This weekend’s post answers the eternal question: Where do you find out about new music? I get emails (from conact Tim at my official site) from readers all the time asking if I am part of a record pool or do I spend a small fortune on CD’s at Amoeba records in Hollywood.
The answer? I’m dependent on the kindness of strangers and excellent indie record shops.
One of my favorite sources of urgent-new-emerging-indie music is a record store in Dallas TX named Good Records. Founded by Tripping Daisy/Polyphonic Spree lead singer Tim Delaughter and my broadcast.com littermate Eric Courson; the offered good new music and nothing else. They don’t carry major label music, except if it is Good (indie, current, related to the scene). They played bands in store and got them gigs when they toured through Dallas. They broke local bands, they hosted in store events. I saw Grandaddy in their store in 2002, quite a sight. In short, they built community around a point of view.
Five years ago Eric turned me on to the debut EP by Sigur Ros and I was floored by its darkness and otherworldly rock vibe. The next year I was told to buy Another Perfect Spring by a rock/lounge, fun pre LCD Soundsystem band named Mellow. They are like Air meets Tim Curry.
I walked in one day two years ago and I’m handed Funeral by Arcade Fire. It was the record of 2005 for me.
They have editorial taste. If you visit their site and peruse their Top 20 weekly list, you will abolutely find gems. Just sample their recommendations on Amazon (streaming samples) or ITUNES and you can make a pretty quick decision on a few finds every month. Be loyal and buy from them, their prices are fair and they are doing all of us great service.
Their in-store merchandising showcases independent and new music. The charts and recommendations you see online are the result of retail sales — so it is a single store list. Their staff acts as resident DJs and hand sells alot of their biggest sellers, so their point of view is what you get when you shop there. There aren’t many pure plays like this left. If you live in a city and know about a new-music driving local store, post it in comments.
Recommendation: Go to Good Records and sample any five bands from their Top 20 List or Staff picks. Tell us in comments what you found.
Thanks for all the views last week for the Silversun Pickups. They are my favorite new rock band of 2006. If you missed the video, click here to see it on YouTube.
