I promise, this is my last Record Store Day 2024 video! The reviews of the 14 albums I ought continue with a couple of disappointments, a great punk compilation, a slightly improved Gandalf, a mis-assumption about David Bowie, and more!
Again, great reviews, Robert! I asked the owner of Org Music, which put out the Westbound Sound compilation, both of the questions you brought up in regards to the RSD release: 1) What “Curated by Record Store Day” means - like the 10 volumes we did with Sun Records, the track list is curated by the stores (a group of store owners and buyers). They vote on a selection of tracks, and the tracks with most votes make it onto the LP. 2) Tito’s Vodka sponsors the release, giving us a stipend to offset some of the costs, which allows us to price the LP at a meager $13. He said $26 in the video, which is actually double the list price. If he actually paid that much, the store he bought from is breaking RSD guidelines and protocol. This is intentionally the most affordable RSD LP (full length) every year, by far. In the 10 years of doing this series, we’ve only received one complaint about the sponsorship. We’ve found that most people are happy to get a record at about half the cost they’d typically pay. And Tito’s is incredibly supportive of independent record stores and music in general.
Thanks for the heads up on the Bowie! I was considering buying that one. I thought they would be alternate takes as well. I'll save my money instead. ✌
I’ll wait for the black vinyl version of Gandalf. The Punk 45 comp is great. It is not a new release. It is a reissue. Soul Jazz did several of those Punk 45 comps. I will most likely get the Ramones demos. They have all been released on CD but I’ve been told the record sounds way better.
The Bowie RSD relesease was a disappointment to me. I was expecting demo versions from the Spiders from Mars album. (or at least different versions of the songs) … Seems like a Bowie estate cash grab.
Hi Robert, I loved the whole video but thank you so much for the in depth review of the Gandalf album, both as a vinyl pressing and for the history behind it. That was just what was needed. Best review ever. Cheers x
Love your videos. Now, with all those cds in the background, maybe you can occasionally drop some videos featuring them, especially any box sets or unique packagings. Just a thought.
I feel the same way about 90s music. Alot of these 90’s band vinyl releases really don’t sound any different than the good ol’ cd. 90’s or at least until the later 90’s were before the loudness wars. I always feel stupid saying that. Makes it sound like some Terminator movie trailer… “…and yet we knew all along that the loudness wars were inevitable…we tried to warn humanity…” Thanks for the heads up on the Bowie, I was under the same impression as you were. They should have checked in with plangent for the Gandolf, I think that the process might have helped with the distortion. Cool info on the background of why they covered Tim Hardin songs. Didnt realize that. Spot on Funky Worm granny impersonation btw lol I’ll be picking up that Punk 45, sounds like a cool release! Thanks Robert!
Soul Jazz Records have been putting out essential compilations for years. They have their own brilliant record shop Sounds of the Universe in Soho, London which is well worth a visit if ever you're over!
I’m off to the Soul Jazz shop in Soho tomorrow (The Shops Called Sounds Of The Universe) the shop is a lovely building that was a pub in the sixties (the Bricklayers Arms) Keith Richards auditioned for The Stones in the room upstairs. It’s on Berwick Street (road on the cover of Oasis’s debut album)
@@matthewtaylor7355 I would class them as professional! 😆 There used to be a wonderful guy in the basement who would just give me records for free. & insist on slapping any of my purchases on the turntable & having a little dance to them before I left!
As always Robert, entertaining and informative. Been catching up on some of your older episodes before I head off to work (K-tel!; power pop!). 🎶😎. Puts me in a good mood to start the day...
Amen, I hate that the punk "rules" came in and everything had to sound like Black Flag. I think Kill The Hippies might have been ironic, though. I seem to recall that, but don't quote me on it. That comp is totally up my alley. I need to hear both disco covers of Light My Fire. The disco cover of A Whiter Shade Of Pale is both hilarious and impressive. I died at "I don't have a strobe light because I am not a night club from 1979." And then "I didn't know a day could curate things." Lots of great lines and cool facts, as per usual.
That Vodka advetisment is one way to lower vinyl prices. I approve :) Advetising on album inner sleeves is a great idea. That Electrafixtion just surprised me. To bo honest I only saw a things that peeked my interest but price put me right off. I think the reason the 90s was a wo called CD era, is because vinyl had a right battle on its hands. Look where CDS are now? I have nothing againt CDs but I have never liked the jewel cases. Bad design and doesn't help the present of a CD.
I didn’t find what I really wanted on Saturday so I went to this used record store by my office on Monday and they had a small bin of rsd stuff. And they had my number 1. The South Park 25th anniversary concert. If you enjoy that humor and some primus, it sounds great. And from watching your videos I decided to order the parliament album off the rsd market because I do love funkadelic and also have all the meters albums.
The Electrafixion album is essentially a mediocre Echo & The Bunnymen album. I traded my promo of it in back in the 90's. I strongly recommend either Heaven Up Here or Crocodiles 🐊 by Echo & The Bunnymen over the lackluster Burned album that just burned many of cash on RSD.
