Recently, Record Store Day organizers announced that in lieu of a single-day celebration, planned 2020 RSD would be released across three months on three special "drop days." As labels begin to open up following the COVID-19 outbreak, we're excited to give you the latest.
Late last week, Craft Recordings announced the full lineup of indie-exclusive vinyl that will be rolled out on August 29, September 26, and October 24, and the label has added a special 50th Anniversary edition of McLemore Avenue, Booker T. and the M.G.s' tribute to The Beatles' Abbey Road! Crate-diggers will also be pleased to find rarities from performance artist Camille Yarbrough, blues-rock by Parish Hall, and the salsa classic Cosa nuestra by Willie Colón and Héctor Lavoe.
If that weren't enough, Craft has enlisted celebrated compilation producers Andrew Sandoval, Steve Stanley (who also designed the fantastic art), and Cary E. Mansfield for The Land of Sensations and Delights: The Psych Pop Sounds of White Whale Records, 1965-1970 , featuring psych-pop and folk-rock nuggets from the often overlooked label that was famously home to The Turtles. Craft is also serving up Double Whammy! A 1960s Garage Rock Rave-Up featuring hits, rarities, and even a few unreleased tracks from the vaults of Stax, Original Sound, Vanguard and Fantasy Records, vintage 1965 to 1968.
So mark your calendars, locate your nearest participating record shop, and keep scrolling to peruse the full list of Craft Recordings' planned RSD Drops as provided by the label:
DROPPING AUGUST 29:
BUY CD VERSION FROM AMAZON.COM
The Land of Sensations & Delights: The Psych Pop Sounds of White Whale Records, 1965-1970 (2-LP Vinyl)
Featuring 26 hits and rarities from the '60s, The Land of Sensations & Delights: The Psych Pop Sounds of White Whale Records, 1965-1970 unearths the best gems from the Los Angeles label. Founded by Ted Feigin and Lee Lasseff in 1965, White Whale Records was instantly put on the map, thanks to its debut single, the Turtles' "It Ain't Me Babe," which hit the Billboard Top 10 that summer. Throughout the next five years, the short-lived but enterprising label issued over 150 singles, as well as 24 albums. Though not every release had the same success as the Turtles' output, Feigin and Lasseff signed a wide range of artists, from singer-songwriters to psychedelic pop acts. The Land of Sensations & Delights celebrates the "myriad of obscurities and curiosities" that came from the White Whale catalog. The set has been co-produced by Andrew Sandoval, Steve Stanley, and Cary E. Mansfield. Sandoval has provided the liner notes while Stanley has designed the package in a style evoking both the label and the period.
Housed in a gatefold jacket, the two-LP collection includes such artists as the jazzy, Latin-tinged Triste Janero, the Laughing Gravy (a solo project by Dean Torrence, of Jan & Dean fame), Sunset Strip regulars Smokestack Lightnin' and Professor Morrison's Lollipop, whose garage-rock single "You Got the Love" gained traction as a regional hit. Limited to 2,000 copies worldwide.
The Land of Sensations & Delights is currently available digitally, and a CD arrives on August 28 at Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada!
Side A
1. Professor Morrison's Lollipop: You Got The Love
2. The Answer: I'll Be In
3. Smokestack Lightnin': Got A Good Love
4. The Odyssey: Little Girl, Little Boy
5. XL's: We Must Find A Way
6. The Everpresent Fullness: Darlin' You Can Count On Me
Side B
1. Kris Jensen: I Can't Get Nowhere With You
2. Lyme & Cybelle: Song #7
3. The Laughing Gravy: Vegetables
4. The Motives: The Chair
5. The Bears: Goin' It Alone
6. Kenny O'Dell: Sunshine Dreamin'
7. J.K. & Co.: Land Of Sensations & Delights
Side C
1. The Clique: Superman
2. Bazooka: Look At You Now
3. Dalton & Montgomery: All At Once
4. Bobby Lile: Time To Be A Woman
5. The Brothers: Love Story
6. The Committee: If It Weren't For You
7. Mournin' Do: Summer Dream
Side D
1. Horses: Cheyenne
2. Rainy Daze: My Door Is Always Open
3. The Reivers: Constantly
4. The Buster Brown: The Proud One
5. The Rockets: Won't You Say You'll Stay
6. Triste Janero: In The Garden
So Solid Crew: 21 Seconds EP (Clear Vinyl - U.K. Only)
Pioneering British grime collective So Solid Crew stood out on the underground scene with their unique mix of garage and hip-hop. Their seminal No. 1 single, "21 Seconds," skyrocketed the group into the mainstream, and helped shape the UK music scene of the early 2000s. Over the years, the BRIT Award-winning crew has consisted of a variety of influential members, including Megaman, Lisa Maffia, Romeo, Asher D, DJ Swiss, and Harvey. In the past year, So Solid Crew, have been back on the scene, thanks to a series of highly anticipated reunion appearances.
