Record Store Day 2023

Finally got through my purchases and gave them all a full or partial listen, so my thoughts going in descending order of quality/necessity

Jerry Garcia & David Grisman - So What - Of the six this felt like the only essential one to me. There has been a huge amount of hype about the MoFi Garcia/Grisman that was all very well deserved - and this is the natural accompaniment to it. I don't think it's QUITE as good as the Mofi S/T is but all of the same hallmarks are there. Expert musician ship, substantial instrumental spacing, completely defined and expertly delivered. I think the only hang-up is that it may not be as essential a recording and that it's a very barebones package - you get a sleeve and two records in poly-sleeves for $40-$45. With that said, until they repress it or extra stock arrives this one will be a big hunt. 4.5 / 5

Noah Kahan - Cape Elizabeth - This one was surprising to me. I'm not the biggest Noah Kahan guy and although he's absolutely massive on TikTok/IG and among the 20-somethings, I've only dabbled in the singles. There is nothing hugely revolutionary on Cape Elizabeth, but it's a tight five song EP that sounds really well produced and developed. The pressing is stunningly pretty visually and while the sticker for an EP is rough, he delivers what you want from this kind of release. Don't spend $200 on it but I certainly don't regret the $30. 3.5/5

Olivia Rodrigo - Guts: The Secret Tracks - Pressed at Third Man and mastered at Sterling, like Noah it's a perfectly nice EP with an etching on Side B. The big perk here is that you don't need to buy four records for the bonus songs and it's just one quick side play. They all would have fit on the main album in some location. It's hard to imagine these four don't end up on the "One-Year Deluxe GUTS Release so that marks down the necessity of it, but it's a great companion EP if you can get it for retail. 3.5/5

Rilo Kiley - Under the Blacklight - Thank goodness. The OGs were long out of print and usually pushed three figures and by all accounts they did this one well. Nice looking pressing, the sound is very true to the CD/Digital recordings in play and is a very clean overall effort. I personally like the original mastering a bit more so for me, this wasn't essential but if you need the album, pay the $30 for this as opposed to the full original amount - the difference isn't there. 3.5/5

Norah Jones - Playing Along - For the past few years the Norah RSD stuff hasn't really felt essential and this isn't any different. It's professionally done, but it's much less a Norah Jones album than songs Norah Jones is...well...playing along with. There are some standout tracks but outside of a Norah Completionist or a superfan of a featured artist, I can't see going back to this to listen that often with the mixture of tunes chosen. This one might be a fun little discount pickup if you see it get marked down on post RSD sales. 2.5/5

The Flaming Lips - Yoshimi Battles....Boston - This should have been part of or stayed in some super deluxe Yoshimi box somewhere. The Beck cover was near but most a lot of the record is Wayne Coyne talking so there's just five songs and they aren't great performances of them. Kind of neat a relic but unless you're a Lips superfan or you see it for really cheap, pass on it for like...a lot of other things. How this one ended up with Grundman Mastering I don't even know... 2/5
 
Used the Amoeba Cyber Monday code on Schoolly-D’s RSDBF album, it’s kind of limited. 26 shipped for a $30+ title. OPs are like 50+ and usually beat.

Simon Reynolds of Melody Maker described the debut in 1986 as "the most extreme hardcore hip-hop record I have ever encountered." and that "It is so far from r'n'b and from funk, so far from ingratiating pleasantness, that the only comparisons I can think of are white ones, groups like the Swans or Killing Joke – precision machine music, a pop abattoir, it can rightly be considered avant-garde." Reynolds went on to state that the strongest track was "P.S.K. (What Does It Mean)" and that "Put Your Filas On" was "another standout."
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waruv said:
Finally got through my purchases and gave them all a full or partial listen, so my thoughts going in descending order of quality/necessity

Jerry Garcia & David Grisman - So What - Of the six this felt like the only essential one to me. There has been a huge amount of hype about the MoFi Garcia/Grisman that was all very well deserved - and this is the natural accompaniment to it. I don't think it's QUITE as good as the Mofi S/T is but all of the same hallmarks are there. Expert musician ship, substantial instrumental spacing, completely defined and expertly delivered. I think the only hang-up is that it may not be as essential a recording and that it's a very barebones package - you get a sleeve and two records in poly-sleeves for $40-$45. With that said, until they repress it or extra stock arrives this one will be a big hunt. 4.5 / 5
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I'm happy to have bought Shady Gtove when I did. I wasn't spending that type of money on vinyl at the time, but I'd hate to try and find it now. Hopefully it gets reissued. I'm hoping that it's only a matter of time before we see the Pizza Tapes get pressed.
 
