Black Friday is traditionally a day for finding doorbuster deals, punching people in the face over an Elmo doll, and climbing on top of an elderly woman to make sure that you save 20% on last year’s inventory—after camping out in a department store parking lot. Now there is a much better and more sensible reason to enjoy the madness of after Thanksgiving shopping.
Record Store Day is back just in time for the Holidays, Black Friday style. There are a ton of great releases headed to store shelves and you can view the entire list here. I’d like to point out the releases that I will be most looking forward to, and lining up for at Amoeba this time around.
Leonard Cohen / Jeff Buckley, “Hallelujah” | The two classics available together at last! Limited, numbered edition of a split 7″ double-A side single of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah,” originally recorded for 1984’s Various Positions, coupled with Jeff Buckley’s transcendent interpretation of the song, as originally recorded for Buckley’s 1994 debut album, Grace. Hallelujah indeed.
Gary Clark Jr., Blak and Blu Double Vinyl | Gary Clark is Jimi, Stevie, Buddy, and BB all rolled up into one insanely great modern day bluesman. This is will be contender for album of the year, and my prediction for Grammy nods across the board. Gary Clark Jr. is going to bring the blues back to the mainstream, in a good way.
Jellyfish, Stack-A-Tracks | The greatest pop rock band of all time is pretty much out of music from which to mine the vaults, but as devoted fans, we will take whatever we can get from their short-lived, masterful career. It’s the instrumental versions of the classic albums Bellybutton and Spilt Milk in a special, numbered first-edition of 2,500.
While recording these two albums, “instrumental” mixes of each record were created by Jellyfish and their producers. Unheard and untouched for decades, these recordings will finally see the light of day on Black Friday.
Mad Season, “River of Deceit” | The original Seattle super-group; always imitated never replicated. Limited edition, 10” colored vinyl single with members from Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam, and the terribly underrated Screaming Trees. An absolute classic treasure.
Tomahawk, “Stone Letter” | Mike Patton and company’s first new music in over six years is introduced with this 7” single from the forthcoming album Oddfellows, slated for release in January.
