Part two of the TVD Record Store Club’s look at the new and reissued releases presently in stores for September, 2019. Part one is here.
NEW RELEASE PICK: Sequoyah Murray, Before You Begin (Thrill Jockey) Murray emerged earlier this year with the 4-song “Penalties of Love,” and this long-player fully delivers on the promise of the EP (only one cut, the title track of the prior release, is featured on Before You Begin). Initially, there was talk of Arthur Russell, and with the presence of cello in “Blue Jays” and “Let’s Take the Time,’ that’s still a relevant point of observation, though much more pertinent is Murray’s blend of soul/ R&B/ hip-hop/ trap and experimentation spurred from the Atlanta free-improv scene. Yes, this experimental side can swing us back to the topic of Russell, but the approach is thoroughly contempo (but occasionally utilizing vintage gear). I also dig how Murray plays around with a croon that recalls ’80s UK synth pop a bit. A
REISSUE/ARCHIVAL PICKS: Chief Stephen Osita Osadebe, Osondi Owendi (Hive Mind) By the time he’d released this utter beauty of Nigerian highlife in 1984, Osadebe had already chalked up a multi-decade career, having initially made his mark in ’59 with the hit “Lagos Life Na So So Enjoyment.” In fact, this record was something of a strategic stylistic adjustment for Osadebe, made in reaction to the upsurge of rock and funk on the Nigerian scene. The bandleader slowed it down, stretched it out (the LP features two side-long tracks), smartly borrowed contemporizing aspects from the rock and funk styles that had momentarily displaced him at the forefront of Nigerian music, and then dubbed this revamping oyolima. For anyone who digs the highlife style, Osondi Owendi is an absolute necessity. A
Rain Parade, Emergency Third Rail Power Trip (Real Gone) This 1983 debut, the only LP made by the band’s original lineup, is a cornerstone of Paisley Underground architecture, as crucial to understanding the breadth of that movement as the debuts from the Dream Syndicate, Green On Red, The Bangles, and the Three O’Clock (then called The Salvation Army). Featuring the brothers Stephen (bass) and David Roback (guitar, notably later of Mazzy Star), Matt Piucci (guitar), Eddie Kalwa (drums), and Will Glenn (multiple instruments), the band’s approach blended aspects of the L.A. scene (Byrds, Buffalo Springfield, Love) with pop-angled psych (rooted in Nuggets and early Floyd rather than San Fran) to superb effect. If you’re into neo-psych and aren’t hip to Rain Parade, here’s an easy fix. A
Lee Hazlewood, 400 Miles from L.A. 1955-1956 (Light in the Attic) Discoveries of early, embryonic recordings by departed artists regularly reek of barrel-scrapings gussied up for completists and the manically obsessive, but these early home demo recordings of a youthful Hazlewood made in Phoenix, Arizona as he was attempting to infiltrate the music industry are insightful and a non-stop pleasure across four sides of vinyl (there’s also a deluxe bundle where the wax is gold and is accompanied with a silkscreen print, a travel journal, a shot glass and drink coasters). Lee is considerably less eccentric here, with the voice still deep and low but not as distinctively so as he later became. That’s alright. But much better than alright is the opportunity to hear Trouble is a Lonesome Town in early form. A-
San Francisco, CA | Viking’s Choice: What I Learned From Aquarius Records, A Record Store For Big Ears: …From 1970 until its closure in 2016, San Francisco’s Aquarius Records (often shortened to aQ) not only became an authority on psychedelic, metal and experimental music, but also a home for wayward record collectors with the biggest, weirdest ears in the world. Even across the country, I found community by discussing the latest weirdo jams found on the New Arrivals list with friends. Each record, cassette, magazine or artist-burned CD-R was reviewed with equal parts nerdy insight and outrageously ebullient language. Where else would you read about the “scuzz-drenched doomic plod” of Rusted Shut? Or Twink’s apocalyptic psych-rock masterpiece Think Pink from 1970, a record “packed with droning chant, druidic prophecy, spaced-out psych jams, weird, twisted pop and acid-folk ramble”? …Aquarius Records taught me that 
Prince’s iconic ‘1999’ album reissue to contain 35 previously unreleased tracks: Unreleased concert footage is also included: Prince‘s classic album ‘1999’ is being reissued and will contain 35 previously unreleased tracks. See more details and the full tracklist below. The iconic record – featuring ‘1999’, ‘Little Red Corvette’, and ‘Automatic’ – will arrive on remastered, expanded formats on November 29. It’s being released via Warner Records in partnership with the late artist’s estate. Fans will be able to get their hands on a Super Deluxe Edition (comprised of 
Bel Air, MD | REB Records opens at Armory Marketplace, Bel Air’s business incubator: Beatrice Orsini and her mother, Amy Bauersfeld, combed through the racks during the grand opening of REB Records in Bel Air, looking for LPs that struck their interest. Beatrice, 15, of Abingdon, smiled as she took in the various album covers, including “An American Treasure,” a compilation album of Tom Petty tracks released after the famed rock singer died in late 2017. “I like Tom Petty a lot,” said Beatrice, 
Chattanooga, TN | Back to the groove: Vinyl records overtaking CDs in local popularity: Vinyl records are back in style. Now, their popularity is sparking something that has not happened in more than 30 years. …Dawnia Powers, the media manager at McKay’s, says more people are collecting vinyl records these days. “They want something collectible. Something they can keep that looks nice on their shelves,” she says. But Dawnia says CDs still sustain power. “You can’t put a record in your car. You can’t play a record in your old school walk man that you take around with you.” Although Lora still buys CDs, she says 
Manchester, UK | Woman finds £930 inside a Carpenters album in a charity shop – hands over the cash, buys the record for £3.50: Hannah Fenwick was browsing through the second-hand vinyl records outside Mind’s charity shop in Stockton Heath, Cheshire, at the weekend when she made a shocking discovery. Old bank notes started fluttering out of the sleeve onto the pavement outside the store, south of Warrington, as Hannah was baffled and initially thought it was Monopoly money. The cash dropped to the ground as Hannah scooped it up and, without hesitating, took all the bank notes straight into the shop with the album. Assistant manager Kate Holt, who was serving other customers when Hannah walked in, was astonished by the find. She started to count out the money at the till, watched by Hannah and the other customers. …”I try not to buy anything new and like buying second-hand. I was just flicking through the records outside the Mind shop and I was quite shocked and perplexed when 
Graham , NC | Hi Fi in Graham combines love for beer, records: Elon alumnus is spinning records and sipping suds. When walking into Hi Fi Records in Graham, North Carolina, there are many sights and sounds. Whether it be the wall of records along the left side of the store, the bar to the right with record players emitting rock ‘n’ roll, or the wall of music posters hanging in the back. One thing that is not noticeable, but present, is the store’s connection to Elon University. Jon Guza ’97, a Rush fan and owner of Hi Fi, spent over 20 years at International Inventory Management in the Town of Elon. It was not until 2017 that he and his girlfriend started planning to open the store — Guza was looking for a change. “I was getting a little frustrated at my job because I had been doing it for so long and I just didn’t really feel like … I was growing as a person,” Guza said. “I wanted to do something I could really sink my teeth into.” After choosing a little storefront on N. Main Street, the store opened in January 2019. Guza said that his store combines two things he loves: 