Their new 21 Seconds EP features the original, chart-topping anthem, plus alternate mixes and unreleased live cuts from the BBC archives. A very special 12-inch for Record Store Day 2020 - limited to 2,100 copies - is pressed on ultra-clear heavyweight vinyl and housed in a bespoke "21" cut-out sleeve. This title is available in U.K. stores only.
Side A
1. 21 Seconds (Original Mix)
2. 21 Seconds (BBC Radio 1 Lamacq Live, 2002)
Side B
1. 21 Seconds (DJ Swiss & Dan Da Man Vocal Remix)
2. 21 Seconds (12" Version)
3. 21 Seconds (BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge, 2001)
DROPPING SEPTEMBER 26:
Camille Yarbrough, The Iron Pot Cooker (180-gram Vinyl)
Praised by SPIN as a "hip-hop foremother," Camille Yarbrough is an award-winning performance artist, author and cultural activist, among many other hyphenates. In 1971, Yarbrough wrote and starred in a one-woman, spoken-word show, called Tales and Tunes of an African American Griot. Four years later, Yarbrough released The Iron Pot Cooker, an album based on the show.
This rare and highly collectible landmark title has been recognized for its candor and passionate rhetoric. Part R&B, part street poetry, The Iron Pot Cooker has been called "a precursor to ...The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill" by writer Kevin Powell, while Billboard called it "thought-provoking," adding that "Yarbrough has stylish traces of Nina Simone and Gil Scott-Heron but her own style of singing and recitation...are outstanding."
The album is perhaps best known by a younger generation for its song "Take Yo' Praise," which was sampled in the hit 1998 Fatboy Slim song "Praise You." This 180-gram reissue, which marks the first vinyl availability of the title since its 1975 release on Vanguard Records, was cut from the original analog tapes by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio. The pressing was manufactured at Memphis Record Pressing and comes housed in a tip-on jacket. Limited to 2,300 copies worldwide.
The Iron Pot Cooker is also available now in standard and high-resolution digital formats for the very first time.
Side A
1. But It Comes Out Mad
2. Dream - Panic - Sonny Boy The Rip-Off Man - Little Sally The Super Sex Star (Taking Care Of Business)
3. Ain't It A Lonely Feeling
Side B
1. Take Yo' Praise
2. Can I Get A Witness
3. All Hid
Parish Hall, Parish Hall (180-gram Vinyl)
Out of print on vinyl for decades, the first and only album from Parish Hall has been a long-sought-after title by record collectors from around the globe. The Bay Area trio - which consisted of singer, guitarist and pianist Gary Wagner, bassist John Haden and drummer Steve Adams - played a heavy, blues-infused rock, which has often drawn comparisons to one of their contemporaries: the Jimi Hendrix Experience. In 1969, the group caught the ears of local composer Ray Shanklin, who brought the band into the Fantasy Records fold, and produced the album. The result was a raw, energetic collection of 10 original songs by Wagner.
Parish Hall only released that one album together in 1970, and then seemingly fell into obscurity. Twenty years later, the LP gained a cult following among rock enthusiasts, and soon became a hot commodity with collectors. More recently, the songs from Parish Hall have had a new life, appearing in shows like The Deuce, films like the Steve Jobs biopic, Jobs, and video games like Mafia 3.
This reissue, which marks the very first American pressing since 1970, has been cut from the original analog tapes by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio and pressed on 180-gram vinyl at Memphis Record Pressing. Limited to 1,500 copies worldwide.
Parish Hall is also now available digitally for the very first time. The album can be streamed or downloaded in standard or high-resolution audio.
Side A
1. My Eyes Are Getting Heavy
2. Dynaflow
3. Ain't Feelin' Too Bad
4. Silver Ghost
5. Skid Row Runner
Side B
1. Lucanna
2. We're Gonna Burn Together
3. Somebody Got the Blues
4. How Can You Win
5. Take Me With You When You Go
Willie Colón canta Héctor Lavoe: Cosa nuestra (180-gram Vinyl)
When the multi-talented trombonist, bandleader and community activist Willie Colón teamed up with one of the greatest salsa singers of all time, Héctor Lavoe, musical history was made. The best-selling duo, who were instrumental in popularizing salsa in the United States, collaborated throughout the late '60s and '70s, and recorded a total of 10 vibrant albums together, while also both taking part in the celebrated Fania All-Stars band.
Released in 1969, Cosa nuestra was the pair's fourth album, and their first record to be certified Gold by the RIAA. The LP features the pair at the top of their game, as they perform such hits as the exuberant "Che Che Colé," "Juana Peña," "Te Conozco," and the bolero "Ausencia." AllMusic called the album "a masterpiece," adding that Lavoe's vocals are "his best on record." This 180-gram reissue of Cosa Nuestra has been cut from the original analog tapes by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio and manufactured at Memphis Record Pressing. The pressing is limited to 2,000 copies worldwide and comes housed in a classic tip-on jacket.
