone on one day - but in the age of the download, it’s encouraging to see RSD grow year after year, getting more and more folks who haven’t set foot in a record store in years - or ever - through the doors.

I recently had the pleasure of hopping back on the Sock Monkey Sound podcast - based out of Rockford, IL - to chat with Carrie Colliton, co-founder and director of marketing for Record Store Day. We talked about the history of the event, how social media assists in getting the word out, and how artists get involved in putting out a special release that day. Listen to the podcast here, and please share it as we ramp up to Record Store Day on Saturday, April 21!

Make sure to also follow RSD via Facebook, Twitter, and this PDF of all the official releases that day.

You can also hear some other appearances of mine on Sock Monkey Sound here, including other podcast interviews with Maritime and The Dismemberment Plan.

My audio set-up / April Insound Sale: 10% Off

jimhankewrites — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 22:16:00 -0400

Some folks have asked me to share my audio set-up, so I thought I’d post that today. I’m not much of a gearhead, but in talking with friends who are thinking about improving their current set-up or starting from scratch, it’s discouraging that many make the assumption that a ton of money is needed for a quality listening experience with vinyl.

You really have to decide what kind of listener you are, or that you think you’re going to be. For me, I absolutely do sit and listen to records and I’m able pick out distinct differences between the vinyl and an MP3 or CD version of the same record. However, I also just want to have something on in the house when people come over, or crank a side while I do dishes. If you feel you’re going to be more focused when listening, maybe you do want to invest in a $300 turntable or $600 speakers, and no one can fault you for that. But what I have currently works for me on so many levels - affordability, compactness, overall sound - that I thought I’d try to let folks know just how easy it is to sniff out something that also works for you.

TURNTABLE: Audio-Technica AT-LP60 (My cost: $95) // This is a pretty no-frills machine: Minimal installation is required and it plays like a dream. I opted to not go for one that can convert vinyl to MP3 because that’s not really my goal. I just wanted something that would play perfectly and this guy does. I had eyed them at Kiss The Sky, my local store here in the western Chicago suburbs, and did a lot of YouTube research on it before I invested. It finally took a recommendation from my lawyer/blogger pal Steve Rogovin to push it over the top for me.

RECEIVER: Sony STR-D615 (My cost: $50) // Yes, it’s a heavy, clunky receiver, but freelance writer/musician/friend Jeff Elbel had one just sitting in his garage, so I lucked out. I always run the setting on phono, even though the turntable as a line level switch that would allow you to run off the turntable’s own pre-amp. Despite the size, it fits nicely on my shelving right next to the turntable and for an older unit, it doesn’t overheat and I find myself getting the volume I need by keeping it at 3 or under. I always get a quality sound without any distortion.

SPEAKERS: Pioneer CS-G201WA II (My cost: $15) // I credit my wife for spotting these at Goodwill. For the price, I couldn’t go wrong because if I got them home and they didn’t work or even just performed less than I was hoping, I didn’t blow my paycheck. Yes, they have the fake wood paneling, but I was super happy plugging these guys in. They’re 100 watts and each has a 10” woofer, 4” midrange and a 2.5” tweeter. All of the above, partnered with the IKEA 2x2 Expedit for storage, make this portion of our living room my favorite part of the house, and I was able to do it all for under $200.

====

As I posted previously, I was approached by the lovely folks at Insound about becoming an affiliate of theirs, allowing me to have my own online store through them and offer some of the vinyls I’ve featured here on the blog, as well as some other current favorites of mine.

Every month, I have the ability to give my readers a discount, so with the weather cooperating and baseball season underway - full disclosure: GO BREWERS! - why not start now?

So for all of April, up until May 1, you can get 10% OFF anything in my store with promo code happyapril10. I tried to throw a little of everything in there, so you’ll find vinyl, turntables, books I recommend and other random stuff.

Even if I wasn’t a part of Insound’s affiliate program, I’d tell you that they’re incredibly fast and they stock pretty much everything you’re looking for. So go get yourself something awesome. You deserve it!

Record Store Day 2012 / Official Release List

jimhankewrites — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 16:17:40 -0400

If you’re like me, you’ve probably been waiting for the official release list from the good folks of Record Store Day to come out.

Some things you’ll personally have to fight me for include the Ryan Adams live 7” of Bob Mould covers, the Civil Wars’ Billy Jean 7”, Cursive’s vinyl Burst & Bloom reissue (pictured above), and The Tallest Man On Earth’s King of Spain 12” (featuring a cover of Paul Simon’s “Graceland”).

Here’s a PDF of the entire list, and you can find more information at www.recordstoreday.com.

