Record Store Day Roundup: Omnivore Recordings & Rhino Records titles, The Moody Blues, Varèse Sarabande exclusives, MUSIC WORTH BUYING episode, more...

Post by Robert Kinsler

Record Store Day arrives on Saturday, April 21, 2018, and once again music fans should plan on getting out early to get those hard-to-find limited-edition titles! Here is an overview of a number of the special releases coming out as part of the event. However, to get the complete list of titles and formats (sorry to everyone who I couldn't include here!), be sure to visit the official Record Store Day website.


Rhino Records to issue a slew of new titles on April 21

Rhino Records is offering a number of new special releases on April 21, including titles featuring Air, David Bowie, Fleetwood Mac, the Grateful Dead, Jethro Tull, Led Zeppelin, Lou Reed, Madonna, Prince, Ramones, The Stooges, The Cure and Wilco. That's not all; an extremely-limited live album featuring The Doors (Live At The Matrix Part 2: Let's Feed Ice Cream To The Rats, San Francisco, CA - March 7 & 10, 1967) and a special Van Morrison vinyl release (The Alternative Moondance) are also slated to land in some brick-and-mortar stores on Saturday morning.

For more information, including how to get details on each and every one of the label's special titles, go to the label's 2018 Record Store Day site here.


Omnivore Recordings announces Chris Bell, Linda Perhacs and John Wesley Harding titles

On Record Store Day, the annual nationwide celebration of vinyl and record retail to be held this year on Saturday, April 21, 2018, Omnivore Recordings will make available a deluxe Chris Bell 7" set, an autographed Linda Perhacs LP with bonus tracks, and a new album by John Wesley Harding featuring cover songs and some head-turning special guests.

Chris Bell: “I Am the Cosmos” 40th Anniversary 7" gatefold single.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the one, and only, Chris Bell single, the legendary “I Am the Cosmos”/“You and Your Sister.” Originally released on Chris Stamey’s label, Car Records, it was the only solo recording released under Bell’s name in his lifetime. Last year, Omnivore paid tribute to the Big Star co-founder’s work by releasing an expanded and definitive deluxe edition of I Am the Cosmos, as well as collecting his pre-Big Star work in Looking Forward: The Roots of Big Star. At the end of 2017, all tracks on the aforementioned titles were given the deluxe vinyl treatment in The Complete Chris Bell.

Now to wrap up the Chris Bell campaign, this 40th anniversary edition repressing of the original Car Records single is packaged in a gatefold sleeve and includes liner notes excerpted from Car Records founder Stamey’s forthcoming book, A Spy in the House of Loud: New York Songs and Stories(University of Texas Press) detailing the story of how the single came to be. An insert features Stamey’s original Car Records agreement, signed by both Stamey and Bell, and the Car Records press release.

Original copies, if they can be found at all, fetch high collector’s prices. This special repressing for Record Store Day should satisfy fans seeking a copy of this masterwork.

Linda Perhacs: I’m a Harmony 2-LP with four bonus tracks.

Until 2014, Linda Perhacs had only issued one album, Parallelograms, in 1970. It immediately fell into obscurity, but gained fans over the ensuing years as artists as disparate as Devendra Banhart, Daft Punk, and death metal group Opeth sang its praises. As the status of Parallelograms continued to rise in the 21st century, Perhacs found her way back to recording thanks to talented fans like Fernando Perdomo, Julia Holter, and Chris Price. In 2014, another fan, Sufjan Stevens, released Linda’s 44-year follow-up to Parallelograms, The Soul of All Natural Things (produced by Perhacs, Chris Price, and Fernando Perdomo), on his label Asthmatic Kitty. Perhacs’ long overdue return to music was joyously welcomed, with MOJO magazine describing the release as “a spectrally hypnotic work of prismatic beauty.”

In 2017, Perhacs joined the Omnivore family with a critically acclaimed new album, I’m a Harmony, produced by Pat Sansone (Wilco/The Autumn Defense) with Perhacs and Perdomo.

For Record Store Day, I’m a Harmony will see new life as a double LP on vinyl with four previously unissued tracks including demos featuring Price and Perdomo, as well as a collaboration with singer/songwriter/producer Augustin. Composer/multi-instrumentalist/producer Holter appears on the original album’s 11 tracks, joining Sansone and John Stirratt (The Autumn Defense/Wilco), Nels Cline and Glenn Kotche (Wilco), Banhart (offering up a spoken word segment on “We Will Live,”) and producer/remixer Mark Pritchard bringing his production talents to bear on “You Wash My Soul in Sound.” Additional contributions from John Pirrucello, James Haggerty, Leddie Garcia, Greg Wiezorek, and singers Michelle Vidal and Durga McBroom grace tracks throughout the project. Half the pressing was autographed by Linda; the autographed copies are randomly inserted into the run. 

