Excerpts from A.V. Club article written by John Semely

When Record Store Day launched in 2008 as a way to celebrate both music and independent retail, it almost seemed melancholy: a last-ditch attempt to rally around record stores when it looked like they were on their last legs. Now the annual event is huge, extending well beyond indie artists, labels, and retailers, and bringing everyone from Warner Music to Eric Clapton into the fold, substantially complicating its relationship with its initial indie cred. It’s proved so popular that RSD organizers have launched a spin-off event. This Black Friday, Nov. 25, Record Store Day organizers will be discharging a handful of specially pressed vinyl releases, for those of you who don’t spend the Friday after Thanksgiving circling the Target parking lot in your Dodge Stratus like an old crow at 4 a.m. or stepping on your neighbor’s throat to save 10 percent on a grey sweatshirt at Aéropostale like the rest of Middle America.

Here’s our arbitrarily categorized guide to what’s available on Black Friday at your local retailer. Though, considering that the number of units a given store gets (or if they get certain releases at all) is entirely randomized, we might as well be totally indiscriminate about it, right? Right. So here are some releases that might be up your alley if…

…Your third wife got all the Beatles records in the divorce.

The Beatles: The Singles Box Set (Apple) 7-inch vinyl box set, 10,000 copies (U.S.); 5700 (International)

John Lennon: Imagine—40th Anniversary Box Set (Apple/Capitol) 12-inch vinyl, 5000 copies (U.S.); 1700 copies (International)

…You wear socks and sandals to work on casual Fridays. In January.

The Grateful Dead: Live Europe ’72, Vol. 2 (Rhino) 4 LP vinyl, 3000 copies (U.S.); 2850 (International)

Warren Haynes: Rivers Gonna Rise (Concord) 12-inch vinyl, 1800 copies (U.S.)

Janis Joplin: The Classic LP Collection (Legacy) 4 LP vinyl box set, 2000 copies (U.S.); 1200 copies (International)

Janis Joplin: Move Over! (Legacy) 7-inch vinyl box set, 2000 copies (U.S.); 1200 copies (International)

Phish: Party Time (Jemp) double 12-inch vinyl

Phish: The White Tape (Jemp) vinyl

…You just found out that Ronnie James Dio passed away over a year ago and feel really guilty and want to pad out your Dio library.

Rainbow: Long Live Rock N Roll (Niji Entertainment) 12-inch vinyl picture disc, 2500 copies (U.S.)

…Yeah, you’re pretty sure you like soul music.

Sharon Jones And The Dap-Kings: Soul Time! (Daptone Records) 12-inch vinyl, 5000 copies (U.S.)

Sharon Jones And The Dap-King: Soul Time! (Daptone Reocrds) CD, 20,000 copies (U.S.)

Various Artists: Wheedle’s Groove: Seattle’s Finest In Funk & Soul 1965-79 (Light in the Attic) 7-inch box set, 2000 copies (U.S.)

Miles Davis: Miles Davis Quartet (Prestige) 10-inch vinyl, 1800 copies (U.S.); 1200 copies (International)

And because we couldn’t make jokes about all of the releases and stuff like this changes all the time, make sure to stay tuned to the Record Store Day website for the most up-to-the-date information.

If you didn’t know by know we’ve relocated to Brooklyn, but we haven’t forgotten about our SoCal roots, so we’ve partnered with our LA loves, Origami Vinyl, The Echo/Spaceland and Dirty Laundry TV to present the Lost Angeles CMJ Party at Cake Shop on Wednesday, October 19th.

Fresh off their opening stint for The Pains of Being Pure at Heart and the release of their Beach With No Footprints 7“  and The Age of Attraction EP, both on Volar Records, Tropical Popsicle produce a psychedelic haze that evokes the Velvet Underground met with the sun drenched melodies of 60’s garage and surf rock.

Tropical Popsicle – The Beach With No Footprints by INDIGENOUSPromotions

RACES have come a long way since their days in the small back room at Lot 1, when they went by Black Jesus. Now this six piece is signed to French Kiss, with their self produced full length set to drop in early 2012 and we adore their large soaring pop styled jams ala Arcade Fire.