INTRODUCING... RYTH VINYL STORE @ INSOUND

jimhankewrites — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 14:12:26 -0400

Thanks to the great folks at Insound for following my tweets and noticing the blog, I’ve joined their affiliate program and can now have a storefront through the blog, where you can purchase releases that I’ve covered previously, as well as check out some other current favorites of mine. I’ll keep adding stuff all the time, so keep checking back!

Visit Rather You Than Her’s vinyl store, via Insound.

TRUTH.

jimhankewrites — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 12:16:41 -0400

TRUTH.

Greetings to new followers!

jimhankewrites — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 21:57:00 -0400

Over the last week, followers of this blog on both Tumblr and Twitter have jumped up a ton, due to some very kind folks sharing particular posts with their own fans and followers. So I wanted to take a few seconds to thank to Minutemen/fIREHOSE bassist Mike Watt for sharing my Minutemen post (above), as well as the fine folks at Record Store Day, Reckless Records (Chicago), Darren Walters (Jade Tree Records), VinylVlog.com, Norm Gettis (Vinyl Record Talk), Rediscover Records (Elgin, IL), the Vinyl District (Austin), and Pearl Jam fansite PearlJamOnline for sharing recent posts of mine with their followers.

It was shocking to have Watt in particular share the Minutemen post, and getting so much positive feedback to the article via Facebook is humbling. Though I started music writing at an early age, I haven’t done it in a while, so I feel I’ve fallen out of step with it. It’s just encouraging to have new followers every day, and I hope I can keep turning you on to new music (even if it’s just new to you), cool packaging and design choices, or just remember old classics.

Please do visit the ABOUT section, and even my first post last year, where I laid out what I hope the blog would accomplish. If you’re an artist or record label, my mailing address is on the CONTACT page, and I post about every single record I receive. If you’re kind enough to send vinyl my way, the least I can do is make sure it gets a spotlight.

Thanks again for stopping by, and keep spreading the word. :) — Jim

http://twitter.com/rythvinyl

As mentioned in my coverage of Double Nickels On The Dime below,...

jimhankewrites — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 14:10:54 -0500

As mentioned in my coverage of Double Nickels On The Dime below, this is some 2008 audio from my discussion on “Liner Notes” with host Derek Wright, on how Mike Watt “got me fired” from my first volunteer writing job at the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.

“Liner Notes” was a Sunday evening music talk show that I co-hosted for a time on Triton College Radio, 88.9FM WRRG (River Grove, IL).

The Minutemen - Double Nickels On The Dime // 2009 Reissue

jimhankewrites — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 14:08:00 -0500

“You can’t help when you were born and what you are into,” says Mike Watt in We Jam Econo, a 2005 documentary about The Minutemen. “Some people were born before, some after, some during.” That’s a pretty barebones and truthful statement, and I tend to live by those words when talking about this band, because I was five when Double Nickels came out - often sighted as their best and most influential effort - so I can’t be faulted for not being on board right away. But I’m glad I got there, whatever way possible.

My growing interest in music - how it was made, who made it, and why it spoke volumes to me - paralleled with the growth of bands like Superchunk, Nirvana and Smashing Pumpkins. With the internet light years behind anything of today, often my first exposure to the bands that influenced my heroes was through incessantly reading interviews where the bands spoke out about their favorites (Fugazi, Dinosaur Jr.), who they would take on tour with them, or album reviews where the writer would compare them to someone, positively or negatively. One way I found out about bands that were classic to most but new to me was through Self-Pollution Radio, a January 1995 anything-goes, nationwide broadcast by Pearl Jam. Mudhoney and others performed songs live from a tiny house in Seattle, and any major rock station that wanted to carry it could. PJ members also spun favorites of theirs on vinyl and this was where my original obsession with songs like Sonic Youth’s “Teenage Riot” and The Descendents’ “Silly Girl” came from, not to mention some songs Dave Grohl was working on for some little project called Foo Fighters.

Eventually, Eddie Vedder had a live phone call with this guy Mike Watt, bassist for The Minutemen, and played a few songs from an upcoming album called Ball-Hog Or Tugboat?, on which Vedder, Grohl and many of their ilk appeared. I admittedly got into Watt and the Minutemen through that radio show, and this 1984 double-album - the most readably available that I could find at the time - blew my mind shortly thereafter.

While on his Ball-Hog Or Tugboat? tour (with guitarist Nels Cline in tow, then previously of the Geraldine Fibbers, but who would go on to a stunning future with Wilco), I was able to interview Watt in person outside of Shank Hall in Milwaukee. Due to a quote from Watt that I felt needed to be in the article in order to establish his persona, I was let go from the publication where the story appeared, shortly after it ran. You can listen to me tell that story on a 2008 episode of Liner Notes, a radio show I formerly co-hosted, here and I’ll also post it to this Tumblr via Soundcloud shortly after this post goes live.

