Saturday, May 23, 2009

Recent Acquisitions I: Record Man on 5/16/09


The Record Man parking lot sale is a great way to load up on basic records for cheap. A dollar per LP, $2 for a double LP and $3 for box sets of 3 or more LPs. Most of the records are common, but there are some uncommon gems mixed among the tens of thousands albums for sale. The Record Man wasn't wearing his usual wife-beater shirt even though it was a beautiful, sunny morning in Redwood City. This is what I came away with for a total of $21:

Spirit, Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus (Epic, yellow label, 2A stamper). With the large stack of unlistened-to records waiting for a spin, I rarely play an album twice in a row. After two listens, I'm thinking this is one of the greatest rock albums ever. It's crazy good.

Pink Floyd, Wish You Were Here (Columbia, Quadraphonic, 1A stamper). I was looking to replace my current copy, which I discovered had some groove distortion on side 2. It wasn't until I got home I realized this was a quadraphonic pressing. If it were mint, it'd be worth a benjamin, but alas the cover is worn.

Aerosmith, Toys in the Attic (Columbia, Quadraphonic, 1A stamper). This one I knew I was buying a quad pressing, which can be played on a regular stereo system. "Walk This Way" and "Sweet Emotion" are the hits on this album.

ZZ Top, Deguello (Warner Brothers, custom label). I've had an irrational urge to buy a ZZ Top album even though I hate every song I've heard by them. It'll be worth a dollar to kill that urge.

Boz Scaggs, Boz Scaggs (Atlantic, 1841 Broadway label, textured cover). The music, recorded at Muscle Shoals, kind of reminds me of Van Morrison, except instead of a white Irishman thinking he's a soul singer, it's a white Californian. The gatefold cover has a nude photo of Duane Allman inside, not that that's a selling point. Later pressings don't have the gatefold cover.

Creedence Clearwater Revival, Pendulum (Fantasy, blue label). The last LP recorded by the original line-up with "Have You Ever Seen the Rain" and "Hey Tonight".

Violent Femmes, Hallowed Ground (Slash). I recall this album is horrible except for one song. I'll gamble a dollar to find out if that song still sounds good to me.

Simon and Garfunkel, Parsely, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme (Columbia, 2-eye mono pressing).

Neil Young, On the Beach (Reprise, RE-1A stamper). For a long time, I never saw this album for sale. Now this is the third copy I've seen this year. Could be because it's been released on cd for the first time recently. It's worth picking up a second copy.

Fleetwood Mac, Future Games (Reprise, yellow cover). For a buck, this is another album I'm buying with the hope it's cleaner than my current copy.

Fleetwood Mac, Greatest Hits (CBS, UK pressing). "Hits" from the Peter Green era. It looks like a dog chewed the corner off the cover. Hopefully the previous owner didn't use the album as a frisbee.

The Untouchables, Wild Child (MCA/Stiff). So far, I haven't heard a ska album I haven't liked. Will the streak continue?

Various, This Is Reggae Music, Vol. 2 (Mango). Old school reggae.

Various, The Now Sound Reggae (Island, radio station promo). Some newer reggae.

Perez Prado, Hits By Prado (RCA stereo, deep-groove black label). Is it possible to mambo while reclining in a chair? I'll soon know the answer.

Schubert, Symphonies 2 & 8, Munchinger, Vienna PO (London blue back, FFSS UK pressing). A powerful performance of Schubert's 8th "Unfinished" symphony.

Mahler, Symphony 2 "Resurrection", Abravanel, Utah SO (Vanguard, 2-LPs). I can't pass up a Mahler recording of the Second I don't have.

Beethoven, Complete Piano Sonatas, Kempff (Deutsche Grammophon, tulips label, German pressing, 10-LP box set). All of Beethoven's piano sonatas by one of the finest Beethoven interpreters for only $3. That's what I call a Ludwig von Bargain!

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