Music collection to fund U scholarship: After decades of collecting music, a local critic is giving philanthropy a spin. Jon Bream, the Star Tribune’s music critic since 1974, sold part of his collection, totaling 22,000 vinyl records and 6,000 CDs, and is using the profits to start a scholarship for arts criticism at the University of Minnesota.
10 Awesome Christmas Vinyl Records: The holiday season brings out the nostalgia in most of us, and nothing seems quite as cool as breaking out the Christmas wax with a few friends and sharing some good tunes. Since the tactile nature of vinyl makes it a great sentimental gift, here are some great records to acquire for (yourself or) others as you celebrate the holidays.
Teens driving vinyl renaissance at America’s oldest record store: “I don’t think there is anything different between the kids in the 1960s or the kids today,” George said. “They realize they can’t get this sound on CDs and on the Internet. People line up here on Record Store Day, which is in April. I’m the only record store between Pittsburgh and State College. A lot of people come in here from Altoona, too.”
Luna Record Shop brings new spin to The Factory: Sisters Brenna Gentry and Calvert Gentry-McMahan have put a new spin on The Factory at Franklin with their new vinyl record shop, Luna. Gentry and Gentry-McMahan grew up around Franklin and wanted to bring their passion for physical forms of music to the area like fellow record shop Carpe Diem located next to Kimbro’s on South Margin. The sisters bonded over their admiration of vinyl and music in physical formats.
Why I’ve fallen out of love with shopping for vinyl: I’m not cheap and have been known to shell out for records that are worth the cost. But I’m not a sucker either, and I’m starting to think that record vendors are looking at all of us like suckers.
‘Tis the season to peruse a bevy of numbered rundowns as websites undergo deserved holiday breaks. As it was with previous TVD Best of lists, the releases below aren’t an all-encompassing pronouncement from an overstuffed armchair on high; instead they are merely a hierarchy of loosely paired favorites assembled and presented with cheer as the calendar swiftly runs out of days.
10. Men & Volts, Honeymoon Luggage | Of all the inexplicably unsung bands, Boston’s Men & Volts are amongst the hardest to figure out, at least until one really sits and absorbs what they were up to. Formed in 1979 and often likened to Little Feat, the group was clearly too much of a straight rock extension to connect with the punk-era hoards as their initial devotion to playing the music of Captain Beefheart underscores a left-of-center sensibility that no doubt scuttled them away from the shelves of more straight-laced roots-rock heads.
9. Close Lobsters, Firestation Towers 1986-1989
5. A Tribe Called Quest, People’s Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm and KMD, Black Bastards | 
Based out of Long Beach, NY and featuring Zev Love X, a rapper soon to be known as MF DOOM, KMD (Kausing Much Damage) was a part of hip-hop’s ‘90s flourishing. In ’94 the release of KMD’s highpoint was quashed by Elektra due to inflammatory title and cover art; in turn it became a rarity with a steadily increasing legend.
All jokes aside, New Jersey is a pretty great place. While it has a lot to offer as a state, it also has a rich musical history of which many people remain unaware. Everyone knows Sinatra and The Boss, but there’s much more.
‘Tis the season to peruse a bevy of numbered rundowns as websites undergo deserved holiday breaks. As it was with previous TVD Best of lists, the releases below aren’t an all-encompassing pronouncement from an overstuffed armchair on high; instead they are merely a hierarchy of loosely paired favorites assembled and presented with cheer as the calendar swiftly runs out of days.
10. Youth Brigade “Complete First Demo” and Bells Of “00/85” | 
