Record Store Day 2012

By Andrew Hertzberg

Christmas time is here! Well, for crazy music people at least. Record Store Day is here again, and instead of going on a tirade against the whole concept (shouldn’t we be buying records and exploring local record stores year round?), we might as well embrace that at least some attention is still being garnered on this dying experience. Not to mention the abundance of live performances happening. Good golly, Miss Molly. Not only are there plenty of daytime in-stores to choose from, but it just keeps going into the night too. While all of these things are WCR approved, I can’t blatantly tell you which to choose. That is for you to decide: I am here merely to provide options. Lucky for you, this isn’t just red pill / blue pill one-or-the-other. Think of this more as the loudest overdose you can possibly achieve and still wake up the next morning. This amount of venue hopping will certainly put perfecting your Lolla schedule in perspective. And oh yeah, don't forget to buy a record or two:
  
(For the full list of record stores participating, check out the official RSD 2012 website)

Reggie’s Record Breakers: Swimsuit Addition, Electric Touch, Magicks, Empires, Owen, The Sweeps, Mitch Mead, the New Diet (10 AM, AA, FREE)
Notes: Free hot dogs and soda. BAM.

Cyklopx (Forest Park): Canasta (11:30 AM, AA, FREE)

Saki Records: Santah, Bare Mutants, Cains and Abels, Cross Record, Minor Characters, Hollows, Opposites, the Runnies (1 PM, AA, FREE)
Notes: Opens at 9 AM with raffle prizes including tickets to shows at Metro, passes for the Logan Theater, LPs from Whistler Records and more. Tamale Spaceship food truck will be parked outside all day.

Record Store Day preview

Posted by Andrew Hertzberg

Record Store Day is huge. Like, really fucking big. It would be impossible to condense all of the useful information on releases and where to get them in to one concise blog post. In fact, the immensity and excess of RSD has been the shot of a couple posts of criticism this year. Alas, those arguments are too big for here and now. Rather, we’d like to give a rundown of the more worthwhile going-ons in and around the city this Saturday, April 16th. For a full list of participating stores and albums to be had, check out the RSD site and for our picks, read on. Don’t say I didn’t warn you:

In Tall Buildings cover Cains & Abels on new 7"

Posted by Frank

While they prepare the follow-up to their 2010 debut album, Chicago's In Tall Buildings have cut a couple of tracks for a special vinyl 7" to be released on Record Store Day (April 16th). For the A side, they looked to fellow Windy City musicians Cains & Abels for inspiration, covering "Warm Rock" off the band's 2009 debut, Call Me Up. On the flip side is an alternate, "bedroom pop" version of "The Way to A Monster's Lair," one of the strongest tracks off In Tall Buildings' debut. Grab the 7" next month, but in the meantime you can hear/download their take on "Warm Rock" below.

In Tall Buildings also have a few hometown shows coming up. Catch them supporting Sharon Van Etten and Little Scream at Lincoln Hall on Saturday, April 9th,  and for an in-store at Saki a week later on April 16th to celebrate the release of Warm Rock. They will also be performing at an upcoming installment of Second City's "The Late Live Show."

   In Tall Buildings - Warm Rock by Windy City Rock

Get ready for Record Store Day in Chicago

Trying to compile an overview of the happenings around Chicago for Record Store Day 2010 - taking place this Saturday, April 17 - seems pointless when our friend Richard at loudlooppress.com has already done such an amazing job. Check out his well-researched article for all you need to know about in-store performances, special deals, exclusive releases and free stuff at the city's various record stores. Happy shopping!

Mr Russia celebrate Record Store Day with exclusive 7" of Bowie classic

Record Store Day 2010 is coming up next Saturday, April 17, and Chicago's own Mr Russia have teamed up with Reckless Records to help make the day even more special for local music lovers. On that day, all Reckless purchases at any of the store's three locations (3126 N. Broadway, 1532 N. Milwaukee Ave. and 26 E. Madison) will come with an exclusive free copy of the band's brand new 7" vinyl, which includes two versions of their take on the David Bowie and Brian Eno-penned classic "Boys Keep Swinging." The band will also headline a show at Beat Kitchen that night.

According to Mr Russia frontman Ivan Russia, "Boys Keep Swinging" is especially significant to the group as it's the first song they learned to play after forming. The A side of the 7" features a version recorded in their rehearsal space before ever playing in front of an audience, while the B side includes an alternate take recorded later in the studio. The band also made a video for the song:

"I don't download music, I buy records and CDs," Ivan said. "I have fond memories of trolling the bins at Hegewisch Records (RIP). It taught me a great appreciation for music and exposed me to so many artists I treasure to this day. I feel Reckless Records is keeping that experience alive and I am quite pleased to have them exclusively distributing our first seven inch."

Boys Keep Swinging comes on the heels of the band's 2009 EP, Training for the Gameshow Host (available for free download), as well as their debut full-length, Teething.

Record Store Day

If you've ever mourned the loss of a local record store that fell victim to online or big box retailers, now is the time to appreciate the "mom and pop" music shops that are still in business. Saturday, April 18 is Record Store Day, "a celebration of the unique culture surrounding over 700 independently owned record stores in the USA, and hundreds of similar stores internationally."

In honor of the day, various independent record stores in and around Chicago are planning special events and music releases. Here's a rundown of some of the participating stores:

Algonquin Records - 532 E Algonquin Road, Des Plaines

Beverly Records - 11612 S Western

CYKLOPX - 7511 Madison St., Forest Park

Dave's Records - 2604 N Clark

Dusty Groove America - 1120 N Ashland - offering free prizes, special merchandise and more.

Hard Boiled Records - 2010 W Roscoe - offering giveaways, new stock and a live set by Radio Ballads at 4 p.m.

Laurie's Planet of Sound - 4639 N Lincoln -offering exclusive releases, a set by AZITA at noon, guest DJs, free gifts.

Permanent Records - 1914 W Chicago

Reckless Records - 3161 N Broadway AND 1532 N Milwaukee AND 26 E Madison - Many special releases plus in-store performances from Blasted Diplomats, The Lawrence Arms, Disappears and more. See the full schedule here.

Record Breakers - 2109 S State

2nd Hand Tunes - 800 Dempster St., Evanston

Val's Halla Records - 239 W. Harrison, Oak Park - offering giveaways and specials throughout the day.

Vintage Vinyl - 925 Davis St., Evanston - In-store performance by The Luck of Eden Hall at 2 p.m.

For more information and a full list of participating Chicagoland stores, click here.