KCRW’s Guide to Record Store Day 2014

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For the last 7 years, Record Store Day has been celebrated the third Saturday in April.

While digital formats serve their undeniable purpose, it’s the vinyl record that manages to fuse artifact with art.

The vinyl record was invented by Emile Berliner and first marketed in 1889 and is still collected 125 years later.And thus, Record Store Day carves out its niche on every calendar as the day we can consciously celebrate music, even if many of us treat every day as sonic ceremony.

One of RSD’s original founders Carrie Collition discusses how it is uniquely indiscriminate – an observance that unites a common appreciation to an uncommon degree across the board and that the record itself is very expressive and we can go through steps of a process and a ritual while listening.

Here are our Top 10 favorite finds for Record Store Day 2014.

Some sell out quick, so we wanted to make a hit list for you to take into your favorite record store.  Here is a full list of all RSD offerings.

1. Cut Copy “In These Arms of Love”/ “Like Any Other Day” (Republic) 10” vinyl

This record has a previously unreleased song from the “Free Your Mind” sessions.

2. William Onyeabor What!  “Atomic Bomb” Onyeabor vs Hot Chip (Luaka Bop) 12” Vinyl

From label owner David Byrne, these are reworks of the Moog master William Onyeabor by such artists as Hot Chip, The Vaccines, Scientist and many more.

3. David Lynch “The Air is on Fire” (Sacred Bones) 12” Vinyl

Originally recorded in 2007 from a rare 41 min soundscape from an art exhibit in Paris. The soundscape taps into the full history of experimental, minimal and electronic music.

4. Jake Bugg “Live at Silver Platters” (Island Def Jam) 12” vinyl

The 4-song EP was recorded last year at Silver Platters in Seattle. Featuring  the singles “Trouble Town” and “Lighting Bolt”.

 5. CHVRCHES “Recover” (Glassnote) 12” vinyl , clear orange

 6. Tame Impala “Live” ( Interscope) 12” vinyl

 7. Little Dragon “Klapp Klapp”  (Loma Vista) 12” Vinyl

Includes an instrumental and three additional tracks.

 8. Moses Sumney “Scratch the Surface”/ “Forlom Fantasy” ( B3SCI Records) 7” vinyl

Local label B3SCI is releasing two new tracks. Moses says the songs are about embarking on new relationships — “A departure for me as I don’t write love songs.”

9. Dan Croll “Hello My Baby” ( Capitol) 10” vinyl

He recorded this song in South Africa with Ladysmith Black Mambazo. From Dan: “”For me Record Store Day is such a unique/exclusive event that celebrates the coming together of so many cultures and genres.”

“Hello My Baby” LIVE on KCRW  (Full Session)

10.  Mayer Hawthorne / Jaded Inc “Black Future” (Republic) 10” vinyl

New project with Mayer and 14KT from a forthcoming album “The Big Knock” on June 17th. It’s a glow in the dark triangle album.

Two Bonus Picks!

Spanish Gold Out on the Street ( BMG) 7” vinyl

Covering a song by the Ghetto Brothers, which we debuted on the Music Blog last week.

Sonzeria / Gilles Peterson “Southern Freeez” (Brownswood) 7” vinyl

Released overseas, this is an exceptional rework on Brazilian music from a Gilles Peterson project.

Last but not least, some of our favorite local proprietors offer their individual perspectives on what makes RSD so exceptional.

Neil Schield from Origami Vinyl:  

“Records are the ultimate tangible listening experience for a fan. There is nothing like vinyl. From the art to the act of dropping the needle. Aside from being in the studio or at a concert, it is the closest you will ever get to hearing and seeing what the artist intended. CDs can’t compete with that.

(DJ ANNE LITT will be spinning at Origami this Saturday at 9am!)

Sebastian Mathews from Touch Vinyl:

“Live music is one of the greatest pleasures in life! When I’m home, vinyl comes the closest to approximating what it feels like to be there. Vinyl was the first and will probably be the last format that is really worth going to a brick and mortar shop to get.”

Rand Foster from Fingerprints in Long Beach:

“I think the record store is an important place culturally; as a meeting place, as a place of discovery, and as a place to get cool stuff. That there is a day where we get to be our best and provide a crazy sampler platter of what a record store experience can be, to a much larger than usual audience is really a gift.

Side Note: Record Store Day 2014 ambassador CHUCK D joined RAUL CAMPOS for a chat this past weekend. Find it in the archives here.

And let’s not forget our own GARY CALAMAR who wrote a book, along with Billboard’s Phil Gallo, called Record Store Days.