Morphine Cure For Pain Reissued by Light In The Attic Records

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“Do you have a spare $225? Neither do we, but that seems to be the average out-of-reach price for an original vinyl copy of Cure For Pain these days.” That blurb is part of the write-up by Light In The Attic Records about their new reissue of this classic Morphine vinyl album.

Light In the Attic has long been a Turntabling favorite, label-wise, as they’ve reissued some absolutely fabulous titles including Betty Davis, the Deep Throat soundtrack, Mercury Rev and soooo much more. Light In The Attic is our kind of record label.

And Morphine’s Cure For Pain is our kind of record. “Thursday” is the track most likely to be spun over and over again round here, but this album is full of classics and should not be missed. There are 30 second samples of all tracks on the record–head over to Light In The Attic and listen for yourself–if you’re inclined to enjoy these sounds we’re betting dollars to donuts you make a purchase soon thereafter–assuming you haven’t heard this one already.

Sadly, the Morphine frontman died–on stage, it should be noted–in 1999 and a huge talent left us twisting in the wind with his departure. He died with his boots on, as it were, and left behind five albums of material to wonder over. Have a look for yourself:



Third Man Records Rolling Record Store

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Earlier we posted about Third Man Records, the Nashville record store dedicated to artists on Jack White’s eclectic boutique label. Then it was brought to our attention that Jack White’s titles of high profile performing artist, record label mogul and record shop owner must now also include “innovator”. Take a look at this trailer for the Third Man Records Rolling Record Store, which makes Turntabling green with envy:


And if that’s not enough, get a look at this other official Rolling Record Store clip from the road at SXSW 2011. We’re suitably impressed round here.

Jack White’s Record Store: Third Man Records, Nashville Tennessee

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When Vinyl Road Rage 4 pulled into Nashville, it wasn’t just to gawk at a music scene overwhelmed by southern hospitality. It was also to get a nice, close look at Third Man Records, the ultra-boutiquey record store owned by Jack White and basically the storefront for his label of the same name.

An out-of-towner will have a bit of difficulty locating Third Man Records, and the shop is in a vaguely (to an outsider, anyway) sketchy part of town–as are most wonderful subculture destinations. But the trip is definitely worth sorting out the directions for, even if you’re not a massive White Stripes fan.

From the moment you roll up on Third Man Records at 623 7th Avenue South, Nashville, it’s obvious that this record shop is different. It’s a very small, cozy space indeed, and as you can tell just from the outside, oozing with style.

In fact, it’s got as much style as a Mario Bava film, with the same attention to detail in every corner from the listening station record player to the short little hallway off to the side of the counter, lit only in red, leading to a private doorway where one assumes Jack White’s musical Wonkaland begins.

Third Man Records only sells music and merch by its artists, so this is the very definition of a boutique record shop. Limited edition 45s, hard-to-find vinyl by the 5,6,7,8s and all the Third Man roster you could want are here (and online at the official Third Man Records site).

The shop is friendly, but feels slightly crowded with more than three people in it…but even if you have to wait a bit to get your hands on some ultra-limited or just plain lustworthy Third Man vinyl, it’s well worth it. I spent quite a lot of time (comparatively) in Third Man just soaking up the atmosphere…if more record stores fussed over their approach like this, vinyl collecting would probably double just out of sheer enjoyment alone.

It’s obvious that Third Man and Jack White love vinyl. The respect they have for the medium is all over the shop. For me personally, the prize find was the 5,6,7,8s album, but major fans of The White Stripes like my friend Lisa Sumner over at the Rare Vinyl and Just Cool Records blog should consider a pilgrimage here–there’s much to take home! Sure, you could likely get all the same titles online, but seeing Third Man in person is definitely one to add to your to-do list.

–Joe Wallace

P.S. I regularly update the collection of bad, misguided and insane album covers on Facebook. “Like” the WTF Records page and see the latest awfulness.

WTF Album Covers: Not Even Gustav Holst Is Safe

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The Planets by Holst gets a cheeseball marketing spin, cooked up by someone who clearly believed that if you just put a sci-fi theme and plenty of cleavage on the album cover, stupid kids will buy it thinking maybe it’s some kind of new wave record or science fiction LP.

Can’t you just hear the board room conversation around this one? “Hey, dead guys don’t get paid royalties, right? These kids today love spaceships, right? Let’s CASH IN!”

And doesn’t the hero in this picture look like someone out of Wall Of Voodoo? I wonder what Sir Adrian thought when he saw this little beauty come out with HIS NAME ON IT.

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