Whether you're buying for the novelty factor or for the pure cause of supporting independent releases and the stores that carry them, Record Store Day has been the most busy day for this industry since its conception in 2007.
This year the special day has been criticised more than ever, with both labels and retailers stating opinions on how RSD is becoming like more of a problem than a solution to the industry, while the website rsd-is-dying was released, carrying a much critical statement co-signed by Howling Owl and Sonic Cathedral. Hundreds of insignificant releases no one would buy on any other day are being released on that day, major labels naturally get in the game putting out records at high retail prices that have already been reissued a dozen times before, truly independent releases get ignored in the massive list of stuff being released that day, shop owners stock the costly editions trying to catch up, eventually losing money off those that don't sell, pressing plants give priority to the major labels because of the day and small labels who are trying to push their releases during the rest of the year, particularly the days close to RSD, have a hard time doing so. The list of concerns goes on and on.
Even if the whole thing is indeed a catch-22 and whether it has become so big it can only fade out in the future, only time will tell, however, it's original purpose can't be anything but positive. After all. it's not the first time commercialism corrupts something that originally came out of purely good intentions...
Like last year, on this third Saturday of April we're taking a look at the most alluring Record Store Day releases.
20. Slayer - When The Stillness Comes
Slayer chose symbolically this day to release their new song in a limited edition of 5000, a 7-inch vinyl single, coming with a live version of Black Magic on the b-side. with Gary Holt of Exodus in the lineup, having replaced the late Jeff Hanneman. Given the big amount of re-issues that shouldn't be re-issued and the supposedly special, unimportant releases that become more and more each year, Slayer's way seems the most appropriate and respectful for this day: a new song that hopefully will be a killer...
19. Pity Sex - Euclid
Michigan shoegaze band, Pity Sex have been praised for their 2013 album, Feast of Love, as well as their live act. Euclid was first released in 2013 in the benefit compilation, Off The Board, and now it gets a special 7-inch release, together with a few other impressive ones from Run For Cover Records...
18. Camera Shy - Crystal Clear
...like Camera Shy's new three-song EP, also a 7-inch vinyl. It's been a year since Nick Bassett (Whirr, Nothing) and Alexandra Morte (ex-Whirr) released their excellent debut EP. This time we're promised an even more ethereal sound, compared to the dreampop mellowness of their previous release.
17. Creative Adult - Ring Around The Room
Yet another Run For Cover single, Bay Area's Creative Adult are coming off a very impressive 2014 debut album and luckilly they're back quite fast for this dark and ominous track that puts themselves one step closer to establishing the band as one of the best things you could listen in post-punk right now, continuing just right where Psychic Mess left off.
16. Ides Of Gemini - Carthage
15. The Lemonheads - Bored On The Fourth Of July
One of the Fire re-issues that come out this RSD, Bored On The Fourth Of July is The Lemonheads on BBC in 1989, right on the verge of signing to a major label, having just released Lick. This is the first 12-inch we find on the list, though it's still a 45 rpm record, including just four songs.
14. Art - What's That Sound (For What It's Worth)
Before they would morph into Spooky Tooth, they were called V.I.P.'s and then Art, under which they recorded one album in 1967, Supernatural Fairy Tales. The album included a cover of the now classic Buffalo Springfield song from one year before, For What It's Worth, which Art also released as a single that's been out of print for almost 50 years.
13. Swans - Swans EP
Originally released on Labor Records in 1982, Swans EP is the debut EP by darkwave/industrial legends Swans re-released on its own for the first time, since the previous time it was paired with the band's debut album, Filth, on CD back in 1990 via Young God. This will be only 1000 copies on 12-inch vinyl.
12. Various Artists - Whatever Nevermind
Robotic Empire continues the tradition of RSD Nirvana album tributes that started last year with In Utero, this time with Nevermind, feauturing amazing acts like Boris, Nothing, Torche, Cave In, Kylesa and more, covering all tracks from the 90s landmark record, coming with a bonus 7-inch with two tracks by Thou. Great job once again, Robotic Empire and as brilliant as it all sounds, this can certainly lift our hopes for Bleach for next year.
