Record Store Day

Rather than participating in the other annual "holiday"on April 20th, we headed out into the Twin Cities to celebrate Record Store Day.

Nicole's cousin, Alyse, and Alyse's roommate, Morgan, were kind enough to accompany us on this adventure.  Of course, we needed Alyse because of her wheels.  Moments before picking us up from campus, Alyse had bought a delicious slice of broccoli, mushroom and green pepper pizza and a cup of root beer.  We shared this snack as we rolled off, windows down, music up, fully appreciating the sunny day. (For those who don't know, Minnesota is still covered in a white blanket.)

Our main target was the awesome and historic record store near the heart of downtown Minneapolis, The Electric Fetus.  For Morgan and Lizzie, it was their first time ever visiting, but Alyse had been taking Nicole for a while now.  No one had seen it this crowded, though.  A band, later identified as The Black Angels from Austin, TX, were playing just as we arrived.  By the time we left, the crowd had thinned and we could leisurely sift through the extensive collection.

Having little previous exposure to a music haven such as this, Lizzie was eager to search for some great finds.  She, however, does not own a record player and was less inclined to purchase those.  She understands how lame this is, but fear not, this doesn't mean she's any less of a music junkie.  After politely squeezing past the cooler-than-thou hipsters, the older rock-loving men and the oblivious younger children, Lizzie discovered the D section under Pop.  (Note: On the numerous trips to the library for free CDs, Lizzie and Nicole's gravitation towards 'Pop', which encompasses indie/alternative, is inevitable.)  Just a casual glance and she may have missed the Devendra Banhart section.  How could she, though, when the minimalistic, off-pink album cover of Mala (see left) was staring her straight in the face, or more accurately, her heart.  The price sticker was peeled away on the one copy that remained, so Lizzie asked a Fetus employee what the actual price was. Along the way back to another section, the employee informed her he'll be playing at Mill City Nights in June much to her shock, but then immediate delight.  Also delightful, the album was on sale and was purchased without hesitation.  At the checkout counter, the cashier nonchalantly commented, "That's my boyfriend," to which Lizzie replied absolutely nothing.  She didn't want to have to say, "Well, he's MY boyfriend."

Nicole likes to take her time in record stores, but she can be focused and efficient when the occasion calls for it.  On this journey, time was limited, so Nicole sped through aisles and aisles of used and new CDs, records, and DVDs.  Even when she's in focus mode, however, Nicole is not an impulsive buyer; she approached the register with one very satisfying find.  It was The Alcatraz Kid, an early recording from Jeremy Messersmith, Minneapolis' own sweetly '60s-inspired singer-songwriter.  Messersmith's first album with nationally-renowned indie label Glassnote will be released later this year, and before that happens, Nicole will complete her familiarity with his catalogue by enjoying some quality time with this CD.

Alyse had a triumphant visit too.  She is a tremendous fan of Cloud Cult, and had been waiting to listen to their latest LP, Love, until she could get her hands on a physical copy (Mark Wheat comments: "Simple word, deepest concept.")  With tickets to their First Avenue show in exactly one week, now seemed like the perfect moment.  She also picked out two exciting vintage records: Count Basie playing Duke Ellington, and a CBS 1969 retrospective full of historic soundbites from that eventful year.

After an invigorating hour and a half, the four headed back to drop Lizzie off; Nicole decided to keep venturing, while Lizzie wanted to attend Macalester's Springfest 2013 (more about that at a later date).  Banhart's melodic musicianship filled the car, enjoyed by all, signifying a successful purchase and over-all adventure.  Lizzie managed to capture this one last photo of Nicole surveying her aforementioned find as we crossed the Mississippi.

Give us all your FLAK,
Lizzie & Nicole