RACES – Big Broom by jaxart

Fidlar have already been anointed one of the Best New Bands in Los Angeles by our friends over at Rollo & Grady and their DIYDUI 7″ (White Iris) showcases their patented blistering surf garage jams like “Max Can’t Surf.”

Click here to view the embedded video.

The brainchild of Richie James Follin (Willowz), Guards spent the better part of 2011 touring with heavyweights like Cults and headlined the Daytrotter Barnstormer IV Tour and dropped their Resolution of One EP (Kitsune Records), featuring the undeniably infectious title track and “Hear Your Call.”

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Art Fag lovelies, Bleached combine the catchiness of the Ramones and Misfits with the art punk aesthetic of their former band Mika Miko for a pitch perfect dose of LA garage grunge like “Think of You.”

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Weekend draw comparisons to Jesus & Mary Chain and No Age for their post punk meets sludgey shoegaze lo-fi sound and their Pitchfork certified, Red EP just dropped via Slumberland last month and is downright dreamy.

Weekend – Hazel by Slumberland Records

The Fullerton based quartet of The Audacity are fresh off their West Coast tour with, Ty Segall and these Burger Record favorites are bringing their Soft Pack endorsed grimy garage punk for the night.

FREE for CMJ Badge holders – $10 for everyone else. RSVP here.

After two amazing years, The Rumble San Diego is coming to an end and we couldn’t think of a better way to commemorate the event, then with our San Diego Music Thing showcase on Saturday September 10th. We’ve gathered a bill of some our favorite bands and partnered with Bar Pink for an epic night.

Crystal Antlers will be making the trek from Los Angeles before they head to the UK. This Long Beach quintet dropped Two Way Mirror (Recreation LTD) earlier this summer and it’s full of enough psychy garage goodness, that it’s been on repeat around our offices.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Tim Presley’s (Darker My Love/ The Strange Boys) solo project, White Fence has bred some of our favorite Velvet Underground inspired albums of the year, with Is Growing Faith. Pure retro Woodist perfection and the undeniable jangle of “Get That Heart” is downright swoon worthy.

“Get That Heart” by White Fence by forcefieldpr

Steeped in Warhol induced psychedelia, Tropical Popsicle melds hazy 60s styled psych pop with tinges of 80s new wave on dreamy numbers like “The Age of Attraction.” The side project of SD local Tim Hines (The Stereotypes, Lights On), released their Beach With No Footprints 7″ (Volar Records) in June and are set to play CMJ in October.

Tropical Popsicle – The Age of Attraction by Sound Injections

Vice darlings by way of Puerto Rico, Davila 666 are gracing our show with fellow In The Red labelmates, Cheap Time before they embark on a Fall tour together. After a series of successful releases dating back to 2006, including the Pitchfork certified, Tan Bajo, full of fuzzed out Spanish garage rock tunes.

Hailing from Memphis, Cheap Time spent most of last year opening for the likes of Yo La Tengo and recording the aptly titled Fantastic Explanations (and Similar Situations), for a Jay Retard influenced garage pop worthy offering.

Our own and Aquarium Drunkard favorites, So Many Wizards are venturing down from LA for the night, bringing their buoyant dreamy bedroom pop to SD. This trio make a blissful whimsical gems like Inner City and Best Friends off their newest 7″ (Seven Inch Project).

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Our resident DJ, Cory Casey will be spinning all night. SDMT wristbands will be honored. 21+ RSVP here.

Our deepest gratitude goes out to all of those partners, friends, and people who made The Rumble San Diego a reality over these last two years. Please show our partners, past and present some love and thanks for their contribution.  Much love to  Future Sounds, Bar Pink, SD Dialed In, Friends With Both Arms, Trumer Pils, Pabst Blue Ribbon, Eventbrite, M Theory, Veoba, Owl & Bear, Bedouin Vintage Collective and Sezio.

Via Consequence of Sound

Haling from Echo park, jangly folk duo Count Fleet, are dropping their Stay Here / Favorite Fiction 7″ (Manzan Records) Tuesday August 2nd. Described as “earnest and winsome” by Buzzbands LA, title track “Stay Here” is an upbeat hearty folk offering, while “Favorite Fiction” is a blues flecked 70’s styled pop opus.

