Buzz Blog

Record Store Day is on my mind, so here are 12 special releases for the 2012 audiophile holiday that are worth trying to find %uFFFD -- or at least reading about.---

Happy hunting, everybody! For a rundown of what’s happening where at the local shops on the fifth annual Record Store Day, go here.

Animal Collective, Transverse Temporal Gyrus
This might be the most interesting release of the day. It’s multi-platformed--what else would you expect from Animal Collective?--so just read the RSD blurb:

“In March 2010, Animal Collective and visual artist Danny Perez (director of Oddsac, "Summertime Clothes" video, "Who Could Win A Rabbit" video, "You Can Count On Me" video , and Panda Bear live visuals) put on an installation called Transverse Temporal Gyrus at the Guggenheim Museum in New York City. For the audio, each member of the band made individual sounds and songs. Over the course of two three-hour performances, the basic tracks were fed into a computer program that randomized the track order, and sometimes randomly combined stems from one track with stems from another. The program also panned the music in various directions around a 36-channel surround-sound system that ran through 36 speakers set up from the top of the Guggenheim's l ramp to the bottom. The music on this 12" is a collage we made consisting of the original tracks, as well as live recordings made inside the Guggenheim before the doors were opened to the public. It will be the only physical format on which any of the music will be released. Coinciding with Record Store Day, we will also launch a website that recreates the audio computer program designed for the Guggenheim event. This will give listeners a new and unique collage each time the program is run. Danny Perez, who created the artwork for this 12", will also create video content for the website consisting of footage from, and projections used, in the original event.”

Atmosphere and The Uncluded (Aesop Rock & Kimya Dawson), 10” Vinyl Picture Disc
This might be the most beautiful pressing for RSD -- and also one of the hardest to find, with only 1,500 worldwide. Along with unreleased material, there’s also a special third side (inner groove) of the audio of "A Poop Story told by Slug" that goes along with the artwork by Jeremy Fish.

Carolina Chocolate Drops/Run DMC, You Be Illin
This is part of the RSD Side by Side series, which features an original track backed by a cover from another artist. Stellar!

Gary Clark Jr., Presents HWUL Raw Cuts Vol. 1
It’s a fitting title, because Austin-based guitar virtuoso, Clark Jr., is nothing if he’s not raw. This two-track release features "Third Stone From The Sun/If You Love Me Like You Say” (Live in Charlottsville) and "Bright Lights” (Live in London, England).

Iggy And The Stooges, Live at All Tomorrows Parties
Iggy is the face of RSD 2012, so it’s worth mentioning this six-track live session, which features a rare Iggy Pop interview by Greg Prato.

Jay Farrar, Will Johnson, Anders Parker, Yim Yames, New Multitudes
RSD blurb: “An intimate interpretation of American icon and musical legend Woody Guthrie’s unrecorded lyrics from a dream team of Americana torchbearers: Jay Farrar (Son Volt), Will Johnson (Centro-matic), Anders Parker (Varnaline), and Yim Yames (My Morning Jacket). The collaborators seamlessly converge the sepia-toned essence of the time-honored past with the risks needed to forge the future. This exclusive Record Store Day 10” includes 2 previously unreleased demo tracks and an additional two tracks not available for purchase anywhere else.”

Mariachi El Bronx/The Bronx, Split 12”
A nice intro into the split-personality punk rock/mariachi overachievers. Read a little interview with the frontman regarding Mariachi El Bronx here.

Of Monsters And Men, Into The Woods EP
A 10” LP from a band that I cannot get enough of right now; includes the bonus track "Sinking Man"

Priscilla Ahn and Sea of Bees, John Denver - The Music Is You Series, featuring Priscilla Ahn and Sea of Bees
Ahn does some electronic Japanese translations, produced by Mike Andrews (Sea of Bees) -- weird, right?

Shabazz Palaces, Live at KEXP
Here’s one of the few indie hip-hop acts that I think truly bring it big when they perform live. And Shabazz does this little performance for Washington’s finest community radio station -- one of the places where he first broke on the scene.

The Electronic Anthology Project of Dinosaur Jr., The Electronic Anthology Project of Dinosaur Jr.
Nine classic Dinosaur Jr songs re-imagined, replayed, re-recorded by Brett Nelson (Built To Spill) and re-sung by J Mascis.

The Flaming Lips, The Flaming Lips and Heady Fwends
A very-limited-edition double album pressed on two multicolor vinyl discs -- no two will look exaclty alike. But the real treat is the crazy-good lineup that the Lips have procured. Here’s just a small sampling of the tracks: "2012 (feat. Ke$ha and Biz Markie)," "Helping The Retarded To Know God (feat. Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros)," "Supermom Made Me Want To Pee (feat. Prefuse 73)," "I'm Working At NASA On Acid (feat. Lightning Bolt)," "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face (feat. Erykah Badu)" and more.