Nickels is far from your average 80’s punk rock album. Though they were certainly champions of the D.I.Y. esthetic, the Minutemen came from far different schools of thought, both together and apart: Drummer George Hurley hardly ever did a standard, thumping 4/4 tempo, relying instead on his limber, jazz timing; D. Boon seemingly played only on the higher half of the fretboard, making short, staccato funk sounds; Watt was always busy, playing notes around notes, going wildly against the punk grain with a style that would lead him to future explorations in nearly every musical genre. Sure, these “three dudes from Pedro” (as they’re lovingly referred to in Econo) loved Captain Beefheart and The Stooges, but also Creedance Clearwater Revival, Steely Dan and Van Halen. So much so, they thanked them in the liner notes for Nickels, as well as covered them (“Don’t Look Now,” “Dr. Wu” and “Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love,” respectively). Unheard of, for a band on Black Flag’s SST Records.

Watching Econo and listening to Nickels, it’s quite astounding that this trio, never having a drop of pretension or cookie-cutter anarchist attitude, had to put up with so much hatred from California’s punk show-goers. They were spat on for playing blues licks and shunned for not fitting into a tiny, easily-describable box. In Econo, Watt admits growing up that he didn’t even realize he played the bass until someone pointed it out to him (he didn’t notice the difference in thickness of his strings), and an interview with Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers reveals that Boon and Watt didn’t know about tuning right away either (he explains that they just figured some guys liked their strings looser, while others liked them tighter). That kind of innocence, mixed with the world-weary maturity of these songs (even with titles like “Political Song for Michael Jackson to Sing” or “The Roar of the Masses Could Be Farts”), makes for a stunning document.

The sides are named for each member, with “Side D.” being Side A, and “Side Chaff” being the formal Side D for songs they deemed as leftovers. These are guys who clearly saw the world - music or otherwise - as an adventure, challenging themselves to out-do their influences. Coming in at 42 songs (!!), Nickels’ expansive track listing was a playful nod to Husker Du, answering their Zen Arcade’s 23 track double album (“Take THAT, Huskers!” is printed sideways inside the stunning gatefold of drawings and black-and-white live photos). Though nearly impossible to describe and even harder to digest in one full sitting, Nickels ironically gave MTV a hit theme (“Corona,” or what you know as the theme from Jackass) and a legion of bands the confidence that double-albums, thought-provoking lyrics and achieving technicality on your own accord could be not just imagined, but achieved by absolutely anyone.

Video: We Jam Econo documentary

Purchase Double Nickels On The Dime on vinyl from Insound

the promise ring / jets to brazil - out of print releases (1996-1999)

jimhankewrites — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 15:04:10 -0500

There’s not a whole lot I can say about the following releases that hasn’t already been said. The first three albums from Milwaukee’s Promise Ring, and Blake Schwartzenbach’s first post-Jawbreaker album with Jets To Brazil are all classic and seminal in their own ways. They laid the groundwork for literally thousands of bands to come up, and were two of the biggest names in late-90’s indie-rock. Being that they’re all currently out-of-print (though one wonders what could be in the works, with The Promise Ring’s reunion this year), I thought I’d feature them here.

30 Degrees Everywhere (1996, pictured at the top of this post) is unabashedly looked at by the members of The Promise Ring as a misstep. Drummer Dan Didier expressed what went wrong recently to AV Club Milwaukee: “With all due respect to [producer] Casey Rice, it was the wrong recording at the wrong time with the wrong person. He just came from touring Europe with Tortoise, and he had that sort of Thrill Jockey vibe going, and he sort of—to me, in hindsight—felt like he was just recording a punk-rock band. So he just made it sound punk, and who cares. The classic line from that recording session was, ‘That’s pretty close to punk-rock,’ or, ‘Good enough for punk-rock.’ So we were all like, ‘This is our first record,’ so it’s like ‘Okay, cool. Whatever. I love Tortoise!’ We did that, and then listening back on the way home we were like, ‘Fuck.’” True, compared to the rest of the band’s catalog, it sounds amateurish, but not negatively. While “Everywhere In Denver” and “Red Paint” sound like a young band locked pretty perfectly into staccato riffs, “A Picture Postcard,” “Between Pacific Coasts” and “Scenes from France” all sport random additions that would soon become touchstones of their genre: handclaps, swift dynamic changes and lyrical references to distance that everyone can relate to. Most copies come in standard black, though 500 each of grey and white vinyl were pressed (according to Wikipedia) and guitarist Jason Gnewikow’s design choices - not necessarily putting the songs in order, making for more maze-like liner notes - are done a great justice in 12x12 format.

