Aight, so we got some more Daptone LPs in, including the new Sharon Jones, restock of the Naomi Shelton and Budos. Remember that we'll also be selling the Sharon Jones / Budos 7" on Record Store Day. Don't think anyone in the city's got that one but I can't say for sure. It's sweet, dawg. In the pipe we've got restock on the Numero Group's catalog on LP and, for the first time, CD as well. I'll try and make sure the price is right. Also comin' through the mails is some new and old from Mississippi Records. Here's a complete list. But for the 7", the Daptones are already on the floor.

Daptone

Budos Band - s/t, II, and EP
Naomi Shelton - What Have You Done
Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings - Dap Dippin, Naturally, 100 Days 100 Nights, and I Learned the Hard Way
Various Artists - Daptone Gold (2LP)
Sharon Jones / Budos Band - Daytripper / Money 7"

Mississippi

Various Artists - Fanajana: A Collection of Recordings and Photography from Madagasikara
Over a three year period in the late 1990s, Charlie Brooks embarked on two long field recording trips in Madagasikara. Brooks primarily concentrated on the more remote north and west regions of the island. Upon his return in 1999 he pressed 200 copies of a triple record and stored them under his bed for the last ten years. The three themed LPs: Vocal, Valiha Marovany and Miscellaneous Instruments were released as the now out of print MR-061 Fihavanana. This single LP collection compiles seventeen tracks from Fihavanana. Comes with a twelve page booklet of photography and notes.

Note: Vortex will be raffling off a copy of the above-mentioned 3LP Fihavanana on Record Store Day.

Range Rats - s/t
Recorded in 1986 & completely unreleased until now - this is Fred & Toody Cole's (Weeds, Lollipop Shoppe, Zipper, Torpedoes, Rats, Western Front, Desperate Edge, Dead Moon, Pierced Arrows, & so on) great lost country LP! All original compositions...some sad lilting ballads & some punk as hell. Two songs feature Fred & Toddy playing with "Rollie", a janky Roland drum machine that didn't keep a consistent meter very well. The rest of the songs were recorded with a lean mean band. We are very proud to bring this LP into the world for the first time - another facet of the genius of Fred & Toody Cole & lowfi as cadn be. Housed in an old school tip on sleeve.

CHIN CHIN -Sound Of The Westway LP
In 1985, Sound of the Westway was released on Chin Chin's own Farmer Records. As a progression from their first 7", SOTW proved to be a brilliant mix
of post punk and pop sensibility. The band's fierce DIY stance and girl-positive ethics have echoed down through the indie scene. Mississippi and Slumberland are excited to collaborate on this classic reissue. On vinyl only, remastered by Tim Stollenwerk and new original artwork by Alec Icky Dunn. Includes Free Download Card.

Getatchew Mekuria, The Ex, & Guests - Moa Anbessa
Getatchew is a legendary Ethio-Jazz saxaphone player. Well documented in the Ethiopiques series, he continues to make amazing music into his seventies. This LP presents eleven new interpretations of Ethiopian tunes. Backed by the awesome force of The EX and a guest horn section.

Grouper - Wide
Wide is Grouper's second full length-album. Previously released on Free Porcupine Society and Weird Forest, this is a co-re-release between Weird Forest and Grouper's own label with new artwork by Liz Harris. Edition of 1000 copies.

Note that on Record Store Day we'll be giving away a copy of this in our RSD raffle.

Numero Group

We pretty much got their entire catalog coming on CD and LP.

A short order came in yesterday consisting of:

- Restock of the Cecil Barfield on Mississippi (probably the last batch we'll get of this title as it's almost out of print)

- the 2LP gatefold of The Secret Museum of Mankind Vol.1 - Ethnic Music Classics: 1925-48. Here's a description from the Village Voice:

"Compiled here are many of the greatest performances of world and ethnic music ever recorded. This volume represents a trip around the world, stopping at each port to sample one of that country's finest recordings of its indigenous music. Each of these recordings was captured at a period during the golden age of recording when traditional styles were at their peak of power and emotion. Included inside are extensive notes and beautiful period photographs that work together with the music to communicate an exciting sense of discovery." "One of the most consistently rewarding world music compilations in years, the cuts range from Macedonian fiddle jaunts to Puerto Rican Christmas tunes, from Abyssinian religious chants to ominous Japanese court music. The instruments include Ukrainian sleigh bells, Sardinian triple pipes, Vietnamese moon lutes and Ethiopian one-string violins...a profound artistry lurks beneath the alien vernaculars."