Hear Linda Perhacs the way the world first discovered her. On vinyl.  

John Wesley Harding: Greatest Other People’s Hits, an LP of covers, with appearances by Bruce Springsteen, The Minus Five, Fastball and more.

First hitting the scene in the late ’80s, Wesley Stace, professionally known then as the singer-songwriter John Wesley Harding, scored some musical success, especially on the college radio airwaves with songs like “The Person You Are,” “The Devil in Me,” and an unlikely cover of Madonna’s “Like a Prayer.” More than 20 albums and collections later, he tends a multi-faceted career as a novelist, singer-songwriter, festival curator, university professor, and variety show host.  

Now, on Record Store Day, he can add singer of “greatest other people’s hits” to his long list of accomplishments, with this fantastic compilation of songs by artists as varied as Bruce Springsteen, George Harrison, Roky Erickson, Madonna, Pete Seeger, and Serge Gainsbourg, among others. The collection features Harding’s renditions of songs by these great composers, as well as performances with the Minus Five, Fastball, Eric Bazilian, The Universal Thump, and Bruce Springsteen.

This title will be expanded and available on CD and Digital in May.

Watch the Omnivore Recordings Store Day trailer: https://youtu.be/hwyhp4rkoV0

Track listings for Omnivore’s three Record Store Day titles may be found here:

www.omnivorerecordings.com/shop/i-am-the-cosmos-45/
www.omnivorerecordings.com/shop/im-a-harmony/www.omnivorerecordings.com/shop/greatest-other-peoples-hits/  

The Moody Blues to release "Say It With Love" 12-inch exclusive Record Store Day vinyl on April 21, 2018

On April 21, just one week after their induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, The Moody Blues will release their exclusive Record Store Day 12” Single Say It With Love via Eagle Rock Entertainment.

This limited edition blue & white vinyl highlights three live performances from The Moody Blues’ 2017 performance at the Sony Centre For The Performing Arts in Toronto. Justin Hayward (guitar, vocals), John Lodge (bass, vocals), and Graeme Edge (drums, percussion) deliver soaring versions of “Say It With Love,” “The Story In Your Eyes,” and “Steppin In A Slide Zone,” backed by Norda Mullen (flute, guitar, percussion, vocals), Julie Ragins (keyboards, percussion, guitar, saxophone, guitar, vocals), Alan Hewitt (keyboard, vocals), and Billy Ashbaugh (drums, percussion).

This follows the recent release of The Moody Blues’ DVD / Blu-ray Days Of Future Passed Live, which features the entire concert film, as well as the 2CD of the full concert.

TRACK LISTING:

Side A
1. Say It With Love

Side B
1. The Story In Your Eyes
2. Steppin’ in a Slide Zone

VARÈSE SARABANDE RECORD STORE DAY RELEASES TO INCLUDE

THREE TITLES:

ZEIT

KRUSH GROOVE – including LL Cool J, Beastie Boys and Chaka Khan

GRINDHOUSE: PLANET TERROR – First Time on Vinyl

ZEIT – Tangerine Dream’s Breakthrough Record

Varèse Sarabande announces three album releases for Record Store Day on April 21, 2018:  KRUSH GROOVE featuring tracks by LL Cool J, Beastie Boys, Kurtis Blow, Run-DMC and more; cult classic GRINDHOUSE: PLANET TERROR never before been available on LP; and Tangerine Dream’s epic release ZEIT. 

This long out of print soundtrack LP to the classic hip-hop film KRUSH GROOVE includes appearances from the biggest acts of the 80's: LL Cool J, Beastie Boys, Kurtis Blow, Run-DMC, and more.  This re-issue of KRUSH GROOVE features the limited edition cover used only by record clubs at the time of the original release, and was never available to record stores.  This release will be pressed on Orange/Blue Haze vinyl, giving the record a graffiti-look in the two primary colors of the jacket.

GRINDHOUSE: PLANET TERROR was part of a double feature film release between Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino that starred Rose McGowan, who sings on three tracks exclusive to this soundtrack.  The score is composed by Robert Rodriguez, Graeme Revell, (The Crow, Sin City), and Carl Thiel (From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series), with additional songs by Chingon and Nouvelle Vague.  The album has never before been available on LP and will be released on opaque white vinyl.

After selling-through on all copies of Tangerine Dream's debut album as part of Record Store Day's Black Friday 2017, Varèse Sarabande returns with Tangerine Dream's third album – their breakthrough record ZEIT. Each side of this double-LP features only one epic song, varying in length. This release has been pressed, appropriately enough, on Tangerine-colored vinyl.

