Tag Archives: indie record stores

New York City Record Stores: Other Music

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New York City record stores are generally full of great collections of dusty old records. Then there are the shops that combine brand new releases with those dusty grooves…but then there are the shops like the New York City indie record store Other Music, which concentrates on a much more selective library of new titles on the cutting edge.

Other Music, at 15 E. 4th Street, doesn’t exclusively sell new releases–there is a small collection of used records and plenty of shrink-wrapped reissues to choose from-but this shop has both feet firmly planted in the now. Compare to a store like Bleecker Bob’s which is truly the Marty McFly of record stores–going back in time and no looking back.

Other Music is clean, friendly, and when I dropped in, packed with people. Always a good sign! This is one NYC record store I could spend a lot of time in. The vibe here is much like the one you’ll find in Chicago’s Dusty Groove, except Other Music is aimed at hip modern sounds rather than delicious retro tracks. Not a bad thing, to be sure.

Browsing the titles, I got the distinct feeling that I’ve let modern indie music get away from me in the past couple of years–something I aim to rectify soon. Other Music is, for a retro vinyl-phile like me, a reminder that great music is still being made and pressed on vinyl. You just need to make time to get some and have a listen.

Other Music actually has plenty of vinyl titles. The size of the shop is a bit deceiving though; at first glance it looks like you’ve walked squarely into CD-land, but there is a good portion of LPs and yes, that’s a Kim Fowley album you see in the photo above–one I really should have picked up while there. Regrets….I definitely think Other Music is well worth the stop when you’re in NYC. Take a break from inhaling decades-old used LP dust and have a look around here. I was very glad I did.

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New York City Record Stores: Bleecker Bob’s Records

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New York City record stores come and go, but some are institutions. Bleecker Bob’s Records is one of those institutions and when you get inside, the collector in you comes right out and you stop thinking about silly things like prices and budgets and start drooling right away over whatever holy grail title you’re currently after on vinyl…you’re likely to find it here.

When I go into record stores that sell items intended to enhance the vinyl listening experience, (usually made out of glass) I tend to ignore that aspect of the operation, but sometimes you can’t even make it inside the shop without being reminded why so many feel that inhaling and record playing go together. But once I did get inside, it was obvious that my record collection needed some serious additions…but at this stage in the trip, my vinyl budget was in the red.

Yes, I do believe that is an ORIGINAL Mothers of Invention LP there on the bottom right. And your eyes do not deceive you–that’s a Jack Kerouac/Steve Allen LP there. What?

At this stage I just wanted to scoop up ALL this vinyl here. Coil? Current 93? Throbbing Gristle? Artifacts from an era when the music industry still had a barrier to entry but was opening up to people with strange ideas. Strange as in, good. I can’t help myself–I am a sucker for these gloriously weird and beautiful albums–they still sound as original as ever, more so sometimes when I hear the latest Vampire Weekend single. Sorry guys, I TRIED to like you, I really did. But, um, no.

All the metal you can eat. And then some. You may have noticed in this particular post that I don’t even bother TRYING to review Bleecker Bob’s Records. Hell, the pictures speak for themselves….do I really need to ooh and ahh over how much collectible stuff there is to spend massive amounts of money on? Record collectors may swoon, and some may hold their nose and hold out for an Ebay steal but the fact of the matter is that Bleecker Bob’s does have what the true junkie needs. Are you willing to pay their prices? That’s all you really need to know. But go look, regardless. There’s just a ton of essential vinyl junkie stuff here across a good cross-section of genres.
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Youngstown Ohio Record Stores: Indiewax Records

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Indiewax Records, at 6961 Market Street in Youngstown, Ohio, has a collection of hard-to-find vinyl titles (see the albums on the wall first if you’re looking for the collector’s stuff) and a giant pile of for-cheap sale vinyl.

Collectors of punk and post-punk 45s should be pleased, and there’s a selection of the usual used vinyl titles alongside the new releases. Indiewax also has gear, so a new collector could do some one-stop shopping here. They sell Audio-Technica turntables, cartridges and preamps, along with the usual slipmats and cleaning gear.

I’m not a seven-inch collector, but looking at the Indiewax selection it’s easy to see why people get lured into it. There are new seven inches coming out left and right, and the old stuff seems just as fun to seek and find as full length albums.

The sale bin is probably the most important spot for the noob collector, and there’s a doozy here at Indiewax. Youngstown Ohio doesn’t know what its got in the “five for a buck” bin…this is priceless for some of us crate-digging mashup artists who like to mix and match on the fly with the turntables.

Indiewax Records is friendly, fun, and I’d definitely come back. I say that practically anytime I have a pleasant experience in an indie record shop, but I really mean it–especially in light of the store’s support of local and regional artists.

Did I mention that any fan of The Dwarves should have a look in here? Behold this selection of Dwarves seven inches:


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More Random Images from Vinyl Road Rage 2

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I’m still in New York, but taking a day of rest from the vinyl shopping madness to see a few sights, take a pile of photos and eat in some of local places. I’ve got one more record shop to review from Cleveland, then we’ll move on to Akron and Youngstown, Pittsburgh, Allentown, Philadelphia and NYC. Who knows what happens from there? In the meantime, here are some of the images so far:

Yes, the incredibly massive Eide’s in Pittsburgh, PA is still kicking. They have three floors and it’s stuffed to capacity with lots to sift through. Your brain might split in two from the sheer volume of vinyl on hand.

Did this come out AFTER they sold Nirvana to the majors? Could this album be titled without a trace of irony? Sub Pop did get points on that sale, you know…

IndieWax was a fun shop that had a pile of discount records so large I couldn’t possibly have sifted through them all. They also had all the Dwarves 45s you could ever want. Friendly crew and a nice casual browser-friendly atmosphere. A bigger review coming, naturally.

Somebody PLEASE stop letting Ringo design his own album covers. Did you fall off the wagon here or what? You clearly just wiped some Bolivian Marching Powder off your face just before you came up with THIS one. I don’t want to hear any more crap about George Harrison’s Maharishi albums when there’s so much WORSE floating around from ex-Beatles…as you can plainly see.

They are a DIME. BUY THEM ALL! I should have done just that, but I already had a massive pile straining my shoulders. This would have killed me. Besides…I can’t really think of a suitably violent use for some of those titles.

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