Record Store Day - April 21st, 2012

Remember record stores? They're those bricks and mortar establishments that sold records, or tapes, or CD's depending on how far back you care to remember. There was something magical for us about our regular pay day trip to the record store to decide what album we were buying in an effort to whittle down an ever growing list of must haves. Well, as we're sure you are aware, the internet ushered in a new era of convenience when it came to purchasing music, being able to get whatever you want on a whim. This, in conjunction with the rise of online thievery of material (something that we will never condone or understand), has all but killed off the major record stores. Fortunately for us, in nearly every town a small local record store has survived, and tomorrow (today or yesterday depending when you're reading this) is in essence their birthday. It is a celebration of the place where one instantly forgets why they went in and leaves with a treasure that they didn't know they wanted. As a bonus, Record Store Day draws some pretty special releases (unavailable online, and shame on those who post them illegally) to encourage people to rediscover their local shop. We have the very popular Zulu Records, pictured above, and are planning a visit in the afternoon to see what's left. We encourage you to go here and type in your location to find the participating shop nearest you. We also encourage you to go here, as the fine folks at Pitchfork have compiled the 45 best releases for this years special day.