From the first millisecond of Nothing Feels Good (1997), you can tell that major changes had taken place since 30 Degrees. It’s not just that the songwriting now had poppier leanings and an aggressive bounce, or having Jawbox’s J. Robbins behind the boards gave the band the focus they needed, or that Didier’s drums and Scott Beschta’s bass now had ridiculously good timing, or that von Bohlen’s voice had more control and purpose: It was an amalgamation of all these things and more. The band sounds 110% sure of themselves, and the songs speak remarkably clearer, both in production and statement. There’s no big liner note insert here though, just the CD-sized one. Wikipedia states that there were runs of clear red, solid red, white and grey vinyl, though I haven’t been able to get the actual numbers as of yet. Speaking of which, thanks to Lindsay at Jade Tree for her quick email reply in my search for answers!

One thing you can say about each of The Promise Ring’s four full-lengths (I’m still trying to snag the double 10” of Wood/Water) is that they never made the same record twice. So between Nothing’s full-throttle urgency and Wood/Water’s more patient, big-room acoustics lies Very Emergency (1999), a charming half-hour of crunchy power-pop. Where some found complacent repetition in the band’s presentation here, I found memorable hooks and bright production choices. I distinctly remember it never leaving my Discman (!!) when walking to and from classes on the campus of UW-Milwaukee that fall. The CD-sized liner notes appear here again - it would’ve been interesting to see how Nothing and Emergency’s liner notes would’ve turned out with use of the bigger format - but the yellow vinyl I lucked out with is a nice touch. On this record, Gnewikow strayed from his standard primary color repetition, instead using pale greens and neon yellows against silver stars, plus band members and friends dressed as basketball players, rabbits and priests. In a 2005 oral history on the band in Alternative Press, Jade Tree co-owner Darren Walters remembers Emergency’s art being “expensive because it has all these cuts and they wanted the stars to be vellum.” Keep your eyes out for clear orange, which I’ve seen on various websites. Again, if I get numbers on the limited runs on colors here, I’ll be sure to edit this post.

Moving on to Orange Rhyming Dictionary (1998), Jets to Brazil’s debut. I was able to score this double-LP via Kiss The Sky, my closest record store here in the western Chicago suburbs. It was in the used section, though unpriced. The staff did their best to consult every avenue they had to price it up, but couldn’t find it listed. As I have a friendly relationship with the staff there - full disclosure: I run their Twitter page - I was told I could take the copy home until owner Steve Warrenfeltz could come in and truly verify its worth. While I was finding colored vinyls going for $50 or more online, I was happy to finally talk with Steve and come to a great price for this black vinyl set. Although the rockers on this record are seeded in bitter betrayal, to have two gorgeous ballads from this era on wax - “Sweet Avenue” and “Sea Anemone” - is truly the best part for me. Though there’s no gatefold for this 2LP, Gnewikow also designed this, and at once it’s both elementary and sophisticated: Having the gigantic lowercase letters indicating the sides adds a touch of innocence, while the chunky blocks of color and fonts give off a jazz vibe. Plus, the liner notes are a shade above CD-size, and unfolded, so it makes for a cool, vertical presentation. Vinyl hunters should eagerly track down all the different color combinations, listed here.

With labels going to the wayside in an age where digital releases are posted online as quickly as they’re recorded, it’s astounding to remember how huge a role Jade Tree played in the indie movement of the late 90’s. I personally would like to thank them for giving me years of enjoyment on compact disc, and many more now, with these few vinyl scores.

Video: The Promise Ring - “Why Did Ever We Meet?” 1997

Video: The Promise Ring - “Red & Blue Jeans” live, 2012 Milwaukee reunion show

Video: Jason Gnewikow chats about album design

Video: Jets To Brazil - “Sweet Avenue” live, 1998

Conan O'Brien - Third Man Releases // 2010

jimhankewrites — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 22:53:00 -0500

An interesting fact crossed my mind the other day, both embarrassing and yet somehow kind of cool: I own more vinyl records by gangly late-night giant Conan O’Brien than I do of seminal acts the Rolling Stones or the Beach Boys. Now, this statement isn’t meant to tout O’Brien’s prolificness on wax (he only does have two releases), but more so to point out a lack in my collection of some of the classics. Sure, I have Pet Sounds, but I’ve honestly just never been a major Stones fan, so I feel my thirst for them will eventually be quenched with Hot Rocks, as it contains most of my favorites. Either way, a brief Twitter exchange with the guys in Chicago quartet The Sky We Scrape (covered previously on this blog here) made me realize that some folks, even O’Brien’s biggest fans, don’t know about his two vinyl releases, so I figured I’d cover them here.

