Top 10 Picks for Record Store Day 2019

For a dozen years now independent record stores have held an event that celebrates those of us that still purchase physical media. With oodles of exclusive or early bird items the spring event has emerged as an international event, with regional differences showcasing different releases to a disparate community of aficionados. At its heart it’s a celebration of music, an ability to highlight releases that otherwise may not have the attention to warrant pressing. At its worse it’s a glutinous gold rush, with flippers and charlatans relying upon scarcity to drive up prices and gorge those just looking for some tracks to add to their collection.

Despite all the inherent madness of the day – long line ups start the day before in some markets – it’s at its heart a great opportunity to meet up with fellow addicts. Time spent in queue results in some great conversations, and finding what has driven others to be equally ridiculous is always amusing.

This year there are once again hundreds of selections that will be sprinkled throughout an even greater number of stores. Not every title will make it up here to Canada, nor will every store get the title you might desire. While the hunt is certainly fun, and the ability to pick up some nice surprises the main draw, it’s really an opportunity to give a little bit of your cash to those stores still flying the retail flag in the face of massive e-commerce interests. As cynical as it’s easy to be about such retail therapy, having a constellation of decent record stores is as definitive a sign of a healthy urban environment as making sure there are great restaurants and decent places to watch films.

In preparation for next Saturday’s big sale, here are ten titles I’ll be wanting to pick up. Happy hunting!

[nextpage title=”Billy Joel – Live At Carnegie Hall 1977″]

Joel’s shtick may have worn thin for some, but mid-70s prime Billy is nothing to scoff at. A show recorded just prior to The Stranger‘s release it was among the first times audiences hear the likes of “Scenes From An Italian Restaurant”. Impeccably recorded by producer/engineer Phil Ramone, this is a definitive live event being released on vinyl for the first time.

[nextpage title=”Bob Dorough – Multiplication Rock”]

This soundtrack to the numerical elements of early 1970s children’s cartoon Schoolhouse Rock may seem like a weird thing to pine for, but Bob Dorough’s music is as timeless as any tunes from that era. From the epic two chord electric piano vamp on “Three” to the surreal “Figure Eight” voiced by Blossom Dearie, this heavily sampled record is far from a childish fascination. Released on coloured vinyl and mastered from the original tapes, this is a release to count on.

[nextpage title=”Bob Dylan – Blood on the Tracks – Original New York Test Pressing”]

Any Dylanphile knows that the exceptional “Blood on the Tracks” was recorded twice – once in NYC with a group of sterling session musicians, and once up in Minneapolis with a number of local guys playing near Mr. Zimmerman’s home town. While some of the NYC tracks made the cut the others were left for bootlegs , official or otherwise (an original test pressing was selling for $12,000). Now, finally, the full NYC version, including its unique mixes, is available, replicating the original test pressing look. As everyone will be saying on RSD, I’ll “Meet You In The Morning” to be picking this one up.

[nextpage title=”Duran Duran – As The Lights Go Down”]

This three sided record (they did that fancy etching stuff on side four) captures Duran Duran live as part of the “Sing Blue Silver” tour. The show from April 12-15, 1984 was just weeks away from when I would see them at Maple Leaf Gardens as my first concert. To this day I can claim to be part of that crowd in the video for “The Reflex”, and now will get to have what promises to be some warm, pastel-coloured memories.

[nextpage title=”Bernard ‘Pretty’ Purdie – Soul Is…”]

This maestro behind the kit played on thousands of records, from his work as a session player for the likes of Aretha Franklin to laying down his definitive shuffle on countless tracks. In this solo record he cranks out covers from the likes of Marvin Gaye, Bill Withers and his “Song For Aretha” which is an obvious ode to a Queen.

[nextpage title=”VA – Woodstock (Mono PA mix)”]

There are a slew of Woodstock related releases timed for the 50th anniversary of the concert, including full performances by the likes of Sly & The Family Stone. But the release is a weird one even for obsessives, for the first time capturing what the crowd actually heard in all its mono glory. While the official release was sweetened after the fact, with some performances (notably Arlo Guthrie’s “Coming Into Los Angeles”) recorded months after the mud dried off. This is what it sounded like in that field, without the need to deal with all those damn stinkin’ hippies.

[nextpage title=”VA – Stax Does The Beatles”]

What’s not to love about Fab Four covers by the fabulous musicians of Memphis’ famed studio? Booker T & The M.G.s, Billy “The Fifth Beatle” Preston, Isaac Hayes, all giants taking on some of the best tunes ever written.

[nextpage title=”VA – Where The Action Is – Los Angeles Nuggets”]

The “Nuggets” series is an exemplary series of various anthologies highlighting garage, psych and other underground tunes. This collection provides highlights from the larger CD-only box set, focusing on tracks from the L.A. scene. Raw, revealing, there’s plenty of rock to dig into here.

[nextpage title=”Peter Gabriel – Rated PG”]

A collection of Gabriel’s soundtrack tunes, drawn from everything from Babe 2: Pig in the City and Wall-E to the unique Say Anything mix of “In Your Eyes”. Released on film canister/popcorn styled picture disc, they’re also including a hi-res download card as “although every effort has been made to make this LP sound as good as possible within the limitations of the picture disc format”, they know lunatics like me want the best of the best as well as the pretty disc.

Be sure to enter our contest for an ability to win a $50 gift card from Kops Records, one of those fantastic independent record stores you should be visiting on April 13, 2019 and any other time of year!
[nextpage title=”Jeff Buckley – In Transition”]

Buckley’s masterpiece “Grace” was released was released a quarter century ago, and this record includes previously unreleased recordings from the artist lost far too young. There are early versions of tracks that ended up on that record, as well as an earlier version of “Hallelujah”, the Cohen cover that helped immortalize Buckley.