This year's Record Store Day, set for April 16, will be the ninth annual edition of the event celebrating independent record stores. You don't have to look far to find ambivalence about the day's limited-edition vinyl specials (and their associated manufacturing tie-ups). But last year's RSD week marked a 12-year sales high for indie stores, supporting another buoyant year for vinyl sales overall. For all the hand-wringing, people are buying records on Record Store Day, and in record numbers, too.
The 2016 lineup of Record Store Day exclusives has its share of colored-vinyl or picture-disc versions of records that might not have been screaming out for limited-edition reissues. But it also offers up the usual bounty of releases worth waking up early for on a spring Saturday morning (please note: as usual, not all items will be available in all stores). Here's a breakdown of 12 releases (plus honorable mentions) that look promising for vinyl obsessives, and five curiosities that are fascinating for reasons beyond potential purchase.
Most Promising
10. The Flaming Lips, Lightning Strikes the Postman; The Flaming Lips, Heady Nuggs Vol. II Studio Albums 2006 - 2012; Lush, Origami (yes, this is a three-way tie)
Only shoppers with big budgets and ridiculously fortunate record stores in their area will actually need to choose between these three, but all are worth highlighting. Record Store Day veterans at this point, the Flaming Lips have two options this year: Lightning Strikes the Postman, which happens to be on CD, is an alternate mix of 1997's Clouds Taste Metallic, while Heady Nuggs Vol.II Studio Albums 2006 - 2012 is an 8xLP album box set including At War With The Mystics, Christmas On Mars, Embryonic, The Dark Side Of The Moon, and The Flaming Lips and Heady Fwends. Lush's Origami, meanwhile, is a 5XLP box set collecting the UK shoegazers' Spooky, Split, Lovelife, Gala, and Topolino (the last of which will be available for the first time on vinyl).
9. Bob Dylan, Melancholy Mood
Not every Record Store Day brings new Dylan material that was previously available only on his Japanese tour. Pressed on 7" red vinyl, Melancholy Mood promises four songs from the next Dylan LP, Fallen Angels. Yes, it's going to be another album of standards, but still.
8. Chvrches, Every Open Eye Remix EP
The Scottish synth-poppers lend themselves well to remixes, and a chance to snap up Four Tet's expansive remix of "Leave a Trace" should be worth the uncertainty of navigating through others' reinterpretations of songs from last year's Every Open Eye.
7. David Bowie, "TVC 15"
David Bowie has towered over 2016, from the outpouring of tributes following his death to the ambitious sounds of his last album, Blackstar. One of a few Bowie releases for RSD '16, this Station to Station highlight isn't exactly out of print. But, backed with an alternate mix of Station to Station showstopper "Wild Is the Wind" (and on gorgeous picture disc, as seen above), it feels like a small way that vinyl obsessives may want to pay respect to a late hero on the holiday.
6. Jay Reatard, Blood Visions 10th Anniversary
A skim through this year's exclusives is packed with jarring reminders of albums that are now 10-plus years old, including reissues from the Go! Team, Field Music, and Blitzen Trapper. For anyone who doesn't own this now-decade-old LP — the proper solo debut by the late Memphis garage rocker Jay Reatard— RSD looks to be a good opportunity to pick it up on vinyl. Red vinyl, that is, with a bonus 7" of demos.
5. Various Artists, Heartworn Highways - 40th Anniversary Edition Box Set
This documentary captures the 1975-1976 rise of outlaw country greats like Townes Van Zandt, Steve Earle, Guy Clark, Steve Young, David Allan Coe, and Larry Jon Wilson, which makes an ideal starting place for those curious about one of outlaw country's greatest (and wildest) eras. Now something of a cult favorite, Heartworn Highways receives a lavish, multimedia package for RSD, including a DVD of the film, a 2xLP of the soundtrack (on whiskey-colored vinyl, because of course), an 80-page book, and a reproduction of the original poster. The hard stuff itself isn't included, though Father John Misty is quoted as saying the movie "still makes my liver hurt," so there's that.
4. Kevin Gates, Islah
This no-nonsense rapper's potent major-label debut has yet to be available on vinyl. That changes on Record Store Day with this 2xLP, 3,000-copy edition, pressed on gold vinyl.
3. Patti Smith, Horses Live Electric Lady Studios
Recreations of classic albums are curious things, but Patti Smith's live performance last year of Horses, which was celebrating its 45th birthday, was by all accounts a spitting, powerful affair. This 180-gram 2xLP recording from the in-studio appearance offers a chance for those of who weren't there to feel the "Gloria" for ourselves, and it also marks the launch of the famed studios' Electric Lady Records vinyl imprint.