By now, you’re probably familiar with the late-night TV mess between NBC, O’Brien and current Tonight Show host Jay Leno, so I’ll spare you the details. (If you’re truly unfamiliar, there’s a great animated synopsis here). The point is that although Conan only hosted Tonight for a few months, he still came out on top, having not only stood up for an hour of television he so revered (“Delaying The Tonight Show into the next day to accommodate another comedy program [Leno’s] will seriously damage what I consider to be the greatest franchise in the history of broadcasting,” he said in a January 2010 statement) but by also being cast as the underdog. As the attention grew - peaking with a massive North American live tour, as he legally couldn’t perform on television - O’Brien inarguably became more famous by NOT being on TV than he ever did on it.

Having been a fan of O’Brien’s since his Simpsons writing days, I had the pleasure of interviewing him way back in 1998 for my college newspaper. Granted, this was only five years after debuting his version of Late Night - which he had taken over from David Lettermanm after his move to CBS - but O’Brien already had carved out a stunning niche: Cerebral characters that created laughs even if they didn’t work. Pimpbot and Triumph The Insult-Comic Dog weren’t crude, but they had a giddy, Monty Python-esque vibe that hadn’t really seen much light on American network television. And although Conan was obviously outgunned ratings-wise, he still drew the youngest demographics as well, something Letterman and Leno have never really been able to snag. “I did years of improv and it teaches you that you don’t have to be the star of everything. You don’t always have to have the funniest line. All you have to do is listen and talk,” Conan told me in ‘98. “I don’t sit there and think ‘I’ve got to score!’ My favorite moments in the monologue are when stuff doesn’t work and people know I’m in deep shit and I have to start tap-dancing my way out of it… We take a lot of risks with the comedy and not everything is going to work. We’re going to fail, but the reason people keep coming back, I think, is because they realize that Andy (Richter) and I are real people and we really like each other. Some other hosts, during their monologues, will have the band kick in after every joke so they can never bomb, and we don’t do that. The viewers get to see ‘Hey, he’s just a guy dealing with a problem.’” It’s that same sort of awkward, so-bad-its-good humor that has catapulted programs like Tim & Eric Awesome Show Great Job and made internet sensations out of people who accidentally flubbed something on the local news.

I could probably geek out for days about the experience of talking to O’Brien - I still can’t believe he gave a 19-year-old me almost 90 minutes of Q&A to work with - but onward to his vinyls. Both were released by Jack White’s Third Man Records (and recorded at his storefront in June 2010) while O’Brien and crew were in the middle of the previously mentioned tour. Having seen Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop, a documentary filmed while he paced, sweated and lost sleep through 30 cities, it’s astounding how infectious these recordings sound. Here was a guy who never toured like stand-up comedians or live bands do - and never played guitar or sang for paying audiences, either - being pulled in 80 different directions each night, unaccustomed to having to be “on” after the crowds left, whether it be for VIP’s backstage, fans to meet-and-greet or journalists wanting a soundbite about NBC. Add this particularly steamy Nashville summer day to the mix (where he’s in a sweatbox for a few hundred fans rather than a cushy 3,000 seat theater as per the rest of the tour) and history dictates that expectations should be low.

The seven-inch - part of what Third Man’s Green Series of spoken word or instructional records - is basically O’Brien just talking, albeit entertainingly. Side A is a seemingly improved piece (“And They Call Me Mad?”) where he plays a crazed, evil scientist instructing a monster of his own creation to attack those storming his castle. The laughs don’t really come from the dialog itself, but more so how O’Brien clearly knows how silly this old-timey radio bit is. He makes all the sound effects himself, at one point admitting how awful his impression of an elevator is, and his play on this era of Vincent Price-ish radio horror is a nice novelty. Side B is an off-the-cuff chat with Jack White (his voice distant, in the engineering chair), discussing how they met in Detroit at a bowling alley many years ago, while O’Brien was filming a clip with comic magicians Penn & Teller. Conan has fun again with the media he’s recording his voice on, and Jack plays along, pretending to go for lunch while O’Brien casually admits that he’s killed several hobos. These aren’t necessarily must-haves for casual Conan followers, but I did love how Third Man included a jukebox label, shown below. Pretty awesome.

Live At Third Man is a ten-song concert O’Brien and his Legally Prohibited Band performed on 6/10/10 in front of an adoring, sweaty mass of Team Coco supporters. And as mentioned before, though O’Brien is not accustomed to a hard life of touring and playing music for any length of time, he holds his own alongside pros like Jimmy Vivino and Jack White himself, who joins in on the barn-burning show closer “20 Flight Rock.” What’s visible in Can’t Stop is that O’Brien wants these performances to straddle a line between a ramshackle traveling revue and a well-oiled, tightly rehearsed machine, and the song choices, most of which made famous by Elvis, help both causes. The unifying structure is of a traditional rhythm and blues/honky-tonk/rockabilly theme, or at the very least a toe-tapping, shuffling pace, leaving lots of room for riffing, be it from Conan’s band or from the man himself.

