Photo: Press
With the full list of Record Store Day releases now unveiled, you're faced with the lengthy task of sifting through so much great stuff, and preparing to save for what you want to rush out and get on RSD itself (20 April).
To aid your journey down to one of the participating stores, we've put together our top picks from a wide spectrum of genres (with emphasis on psych, jazz, rock, experimental) and highlighted potential collectible items, as well as releases that are just incredible regardless of future value.
Preparing for RSD is a noble activity, too. It's thanks to movements like it that music fans are shifting further away from wanting to own every mp3 under the sun, and toward collecting records that are special to them.
When RSD started vinyl album sales amounted to just £1.1m, accounting for just 0.2% of the physical albums market. Now, 10 years on, vinyl sales are worth £65.6m, representing 14% of total spend on physical format albums in the UK. Sure it's not the only catalyst but it's definitely a key force. Materialism has never felt so good.
999 - Live And Loud
What is it: A live album
Why buy it: As one of the punk bands that broke through in the wake of The Clash and Sex Pistols, 999 were one of those bands that rapidly built up a cult following thanks to singles ‘Homicide’ and ‘Feelin’ Alright With The Crew’. This live album finds the recording remastered and comes with background liner notes and rare archival photos. And thankfully no gobbing.
Allen Toussaint – The Allen Toussaint Collection
What is it? 16-track compilation on double vinyl
Why buy it: If you want to find out how and why the sound of New Orleans made such an impact on modern music, then you’re advised to head in the direction of this two disc collection of the Allen Toussaint, one of the most influential song writers from The Big Easy. This 16-track compilation of Toussaint’s Nonesuch and Reprise recordings is available on 2 x 140g vinyl.
The Bevis Frond – Triptych
What is it: 2 x LP
Why buy it: As well as being one of the most fiercely independent bands in the UK, they’re also one of the most pioneering in the field of psychedelia. Hailed as “a Hendrix devotee every bit as tough and contemporary as the serrated guitar chorales of Sonic Youth and Pixies" by Rolling Stone’s David Fricke, his immense psych-stoner-rock has seen him become a cult figure in his own right.
The Black Angels – Death Song
What is it: Vinyl album
Why buy it: It’s the new album from Texan psyche warriors The Black Angels. This limited edition comes with glow in the dark vinyl, black light cover, double LP, sticker, poster, and download card. And from what we’ve heard of it so far, they’re back on coruscating form.
Brett Anderson – Live At Koko 2011
What is it: Vinyl album
Why buy it: Recorded at Koko in Camden on October 12, 2011, Suede frontman Brett and his band (Jim Dare on guitars and backing vocals, Didz Hammond on bass and backing vocals, and Kriss Sonne on drums) played a rousing set that concentrated on Black Rainbows and its predecessor Slow Attack. The album is pressed on dark green vinyl, and the inner sleeve features previously unpublished photos from the rehearsal sessions.
Evie Sands – Shine For Me
What is it: Vinyl album
Why buy it: Evie Sands was a Brill Building ingenue and Northern Soul legend and her songs have been covdered by the likes of Spritualized and Spectrum. Johnny Cash said of her: “She’s got the stardust in her eyes, she͛s got silver bells in her voice and you’d think she’s got electricity in her fingers the way she plays that guitar left-handed and upside down." The album is limited to just 1000 copies worldwide.
The Flaming Lips – The Flaming Lips Onboard The International Space Station Concert For Peace
What is it: Red vinyl album
Why buy it: The Flaming Lips Onboard the International Space Station - Concert for Peace - is a re-imagining of seven tracks from the Oczy Mlody album set as a fictional/fantastical live performance of the Flaming Lips on the International Space Station. Sounds like a good enough reason to us.
Follakzoid ft. J. Spaceman – London Sessions
What is it: Vinyl album
Why buy it: For London Sessions, Chileans head Follakzoid and Spiritualized’s J. Spaceman join forces for new, live-to-tape renditions of 'Electric' and 'Earth,' two highlights from Föllakzoid's III. The recordings were made in a private studio in London while Föllakzoid was on tour in Europe in June 2016, and Spaceman's contributions breathe new life into the songs.
Goat – Goatfuzz/Goatfizz
What is it: 7” single
Why buy it: Goat release an unreleased edit of the track ‘Goatfuzz’ – one of the stand out tracks off their latest album, Requiem, as a special ltd edition 7" for Record Store Day. The b-side of the 7" is a brand new track, entitled ‘Goatfizz’ which once again shows another side to the bands take on “world music”. The two-colour “splatter vinyl” 7" is ltd to 2,000 copies.
Iggy Pop – Post Pop Depression: Live At The Royal Albert Hall
What is it: 3 x vinyl LP
Why buy it: Iggy Pop’s concert at the Royal Albert Hall in May 2016 was, quite simply the best of last year. Of this there can be no debate and we don’t care who your favourite band is. Backed by members of Queens Of The Stone Age Josh Homme, Dean Fertita and Troy Van Leeuwen, and Arctic Monkeys' Matt Helders, Iggy brings to life his Berlin-era recordings The Idiot and Lust For Life as well as his swansong Post Pop Depression.