@RobertFithen It's been out of print for many years so it develops a reputation based more on its lack of availability than its actual substance. That happens with lots of RSD limited reissues.
Maybe that zoetrope record would work if you installed the app and held your phone vertically when you ran it. You can’t see the effect if you’re in horizontal mode. Also try placing a green lava lamp or purple neon light above the turntable. That probably won’t help but it’ll look pretty cool.
Isn't Zoetrope Steven Spielberg's production studio? Record Store Day dropped the ball this year I was hoping for Aja/Pet Sounds two-fer on a cube shaped vinyl release. Damn
Maybe if you point your phone at the turntable, the "hidden" track on the Carol Douglas LP will play... Or you might need a special, very expensive stylus!?!
The Punk 45 comp is a reissue due to the original from ten years back or so was going for 100 or so. Theres a whole series of 6 or 7 Punk 45 comps on Soul Jazz. The first track on each side is solid, then less fidelity in my experience. That orange one is the original first Punk 45, the CD is slightly truncated to fit on one disc
The UK electrical grid cycles at 50Hz while the US has a 60Hz cycle. If EMI's designers didn't account for that discrepancy when spacing out the images for their zoetrope disc, the effect may not work as intended because most of our ambient room lighting will be pulsing 10 extra times per second.
Totally disagree about the Bakersfield Doors lp. To me it sounds fine for the time and is an extremely good show. Jim is on and so is the band. Interesting setlist its just a great show. Quality isn’t perfect but for the time it’s absolutely fine. I can understand your points on the Bowie lp but i think Amsterdam is a powerful cover and Bowies reading of it is outstanding. Electrafixion is actually really good. Its also features Will Sargent from the Bunnymen and this is the lp that more or less directly led to their reunion which is still ongoing. Probably better than the last original band self titled lp as it’s less pop and more rock. At the time of its release they put out several singles with live b sides and those might be even better.
My guy just watch the zoetrope thru your cell phone camera with the flash on simple but its all a scam but i bought the same one haha! But again amazing STP poster. It looks even signed! Nice
The easiest way to view the zoetropes is film it at 24 FPS by changing your phone settings...then the video will animate correctly in the video. No apps or strobes needed.
Black Friday RSD will finally have a Zoetrope version of The Downward Spiral. Along with another version of Fleetwood Mac's Rumors. But it will be just lines upon lines of blow ready to be snorted. Speaking of Round And Round by Ratt. Will they ever reissue their first EP?
I bought both George Harrison and "assumed" zoetrope albums would "dance" but nope, nothing, I tried multiple types of lighting, looking with my phone, trying to find an app....I gave up.
If properly designed you should be able to see any zoetrope (whether vinyl or not) with the naked eye. That's the whole point. I have seen zoetrope designs that have the effect without any assistance. These latest versions are not properly designed if you need some special app or whatever to properly view them. That's what takes the "magic" out of it. Like you, I'm over it and just assume it's a "Blur" joke. Either way, I've moved on with my life. lol
Thanks for the reviews, Robert. The Bowie, I reluctantly picked up. Haven't listened to it. Sounds disappointing. Going to be more conservative in future RSD shopping. Thanks, again! Love the tee, by the way!!!
I don't know for sure but maybe the Blur zoetrope isn't working because US mains electricity is 60Hz AC and UK is 50Hz? The zoetrope will react differently to electric light in the different countries.
I'm surprised you didn't get the Pale Shades of Grey compilation. When I found it in the store I was intrigued and one of the first results I got on Google was a playlist you made for the album. I figured (assumed maybe ;-) ) if it has the "Robert Fithen Seal of Approval" it can't be bad, right? Well, it's not bad at all so thank you but I was kind of expecting you got it too. It's alright, they did a good job on the sound because given the sources it was not easy. But it's a nice collection of obscure tracks but they're good.
When I got my first acoustic guitar at 13 years old I got a copy of Bob Dylan Greatest Hits to try to learn from it. My brother came home late that night, he was a punk, also a junkie and an absolute assh0le, he opened my door and said "what are you girls doing?" I said "listening to Bob Dylan". He said "well you know what they say?" I said "what do they say" he said " there's nowt queer as folk". Lol. Bloody punks eh they are a nightmare, punk music's great I have a ton of it but the ardent fans are hard work.
The Bowie thing is nothing new every song has been released so many times its just rude to pretend this is in any way special - the reason the track list was changed as you now know "It Sucked" "Sweet Head" was the only song that tied into the Ziggy theme, mainly because it had the word/Name "Ziggy" in it - it's also going to be released with the box set coming out in a few months - somehow thinking things that sounded crap in the 70's are going to sound great now is a very odd marketing tool - have I brought everything that has been released since he died? of course - Do I listen to any of them? hell no they sound like shit.
I never was and never will be at the same side as the hippies...no way. And we still cut their hair in the 80s. And I organise my records on genre's (Country, Rock/Pop, Soul/Funk/Disco) but the genre Rock/Pop I split in two sections...the Short Hair section and the Long Hair Section.😃