Though Conan and company do reverential takes on the Stray Cats’ “Rock This Town” and Chuck Berry’s “Too Much Monkey Business,” his humor filters through while playfully mocking Jack White’s eccentricity (“Do you like my robotic antelope that’s painted red?,” he says as Jack) and added lines for both “On the Road Again” and “Polk Salad Annie,” where Conan talks about his supposed harsh, “real white trash” upbringing, only to recant and come clean about his fine relationship with a microbiologist father and lawyer mother. It’s almost worth the purchase price alone to hear O’Brien’s back-up singers exclaim “We had a Whole Foods!” and “This song is bullshit!”

O’Brien covers some more modern classics as well, but it’d be interesting to hear him do them as by-the-numbers as the rest of the setlist. “Seven Nation Army” was a nightly staple of his tour (I was lucky to attend the Chicago date), so it’s not just a nod to White, but hearing O’Brien tackle it vocally would’ve been interesting. On the flipside, O’Brien does sing Radiohead’s “Creep,” but in a thick cockney accent a la Dick van Dyke’s chimney sweep in Mary Poppins. It seems to be done by audience request, so you can’t fault lack of drive, but considering how the song’s lyrics conveniently coincide with his NBC battles, it’s the one track that could’ve benefitted from a straight take instead of a deliberately corny one.

Like the rest of Third Man’s live series, the LP is packaged minimally - just a black sleeve with no cover art. Yet, it’s that kind of low profile that thrives with a release like this: It feels like a bootleg and - as O’Brien would probably agree - damn well should. “You need better things to do,” he jokes with those in attendance, but these releases capture a moment in time where O’Brien’s roadshow was the hottest ticket in town. As the film champions, he couldn’t be stopped in the summer of 2010, and these records burst with a seat-of-your-pants energy White has become known for - it’s just funny that he barely appears.

As usual with this blog, I’m putting links to purchase these releases, but also the trailer for Can’t Stop and a few of my favorite Conan bits from the Late Night days. Enjoy, and keep an eye out as well for the ultra-rare tri-colored vinyl of the seven-inch!

Purchase Live At Third Man on vinyl from Insound

Purchase And They Call Me Mad? on vinyl from Insound

Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop trailer

Late Night: 1864 Baseball

Late Night: Ireland

Late Night: Bartending School

Tin Armor - Life of Abundance // 2011

jimhankewrites — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 17:43:13 -0500

I didn’t know what to make of Tin Armor when this self-released album arrived. Sporting an odd painting of the band by Nick Stull with dull fonts and muddy colors by designers Laura Sloan and David Leighty, it reminded me of an album that might not have only come out twenty years earlier (the late 80’s/early 90’s was a tepid period for album art, often resorting to similarly watery drawings), but that would be hocked by an out-of-touch folk artist playing outside a garage sale. Beartrap PR’s one-sheet that came with described them as “soulful Americana pop,” along the lines of some of my favorite acts (Wilco, The Weakerthans), so I brushed my apprehension aside before slipping it on the stereo.

What’s sadly unremarkable about Tin Armor’s keyboards/bass/drums/guitar sound is that - at least on Life of Abundance - that’s all they are. There’s no attempt to go beyond those tools, and the production here is a stunningly blank choice that both lacks edge (or even live textures), and doesn’t overly exert itself to give a radio-friendly polish. In most cases, like on the upbeat “Inside Days,” any vitality is squashed and the songs simply exist.

When Tin Armor lets loose on the fuzzy “Coffin Sheets,” (by far this record’s standout track) or the dirty guitar noise that closes side one on “Shake Up,” the band sounds their most alive, but these bright, if unexciting pop songs are more in line with that of early Phantom Planet or Fastball than the alt-country kings mentioned earlier. Elsewhere, the drums in particular sound like they’re pleading with the standard song structures of “I Am Resolved” or the title track (which puts the chords of “Honky Tonk Women” on half-speed) to pick up the pace, and the questionable vocal screeches of “Queen Mob” and “Just So I Know It” sound forced, like They Might Be Giant’s John Linnell at his most bratty.

I have a feeling from catching a few live tunes of theirs online that Tin Armor is probably a fine band in person, but I couldn’t get worked up over this one. Here’s hoping their next release packs a bigger, more discerning punch.

Stream Life of Abundance on Bandcamp

Buy Life of Abundance on vinyl

Waxahatchee - American Weekend // 2012

jimhankewrites — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 17:40:00 -0500

I knew absolutely zero about Waxahatchee’s American Weekend when it came in the mail, but like a lot of albums I receive for this site, I was immediately excited to listen just via the presentation alone. “These songs were written and recorded… as a result of a snowstorm, a visceral stupor and a personal breakthrough,” state the liner notes, and though I’m usually not one for a message that sets the musical bar so high (after all, these tracks are dedicated to anyone who has found “their identity blurry,” “had to clumsily get to know themselves, hit bottom… and ridden out a shitstorm”), the title paired with the engaging, heirloom-esque photographs of family and friends camping, fishing and generally enjoying their time together in the wilderness, drew me in. Clearly this was to be a personal, emotive record, and I was eager to put it on my turntable. What I heard though was a major letdown.

