Paso Robles, CA | Traffic Records opens second location in Paso Robles: This past weekend, local business Traffic Records opened a second record store in Paso Robles. Traffic Records opened its first location almost five years ago in Atascadero. Store owner, Manuel Barba, tells KSBY it was time for them to expand, in hopes of offering the classic vinyl experience to even more people throughout Northern San Luis Obispo County. Their record selection ranges from rock n’ roll to classical and everything in between. “You can hold them, you can smell them, they are lovely,” said Barba. “They sound incredible. We have been fed this convenience for a very long time with streaming and having the world at our fingertips, in our pockets, on our cell phones. I think people want to get back to a simple aspect of listening to music and enjoying their media.”
Baton Rouge, LA | Longing for an LP? Baton Rouge’s record stores have plenty of options: Music aficionados know it — vinyl isn’t dead. Over the past few years the venerable long player has staged a comeback, surpassing CDs to once again become king of physical music formats. While vinyl can be found scattered throughout Baton Rouge, including at thrift shops and, especially, antique stores, there are main four record stores in the Baton Rouge area that boast impressive collections for sale. Though prices vary wildly — rare vinyl can be worth hundreds, while banged about records can be found for as little as $2 — be prepared to pay in the $20 range for a standard, easy to find album.
Lincoln, NE | First Day Vinyl: Lincoln’s newest record shop: For months, Travis and Emily Mannschreck have been planning and preparing First Day Vinyl. The store opened on Dec. 1, offering a wide range of vinyl for all interests. Travis Mannschreck said he wanted to open a store that brings together his favorite things: the Lincoln community and music. “The reason I have a bigger space is to re-create that experience I had as a kid of discovery and walking in and having so much to see,” Travis said. The goal was to design the store for the Lincoln community. The Mannschrecks asked others what they would like to see in the store to cater to Lincoln’s music tastes. They also plan to make First Day Vinyl a space that accepts local musicians and gives them the ability to share their music with the rest of the community by bringing in local vinyl for sale.
Aberdeen, UK | Aberdeen record shop Cavern announces closure after 25 years of spinning vinyls. The Belmont Street shop, sandwiched between Siberia Bar and Hotel, has closed for good. The news was announced by Spin Aberdeen who left a cryptic comment about the closure. A record shop in Aberdeen which touched the hearts – and ears – of many in the city has closed its doors for good. The Cavern in Belmont Street announced a 25 per cent firesale after announcing that the shop, which sold old and new vinyls, was closing its doors permanently. The news was revealed by bar and record shop Spin Aberdeen on Thursday. A post on Facebook stated: “Sadly after 25 years the Cavern is closing, not that we wanted to, but thats another story. Lots of great bargains to be had on all genres of vinyl.” The shop is believed to have been the longest-established record shop in Aberdeen. The news comes amid a planned development with the shop’s neighbours, Siberia Bar and Hotel. The famous vodka bar firm is set to move into the vacant premises next to The Cavern, the former Melt Sandwich Shop.
Normal, IL | North Street Records: Local businesses reiterate importance of shopping small even after Black Friday. …Jeff Wilson is the co-owner of North Street Records, another staple local business in Uptown Normal. He said that Black Friday was “killer” for the small record store. “Black Friday was also Record Store Day, so there were all kinds of special releases,” Wilson said. “That was one of the busiest days we’ve had in years.” Black Friday left business for North Street Records on the upswing for Christmas. “I’ve got plenty of records now,” Wilson said. “There’s a few left over from Record Store Day, so there’s still plenty to buy all the way up until the holiday.” “…It helps small businesses. There are a lot of businesses out there that are kind of struggling,” Wilson said. “I’m one of the few lucky ones because records are so popular that I have a lot of business. And if you shop local you not only help them, you keep the money local too.”
The gatefold sleeve for Kid Koala’s new album turns into a board game: Kid Koala previously contributed to the scores of Baby Driver, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World and Shaun of the Dead. Eric San, aka Kid Koala, has announced his new double album, Creatures Of The Late Afternoon, which comes out on April 14. Featuring San playing 26 instruments, the album is a soundtrack to the board game that is built into the vinyl’s gatefold sleeve. San centred the board game around a group of creatures who work together to save their habit from destruction using the power of music. The game location is at a hub of DIY recording studios, where the creatures explore different ways of creating and enjoying music. “This is the most playful and dynamic album I’ve done to date. It was a fun time in the studio, exploring the writing/recording process in this way,” San explains. “There is a wide range of moods on the tracks in terms of both energy and emotion and I’m excited about how the music has turned out. Now I can’t wait to get working on the stage production!”
12 Vinyl Songs and Records to Help Weed Smokers Hit the Perfect High Note: Smoking a joint while listening to vinyl is a popular pastime for cannabis consumers. Maybe it’s the effect of THC that allows pot smokers to hone in on aspects of the music to which they wouldn’t otherwise pay any mind. But with vinyl becoming popular again, and more affordable turntables making their way into the market, listening to songs on albums is, once again, groovy. And a new generation of music lovers is experiencing the nostalgic appeal of the sound from vinyl players mixed with some good herb. We can thank Arizona’s legalization of recreational pot for some of that. Yet with an abundance of used and new records being sold at dedicated music stores, thrift shops and big box retailers as well as on multiple websites and apps, the task of finding cool tunes to play on a turntable can be overwhelming. So Phoenix New Times compiled a list — created by old-school vinyl collectors — of 12 albums and singles that’ll be perfect for listening to when on a high note.