11. Metallica - No Life 'Til Leather
If it's on this list and it's not on vinyl, it's got to be on cassette! Metallica's first ever demo from 1982 has been bootleged a million times, but never released officially until now. Later this summer No Life 'Til Leather will be also issued on expanded CD and vinyl edition, but for April 18th it will all be about the tape, recreating the original DIY feel of the band's pure thrash years. The first ever line-up of the band included James, Lars as well as Ron McGovney on drums and Dave Mustaine on lead guitar.
10. Brian Eno - My Squelchy Life
My Squelchy Life is a long shelved Eno album released for the first time just recently, paired with the reissue of Nerve Net. The album is released on vinyl for the first time since 1991 when it was recorded but didn't see the light of day due to differences with Warner Bros and this time it even includes an additional track that wasn't in the Nerve Net expanded version.
9. Morbid Angel - Juvenilia
Death metal titans Morbid Angel are releasing a limited to 1500 copies record of their live concert at Nottingham's Rock City on November 14th, 1989. On the day, David Vincent, the band's bassist/vocalist will be doing an instore signing at Waterloo Records in Austin, TX.
8. Jesus And Mary Chain - Psychocandy.Live.Barrowlands
Recorded as part of the Psychocandy 30th Anniversary Live tour in Scotland, the reunited Jesus And Mary Chain are releasing a live version of their landmark album, Psychocandy. The live album was recorded at Glascow Barrowland in November 2014 by legendary engineer Noel Summerville. Their labelmates on Creation, Ride, are also putting out their compilation OX4 on the day, as well as this next entry...
7. Slowdive - Blue Day
Blue Day was released for the first time in 1993 and it compiles Slowdive's first three EPs, a quite rare record as it was initially issued on just 1000 copies. The weird thing about this otherwise excellent release is that the band found out about it the way everyone else did: on Twitter. As Rachel Goswell tweeted afterwards, young musicians "shouldn't agree to sign recording rights away for life - and get a good manager". That's all really a shame concerning the importance of this re-issue, which will be once agian limited, this time to 2000 copies.
6. The Pop Group - Versions Galore EP
Post-punk pioneers, The Pop Group, are releasing a RSD limited coloured vinyl EP of new material, which will be different mixes of songs off their latest album, Citizen Zombie, their first album of new material in 35 years.
5. M.D.C. - Smoke Signals
In 1986 M.D.C. got everyone scratching their heads as they turned from the assaulting hardcore punk of their first album to 70s rock, abruptly changing moods with an album that's really difficult to categorize. It's been out of print since its original pressing and it's out this RSD on just 1000 copies on white vinyl, together with the band's Live At CBGBs 1983 record and their 1980 7-inch as The Stains, John Wayne Was A Nazi.
4. The Germs - Forming
3. The Stooges - Have Some Fun: Live At Ungano's
Released on vinyl for the first time, Live At Ungano's is a 1970 audience recording of the band perfoming their album Fun House. Compared to other releases on this list, there are plenty of copies to get, as this is limited to 7500, on black and white spattered vinyl and comes with a poster... just like the boys might had imagined it back on that night, 45 years ago, right? when they destroyed that Manhattan club in front of an audience that included Miles Davis and Johnny Winter...
2. Pulp - Freaks
This is a cheating entry. To be completely honest, this is a 6-way tie between all the Pulp releases on Fire that come out this RSD, as I'm drooling all over each one of them. The albums It, Freaks and Separations, together with the 12-inch EPs Dogs Are Everywhere, They Suffocate At Night and Little Girl (With Blue Eyes) get the vinyl reissue treatment for the first time. Before the insane success, before britpop was even a word, this band was putting out back to back all those brilliant records about (as it's stated on the cover of Freaks) "power, claustrophobia, suffocation and holding hands".
1. Bernard Herrmann - Psycho
This year's champion for D//E is a 7-inch on red vinyl, featuring the most famous suspense/thriller movie theme of all time in two parts, The Murder from Psycho by Bernard Herrmann. Herrmann played hard-to-get initially, as he didn't think he would be paid enough due to the film's quite low budget and he was probably right, what would the monetary measurement of writing the most recognizable movie theme of all time be? This is limited to 2000 copies, out via Music On Vinyl.
ZR