I’ve been on a fairly strict budget for most of the summer. This means I am only allowed to buy records when I am feeling manic to swipe my card without checking my bank account first. Sure, I may have overdrawn my account a few times, but that is the price you must pay if you want people to come over to your apartment and say something like “you collect records?” to which you will confidently reply, “yeah.” Nothing beats that feeling, so I have still purchased a handful of records that I couldn’t afford and received several others as gifts. Let’s get into what I’ve added to my record collection.
Cheekface – “It’s Sorted” & “UNpopular 2”
I picked up both of these at a Cheekface show here in Portland back in June. The band self-released both of these albums so they had the added bonus of me being able to pat myself on the back for supporting independent music even more directly than normal. Cheekface is a silly little indie rock group that makes some of the easiest-going music in the indie scene right now. If you are into nerd-rock bands like Weezer, Nerf Herder, the Modern Lovers, etc. this will be right up your alley. Their songs are extremely modern and funny, with songs about Cup-of-noodle and how this little world we live is just a big ol dumpster fire.
UNpopular 2 was a tour-exclusive compilation that consisted of a selection of B-sides and other unreleased songs from the band, living up to the remarkably consistent output of the band’s last few years.
Roy Orbison – The Original Sound
Roy Orbison compilations seem to flood every record store on earth, and for good reason. Orbison’s vocals are timeless and so unoffensive. This is one of those half-listening albums I can throw on while I do stuff around the house but can still hold up to a more dedicated listen. And it was like $5 so how could I say no?
The Long Ryders – 10-5-60
The Long Ryders are a band that only recently came to my radar when I was exploring some of the bands that made up the Paisley Underground scene. To me, a lot of their music sounds somewhere along the lines of Creedence Clearwater Revival, but with a more punk or rockabilly edge reminiscent of the Stray Cats. The music is fun and energetic in an old timey sort of way. Nabbed this guy and the Roy Orbison album above from the shiny new Mint Gallery Records
La Luz – It’s Alive
A pick-up I was super happy to find while I was checking out 2nd Avenue Records new location in Downtown Portland. La Luz’s most recent release is what put me on to them, but I find myself being more drawn to their older releases as I explore their discography. An all-female group, La Luz is not shy about showing off their surf-rock influences. Amazing guitar riffs accompany vocals that are often soft and gentle.
White Stripes – White Blood Cells
Despite being a fairly big White Stripes fan, this is my first full-length LP of theirs I own on vinyl. I did manage to get their fantastic Jolene cover that was released as a single from The Record Pub, but a proper album was long overdue for my collection. Plainly, this still fucking rules 20 years later. This is far from an “underrated” album, but it can be easy to forget just how good it is if you haven’t given it a proper listen in a long time, or have never given it one to begin with. Yes, there are some fantastic singles on this album, like “Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground” and the indie-folk banger that is “We Are Going to Be Friends,” but there is truly not a bad track on here. Purchased during the anniversary sale at Dig Vinyl.
Patsy Cline – Showcase
I am still in my Yeehaw era, so to speak. Not that I was totally ignorant of country music until recently, but it’s a genre that takes a lot of patience and digging to find the really good stuff. I truly can’t think of a genre that requires so much digging to get away from the overproduced shit that gives the genre such a bad name. If you are a fan of old school country music and haven’t listened to much Patsy Cline, this is a great place to start.
Alvvays – Antisocialtes
Alvvays quickly became one of my very favorite artists in the last few years. The absolutely phenomenal Blue Rev was my first introduction to the band, and while I still think it’s their Magnum Opus, Antisocialites is a indie-rock powerhouse. Catchy tune after catchy tune with some beautiful vocal performances and fantastic songwriting. Peak indie.