The 11 Best Record Store Day Successes

At 4:00 AM Saturday morning, I pulled up outside a record store in Sherman Oaks, armed with a few graphic novels, a half-read Malcolm Gladwell tome and 2-liter bottle of Pepsi Max.  I was not alone.  In fact, I was 9th.  In a line that would later that day stretch to over 150-people long, I was part of the core group of dedicated music purists.  The starting line-up.  The Breakfast Club of vinyl.  A tenth member showed up at 4:30, in hopes he was the first one to arrive looking for the Cake box set.  When he found out he was the third one to walk up desiring its glory (knowing the store only obtained one copy), he tossed his hand in the air, disgusted by the whole event and marched off cursing with a wicked lisp.  We were a united front and no one was going to break our tribe.

For the next 7 hours, we discussed our purchases.  Who was getting what?  We strategized with each other, plotting which albums we were sure to get, while at the same time conscious of the others' picks.  Like the crossing of the streams in Ghostbusters, there could be no overlap.  With three people in line only there to get the Paramore release (that's dedication...but it is a cool-looking record), our competition was minimal.  Once we had announced our choices, once we had determined our lists, we no longer allowed to make changes or additions that affected anyone else's lists.  That would be seen as treasonous...and there's no telling the severity of the scowl that would be emitted from a pissed off music nerd.  

Finally, the rest of the line showed up as the crack of six came around.  But we were the tribal council.  We had the power in the front of the line to determine who was getting what.  If the twelfth person in line came only for the Joy Division EP, and I was thinking about getting it, it meant I held all the power over their music-buying fate.  But even vinyl aficionados have morals. There were no cuts.  There was no buying for a friend.  There were also no assholes.  We respected each other's right to be there. At the end of the day, we're a community and we protect our own.

As massively successful that Record Store Day is for the fans and styluses everywhere, it is always amazing to watch what limited edition, colored-vinyl, filled with live demos of covers has the most sustainability outside of the store.  I'm not talking about which album you enjoy listening to the most, that's personal, and there's no list for that.  I'm talking about which albums garner the most online demand.  Some of the albums that were predicted to be draws like Outkast, the side by side series, and even the new Conor Oberst had very little online life.  Even the highly hyped Green Day Demos red vinyl was being outbid by the CD version of the same title.  But some titles...some titles exceeded expectations and will now live on in legend of the RSD history.

Here are the 11 Best Record Store Day Successes:

1. R.E.M. - Unplugged (307) - I've been waiting for this release for 23 years.  It does not disappoint.  Online it's selling for 350% over its list price and there seems to be no dip in the demand.  Despite its popularity it sounds fucking incredible. Only 1000 of these were made, which means it will be in demand for a long time.
2. Cake - Box Set ($330) - All of Cake's seven albums, plus an 8th never-released album, all printed on different colored vinyl.  Even though it sells for more than REM, it cost twice as much originally.  This thing was so popular it literally caused  a guy to cry in line because he didn't get it.
3. Ghostbusters ($100) - The surprise of the day.  Whoever thought a 30 year old movie theme song on glow in the dark vinyl would be wanted by everyone in line.
4. Garcia ($148) - Jerry's first solo album on white vinyl.  Dead fans who are not dead are fighting tooth and nail for this one.
5. The Liars - Mess On a Mission ($75) - This might edge out Paramore for the coolest looking record.  Clear vinyl with yarn inside.  A truly unique release.
6. Devo - Live at Max's Kansas City ($107) - From 1977, this is a great uncovered gem by a legendary band. 
7. Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World ($96) - A cult classic soundtrack draws a cult classic crowd. 
8. Death Cab For Cutie ($95) - DCFC with an orchestra...this is the kind of release RSD is made for.
9. Childish Gambino ($80) - Donald Glover may be a funny guy, but he had the best packaging of the day.
10. Life Without Buildings ($102) - An obscure release by an obscure 80s band for the first time in America.  If you don't get this now, you'll never get it.
11. Jack White - Lazaretto ($475) - Even though this is selling for the most amount of money online, it's not really fair to compare it to the others since you could only purchase it at one location.  It's still cool as shit.  Looks like Jack just raised the bar for coolest RSD release.  Your turn Wayne Coyne.

Don't forget to check out our blog's awesome new book The 111 Best Lists of the 2000s.  Available now!