- the 4 X 10" of Black Man's Cry: The Inspiration of Fela Kuti on Now Again. One of these sold before I even had a chance to put it on the floor. Since I bought one, that leaves one left.

- Neutral Milk Hotel's On Avery Island as an import from France. It contains two bonus tracks and is 180g.

- a 10" split between Bardo Pond and Pre. Limited and numbered to 500.

- Two LPs each by Lali Puna and Kammerflimmer Kollecktief.

- the Herbie Hancock and Grachan Moncur III LPs on Heavenly Sweetness (180g, analog, Import from France).

- One CD each from Jasper TX and Rafael Anton Irisarri

We also received restock on a bunch of Soul Jazz CDs as well as some great soul collections.

Okay, so I've been slow updating the site (and the mailing list) because I've been busy trying to get some stuff straightened out for Record Store Day. We're definitely gonna have a few things (prizes, even) that no one else in the city has. I'll post here when things are in my hands.

Here's some vinyl that came in today:

Liars / Gerry Mitchell and Little Sparta - Keep Mothers Vol. 4
Y'all know Liars is one of my favorite bands. They've got a new LP coming out very soon (we'll have stock of the ltd edition 2LP version) but in the meantime, this is a split 10" between them and Gerry Mitchell. Limited to 500 copies. Numbered. UK Import.

Bardo Pond - Bufo Alvarius
Another UK import - Fire Records reissues Bardo's first LP on 180g vinyl. Comes with the CD. One bonus track on the vinyl, I believe. Remastered. I can tell you're curious about the title. It's a hallucinogenic toad. Yup, really. (All Bardo Pond albums are named after drugs or drug-related stuff. Again, yup, really.)

Ntsamina - Spiritual Singers
This is an early-ish release on Mississippi Records. It's out of print but we found a warehouse that had a few. I brought in 5 copies. Not sure if I'll be able to get more. Grab it now.

Various Artists - Black Man's Cry: The Inspiration Of Fela Kuti
Actually, this came in on CD, not vinyl... but we should have the vinyl in about a week. It's a 4x10" set. Comes with a 24 page booklet.

Clogs - Creatures in the Garden of Lady Walton
This is a CD only release, unfortunately. So we'll have it on CD very soon. I've always loved Clogs. If you like Rachel's or maybe Kronos Quartet, you'll dig Clogs. Should be in Thursday.

Jimi Hendrix - First Rays of the New Rising Sun
Yeah, I know this came out today. But I hate the title and forgot to order it. We should have it Thursday. I hope. Though for my money, you're better off with Clogs.

I also expect the following in about a week or so:

Fenn O'Berg - In Stereo
Fenn O'Berg is Jim O'Rourke, Christian Fennesz, and Peter Rehberg. You should know who at least one of those people is. Two if you've ever worked a day in your life. Three and you can have my job (not really). 2LP. Gatefold. Austrian import.

Herbie Hancock - Inventions and Dimensions
Grachan Moncur III - Evolution
These two are new France imports on Heavenly Sweetness, a label that is reissuing six early Bluenote records this year. They're gonna be pricey as they're imports and heavy vinyl, but all the titles in this series have been out of print on vinyl for decades so chances you have 'em are slim.

Bardo Pond / Pre - Keep Mothers Vol 5
Just like the Liars 10" above, this one is limited to 500 copies. Numbered. Yadda Yadda yadda.

Lali Puna - Tridecoder & Faking The Books
Remember Lali Puna. I do. I always liked Korean-born Valerie Trebeljahr voice. That's why I ordered these. Faking the Books also comes with the Micronomic 12" and is limited to 500 measly copies. Both are on Morr Music.