But let’s start with the facts: Waxahatchee is the solo project of Alamabamian Katie Crutchfield, who split last year from the garagey power-pop of P.S. Eliot. In searching her previous band’s material, I found them peppy, energetic and able to ride several different emotional waves in one song, in the vein of mid-90’s co-ed acts like Sarge or Bis. On the flip-side, Waxahatchee’s debut is an ambling, one-note affair; almost 40 minutes of wispy non-singing over a constant drone of downstrums.

Now when I hear a disappointing record, I often give the benefit of the doubt and think back to a quote I read from Cursive’s Tim Kasher, where he mentioned that a great song is done a disservice sometimes if it isn’t performed by the right musicians (even if they were the one who penned them) or if the production choices are off. And there are honest-to-goodness decent songs sprinkled throughout American Weekend (“Be Good,” “Magic City Wholesale”) but Crutchfield’s plain, droopy delivery and the bareness of these D.I.Y. two-track recordings scares off any sort of memorable moments. In the hands of Jenny Lewis or Ida, the shifts may evoke true epiphanies, separating the sweetness from the sadness, and highlighting each. I should note there are slight attempts to step away from her variation on Kimya Dawson’s audio eye-roll, but they come off as bleating when loud (“Luminary Blake,” “Michel”) or lacking gravity when light (“Grass Stain”, “Catfish”). It’s only on the album-closing waltz of “Noccalula” where Crutchfield changes from guitar to piano, and it’s a welcome change, but too late after ten tracks of the same.

And for a record so clearly personal as the liner notes indicate, I was also a bit saddened to hear that the artwork that first ignited my curiosity wasn’t as close to Crutchfield’s heart as I was hoping. Brooklyn artist Aimee Lusty designed the art and fonts used, and was kind enough to return an email I sent, asking about her inspiration for American Weekend’s antique look and the importance of those vacation photos throughout. “I wanted it to feel wholesome, nostalgic and timeless,” she said. “Listening to the album, I started to feel a lot of… longing, and wanted to portray that in the album art.” The photos are all public domain, but despite them not being of any relation to Waxahatchee as a place, or Crutchfield as a person (“My guidelines were simply ‘black and white photo collage’,” said Lusty), her goal was definitely met when I held American Weekend for the first time.

Aside from that, I can’t see any benefit to this record being on vinyl. I usually can at least get behind the sound Crutchfield is attempting, as there are many artists whose bare instrumentation, D.I.Y. ethic and spare delivery like that on American Weekend I enjoy: J. Tillman, the early work of The City on Film or Elliott Smith. But it’s been a long time since I’ve heard 11 songs so stringent on not deviating from theme, baring no more emotional weight than it takes to make your bed.

Stream American Weekend on Spotify

Purchase American Weekend on vinyl from Insound

Sharks Come Cruisin - A Past We Forgot That We Need To Know // 2011

jimhankewrites — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 12:58:41 -0500

The sound of Providence, RI six-piece Sharks Come Cruisin has a weird dichotomy: On one hand, their chant-along punk anthems beg for everyone far and wide to join in. Yet, it’s a very specific clientele that this sound - which could be deemed either pirate or Irish, depending on who’s hearing it - appeals to. Songs about sailing the open seas or outright mutiny can’t really be held to the credibility fire: Technically, we all know it’s just fun and games. But it’s a shtick that also makes the songs unrelatable to a point and only enjoyable in predefined context. I mean no disrespect with the following statement, but unless you’re a diehard fan of the genre, or in a partying mood, you almost have to be along for the ride from the get-go. Otherwise, it’ll be a long one.

First, onto the presentation for this Kickstarter-funded LP, which packs a few treats: The SCC logo and intricate ship design, emblazoned onto the cover and the sticker on the vinyl itself, give an epic feel, and the colored vinyl - a mix of blue and tan - is certainly a nice touch. Then, there are the SCC Crew Cards, which here are more like travel-editions, if you will, of the larger versions the band haul with them for every performance. Although Pearl Jam did something similar with No Code back in 2006 - including full lyrics to each song on the back of one of 144 unique Polaroid-esque photo cards - these are snippets aimed to be shouted with or back at the band, and come tucked in a tidy “roadcase.” I was lucky to reach guitarist/vocalist Mark Lambert via email, who explained the origin of this inclusion.