Led by video director Elliot Glass and Caitlin Dwyer, this twosome are joined by a rotating group of Los Angeles musicians and friends, Count Fleet’s brand of folk infused psychedelic rock, emerges with a modern indie pop aesthetic, marrying a wide range of influences from 60s and 70’s folk and Motown R&B.

Count Fleet released their Richard Raymond (Local Natives, Broken West) produced, debut EP in early 2011 to much local acclaim from Radio Free Silverlake, KCRW and LA Weekly who proclaimed, “Elliot Glass might be best known as a video director for the indierati … but he has teamed up with Caitlin Dwyer for a focused set of pop tunes that, dare we say it, manages to outdo his way buzzier clients.”

Count Fleet are set to embark on a mini West Coast jaunt in support of the 7″ this week, with stops in San Francisco, Portland and Seattle before they prep for their full-length record.

Download “Stay Here”

Stay Here- Count Fleet by INDIGENOUSPromotions

Upcoming Live Dates:

8/3 Los Angeles, CA at Origami Vinyl (in-store)

8/4 Los Angeles, CA at The Satellite (release show)

8/5 San Diego, CA at Soda Bar

8/6 San Francisco, CA at Hotel Utah

8/8 Portland, OR at Alberta Street Public House

8/9 Seattle, WA at The High-Dive

For live reviews, album requests, and other press inquiries, contact Veronica Pulcini: veronica@indigenouspromotions.com

Pictureplane aka Travis Egedy is bringing his mash up of scuzzy synths and grimy beats to The Casbah on August 18th in support of the June release of Thee Physical (Lovepump United). Be prepared for distorted sultry sexy jams like “Real Is A Feeling” and “Goth Star.”

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Brooklyn duo, Javelin,  take instrumental splices and broken dance jams to craft danceworthy numbers like “Vibrationz” and are the perfect synthy companion to Pictureplane.

Denver’s Hollagramz take intergalactic beats to another level; completely mesmerizing and full of ravey lazer dance beats. Check their newest HOLLAGRAMZ REMIXED here.

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Retrograde by HOLLAGRAMZ

Our resident remix master, DJ Jamuel Saxon will be bringing the jams all night.

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Buy tickets here. 21+.

The Rumble LA is hitting the Echoplex for an early all ages show this Thursday July 7th with NY troubadour, Luke Rathborne continuing his mini run of the West Coast on The Rumble Tour. KEXP endorsed, Luke Ratborne counts the folks at Paste and Interview as fans, as well as the The Strokes (who he opened for at SXSW this past year) and considering his backing band includes Tahrah Cohen and Julia Kent of Anthony And The Johnsons, it’s safe to say he’s in good company.  Listen to his I Can Be One/Dog Years Split EP (Dilettante Recordings) and you’ll be swooning over him too.

Dog Years E.P. – Luke Rathborne by Luke Rathborne

Taking their name from the seminal Woody Allen flick, Manhattan Murder Mystery are set to bring the dirty scuzzy rock for the PBR set. With an reputation for an intensive live set led by Matthew Teardrop’s vocal prowess, this local act has Radio Free Silverlake proclaiming, “every Manhattan Murder Mystery show is like a battle royal. A wonderful, scummy battle royal.” These dudes dropped their acclaimed self-titled debut earlier this year, with growling numbers like “I Always Think About Dyin’” and “Parking Lot.”

The Rumble LA is brought to you by our buds at Future Sounds, BMI, BuzzBands LA, Dirty Laundry TV, Origami Vinyl, Moheak Radio, Evenbrite, Veoba and PBR. Remember to RSVP here.

Our love for gloomy surf pop really knows no bounds, hence our adoration for Mrs. Magician. Think endearing seaside guitar pop met with a pitch-perfect dose of woozy 60’s doo-wop that will have you swaying this summer. This local four piece write classic tales of heartache and drench them in fuzzy reverb to craft modern AM ready indie goodness. Just listen to The Spells 7″ (Loud & Clear Records) for the hypnotic and enchanting,”Angel Baby.” for further reinforcement.