Neutral Milk Hotel - On Avery Island
"I already have this," you're thinking. Well, you're wrong. Because this version was made in the UK and features two tracks that aren't on your version--they're taken from the band's 1993 single Everything Is. 180g.

Kammerflimmer Kollektief - Jinx and Wildling
Wildling is KK's new record. Jinx is an older record. I've always liked the band, especially Cicadidae. Love love love that record. German imports.

So Record Store Day is in about a month and a half: Saturday, April 17. This will be the first time that Vortex has participated and we'll do our best to make it a great day to come visit the shop.

Though we don't have confirmation on which exclusive RSD releases we will be able to offer, we will have at least one major vinyl piece which none of our competition will: Fihavanana - A Collection of Field Recordings and Photography from Madagasikara is a 3LP release from Mississippi Records. Only 200 copies were pressed for the world, 40 of which were kept by the field recordist and 160 of which were distributed to stores by MR. Vortex has the only copy in the city, if not the province. They're hand numbered and ours is #98! In addition to the triple wax, there's a 16 page book of notes and photos by field recordist Charles Brooks.

There's one LP of a capella singing, one of Valiha Marovany, and one of miscellaneous instruments.

I didn't feel right just throwing it out for sale as it would have made many of our regular Mississippi Records-loving customers upset when they missed out on it--even though one would have been delighted. So, we're going to have a raffle for it on Record Store Day. We haven't decided all the details, but we'll post them here when we do.

Though I've known about this for a month, I've been waiting till I actually had it in my hand before announcing. So, yeah, it arrived, along with the following Mississippi Records releases and restocks:

Clara Rockmore - $18.99
Abner Jay - $14.99
Reverend Overstreet - $14.99
Fight On Your Time Ain't Long - a measly $11.99
Breeders (limited to 1000 copies) - $14.99

- Tom Cora & The Ex - Scrabbling at the Lock:

North American re-issue of a masterpiece of our generation. The perfect blend of angsty punk rock, Eastern European leanings and free improv. Tight rhythms, roaring guitars, smartly political vocals and and the late Tom Cora's amazing cello work. $14.99

- A 7" of Chin Chin. Who are Chin Chin? Here's what MR says:

From Biel Switzerland, comes this little known group. One of the few all-girl bands (along with Kleenex/Lilliput) to come out of the early 80's Swiss punk scene. Chin Chin definitely considered themselves a punk band. Although their catchy pop vocals and harmonies strongly aligned them with the burgeoning C86 scene. They shared bills with The Shop Assistants, Television Personalities, The Pogues and New Model Army, before the band drifted into obscurity. This 7" was originally released in 1984 on the band's own, Farmer Records. It contains 3 self-penned songs and marks their first and punkest release. Keep your eyes peeled for their full length LP out soon as a split between the Mississippi and Slumberland labels.

Eris - The Feast of the Appetites of Eris:

Each year, on the Sunday prior to Mardi Gras, a rag tag group of musicians assembles to provide the soundtrack for the progression of the parade of the Krewe of Eris. This past parade, a food based banquet, the sounds of this 62 piece band was captured on cassette and two microphones towering overhead. Brass and percussion working through seven originals and a cover through the streets of New Orleans, with accompaniment of paraders, bottles, sirens, and food. Field recording that sounds just like it sounded. A pressing of 1,000 with an insert and silk screened covers. $14.99 (This one is actually on Domino Sound, one of Mississippi's Sister labels).

We also found a distributor that had some of an early MR release in stock: the currently out of print Spirtual Singers LP. They're on their way and we should have them in about a week:

Obscure African LP reissue. Congolese pop-Gospel, ca. 1970-1980. Released 2009. No catalog number and no indications on cover or label that this is a Mississippi Records release, however "MR032" appears in the dead wax. "Loose-knit, almost ‘Shaggs-like’ rhythms accompanied by male and female vocals. From slow dirges reminiscent of Beatles pop melodies to fast African rockers inspired by American '50s R&B. A truly unique record."

