Spring is here, the snow is finally melted (mostly) and that means that Record Store Day is once again approaching. The list is bigger than ever and features the usual mix of limited edition Reissues, Singles, EP’s, Splits, and other vinyl goodies. We thought we’d take a moment this week to give you a run down of some of this year’s notable releases in the psych realm. These are all at the top of my list and they may catch your fancy as well.
The Brian Jonestown Massacre / Magic Castles – Split 12″ | Limited to 1500 copies worldwide
Label mates and tour partners, The Brian Jonestown Massacre and Magic Castles are no stranger to one another. Singer, Songwriter and guru, Anton Newcombe, never seems to miss the chance to unveil some new tunes on Record Store Day.
With a new album set to be released in May (and a demo version of it on YouTube), Anton and crew are releasing the album’s first single “Goodbye (Butterfly)” along with an exclusive track “Lions Ride Free” via this limited release. The Magic Castles side will follow suit and offer up two tracks from the band’s upcoming 2014 release. This one will be priority #1 for me come April 19th.
The Black Angels – Clear Lake Forest EP 10″ Vinyl | Limited to 3500 copies worldwide
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We’re very happy to see one of our favorite psych-rock acts returning to vinyl this weekend. This is their first release since last year’s studio album Indigo Meadow. The 7-track EP features the single “Diamond Eyes”, which the band unveiled recently online.
The song is on par with the style of Indigo Meadow and is a great example of the slower “bluesier” side of the band. Surely worth a listen if the other 6 songs are as tight as this one.
The Flaming Lips – 7 Skies h3 12″ Vinyl | Limited to 7100 copies worldwide
Devotees of Wayne Coyne’s eclectic group will no doubt recall the band premiering this 24 hour “song” online back in 2011 on Halloween. The band later released 17 physical copies on flash drives encased in human skulls, retailing for $5000 each (the price of skulls just a’int what it used to be).
This year The Flaming Lips are releasing what they call a 43-minute “extraction and reduction” of the tune onto vinyl, in an attempt to make this epic track more managable to average listener. Skim through the day long stream and see if it’s something you might want on your turntable. This is probably more reserved for the serious Lips collectors.
Spacemen 3 – Translucent Flashbacks 3 x 12″ Vinyl | Limited to 300 copies worldwide
This one is a re-reissue of sorts. Originally released back in 1995, this compilation album combines the band’s first three singles as well as every B-Side that went along with them. The singles themselves date all the way back to the mid ’80s when the band was putting out EP’s via Glass Records.
These songs certainly stand the test of time and are definitely required listening for any budding neo-psychedelic fan. Being limited to 300 copies means it may not reach your average mom & pop record store come next Saturday. Be prepared to eBay this one.
The Zombies – Odessey and Oracle 12″ Vinyl | Limited to 2500 copies worldwide
I’ve lost track of how many times this pop masterpiece has been reissued but I wholeheartedly welcome yet another version. This time, noted Los Angeles label, Varese Sarabande, have returned the album to it’s original stereo mix for this special release.
Generally the label deals in soundtracks and original cast recordings but they’re offering up a slew of great pop reissues for this year’s RSD, including another Zombies release I Love You, a singles collection that never made it to the U.S. until now. This is psychedelic pop music at it’s best.
More releases to keep an eye out for:
Joy Division – An Ideal For Living
Various Artists – Rough Guide To Psychedelic Bollywood
Shocking Blue – Send Me A Postcard / Harley Davidson
Sun Ra – Outer Spaceware
Pop Yeh Yeh – Psychedelic Rock from Singapore and Malaysia 1974-1970: Vol. 1
This Saturday, April 19th, is the day to be at your favorite independent record store to pick up these limited releases and celebrate the joy of vinyl. Get there early and have your list ready. Stay tuned to the blog this week for info on more Record Store Day events happening around the Midwest.
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