:::Brooklyn Record Riot::6/28:::

You know what time it is. I think this is like the 4th installment of the Brooklyn Record Riot. It's a decent event, but if you've been keeping up with my exploits as of late (here and here), you'd know that I've totally changed my perspective on crate digging...so I probably won't be attending this time around. IMO, these types of events can take the fun out of the element of discovery. And the prices can vary greatly. I mean...really. But a few of my friends seem to be enamored with stuff like this, so I figured I'd blog about it for the rest of you folks out there too. They'll be serving plenty of keilbasa & beer for those who like to be drunk and full when buying records. This year, there will be 8 DJs spinning throughout the day. Not sure who they are, being that the website is pretty bare bones and there were no flyers this go round (save for some photocopied sheets thrown up at various spots in the East Village).



I personally favor the WFMU Record Fairs that usually hit the city in the Fall. At least during the last few hours before the end of the fair, many of the vendors throw the bulk of their unsold records into a big freebie pile in the corner for folks to ravage through. Granted, it usually consists of beat up copies of Thriller and Donna Summer's Bad Girls...but it's the thought that counts.

Anyway, for more info on the Brooklyn Record Riot go here.



The Brooklyn Record Riot
Sunday, June 28th
12-8PM
@ Warsaw
261 Driggs Ave.
Brooklyn, NY
Admission: $3.00
Early admission (10 am): $20

-55 tables of records & "stuff"
-PLUS...the return of the infamous "Dollar Room!"
-Beer & kielbasa
-8 DJs
www.recordriots.com

:.:Any News About This Spot?!:.:

Cerado para siempre? Should we prepare a eulogy?

::Cop that: Muhsinah Day.Break 2.0::

If you haven't bought this one yet, you're playing yourself. No...seriously. Muhsinah's the shit. All Georgia Anne Muldrow comparisons aside, she's dope as the most pure, uncut. I remember when I first heard "Discovery" a year ago. Wow. Those moments are rare. And when they happen, you just thank God for the gift of life. For inspiring someone to create a piece of art that speaks to your being and moves you. It was a quasi-transcendental experience, y'all. And I'm not just giving props because she's from my hometown. This Howard U alumna is actually worth her weight in gold.

I've heard a few critics attempt to genre brand her style as "experimental soul." Hmmm...not sure how I feel about that, but all it takes is one person to get the ball rolling and the next thing you know it's part of pop culture vernacular. Hell...Jerry Wexler, in his journalism days, transformed "race records" into "rhythm & blues" with a single article. Anyway, some folks may find her stuff to be an acquired taste. Those who have been weaned on a steady diet of Keyshia Cole and R. Kelly may find Muhsinah a bit...odd. But that don't mean you might not find something that appeals to you over this way. Open your mind and jump on in.



It's unconventional, yet familiar at the same time. The beats, which she also produces herself with the help of her trusty MPC, are otherworldly and her vocals and sense of harmonics are very visceral. Note: those that copped the iTunes version that came out in December will be surprised that this 2.0 version has been tweaked a little. There's the original version of "Construction" in lieu of the remix "Reconstruct," and the added cuts "Psycholan" (which uses a convoluted sample of Bobbi Humphrey's "Just A Love Child") and "Yiy." If you're in NYC, Fat Beats got some copies.

Here, lemme upgrade ya to version 2.0:
http://www.muhsinah.com/

Academy Records (Williamsburg Annex)

Stars: ****

I think this is what most hip folks wish record stores were like: sequestered off the beaten path in a trendy part of town, staffed with knowledgeable, approachable sales clerks, stocked with a vast selection of affordable vinyl, and working listening stations.



This Williamsburg annex of Academy Records has more vinyl than the W. 18th Street and E. 10th Street locations in Manhattan. Also a plus is the down to earth sales guys behind the counter. They generally have a good idea of their stock without even looking.



This is a true vinyl hunter's spot, with 95% of the sales floor devoted to records and only two small racks on the wall near the front with CDs.



Price wise, they're pretty moderate. You can cop most records there between $5 and $25, depending on the pressing, grade, and obscurity of course. And they're by no means stupid resellers. Believe me. There was an original pressing of the Malone & Barnes record going for $130 nestled right behind the counter. But what gave them extra points in my book was the long stretches of dollar bins on the floor.



Although 40% of it was probably stuff like "The Great Finnish Yodellers sing The Beatles," the number of bins gives more of a possiblility of finding some useable stuff. In addition to the dollar bins, the illsburg annex managed to catch me off guard with an authentic promo banner from Funkadelic's 1978 monster hit album, 'One Nation Under A Groove.'



After a few failed attempts to strike a deal with the clerk to buy it, he informed me that he'd seen a few on Ebay over the past few years for cheap. And not a hint of snobbery in his response either. So that concluded my shopping experience. I must say that it's probably the most enjoyable record shopping experience I've had in the city to date.