This year marks just the fourth instalment of Record Store Day, but the annual event has quickly became the most eagerly anticipated date on the music calendar. Over the last few months, we've posted repeated updates about new and exciting exclusive releases that will be coming to independent record stores on Saturday (April 16).
This list highlights the Record Store Day releases that we're most excited about, but it's by no means exhaustive. There are plenty more great LPs, EPs and singles that didn't make the cut, so be sure to catch up on the full list of RSD exclusives here.
But what Record Store Day releases are we looking forward to most? Have a look below, and we'll see you out there on Saturday.
Exclaim!'s Top Ten Record Store Releases of 2011:
10. Flying Lotus - Cosmogramma Alt Takes
Flying Lotus's beloved 2010 LP Cosmogramma came with an innovative packaging plan that allowed users to scan the artwork and receive a selection of outtakes, including different mixes, alternate arrangements and unheard songs. Now, those rarities will be getting a physical release, in the form of this limited-edition vinyl. Warp is only pressing 750 copies, but good luck tracking down a copy.
9. Ty Segall - Ty Rex EP
It turns out that San Francisco, CA fuzz rock favourite Ty Segall has a major penchant for beloved glam rock act T. Rex. This covers EP contains six T. Rex redoes, which favour deep cuts over major hits. (Sorry, there's no "Get It On" or "Ride a White Swan" here.) With apologies to Heady Nuggs, this has definitely got the funniest title of any Record Store Day release we've heard of. It's coming out through Goner.
8. The Flaming Lips - Heady Nuggs: The First 5 Warner Bros. Records 1992 - 2002
The title of this one should be self-explanatory. This vinyl box contains the classic Warner albums Hit to Death in the Future Head (1992), Transmissions from the Satellite Heart (1993), Clouds Taste Metallic (1995), The Soft Bulletin (1999) and Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots (2002). These trace the group's shift from scrappy psych rock to lush (but no less inventive) pop.
7. The Wake - Singles
These aren't listed anywhere on Record Store Day's website, but that isn't stopping us from getting excited about the fact that Captured Tracks is reissuing two of the seminal post-punk band's classic singles, "On Our Honeymoon" and "Crush the Flowers." The label also recruited modern indie pop outfits Beach Fossils and Wild Nothing to cover the Wake on a third single.
6. Ryan Adams - Class Mythology EP
After temporarily stepping back from the music business, the prolific Ryan Adams has been making up for his absence by rolling out some unheard material from the archives. Following his Cardinals III/IV set, Adams is now dropping this EP, with four more outtakes recorded with the Cardinals via his Pax-AM Records. To make it even cooler, this one will come on two seven-inch records, one yellow and one orange. These will be housed in gatefold packaging with a mini-poster and a sticker.
5. Arthur Russell - World of Echo
This one has been reissued before, but we're still giddy at the prospect of a new limited vinyl run of Russell's career-defining World of Echo through Rough Trade. Originally released in 1986, this record was his last proper full-length before being diagnosed with HIV and passing away in 1992. Originally 14 tracks, this expanded edition includes four extra songs, much like the 2005 edition.
4. Foo Fighters - Medium Rare
This is the year of the Foo Fighters. The busy group have a new album, an intimate garage tour and a documentary on the way, but they still found time to compile this 13-track covers album. Most of these renditions have been released before, but this RCA vinyl is still an exciting chance for fans of the alt-rock luminaries to hear the group cover Paul McCartney, Prince, Pink Floyd and more all in the same place.
3. Nirvana - Hormoaning EP
Record Store Day comes less than a week after the 17th anniversary of Kurt Cobain's death. Fans will be able to remember their fallen hero with this reissue of a rare EP, which was released exclusively in Australia and Japan while Nirvana were on tour in those countries in 1992. It collects two Nevermind-era B-sides ("Aneurysm" and "Even in His Youth"), plus four covers from a Peel Session. Now, thanks to Universal, fans on this side of the Pacific will have a chance to own this on vinyl.
2. Big Star - Third (Test Pressing Edition)
More than 30 years since its original release, the world still hasn't agreed upon a definitive version of Big Star's Third (alternately titled Sister Lovers). Well, this just might be it. Omnivore returns the often-altered album to its original test pressing, which was made back in 1975, but not commercially released. These records are being cut on the same lathe by the same engineers who were responsible for the original test pressing. To make the deal even sweeter, five of the 2,000 copies have been signed by band member Jody Stephens, plus the two engineers.
1. Fucked Up - David's Town
With rock opera David Comes to Life less than two months away, Toronto, ON envelope-pushers Fucked Up will drop this crazy concept album. It features the band performing under a variety of aliases (Das Schwäche, Gacy and the Boys, Hateful Coil, etc.), each one representing a fake band from the fictional British town of Byrdesdale Spa in 1977. This means fake British accents and imitation retro songwriting and production. Well played, Fucked Up, you've surprised us again. This one comes out through Matador.
