In case you haven’t been reminded a few hundred times already, the holiday season is here. Thankfully, there are lots of ways to shop for gifts for the music lover in your life while supporting local businesses. For the eighth year running, Record Store Day on Black Friday (Nov. 23 this year) sweetens the deal with exclusive releases, enticing you to visit the record shops that are here the other 364 days of the year, too. Below, find a rundown of what’s going on at record stores across town, followed by notes on 14 of our favorite special releases.
Checking in on the West Side, McKay’s (636 Old Hickory Blvd.) had not yet announced any discounts on its vast used-record inventory at press time, while Alison’s Record Shop (994-A Davidson Drive) won’t be carrying any of the special titles — but it will offer a 20 percent discount on its vintage inventory. On the other hand, both of The Great Escape’s Nashville locations (5400 Charlotte Ave. and 105 Gallatin Road N. in Madison) will carry exclusives. They’ll be open at 7 a.m. and offer a 20 percent discount on all non-RSD merchandise (comics, toys and other collectibles are included), which jumps to 50 percent for 45- and 78-rpm records. Both discounts carry through Small Business Saturday (Nov. 24).
Third Man Records’ storefront (623 Seventh Ave. S.) will be open at 10 a.m. with a slew of in-house titles available for the first time. There’s a black vinyl release of The White Stripes’ Icky Thump and a trio of classic Chess Records singles from Chuck Berry, Howlin’ Wolf and Jackie Brenston and His Delta Cats (the latter being Ike Turner’s band, and the single being the seminal “Rocket 88”). There’s also a two-volume compilation of John Lee Hooker tracks called Early Recordings: Detroit and Beyond (each volume is spread across two LPs, on vinyl for the first time since 1973), as well an expanded edition of a 2008 comp titled A-Square (Of Course), which collects cuts from MC5, The Prime Movers and other Detroit garage bands that appeared on the homegrown A-Square label in the ’60s.
Across the river at East Nashville’s Fond Object (1313 McGavock Pike), owner Jem Cohen says he’s decided to participate only in the regular April edition of Record Store Day, but the store will hold sales on Friday: Look for 30 percent off everything in its substantial stock of new and used media, and 20 percent off clothing and furnishings. That includes everything that came back to the East Side when Fond Object’s downtown location closed in October. Meanwhile, Vinyl Tap (2038 Greenwood Ave.) will open at 10 a.m. with exclusives as well as a 15 percent discount on new and used merchandise, increased to 20 percent for items in the sale bin, and The Groove (1103 Calvin Ave.) will stock special titles starting at 10 a.m. as well. (Watch The Groove’s social media for discount offers.)
Rounding out the stores is Grimey’s, now settled into its new East Nashville home at 1060 E. Trinity Lane. Exclusive titles will be available at the shop beginning at 9 a.m. Friday, and they’ll also be carrying the tiny slate of releases coming out only on Saturday for Small Business Saturday. (Those are: a reissue of Tony Bennett’s 1949 debut single, “Fascinating Rhythm,” featuring a new duet on the song with Diana Krall on the flip; a Ben Folds single written for a project in conjunction with the Washington Post; an Ingrid Michaelson picture disc; and a collaboration between Micah Nelson, aka Particle Kid, and X’s John Doe, recording together as Kid Doe.)
Also, any time you visit Grimey’s between Nov. 20 and Dec. 19, be sure to bring a new unwrapped toy to put in the donation bin for Give a Little Nashville’s Give a Little Christmas initiative, benefiting kids ranging in age from infants to high-schoolers.
Notable Special Releases:
Kacey Musgraves, High Horse / Remixes. 10-inch single features two dance mixes of the disco-fied fan favorite from Musgraves’ sterling LP Golden Hour.
The Byrds, Sweetheart of the Rodeo (Legacy Edition). Just after the 50th anniversary of its first release, the expanded edition of this landmark country-rock album gets its first vinyl pressing. It’s notable in part for including tracks with Gram Parsons’ lead vocals, which were re-recorded by Roger McGuinn for the original release because of a contract dispute.
Matthew Sweet, Wicked System of Things. Sweet’s new album, inspired by touring with Cheap Trick and recorded in his home studio, gets an exclusive vinyl release.
Smashing Pumpkins, Shiny and Oh So Bright Vol. 1 / LP: No Past. No Future. No Sun. The new album from the current incarnation of the Pumpkins (Billy Corgan, Jimmy Chamberlin, James Iha and Jeff Schroeder) comes on a set of two picture discs.
Tav Falco, Cabaret of Daggers. The Memphis rock hero/performance artist’s new album, recorded partly in Rome and partly at Memphis’ Sam Phillips Recording Service, appears first as a vinyl-only release on RSD.
Royce da 5’9”, Death Is Certain. If the ups and downs of Eminem’s set at Bonnaroo started to wear on you, one of the bright spots might have been the appearance of Royce da 5’9”, his partner in the duo Bad Meets Evil. Here’s Royce’s second album, getting its first vinyl release since 2004.
Paul McCartney, “I Don’t Know” backed with “Come On to Me.” This 7-inch pairs up the introspective opener and a grooving, raunchy album cut from Sir Paul’s latest LP, Egypt Station.
Chris Cornell, “When Bad Does Good” backed with “Stargazer.” An unreleased single from the late Soundgarden frontman appears on the A side of this 7-inch, with a live recording from a Temple of the Dog concert on the flip.
Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook with Questlove and Robert Glasper, “Take Me I’m Yours.” Two members of Squeeze team up with two jazz/R&B/hip-hop champions for a reimagining of Squeeze's ominous 1978 New Wave single. The vocal version of the new rendition is on the A side of the 7-inch with an instrumental on the B side.
Hozier, Nina Cried Power. This 12-inch EP is the thoughtful and mellifluous Irish songwriter’s first release of new material since his 2014 debut album.
Lake Street Dive, Freak Yourself Out. A 10-inch disc features five tracks the quintet left on the cutting-room floor during sessions for their latest Nashville-recorded LP Free Yourself Up.
Herbie Hancock, Flood. This double LP marks the first U.S. release of Hancock’s 1975 live album. It was recorded in Tokyo with his supremely funky ensemble The Headhunters, playing material mostly from the standout Head Hunters album.
Phish, Slip, Stitch & Pass. Recorded on the Vermont-bred jam quartet’s 1997 tour, this album is a compact document of one of Phish fans’ favorite periods. Originally released on one CD, it’s presented here on two twin-color LPs.
Paul Williams, Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas. Depending on your age, you may know Williams better as the singer on Daft Punk’s poignant “Touch,” or as the superb songsmith who had several notable collaborations with Jim Henson. The cuts from this phenomenal 1977 holiday special run the gamut from the upbeat “Bar-B-Que” to the tender “When the River Meets the Sea” to the Alice Cooper-esque “Riverbottom Nightmare Band,” and this LP marks their first proper release.