So, we got our first batch of new (as in sealed) CDs in today, as well as a small batch of interesting vinyl. Most of the CDs we only brought one copy in, so we've opened them and stuck a NEW sticker on them and put the cases out and kept the discs behind the counter, same way we always do. Items we received more than one of have sealed counterparts behind the counter and the opened case on the floor.

I've made a section on the wall above the new arrivals (as in used) bin. Here's a breakdown of what's there right now, as well as the new records we received. More should be in by week's end.

Compact Disc:

- Kevin Drumm - Imperial Distortion (2CD; Hospital Productions)
- Hildur Gudnadottir - Without Sinking (Touch; UK Import) - "... a captivating, often unsettled release..." (Allmusic)
- Ilyas Ahmed - The Vertigo of Dawn (Time Lag)
- Grouper / Inca Ore - Split (Acuarela; Spanish Import) - "These two artists complement each other brilliantly ... Highly Recommended." (Boomkat)
- Spoon - Transference (Merge) - "... smarts, wit, hooks ..." (Allmusic)
- Leyland Kirby - Sadly, The Future Is No Longer What It Was (3CD, HAFTW) "Truly life affirming sounds, and without doubt one of the most important, substantial releases of the year." (Boomkat) - This release also made many year end top 10 lists; we sold out instantly on vinyl (6LP).
- My Morning Jacket - At Dawn, original pressing (2CD; Darla; Limited to 2000 copies in 2001; Out of print)
- Jasper TX - Singing Stones (Fang Bomb; Swedish Import) "Singing Stones is an exceptional album, artfully constructed and sequenced in a way that preserves its enigmatic feel, continually shifting between coy tunefulness and glorious abstraction. Superb." (Boomkat)
- Julie Doiron / Okkervil River - Split (Acuarela; Spanish Import) "[Doiron's] five songs are short, spare, heart-wrenching, and bedroom recorded." (Allmusic)
- His Name Is Alive - Firefly Dragonfly (Acuarela; Spanish Import)
- Lou Barlow - Mirror the Eye (Acuarela; Spanish Import)
- Damien Jurado - Holding His Breath (Acuarela; Spanish Import) "... a tense twenty minutes inside Jurado's world." (Allmusic)

Vinyl:

- Richard Skelton - Landings (2LP+CD) "Richard Skelton proves himself to be more than just a modern-classical outsider and consolidates his status as an auteur with a singular vision... Amazing Music." (Boomkat)
- Spoon - Transference (Merge) 7.8 outta 10 (Pitchfork)
- Coil / The New Blockaders / Vortex Campaign - The Melancholy Mad Tennant (Important; Ltd to 500 copies; 180g)
- Black to Comm - Rückwärts Backwards (Dekorder; Ltd. to 222 Copies; Out of print) - "... recalling Fennesz or Tim Hecker's crumbly, floury vapournoise ... the lines between organic and digital are invisible..." (The Wire)
- Black to Comm - Fractal Hair Geometry (Dekorder; Ltd. to 500 Copies) - "With a sound built on Krautrock-style keyboard oscillations, fluttering electronics and processed vocal moans, his songs play out as textural pieces with a closed-in, near claustrophobic feel." (The Wire)
- Animal Hospital - Memory (2LP; Barge; Ltd to 350 Hand-Numbered copies; white vinyl) - "Memory is a record that engages with familiar techniques and proceeds to completely fuck with the programme.... Just awesome." (Boomkat)
- Charley Patton - You're Gonna Need Somebody When You Die: The Recorded Works (4LP; Monk Records; Ltd. to 275 Copies; 4 different colored vinyls)
- Reverend Johnny L. "Hurricane" Jones - Jesus Christ From A To Z (Parlotone; Ltd Edition; Culled from recordings Johnny made for his own private use -- over 1,000 tapes going back to 1957 -- assembled for the very first time.)
- Faust - IV (Virgin; UK Import; Exact replica, officially reissued by EMI. 180 gram audiophile pressing with printed inner sleeve.)

And restocks of these Mississippi Records titles:

- Reverend Louis Overstreet
- Fight On, Your Time Ain't Long
- Mortika
- Mississippi Fred McDowell
- Clara Rockmore