It’s that time again when the format fiends get excited about queueing at 5 am (or earlier) to be among the few to own this year’s exclusively released records. Record Store Day started in 2007 and is held twice a year. It brings together fans, artists, and thousands of independent record stores worldwide. Many records are pressed specifically for Record Store Day and are only distributed to shops participating in the event. So among the many vinyl items being proffered, what is worth getting up for? Here is our shortlist:
Bert Jansch – ‘When the Circus Come to Town‘ and ‘Toy Balloon‘. The long-awaited debut of these 1995 and 1998 albums.
Black Keys – ‘Live at Beachland Tavern‘. Tangerine-coloured, previously unreleased, full-length live recording of their first show, in 2002, at Beachland Tavern in Cleveland, Ohio.
Caitlin Rose – ‘Big Red’ EP. Limited (only 500 units) cherry red coloured 7″ includes the new track ‘Johnny Velvet‘ and the demo version of ‘Carried Away’.
Carole King – ‘The Legendary Demos‘. Initially released in 2012, this compiles thirteen demo recordings from 1962 through 1971 on milky clear vinyl.
Dan Penn – ‘Unheard Demos‘. These demos, recorded in 2004, were the blueprint for an album he later produced by singer Bobby Purify. That record was deleted soon after release when “Bobby”, reverting to his name, Ben Moore, joined the Blind Boys of Alabama and continued performing with them until his death in May 2022—limited blue vinyl.
Darren Hayman – ‘Lido‘. Darren Hayman’s 2012 14-track album on transparent vinyl, now with a 16-page 12×12″ book of Hayman’s artwork.
The Delines – ‘The Night Always Comes‘. Solid silver colour vinyl of the soundtrack to Willy Vlautin’s book. First-time pressing on vinyl, previously only available as CD to accompany the book. This is strictly limited to 1250 worldwide.
Dolly Parton – ‘The Monument Singles Collection 1964-1968‘. A new double LP collection of fully remastered tracks from the original Monument Records mono master tapes. It features liner notes from two-time Grammy nominee and award-winning author Holly George-Warren.
Dorsey Burnette’ Hard Working Man (1960-1964)‘. The original godfather of ’50s rockabilly offers this limited edition deluxe gatefold LP with exclusive liner notes by Alvin Lucia. Remastered direct from original tapes. Only 500 available, 250 black, 250 gold.
Elvis Presley – ‘Elvis is Black!’. This triple LP features ‘The Best Of Elvis Sings‘ covers from black singers. All the songs are mainly alternate tracks recorded between 1956 and 1962.
Frank Black – ‘Live 2006‘. Available for the first time, recorded live during the Pixies frontman’s 2006 solo North American tour. Limited edition twelve-track live album pressed on mandarin orange vinyl with printed inners and new artwork by Mark Reynolds.
Frank Turner – ‘Tape Deck Heart‘. The tenth anniversary of Turner’s fifth studio album. Limited edition burnt red vinyl accompanied by a second LP of previously unreleased ‘The Evolution Demos’, mastered and cut by Frank Arkwright at Abbey Road Studios.
Packaged in a metallic-printed, gatefold sleeve, within an O-Card. The 4-page insert contains lyrics and brand new liner notes written by Turner, reflecting on the album and his journey over the last ten years. The artwork features designs by two tattooists – a painting of Frank on the O-Card by Matt Hunt, and gatefold sleeve illustrations by Heather Ann Law.
Gaz Coombes – ‘Turn the Tracks Around‘. Exclusive acoustic re-recording of four tracks from the album ‘Turn The Car Around’ on orange-coloured 45s with exclusive artwork.
Geraint Watkins – ‘In A Bad Mood + In A Raw Mood’. First time on vinyl for 2008’s ‘In a Bad Mood’ plus a previously unreleased demos album, ‘In a Raw Mood’. Available on limited edition red and milky vinyl.
Jason Isbell & Amanda Shires – ‘The Sound Emporium‘ EP. Single-sided 12″ featuring a reimagined version of ‘Tour of Duty‘ from ‘Here We Rest‘, and a cover of Richard Thompson’s ‘Beeswing’. Side B includes a vinyl etching designed by Pearl Rachinsky-Moreland.
Jonathan Richman – ‘Jonathan Goes Country‘. First vinyl reissue of Jonathan Richman’s 1990 album on Rounder Records, featuring all-analogue mastering from the original tapes by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio. Pressed on coloured vinyl.
José Gonzalez – ‘Local Valley Remixes‘. José Gonzalez releases numerous remixes of songs taken from his latest album ‘Local Valley’.
Marianne Faithfull – ‘A Secret Life’. First global vinyl pressing for Marianne Faithfull’s final album for Island Records. Written with Angelo Badalamenti and only previously released in Greece, this album was extremely rare.
Sam Fender – ‘Wild Grey Ocean/Little Bull Of Blithe‘. Originally released on the live deluxe edition of ‘Seventeen Going Under‘, ‘Wild Grey Ocean‘ and ‘Little Bull Of Blithe‘ are presented here for the first time on limited edition white 7″ vinyl with exclusive artwork.
Seth Lakeman – ‘The Somerset Sessions‘. Original, unreleased session recordings from Seth Lakeman featuring Ethan Johns, Jeremy Stacey, John Smith, Nick Pini and Alex Hart. Recorded in just ten days in late 2020 at the Bert Jansch Studio in Frome.
Sir Douglas Quintet – ‘Texas Tornado: Live From The Ash Grove Santa Monica 1971‘. Recorded at the iconic Ash Grove, Santa Monica, in 1971, this live set has never been released and makes its debut on this vinyl issue.
Taylor Swift – ‘Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions’. Exclusive 2 LP grey 12-inch gatefold LP. The debut of Taylor Swift’s 3rd GRAMMY® Album of the Year recorded during the Covid-19 lockdown. Recorded live, the album features Taylor Swift, Aaron Dessner (The National), Jack Antonoff (Bleachers) and Justin Vernon (Bon Iver).
VA – ‘Hillbillies in Hell 52-74‘. The 13th volume in the series of unreleased rare singles. Limited to 666 copies: 222 ‘Tartarus Red’ LPs, 222 ‘Caverns Of Baal’ Splatter LPs, 222, ‘Mephisto Black’ Black LPs. Deluxe Gatefold LP with exclusive scholarly liner notes by Alvin Lucia. Remastered directly from the first-generation analogue master tapes.
VA – Lee Hazlewood – ‘Fools, Rebel Rousers & Girls On Death Row – The Lee Hazlewood Story 1955-1962‘. The 35-track compilation presents an eclectic selection of rarities, juxtaposed alongside a handful of his early hits. Featured artists include Duane Eddy, Sanford Clark, Al Casey, Ray Sharpe, The Sharps, Barbara Dane and Ramona King.
Violent Femmes – ‘Violent Femmes‘. A 40th-anniversary reissue of Violent Femmes’ iconic debut album and the first time available as a picture disc.
Wilco – ‘Crosseyed Strangers: An Alternate Yankee Hotel Foxtrot‘. Following the Grammy-winning 20th-anniversary edition of ‘Yankee Hotel Foxtrot‘, Wilco offers an alternate version of the 2002 album featuring unique performances by Jeff Tweedy and the band of all eleven songs. The collection was initially released as a bonus CD with the September 2022 edition of Uncut magazine.
You can go to the Record Store Day official website for the complete list of titles.