This list highlights the Record Store Day releases that we're most excited about, but it's by no means exhaustive. There are plenty more great LPs, EPs and singles that didn't make the cut, so be sure to catch up on the full list of RSD exclusives here.
But what Record Store Day releases are we looking forward to most? Have a look below, and we'll see you out there on Saturday.
Exclaim!'s Top Ten Record Store Releases of 2011:
10. Flying Lotus - Cosmogramma Alt Takes
Flying Lotus's beloved 2010 LP Cosmogramma came with an innovative packaging plan that allowed users to scan the artwork and receive a selection of outtakes, including different mixes, alternate arrangements and unheard songs. Now, those rarities will be getting a physical release, in the form of this limited-edition vinyl. Warp is only pressing 750 copies, but good luck tracking down a copy.
9. Ty Segall - Ty Rex EP
It turns out that San Francisco, CA fuzz rock favourite Ty Segall has a major penchant for beloved glam rock act T. Rex. This covers EP contains six T. Rex redoes, which favour deep cuts over major hits. (Sorry, there's no "Get It On" or "Ride a White Swan" here.) With apologies to Heady Nuggs, this has definitely got the funniest title of any Record Store Day release we've heard of. It's coming out through Goner.
8. The Flaming Lips - Heady Nuggs: The First 5 Warner Bros. Records 1992 - 2002
The title of this one should be self-explanatory. This vinyl box contains the classic Warner albums Hit to Death in the Future Head (1992), Transmissions from the Satellite Heart (1993), Clouds Taste Metallic (1995), The Soft Bulletin (1999) and Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots (2002). These trace the group's shift from scrappy psych rock to lush (but no less inventive) pop.
7. The Wake - Singles
These aren't listed anywhere on Record Store Day's website, but that isn't stopping us from getting excited about the fact that Captured Tracks is reissuing two of the seminal post-punk band's classic singles, "On Our Honeymoon" and "Crush the Flowers." The label also recruited modern indie pop outfits Beach Fossils and Wild Nothing to cover the Wake on a third single.
6. Ryan Adams - Class Mythology EP
After temporarily stepping back from the music business, the prolific Ryan Adams has been making up for his absence by rolling out some unheard material from the archives. Following his Cardinals III/IV set, Adams is now dropping this EP, with four more outtakes recorded with the Cardinals via his Pax-AM Records. To make it even cooler, this one will come on two seven-inch records, one yellow and one orange. These will be housed in gatefold packaging with a mini-poster and a sticker.
5. Arthur Russell - World of Echo
This one has been reissued before, but we're still giddy at the prospect of a new limited vinyl run of Russell's career-defining World of Echo through Rough Trade. Originally released in 1986, this record was his last proper full-length before being diagnosed with HIV and passing away in 1992. Originally 14 tracks, this expanded edition includes four extra songs, much like the 2005 edition.
4. Foo Fighters - Medium Rare
This is the year of the Foo Fighters. The busy group have a new album, an intimate garage tour and a documentary on the way, but they still found time to compile this 13-track covers album. Most of these renditions have been released before, but this RCA vinyl is still an exciting chance for fans of the alt-rock luminaries to hear the group cover Paul McCartney, Prince, Pink Floyd and more all in the same place.
3. Nirvana - Hormoaning EP
Record Store Day comes less than a week after the 17th anniversary of Kurt Cobain's death. Fans will be able to remember their fallen hero with this reissue of a rare EP, which was released exclusively in Australia and Japan while Nirvana were on tour in those countries in 1992. It collects two Nevermind-era B-sides ("Aneurysm" and "Even in His Youth"), plus four covers from a Peel Session. Now, thanks to Universal, fans on this side of the Pacific will have a chance to own this on vinyl.
2. Big Star - Third (Test Pressing Edition)
More than 30 years since its original release, the world still hasn't agreed upon a definitive version of Big Star's Third (alternately titled Sister Lovers). Well, this just might be it. Omnivore returns the often-altered album to its original test pressing, which was made back in 1975, but not commercially released. These records are being cut on the same lathe by the same engineers who were responsible for the original test pressing. To make the deal even sweeter, five of the 2,000 copies have been signed by band member Jody Stephens, plus the two engineers.
1. Fucked Up - David's Town
With rock opera David Comes to Life less than two months away, Toronto, ON envelope-pushers Fucked Up will drop this crazy concept album. It features the band performing under a variety of aliases (Das Schwäche, Gacy and the Boys, Hateful Coil, etc.), each one representing a fake band from the fictional British town of Byrdesdale Spa in 1977. This means fake British accents and imitation retro songwriting and production. Well played, Fucked Up, you've surprised us again. This one comes out through Matador.
