Record Store Day is April 18

Silversun Pickups to play a free show at the Berkeley Rasputin Records store on Telegraph Avenue at 4 p.m.

For the last year or so, most of the albums I've purchased have not been iTunes downloads or even cds, but vinyl records. There's something so satisfying about pulling that big vinyl disc out of an album cover, setting it on the turntable and letting the needle dig into the grooves. And no other medium has the sound quality of vinyl—it's by far the warmest, sweetest sounding format.

I'm not the only one who is on a reappreciation-of-vinyl kick. Vinyl sales have skyrocketed over the past year. Bands like Radiohead, Wilco, and Green Day have recently re-released their entire back catalogues on LP for Record Store Day on April 18. This worldwide appreciation of the indie record stores still in business is in its second year, after a fantastic turnout last April (Even Metallica showed up at the Mountain View Rasputin Music—not bad!). Heaps of top artists (Bob Dylan, Kings of Leon, etc,)  have made limited edition vinyl singles and EPs specifically for Record Store Day, and there are about as many East Bay record stores participating as any region in the nation. Rasputin Music in Berkeley will be having a free concert by Silversun Pickups at 4 p.m. Even if you tossed out your turntable in the early '90s, most of these stores stock a healthy selection of hard-to-find cds, so stop by any of these indie record stores on Record Store Day—you won't regret it!

Posted at 03:39 PM in Pete's Popcorn Picks | Permalink