Cosa nuestra is also currently available in standard and high-resolution digital formats for the very first time.
Side A:
1. Che Che Colé
2. No Me Llores Más
3. Ausencia
4. Te Conozco
Side B:
1. Juana Peña
2. Sonero Mayor
3. Sangrigorda
4. Tu No Puedes Conmigo
DROPPING OCTOBER 24:
Booker T. & The M.G.'s, McLemore Avenue (180-gram Vinyl)
As the longtime house band for Stax, Booker T. & The M.G.'s not only helped to shape the label's iconic sound but also backed sessions by some of the biggest acts of the '60s--from Otis Redding and Carla Thomas, to Sam & Dave and Wilson Pickett. The group also released many acclaimed titles of their own, and their 10th studio album, 1970's McLemore Avenue, was no exception. Inspired by The Beatles' Abbey Road, released just a year before, Booker T. Jones set out to record a tribute to the album--naming his version after the Memphis avenue where Stax stood. In an interview with the A.V. Club, Jones recalled that when he first heard Abbey Road, "I thought it was incredibly courageous of The Beatles...They were the top band in the world but they still reinvented themselves."
Featuring the classic lineup of Booker T. Jones on keyboards, Steve Cropper on guitar, Donald "Duck" Dunn on bass, and Al Jackson Jr. on drums, the instrumental McLemore Avenue offers a supremely funky take on Abbey Road's songs in the form of three medleys and one standalone version of "Something." AllMusic praised that "Not only is McLemore Avenue a stellar interpretation of Abbey Road, it's one of the finest Booker T. & the M.G.'s albums to boot."
This special 50th anniversary edition of the LP has been cut from the original analog masters by Jeff Powell at Memphis' Take Out Vinyl and pressed on 180-gram vinyl at Memphis Record Pressing. The album comes housed in an old-school-style tip-on jacket, featuring the classic, tongue-in-cheek cover image of the band crossing McLemore Avenue.
Side A:
1: Golden Slumbers / Carry That Weight / The End / Here Comes The Sun / Come Together
2: Something
Side B:
1: Because / You Give Me Your Money
2: Sun King / Mean Mr. Mustard / Polythene Pam / She Came In Through The Bathroom Window / I Want You (She's So Heavy)
Various Artists: Double Whammy! A 1960s Garage Rock Rave-Up (Translucent Blue Vinyl)
This garage rock extravaganza unearths rarities and spotlights classic tracks from the vaults of Stax, Original Sound, Vanguard, and Fantasy Records. A follow-up to the 2019 Record Store Day title Poppies: Assorted Finery From the First Psychedelic Age, Double Whammy! surveys another influential underground scene of the 1960s: garage rock - or, as compilation producer Alec Palao describes it, "The American grass roots response to the British Invasion." Thanks to the popularity of rock acts like The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, bands without formal training or a slick, studio-tweaked sound suddenly had an opportunity for recognition and radio play. It was the beginning of an exciting new cultural era--one that celebrated the raw energy of youth culture, and where possibilities seemed limitless.
Focusing on the period between 1965 and 1968, the set features such legendary acts as the Music Machine, the Vagrants and Count Five, as well as lesser-known groups like Sacramento's Group "B," New York City's Circus Maximus and Memphis' the Poor Little Rich Kids. The 16-track LP also includes three previously unreleased tracks. Pressed on limited-edition translucent blue vinyl in a foil-wrapped jacket, the package includes liner notes from GRAMMY®-nominated writer and producer Alec Palao, who offers an in-depth look into each song on the compilation. Limited to 2,800 copies worldwide.
Double Whammy! A 1960s Garage Rock Rave-Up is also be available across all digital platforms on October 30th, while a previously unreleased extended version of the Music Machine's "The People in Me" will be available to stream or download as a special sneak peek on August 28th.
Side A
1. Count Five: Psychotic Reaction (Unedited Version)
2. Lonnie Duvall: Attention*
3. The Torquays: Harmonica Man (From London Town)
4. The Pullice: Can't Get Enough*
5. The Squires: Anytime Anywhere
6. Circus Maximus: Short-Haired Fathers
7. The Bittersweets: In The Night
8. Joey Paige: 'Cause I'm In Love With You
Side B
1. Jack Bedient & The Chessman: Double Whammy
2. The Orfuns: The Animal In Me
3. The Music Machine: The People In Me (Full-Length Version)*
4. The Poor Little Rich Kids: Stop - Quit It
5. The Vagrants: I Can't Make A Friend
6. Group "B": She's Gone
7. The Tears: Rat Race
8. The Fantastic Zoo: This Calls For A Celebration
* previously unreleased
Release Round-Up: Week of February 24
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Release Round-Up: Week of September 3
Time Is Tight: Real Gone Continues Booker T. and The MG's Singles Series, Reissues Southern Soul from O.V. Wright
The Rockets (White Whale) later became Crazy Horse...