“The album art was designed by our good friend Kelly Convery… The layout was a collaboration with Kel, James (Toomey, drums) and myself. James and I both really like (vinyl) records, especially when thought goes into the rest of the packaging. The idea of the cards came from something Limbeck did with the Hi, Everything’s Great record… They included a pack of mini-postcards, each with song lyrics. James let me borrow the record and I loved the idea. Because we post the song choruses on poster board when we play live, I thought it would be fun to make tiny versions of those cards. We carry the cards to shows in an artist portfolio case and it just made sense to make a tiny envelope of the case, to include with the cards.”

Musically, A Past We Forgot… doesn’t stray far from the kin you’d expect: Flogging Molly, the Tossers, Dropkick Murphy’s and the Pogues are firmly planted monuments within the first few seconds. The unfortunate thing is that there seems to be no realm outside of those premiere jumping points. For a band as large and participatory as SCC, a little E Street Band heart or Stones swagger would do a lot of good. That’s not saying to write songs like those bands, or even cop their performance style. But pedal-steel or horns might be a nice inclusion if the songs call for it, rather than having fiddle, banjo and melodica on every song. However, as I stated earlier, these are also calling cards of SCC’s genre, so I can’t complain too hard.

But for as repetitive as this record can get, bright spots remain: “Strike the Bell,” with some herky-jerky movement between two distinctly different parts, shouldn’t work as well as it does, and both “Shenandoah” and “Four Years Before the Mast” are easily their crowning achievements: The former taking a nice break from the thumping pace of most of the record, with opening guitar strums worthy of The Boss, and the latter being the best of their shout-heavy repertoire, nearly jumping through the speakers with jittery abandon.

Truthfully, the more I listen to A Past We Forgot…, the more I realize that tunes about changing your ship’s course, being homeward bound or rising up the sails are more universal than they are confined. And although this style isn’t normally my cup of tea, SCC does it with fun mostly in mind, rather than a punk attitude or a quest for an unattainable authenticity - like costumes or fake accents. They know their craft well, and shouldn’t be faulted in the least for that.

Stream selections from A Past We Forgot…

Buy A Past We Forgot… on vinyl

Trophy Wives - Old Scratch // 2011

jimhankewrites — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 12:58:36 -0500

This here is the second album I’ve received from Dan Hanke over at Latest Flame Records, a consistently growing and varied label that has been churning out alt-country, punk, power-pop and much more over the last ten years. While I can’t say that this release from Louisville, KY’s Trophy Wives engaged me as hard as labelmates Police Teeth, they definitely have a charming, sloppy edge that brings to mind Mudhoney or even some of Superdrag’s earlier, more dissonant work.

There will always be something creepy to me about toy dolls from before my time all grouped together, so the art definitely led me to believe that a sinister sound existed inside before I did any sort of research on these guys. Whether it’s the doll that eerily looked like George’s mom on Seinfeld, or any number of horror flicks that make them come to life, I know I’m not alone in finding them disconcerting. So with the additional cut-and-paste punk style lettering all over, I consider the Wives’ mission of making an uneasy cover accomplished.

Old Scratch is the quartet’s first full-length, but from the opening bash of “Taste of Your Medicine,” these guys sound like vets of dirty, sludgy rock n’ roll. Leader Billy Bisig sports a vocal talent not unlike Mudhoney’s Mark Arm or Superdrag’s John Davis, sounding both powerfully apathetic and stringently in charge, parading the guys through heavy struts (“Picture Perfect”), murky blues workouts (“Let Us Roll”), and nods to early grunge (“King Cab”).

Disappointingly, not everything comes off as golden. For every track with cool harmonies and Tony Ash’s awesomely active bass, such as “(You’re Like A) Bad Song,” some choices take you out of their respective tunes. The watery, gargling vocal magic of “Crooked Cross” or the ultra-distorted verbiage on “Reacher” not only don’t add to the songs, but almost blatantly detract from what could’ve been a memorable cut. But, while “Bad Tattoos” down-tuned pummeling doesn’t make the grade, “Nick of Time” is a refreshing mid-tempo change, with guest vocals from Louisville songwriter Cheyenne Mize. It’s a nice way to let off the gas for a bit, as Old Scratch can be a messy listen in one sitting, in both gratifying and grating ways.

I think Trophy Wives bring a lot of interesting tools to the table, and it’s just my opinion that I’d love to hear more focus on those winning aspects, rather than some of the production choices that were made that didn’t envelope me into the record as others of their genre might. But since Old Scratch only suffers from certain creative choices and not musicianship or songwriting - and with them already hard at work on a new record, expected later this year - I’d say these guys are on their way to making their own Superfuzz Bigmuff very soon.

Stream selections from Old Scratch via Bandcamp

Buy Old Scratch on vinyl