Alice Coltrane - Harp Improvisation
What is it: 10"
Why buy it: Alice, John Coltrane's second wife, was an extraodinary jazz musician (she sadly passed away in 2007). This aptly titled piece is rare live unreleased nine minute solo harp improvisation recorded in Poland in 1987 for the Coltrane Legacy, it features etched lotus flower B side design and is numbered 1 - 1000. This would be a good investment for any serious collector and probably inspire you to buy a harp.
The Congos - Heart of the Congos
What is it: LP
Why buy it: Any copy of this seminal reggae album is great to have. But the 40th anniversary edition is special and will be worth a lot more than you pay for it down the line. It contains a recently rediscovered 'vocal mix', only on this vinyl pressing and it is limited to only 500 pressings. The cover includes hand painted detail by Tony McDermott which replicates the original modification by Lee Scratch Perry. Shrink wrapped and stickered.
David Bowie - Cracked Actor
What is it: 3xLP
Why buy it: A previously unreleased live recording from Los Angeles on 5th September, 1974. This was Bowie at his zenith, the transition between the Diamond Dogs tour and the Philly Dogs tour. Diamond Dogs being his best album. The setlist is sublime.
Dimitri Shostakovich / Mstislav Rostr - Cello Concerto No. 2
What is it: X-ray picture disc
Why buy it: It's a unique piece of history. In the 1950s roentgenizdat – or X-ray publishing – became a trend in Soviet Union counterculture. ‘Bone music’ and ‘rock on ribs’ are two other terms that describe these bootleg recordings of music from the West, ingeniously cut onto X-ray film discarded by hospitals. This vinyl disc carries an X-ray image of a spine and pelvis – and a 1967 recording that has its own bootleg history: the great cellist Mstislav Rostropovich smuggled it out of the Soviet Union when he was exiled in the 1970s. It is his world premiere performance of the Cello Concerto No. 2 by his teacher and mentor Dmitri Shostakovich, recorded live in the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatoire with the USSR State Symphony Orchestra under Evgeni Svetlanov. This is its first release on LP.
The Doors - Live at The Matrix '67
What is it: 180g "12 Vinyl
Why buy it: This is one of the earliest recordings of the band known to exist and it's seeing vinyl release for the first time. They were relatively unknown outside of California at this point, you can even here in the background just a few claps between songs which contrasts massively to the live recordings when they're huge. There's nothing quaint about the sound of the band, though, and the setlist is incredible. It's a piece of history that should be sought after by any fan.
Flower Travellin Band - Anywhere
What is it:LP.
Why buy it: This 1970 debut album from the legendary Japanese psych rockers is seeing release on numbered coloured vinyl. Predominantly covers, it saw the band adopting a style that would stay with them for their band’s next release, the classic Satori. They're perfect for fans of Hendrix, King Crimson, and Cream, and although they're not as commercially successful, they're no less potent - as their feverish cult following will testify.
The Future Sound Of London - Archived Environmental View
What is it: 180g 3xLP
Why buy it: The duo are regularly praised for pushing the boundaries of electronic music experimentation and of pioneering a new era of dance music, and they still sound like the future. This Triple album brings together the two main strands of FSOL’s current output, namely the From the Archives series and the Environments albums. Comprising a total 48 tracks, 35 of them are new or previously unreleased.
The Headhunters - God Make Me Funky
What is it: 7"
Why buy it: This is the sort of release that has vinyl junkies elbowing each other to get at. It's a rare disco mix version The Headhunters iconic 'God Make Me Funky’ featuring vocals by The Pointer Sisters. It comes in at 4 minutes, and has only previously been issued as a rare Promotional only 45 in 1975 and has never been reissued on any format since. The original version is on sale on Discogs for £150.
Popol Vuh - Cobra Verde
What is it: LP (Green Vinyl)
Why buy it: This is the OST to Werner Herzog's film Cobra Verde, created by pioneers of German avant garde electronic music, is a tantalising listen. Out of print since 1987, now back available as a gorgeously packaged deluxe vinyl edition, exclusively for Record Store Day 2017. Strictly limited to 1000 copies on green vinyl with printed insert and extensive liner notes. A necessary purchase for both Popol Vuh fans and Herzog collectors.
Penguin Cafe & Cornelius
What is it: LP
Why buy it: The combination of Penguin Cafe on piano and strings and Japanese producer Cornelius mastering the electronic soundscape makes for an enticing Umbrella EP. Made exclusively for Record Store Day, the pair reworked and reimagined existing tracks of their own, alongside two new Penguin Cafe songs. Limited to an edition of 1000 copies worldwide.
Sun Ra - Hello Mr. Schimmel
What is it: 7"
Why buy it: A very special release: A previously unreleased Sun Ra solo piano improvisation recorded in June 1990 during an interview with presenter and DJ Jez Nelson at the studios of Jazz FM in London.
