Every year around this time, people all across this great country look to a groundhog named Pepi to pop out of his hidey hole and declare the date of the popular spring holiday Record Store Day. This year, Pepi was hungover after a night of binge-drinking and acorn-smoking, so the people who run Record Store Day went ahead and announced that April 18 will be the day to give praise to the surviving record stores and to remember those who have disappeared throughout the years. In turn, Thrill Jockey declared its support for the Day and the date by announcing that it will commemorate Record Store Day by releasing a five-track collection featuring Tortoise, Trans Am (with Tim Soete), Double Dagger, Mountains, and White Hills entitled Records Toreism.
The Tortoise track is new and will be included on the band’s forthcoming full-length in June. The Mountains, Double Dagger, and Trans Am/Tim Soete collaboration tracks are unreleased. The White Hills song is rare but was previously released on a limited tour CD-R on Abstractions & Mutations in 2007, making it the black sheep, previously-released song on the EP. If the songs were not enough to wet your willie, Records Toreism is a good looking item as well. The limited-to-900-copies LP comes in a hand-printed sleeve with front and back covers adorned by a Posttypography illustration and a Crosshair photo silk screen depicting two different record store concepts.
The record comes with two inserts. The first is a zine called “WhatsinstORe” that has scriblings by such Ira Robbins (Trouser Press), Stephen Pastel (Pastels, Monorail), Ian MacKaye (Dischord, Evens, Fugazi, Minor Threat), Magas (Reckless Records, Magas), Julie Cafritz (Pussy Galore), Rick Wojeck (Dusty Groove), Nigel (Rough Trade Records London), Danny Beard (DB Records, Wax N Facts), Ron (Jazz Record Mart), Andee Connors (A Minor Forest, Aquarius Records) Josh Madell (Other Music), Bill Ryan (Pier Platters), and Bundy Brown (Tortoise, Pullman, Directions, Dusty Groove).
The second piece o’ paraphernalia is less detailed. As the helpful presser claims, “The second insert, NAY! I say the first MANIFESTO, was written by an elusive crank known to dine with those that lay claim to Futurism. Feel the power! Join the movement - RECORDSTORISM!!” Whatever the hell this means is anyone’s guess, but if you pick up a copy of the record, I’m sure it will be as much a feast for your eyes as the music on the record will be for your ears.
Records Toreism is by no means the only special release happening for the love of Record Store Day, but we’re partial to Thrill Jockey’s spicy varieties, so we tend to make an example of their fine work. Matador (7-inch split singles featuring Sonic Youth, Beck, Jay Reatard; Live in Germany album by Pavement), ANTI- (7-inch singles by Tom Waits, Booker T Jones), Rhino (7-inch singles by Stooges, Smiths, MC5, New Order, Jane’s Addiction), Transgressive (10-inch etched single by Graham Coxon), Domino (roster compilation), Touch & Go (9 x 7-inch single box-set by Jesus Lizard), Secretly Canadian/PIAS (7-inch single by Magnolia Electric Company), Nonesuch (limited pre-release of forthcoming Wilco DVD), Holy Mountain/Forte (pre-release of new LP/CD with exclusive mix CD by Wooden Shjips), and Numero Group/Forte (vinyl compilation) will also release special platters in celebration of the big day. There will be a lot more announcements concerning Record Store Day events and developments before April 18, so check back often with TMT: “The Home of Record Store Day"*
Jockeying for a record store thrill:
Side A:
1. Mountains - "Windows"
2. Tortoise - "High Class Slim Came Floatin’ In"
Side B:
1. Double Dagger - "Stagger Lee"
2. White Hills - "Eye to Eye"
3. Trans Am featuring Tim Soete - "Wounded Monkey"
* I just received this memo from the organizers: "Record Store Day does not condone the use of "The Home of Record Store Day” for use by Tiny Mix Tapes and wishes it refrained from making unwarranted associations between itself and Record Store Day. Record Store Day is just not that into you, Tiny Mix Tapes." Just for that, we're all gonna buy laserdiscs off eBay on April 18.
