Hundreds of independent record stores across the US participate in Record Store Day.
For audiophiles in possession of an actual, tangible record collection (which they may or may not have alphabetized and/or arranged in some specific manner and which is certainly not laying flat, but upright, so as not to warp the precious vinyl babies), there’s a certain special day every year that holds more promise than the first day of spring. It’s a day comparable to Christmas, except it doesn’t at all require spending time with relatives. It’s called Record Store Day, and it celebrates independent record stores and music, and it is awesome.
This year, the seventh installment of Record Store Day falls on April 19, when participating record stores will receive a certain number of vinyl and CD releases and various promotional products created exclusively for the occasion to share with their customers. The good people at Record Store Day have made this year’s list of special stuff available, and though the site is experiencing some technical difficulties due to high traffic volume, we’ve picked out some highlights, below.
- The Side by Side series (in which one side of a 7-inch includes an original song and the other carries a cover of the song) continues with Dinosaur Jr. covering The Cure’s “Just Like Heaven.”
- David Bowie’s”1984,” the 2014 Remaster, along with a B-side of “1984” live on the Dick Cavett Show, appearing for the first time on vinyl — special, picture vinyl.
- Built to Spill’s 20th anniversary edition of “Ultimate Alternative Wavers,” available for the first time ever on vinyl, with 4,500 copies pressed on gold wax and 500 on green for Pacific Northwest stores.
- Another installment of the Side by Side series that includes The Flaming Lips covering Devo’s 1980 song,”Gates of Steel.” The silver 7-inch will be limited to 7,500 copies.
- Indie darlings HAIM have gotten in on the RSD action too, releasing “Forever” along with a remix and “Edge” on an exclusive 12-inch.
- Fans of Man Man are in for a treat, as the group’s first full-length release, “The Man in Turban With Blue Face,” will be made available on vinyl for the first time ever.
- Original plans for Nirvana’s “Pennyroyal Tea” single in 1994 were cancelled due to Kurt Cobain’s death, but now it’ll be made available on 7-inch along with a B-side of”I Hate Myself and Want To Die.”
- Of Montreal’s breakthrough album “Satanic Panic in the Attic” celebrates its 10th anniversary with a two-disc release, one light blue, one yellow.
- CHVRCHES’ “Recover” EP will be made available on transparent orange vinyl, specially hand-numbered and stamped.
- Fans voted for the reissue of Big Mama Thornton’s “Sassy Mama,” a 1975 live set,at RecordStoreDay.com and VanguardRecords.com. It’s presented in ‘exact replica’ LP packaging.
- Fleetwood Mac’s1970 tune “Dragonfly,” the first UK single released by the band after the departure of their frontman Peter Green and their first single with Christine McVie as a full member, will be released on 7-inch vinyl for the first time, with “The Purple Dancer,” never before commercially released in the US, will serve as the B-side.
- Bruce Springsteen will release four unreleased songs on a 12-inch vinyl EP entitled “American Beauty.”
Check out the list in its extensive, exciting entirety on the RSD site here.