The 11 Best Songs By Cake

I watched Social Network last night.  A great film and an excellent script even though Aaron Sorkin is a bit of an asshole.  One issue that struck me the most is how the character of Sean Parker kept bragging about bringing down the music industry.  That Napster ruined the music industry.  Is this how history is going to be written?  Is this now the forgone conclusion?  Did Napster and illegal downloading ruin the music industry or is this concept a old wives tale?

If you have been reading this blog for the past few years...you will know how I completely disagree that the MP3s have brought down the music industry.  If anything, the music industry brought itself down...and they just needed a scapegoat.  They been pushing mediocre pop music...and complained that no one buys it because it's being illegally downloaded. Not ever thinking that maybe no one likes the music.   They stopped marketing rock music...then complain that no buys it.  Maybe no one buys it because no one knows it's out there.  Everyone keeps saying it's a pop world now.  Rock is dead.  They are wrong.  Rock is still king.  Rock still outsells pop.

Tomorrow I will unveil a shocking statistic that will undeniably prove that pop has not taken over...and that rock is not dead...in fact...rock is still number one.

Here are the 11 Best Songs By Cake:

1.  Take It All Away (Pressure Chief)
2.  I Will Survive (Fashion Nugget)
3.  Commissioning a Symphony in C (Comfort Eagle)
4.  Never There (Prolonging The Magic)
5.  Frank Sinatra (Fashion Nugget)
6.  Friend is a Four Letter World (Fashion Nugget)
7.  Let Me Go (Prolonging the Magic)
8.  Rock N Roll Lifestyle (Motorcade of Generosity)
9.  Never Gonna Give You Up (Friend is a Four Letter Word)
10.  Short Skirt Long Jacket (Comfort Eagle)
11.  The Distance (Fashion Nugget)

Buy Cake's new album, Showroom of Compassion, now!!

The 11 Best Album Releases for August 2007

Usually August tends to be a dumping ground for labels to crap out all their minor releases before hitting the major buying season in September. At first glance, this August looks no different. But once you peel back the releases by American Idol rejects and , you'll find this August may actually have a lot to offer.

1. Kayne West - Graduation - If his young folks cover is any indication of what we're going to expect for Senior West, this release is not only the most anticipated of the month but one of the most anticipated of the year. (21st)
2. Pink Floyd - Pipers At The Gates of Dawn (3CD) - The Floyd gets the royal treatment on this 2CD/1 DVD package, remastered and including an entire album of B-Sides. (28th)
3. Rilo Kiley - Under The Blacklights - The first single has mixed reactions. But after the amazing reception of last year's solo album by lead singer Jenny Lewis...there's a lot at stake on this release.(21st)
4. Cake - B-Sides and Rarieties - Cake may do covers better than they do original songs. Just listen to their cover of Barry White's Never Gonna Give You Up. This release is 90% covers. It has to be good.(14th)
5. The New Pornographers - Challengers - Their first release came in with a whisper. Their second release was a critical smash. Their third release was highly anticipated but failed to reach expectations. With their fourth release bring them back to stardom...or will it basically enforce that each member stick to their day jobs. (21st)
6. Talib Kweli - Ear Drum - Hip-Hop is dying. Common's album is the first bright spot in a dormant year. With Kayne and Kweli in August, the times they are a changin'. (21st)
7. Earlimart - Mentor Tormentor - Grandaddy's protege has outlasted its mentor. How will their Central Valley drugged out lo-fi stand-up after a 4-year hiatus? We're all excited to find out! (21st)
8. Art in Manila - Set The Woods on Fire - Adrianne Verhoeven (of The Anniversary) teams with Azure Ray singer (Orenda Fink) for a side project of epic proportions.(7th)
9. Junior Senior - Hey Hey My My Yo Yo - The gayest ( and I mean that in the nicest way) dancing duo returns to prove that the campiness of their first release was no fluke.(14th)
10. Blaqk Audio - CexCells - Davey Havoc of AFI falls in love with a synthesizer and has sex with it...records the sex, and is now releasing it for you to hear.(14th)
11. Northern State - Can I Keep This Pen? - Their last album was flatter than Paris Hilton's....personality. But Adrock is behind the boards on this one. If anything, it has to be better than the new Beastie Boys. (28th)

Other releases of note: Okkervil River - Stage Names(7th), Architechure in Helsinki - Place Like This(21st), M.I.A. - Kala(21st), Aesop Rock - None Shall Pass(28th), Ben Harper - Lifelines(28th), The Liars - Liars(28th), VHS or Beta - Bring On The Comets(28th).