KRUSH GROOVE Tracklist:

1. (Krush Groove) Can't Stop the Street - Chaka Khan

2. I Can't Live Without My Radio -LL Cool J

3. If I Ruled the World - Kurtis Blow

4. All You Can Eat - The Fat Boys

5. Feel the Spin - Debbie Harry

6. Holly Rock - Sheila E.

7. She's on It - Beastie Boys

8. Love Triangle - The Gap Band

9. Tender Love - The Force M.D.'s

10. Krush Groovin' - Kurtis Blow / The Fat Boys / Sheila E. / Run-D.M.C.

PLANET TERROR Tracklist:

SIDE ONE
1. Grindhouse (Main Titles) (Robert Rodriguez)
2. Doc Block (Robert Rodriguez & Carl Thiel)
3. The Sickos (Robert Rodriguez & Graeme Revell)
4. You Belong To Me (Rose McGowan)
5. Go Go Not Cry Cry (Robert Rodriguez & Rick Del Castillo)
6. Hospital Epidemic (Graeme Revell & Robert Rodriguez)
7. Useless Talent #32 3:11 (Rose McGowan)
8. His Prescription ... Pain (Robert Rodriguez & Carl Thiel)
9. Cherry Darling (Robert Rodriguez)
10. The Grindhouse Blues (Robert Rodriguez)
11. El Wray (Robert Rodriguez)
12. Police Station Assault (Robert Rodriguez)
 

SIDE TWO
1. Dakota (Robert Rodriguez & Carl Thiel)
2. Zero To Fifty In Four (Robert Rodriguez)
3. Fury Road (Robert Rodriguez)
4. Helicopter Sicko Chopper (Graeme Revell & Robert Rodriguez)
5. The Ring In The Jacket (Robert Rodriguez & George Oldziey)
6. Killer Legs (Robert Rodriguez & Rick Del Castillo)
7. Melting Member (Graeme Revell & Robert Rodriguez)
8. Too Drunk To Fuck (Nouvelle Vague)
9. Cherry's Dance Of Death (Chingon)
10.Two Against The World (Rose McGowan)

ZEIT Tracklist:

First Movement - Birth Of Liquid Plejades                              

Second Movement - Nebulous Dawn

Third Movement - Origin Of Supernatural Probabilities

Fourth Movement – Zeit

www.varesesarabande.com

Florence + the Machine to release limited-edition 7-inch vinyl of new track 'Sky Full Of Song'

Florence + the Machine recently unveiled a brand new track titled "Sky Full of Song." Listen and watch the A.G. Rojas-directed video HERE. In partnership with Record Store Day, a limited edition, double A-side 7” vinyl will follow on April 21.

“This was a song that just fell out of the sky fully formed,” says Florence Welch (pictured on the right). “Sometimes when you are performing you get so high, it’s hard to know how to come down. There is this feeling of being cracked open, rushing endlessly outwards and upwards, and wanting somebody to hold you still, bring you back to yourself. It’s an incredible, celestial, but somehow lonely feeling.”

The Record Store Day release of “Sky Full Of Song” will be backed by a recording of “New York poem (for Polly),” taken from Welch’s forthcoming book Useless Magic: a collection of lyrics, artwork and poetry offering a unique, personal insight into her creative process. Useless Magic is out July 5, 2018 via Crown Publishing/Penguin.

Tompkins Square has TWO awesome Record Store Day pieces this year. Ask your local retailer to stock 'em. Duck Baker 'Les Blues Du Richmond : Demos & Outtakes, 1973-1979' (TSQ 5517) (ltd 1000 worldwide)

Classic 70's LPs on Kicking Mule. Recorded with John Renbourn. Toured with Bert Jansch and Davey Graham. Authored twelve music books. Reworked tunes by Herbie Nichols and Thelonious Monk for guitar -- Duck Baker has been there and done it ! Now, Tompkins Square presents his earliest recordings from the vaults. Feature via Fretboard Journal hit today ! Gwenifer Raymond - Deep Sea Diver / Bleeding Finger Blues - 7" (TSQ 5524) (ltd 600 worldwide) Hailing from Cardiff and now residing in Brighton in the South of England, Gwenifer Raymond began playing guitar at the age of 8. Her debut 7" will be released on Record Store Day ahead of her debut album, You Never Were Much of a Dancer, slated for later in 2018. The 7" includes "Bleeding Finger Blues" from the forthcoming LP, and "Deep Sea Diver," which will not appear on the album. 7" catalog number : TSQ 5524 Ask your local dealer if they're carrying the 7" for RSD

Finally, over the weekend TJR and Robert videotaped an overview of Record Store Day, including tips on getting those one-of-a-kind and unique titles!