Mrs Magician – The Spells by mrs.magician

New York’s, Luke Rathborne is 2011’s answer to haunting and delicate dark pop that have NYLON and Paste singing his praises. At only 23, Rathborne dropped his I Can Be One/Dog Years Split EP (Dilettante Recordings) this past Spring, chock full of Leonard Cohen meets Jason Collett styled singing and songwriting, showcasing a breadth of talent far beyond his years.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Super sludgey shoegaze ala Sonic Youth met with 80s influenced synths reminiscent of Joy Division and The Cure, this four piece, led by Danny Brown, are fresh off their mini West Coast tour with Primitive Noyes. Formed in 2010, Colony take thrashing garage rock and inject it with enough psych pop flourishes to create their answer to art rock. Think Explosions in the Sky, but bigger and louder.

The Rumble San Diego wouldn’t happen without the help of our loves at Future Sounds, BMI, M Theory, Friends With Both Arms, SDDIALEDIN, Owl & Bear, Bedouin Vintage, Pabst Blue Ribbon, Veoba and more. RSVP at Eventbrite here.

A cacophony of synths, pedals, drum machines and looped beats, the Oakland-based analog synth duo, James & Evander have been churning out future pop since 2005. Comprised of college friends, Adam Myatt and Glenn Jackson, their discography showcases an exploration of ambient Dntel influenced techno and woozy weed-wave.

Their arsenal of material ranges from their This Isn’t the Beginning of Anything LP (2009) and the Sun & Circuitry EP (2010) to the Songs We Wish We Wrote Series, a collection of remixes of artists, like Fleet Foxes, Man Miracle, Jon Brion and Nazcar Nation.

James & Evander just dropped the Constellating EP + 2, which is a departure for the duo, as it marks their first foray into the land of vocals. This five song EP is hybrid of the pair’s electro roots with emotive vocals layered over their signature subdued, lush synth pop that’s equal parts dreamy and alluring. Title track, “Constellating” is a Postal Service styled electro-pop opus, while “Slap Bracelets” is mix of driving drum beats and glimmering synths and “Really Real” is blissed out lesson in tender chillwave. The EP also features two remixes by fellow Bay Area artists, Ander and shortcircles.

Recommended If You Like: Dntel, Wild Nothing, Postal Service
Grab free EP: www.jamesandevander.bandcamp.com
www.jamesandevander.com

Download “Constellating“:

James & Evander – Constellating by INDIGENOUSPromotions

Upcoming Live Dates:
7/10 Oakland, CA at Oasis
7/21 Berkeley, CA at Jupiter
7/22-24 Guerneville, CA at C.A.M.P

For live reviews, album requests, and other press inquiries, contact Veronica Pulcini: veronica@indigenouspromotions.com

Heavy Hawaii will bring their melanocholy laced surf pop to Bar Pink, when we head home for The Rumble San Diego. Art Fag put out their gorgeous HH 12″ last year, featuring the dreamy and aptly titled “Teen Angel.” Tender and sweet retro inspired garage rock that would make Phil Spector proud met with tinges of surf pop, Heavy Hawaii’s sound is the perfect anecdote to the June gloom

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Ale Mania make Pitch perfect post-punk with a pounding bass line, a healthy dose of reverb ala Ariel Pink and The Pop Group, that has Vice taking notice. These guys are lovechild of our friends in Beaters (and Rumble alum) and Sess they dropped their addicting,  A, Who Sings That Beat? LP (Volar Records) last year.

ALE MANIA–Robust Universe by Volar Records

White Arrows are finishing their mini stint on the tour with their stop at Bar Pink tonight and are likely to bring their arsenal of unique covers with them, including Bruce Springsteen’s “I’m On Fire” and Fleetwood Mac’s “Save Me A Place.” The Boss + a Tron-esque light.

DJ Stierburger will be spinning all night!

The Rumble San Diego wouldn’t happen without the help of our loves at Future Sounds, BMI, M Theory, Friends With Both Arms, SDDIALEDIN, Owl & Bear, Bedouin Vintage, Pabst Blue Ribbon, Veoba and more. RSVP at Eventbrite here.