waruv said:
Finally got through my purchases and gave them all a full or partial listen, so my thoughts going in descending order of quality/necessity

Jerry Garcia & David Grisman - So What - Of the six this felt like the only essential one to me. There has been a huge amount of hype about the MoFi Garcia/Grisman that was all very well deserved - and this is the natural accompaniment to it. I don't think it's QUITE as good as the Mofi S/T is but all of the same hallmarks are there. Expert musician ship, substantial instrumental spacing, completely defined and expertly delivered. I think the only hang-up is that it may not be as essential a recording and that it's a very barebones package - you get a sleeve and two records in poly-sleeves for $40-$45. With that said, until they repress it or extra stock arrives this one will be a big hunt. 4.5 / 5

Noah Kahan - Cape Elizabeth - This one was surprising to me. I'm not the biggest Noah Kahan guy and although he's absolutely massive on TikTok/IG and among the 20-somethings, I've only dabbled in the singles. There is nothing hugely revolutionary on Cape Elizabeth, but it's a tight five song EP that sounds really well produced and developed. The pressing is stunningly pretty visually and while the sticker for an EP is rough, he delivers what you want from this kind of release. Don't spend $200 on it but I certainly don't regret the $30. 3.5/5

Olivia Rodrigo - Guts: The Secret Tracks - Pressed at Third Man and mastered at Sterling, like Noah it's a perfectly nice EP with an etching on Side B. The big perk here is that you don't need to buy four records for the bonus songs and it's just one quick side play. They all would have fit on the main album in some location. It's hard to imagine these four don't end up on the "One-Year Deluxe GUTS Release so that marks down the necessity of it, but it's a great companion EP if you can get it for retail. 3.5/5

Rilo Kiley - Under the Blacklight - Thank goodness. The OGs were long out of print and usually pushed three figures and by all accounts they did this one well. Nice looking pressing, the sound is very true to the CD/Digital recordings in play and is a very clean overall effort. I personally like the original mastering a bit more so for me, this wasn't essential but if you need the album, pay the $30 for this as opposed to the full original amount - the difference isn't there. 3.5/5

Norah Jones - Playing Along - For the past few years the Norah RSD stuff hasn't really felt essential and this isn't any different. It's professionally done, but it's much less a Norah Jones album than songs Norah Jones is...well...playing along with. There are some standout tracks but outside of a Norah Completionist or a superfan of a featured artist, I can't see going back to this to listen that often with the mixture of tunes chosen. This one might be a fun little discount pickup if you see it get marked down on post RSD sales. 2.5/5

The Flaming Lips - Yoshimi Battles....Boston - This should have been part of or stayed in some super deluxe Yoshimi box somewhere. The Beck cover was near but most a lot of the record is Wayne Coyne talking so there's just five songs and they aren't great performances of them. Kind of neat a relic but unless you're a Lips superfan or you see it for really cheap, pass on it for like...a lot of other things. How this one ended up with Grundman Mastering I don't even know... 2/5
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Glad to hear positive comments about the Garcia/Grisman. My copy should be here in a few days!
 
Psymon said:
I did but haven’t spun it yet. You enjoying it?
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Yeah. I listened to it last night while I was making dinner, so I didn't really sit down and focus too much, but I really enjoyed it. I love Oregon State Pen, so I'm always into this Jerry and John Kahn shit. A lot of people are mentioning So What, which I also grabbed, but I haven't noticed much talk about this Pure Jerry release.
 
Dead C said:
Yeah. I listened to it last night while I was making dinner, so I didn't really sit down and focus too much, but I really enjoyed it. I love Oregon State Pen, so I'm always into this Jerry and John Kahn shit. A lot of people are mentioning So What, which I also grabbed, but I haven't noticed much talk about this Pure Jerry release.
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Looking forward to listening soon! (And if anyone spies a So What out there, I am still looking)
 
Dead C said:
Yeah. I listened to it last night while I was making dinner, so I didn't really sit down and focus too much, but I really enjoyed it. I love Oregon State Pen, so I'm always into this Jerry and John Kahn shit. A lot of people are mentioning So What, which I also grabbed, but I haven't noticed much talk about this Pure Jerry release.
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Mine showed up this afternoon. Top of the playlist tomorrow.
 
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