2. J Dilla, The Diary
Record Store Day might be a bit too crowded to really dig through crates of obscurities, but it's still a fine time to celebrate the quintessential crate-digger. The Diary is the late producer's "lost" vocal album recorded in the early '00s, and advance track "The Introduction" suggests it will be worth the wait. The Record Store Day vinyl edition comes with a 7" of the album's Bilal-featuring "The Ex."
1. Various Artists, Wake Up You V.1 : The Rise And Fall Of Nigerian Rock Music, 1972-1977
This 2xLP compilation of scene that catapulted Fela Kuti to global renown looks to be the type of carefully packaged set that will be well worth checking for at your local store. Nigerian-born writer Uchenna Ikonne, who helped make William Onyeabor's 2013 album Who Is William Onyeabor? a reality, provides liner notes in a 104-page book that also includes previously unpublished photos.
Honorable Mentions
Best Coast's "Late 20s" b/w "Bigger Man" 7", with two previously unreleased B-sides; Hope Sandoval & the Warm Inventions' "Isn't It True" b/w "She’s in the Wall 7", with two previously unreleased tracks from the Mazzy Star singer's upcoming album; Low/S. Carey's 10" single "Not a Word" b/w "I Won't Let You" 10", where the Midwesterners finish each others' songs; Lucinda Williams' Just a Little More Faith and Grace 12", a remix EP that promises an 18-minute version of The Ghosts of Highway 20 highlight "Faith & Grace"; Metz/Mission of Burma's "Good Not Great" b/w "Get Off" 7", with the two bands covering each other; Sun Ra's Spaceways LP, billed as the first vinyl release for two live performances in New York City from 1966 and 1968; The Feelies' Uncovered 12", with covers of Dylan, Neil Young, and the Doors; Death Cab for Cutie's "Tractor Rape Chain" b/w "Black Sun" 7", featuring two unreleased live tracks (one a Guided by Voices cover); Various Artists' Judgment Night soundtrack, the first U.S. vinyl pressing of the influential 1993 soundtrack mixing hip-hop and heavy rock; Ravi Shankar's In Hollywood, 1971 2xLP, including four ragas from a privately recorded home concert; Mac DeMarco's Another (Demo) One LP, including bedroom demos; the Shaggs' "Sweet Maria" b/w "The Missouri Waltz (Missouri State Song)" 7", presenting two previously unreleased songs.
Novelties and Oddities
5. Run the Jewels, VRTJ Viewer
The text I have reads simply, "VRTJ - A Run The Jewels Branded Cardboard Viewer," which means this is one of those basic virtual reality viewers you slip over your phone (as seen above). We can only hope the duo releases an accompanying virtual reality program involving many, many cats.
4. Sublime, Jah Won't Pay the Bills
The sole cassette release at this year's Record Store Day is a 25th-anniversary edition of Sublime's first cassette EP. Out of 3,500 copies over all, a handful of stores will randomly receive green tapes; and of course, there are 420 of those.
3. Ol' Dirty Bastard, "Brooklyn Zoo" / "Shimmy Shimmy Ya" 12"
This reissue of the first two singles from Ol ' Dirty Bastard's Return to the 36 Chambers is here for its artwork: a picture-disc recreation of the "food stamp card" that was on the album cover (a replica of which came in the album's box set reissue as well). Other RSD '16 rap releases with colorful visuals are Outkast's "Elevators (Me & You)" 10", pressed onto "glow-in-the-dark alien green" vinyl, and Notorious B.I.G.'s "Mo Money, Mo Problems" 12", billed as "money green" vinyl.
2. Skrillex and Diplo (aka Jack Ü), "Where Are Ü Now" (feat. Justin Bieber) 12"
The super-producers have outdone everyone on the colored-vinyl front with this edition of their 2015 single, "pressed on piss yellow vinyl." Really. While plenty of vinyl buyers may roll their eyes at RSD serving Beliebers, this song warrants it, it comes with a Record Store Day-only remix on the B-side, and while you're at it, you could also take home a vinyl edition of Bieber's Purpose LP.
1. Various Artists, Disney Favorite Songs 12"
Move over, Bieber. Perhaps no Record Store Day release is more indicative of vinyl's spreading popularity — and the growth of the annual event — than this compilation of Disney movie songs, from "When You Wish Upon a Star" to "Let It Go." Fittingly, RSD has also partnered with Crosley this year for a Disney-themed turntable. The record's 5,000 copies will presumably fly off shelves faster than a Super Bowl winner can say, "I'm going to Disneyland." :/