Saturday I visited a number of Seattle’s finer independent record stores to sample the wares and see what was hidden among the stacks. Following a tasty brunch at Bimbos with Douglas, who despite showing up before opening to stand in line didn’t find the one release he was looking for, we headed down to the new Sonic Boom Capitol Hill. The place was packed for a Minus the Bear in-store and among the largely picked-over stock we still found a Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings 7″ and a Fanfarlo 7″, specially released for the annual Record Store Day celebration. A walk just around the corner to a far less crowed Wall of Sound found Douglas’ sought after Male Bonding/Dum Dum Girls 7″ was hidden among the displays on the wall, so I picked it up for him, as well as my sought after Beach House 12″ via Sub Pop.

As expected, when I got home to examine my pull, Sub Pop’s offerings came with digital drop card included, so I could download the record’s tracks and add them to my digital library as well if I wished. Kill Rock Stars who put out a Cribs/Thermals split, also fully equipped their release for the new digital economy. The Fanfarlo 7″ on the other hand, released via Atlantic Records (one of the “big three”), left me with nothing to download. The Built To Spill 7″ via Warner Bros. (also one of the “big three”), also left me disappointed. This surprised me considering new records I’ve bought in the last few months via the Beggars Group and Secretly Canadian have used the inclusion of a download as a selling point. When I had a problem with my download code on my BIG ECHO vinyl, I emailed the Beggars Group tech support (on a Saturday) and had a new code in my inbox within minutes.

I’m no vinyl junkie. The vinyl that I’m buying I know that I’ll value and play. It follows that these are probably some of my favorite records (they are) and that I would want to have my favorite records also available for my digital collection (I do).

The Beggars Group obviously understands that obtaining this digital copy is an important part of the what people now expect when they are buying *new* vinyl, not simply a convenience. The year is 2010 and people largely listen to music on digital devices and via iTunes so it makes sense that this would be part and parcel of the market’s demands. Yet those with the biggest market share and the most resources to be able to meet those demands still drag their feet and deliver a sub-standard product. In an apples to apples comparison, Warner and Atlantic just don’t make the cut.

And we wonder why people are forecasting the demise of the “record industry.”

Telekinesis ::: Photo by Josh

Last Saturday, following the final show of a nationwide tour the previous night at the Crocodile, Telekinesis was a duo with frontman Michael Benjamin Lerner sticking to the acoustic guitar for his entire 5 song in-store set. He was celebrating Record Store Day at Sonic Boom Records on Capitol Hill, at a place he revealed was a record store that he had worked at for over a year. I was thinking that I recognized him from behind my favorite local store’s counter…

The store itself was bustling for the occasion, the vinyl section was being thoroughly picked through, people in search of a hidden split Sonic Youth 7″ or a hidden Sub Pop 7″ that may have eluded the early risers. I myself managed to pick up one of those Limited Edition Terreberry EP’s that Hardly Art put out for Record Store Day, which includes a slowed down version of “Black Shoe” as well as four old songs, some recorded with the band’s home four-track setup.

Telekinesis next plays Seattle on May 14th at the Crocodile with Margo and the Nuclear So & So’s, beginning over a week of dates the pair will play along the west coast. After that they head to Western Europe.

Telekinesis ::: Photo by Josh

Flickr: Telekinesis at Sonic Boom Records, April 18, 2009

Record stores sure know how to celebrate Record Store Day, the day in their honor happening this Saturday, April 18 at independent stores across the region. An impressive list of special releases will be available at participating stores including a new Magnolia Electric Co. 7″, an Elvis Perkins 7″ with an unreleased song, Radiohead vinyl, Sonic Youth split 7″, an Obit’s 7″ and a Decemberists 7″ with an unreleased B-Side.

The Record Store Day site has testimonials from notable musicians about the importance of record stores and you can even find Death Cab For Cutie bassist Nick Harmer opining on his first job at Sonic Boom, and how that experience was valuable and formative for his music discovery.

I’ve included below in one nice list some of the local events happening around Seattle this Saturday:

Sonic Boom Records where “10% of gross sales are being donated to Seattle Public School’s Music Programs”:

Ballard:
12pm - DJ Woogie “D”
1pm - Peter Blecha (DJ’s and signs his new book called Sonic Boom)
2pm - SAY HI (In-store performance)
3pm - Claude Balzac (DJ)
4pm - VETIVER (In-store performance)
5pm - Andy Harms (107.7 the End - DJ)
6pm - Stupid Fresh (DJ)

Capitol Hill:
2pm - Cheryl Waters (90.3 KEXP DJ)
3pm - TELEKINESIS (In-store performance)
5pm - DJ El Torro

Easy Street Records where just about everything in the store will be 20% off:

10 am - “Coffee With Dylan” - New Dylan CD Listening Party - Both Stores
3 pm - Dex Romweber Duo - Queen Anne Store

5 pm - Special Guests - Queen Anne Store
We cannot reveal the identity of this very special guest until Friday, so watch this space for a special announcement! But we can offer a couple of clues….
Clue #1 : They have something in common with John Lennon…sorta.
Clue #2: You may feel the urge to howl when they take the stage.

7:30 pm - Sweet Water - Queen Anne Store
9:30 pm - Wolves In the Throne Room - West Seattle Store

Silver Platters (In-Store Performances at Queen Anne Location)

RECORD STORE DAY!!!! April 18 (20% off ALL VINYL one day only):
featuring
The Toadies

Barton Carroll

Romance

Bands Begin Performing at 2pm

If all of that wasn’t enough, Jones Soda teamed up with Barsuk Records to give out a free Barsuk branded Root Beer with purchases on Record Store dayat a bunch of west coast record stores including Sonic Boom, Easy Street and Silver Platters, while supplies last.

Get out, support your local record store (emphasis on local), and buy some vinyl!

P.S. If you need some help on that secret guest in-store… head here.