Saturday, April 12th, is certainly one of the most packed Record Store Days in recent memory. Since the list was announced, we drilled down on titles from Craft Recordings, Legacy Recordings, Rhino Records, Universal Music Group, Real Gone Music, Omnivore Recordings, BMG, Cooking Vinyl and Demon Music Group, as well as some notable titles that were getting later general releases on CD.
Well, if you thought that was it, you’re wrong! We poured and poured over the list and are here to share with you more than four dozen one-offs, archival treasures, obscurities and things that’ll only be available outside of American Record Store Day participants. From the ’60s to today, covering every kind of genre imaginable, .
The Blasters, “An American Music Story: The Complete Studio Recordings 1979-1985” (Liberation Hall) (5LP; 1000 copies; RSD U.S. exclusive) Following last year’s release of Live at The Venue, London: The Complete Concert, Liberation Hall returns to the catalogue of The Blasters with this 5LP box containing all four of the band’s studio albums – American Music, The Blasters, Non Fiction and Hard Line – plus an LP of rarities. The box also boasts a 24-page book featuring liner notes by Chris Morris and interviews with the band members as well as rare photos. A poster is also included in this set which is strictly limited to 1000 hand-numbered copies.
Boomtown Rats, “Dawn of the Rats: Demos, B-Sides & Live 1975-1979” (Mercury/UMR) (Green LP; RSD U.K. exclusive) Here’s a collection of early, raw live demos from Bob Geldof and The Boomtown Rats, including the four songs which earned the Rats a recording contract. The live tracks are supplemented by the band’s B-sides, some of which have never appeared on CD or LP.
Alex Chilton, “Set” (Bar/None) (“Sunburst Splash” LP; 950 copies; RSD Regional release) Recorded in New York City in 1999 after a bar gig (and released on CD the following year), “Set” finds the Big Star frontman and his backing trio (bassist Ron Easley and drummer Richard Dworkin) working through a marathon studio session comprised mostly of R&B covers. It’s being released here on vinyl for the first time.
The Colourfield, “Virgins & Philistines (40th Anniversary Edition)” (Chrysalis) (Yellow 2LP; RSD exclusive) The U.K. band fronted by Terry Hall (The Specials, Fun Boy Three) offers a newly-remastered double vinyl edition of their 1985 debut album, “Virgins & Philistines”. The second disc features non-LP singles and B-sides.
The Jesus and Mary Chain, “> 45s > 84 > 85 <” (Rhino) (Red/Black Splatter LP; RSD U.K. exclusive) Scottish brothers Jim and William Reid helped usher in a new movement in alt-rock in the ’80s as the nucleus of The Jesus and Mary Chain. This new collection showcases all 13 single sides issued before and during the release of their breakthrough 1985 debut “Psychocandy”, including “Upside Down,” “Never Understand,” “You Trip Me Up” and “Just Like Honey.”
Graham Parker & The Figgs, “The Last Rock ‘N’ Roll Tour” (Iconoclassic) (Pink 2LP; 700 copies; RSD Regional release) Starting in the ’90s, Graham Parker began touring (and eventually recording) with The Figgs, a New York-based rock band briefly signed to Capitol whose energy evoked that of Parker’s most renowned sidemen in The Rumour. This 1996 live club show, released on vinyl for the first time, draws from those early Rumour albums to great effect; it’s been freshly remastered with a slightly rearranged and expanded track order, plus liner notes from Parker and Gent of The Figgs.
Wall of Voodoo, “The Lost Tapes” (Label 51) (2LP; RSD U.K. exclusive) The L.A. rock band – underground favorites who hit it big when 1982’s “Mexican Radio” was picked up by then-fledgling MTV – collects a double album’s worth of rarities.
Emmylou Harris, “Spyboy” (New West) (2LP; 1500 copies; RSD First release) Emmylou’s 1998 live album comes to vinyl for the first time, as a limited edition which adds five previously unreleased bonus tracks to the running order. “Spyboy” captures Harris and her band – Buddy Miller on guitar, Daryl Johnson on bass, and Brady Blade on drums, whose backing band name gave the album its title – performing selections from her 1995 album “Wrecking Ball” and other favourites in concert. The gatefold packaging includes an 11.5″ x 11.5″ insert featuring new reminiscences from Harris and Miller.
Van Morrison, “Be Just and Fear Not” (Orangefield) (10″; RSD U.K. exclusive) “Be Just and Fear Not” is compiled from “three songs that Van initially wanted to keep off his most recent release, “Live at Orangefield”. Van always felt these three tracks worked on their own and not as part of the overall album.” Here they are, as Morrison originally intended.
Tom Waits, Get Behind the Mule (Spiritual) / Get Behind the Mule (Anti-) (7″ Single; 3000 copies; RSD First release) This single features a previously unreleased alternate take of Waits’ “Mule Variations” track “Get Behind the Mule” with the singer accompanied by a Wurlitzer organ. Could an expanded edition of the singer-songwriter’s seminal 1999 album be on the way?
Clarence White, “Melodies from a Byrd in Flyte: 1963-1973” (Liberation Hall) (LP; 1200 copies; RSD First release) This release has 14 tracks (one side acoustic and the other electric) from The Byrds’ Clarence White. Spanning much of White’s too-short career – he died in 1973 at the age of 29 after being killed by a drunk driver – these tracks feature the ground breaking country-rock guitarist supported by a host of guests including Roger McGuinn, The Everly Brothers, Gene Parsons, Skip Battin, Eric Weissberg, and Byron Berline.
The 13th Floor Elevators, “Houston Music Theater, Live 1967” (LMLR) (Blue/Black Marbled LP; 4000 copies; RSD exclusive) This 1967 live set from Texas’ psychedelic pioneers – intended as their sophomore album decades ago – makes its debut appearance in a restored mono mix. Tracks include “Reverberation” and “You’re Gonna Miss Me.”
The Fat Angel Sings 