Record Store Day 2012: 20 essential purchases

Record Store Day 2012

This Saturday, 21 April is international Record Store Day. For the uninitiated, Record Store Day is an annual event devised in 2007 to celebrate independent record shops and provide a shot-in-the-arm for the non-digital music buying industry.

In 2012 the day connects over 700 record shops worldwide, to stock a selection of special and limited-edition releases from a wide-range of artists, as well as play host to events, instore gigs and meet-and-greets.

Here MusicRadar’s Si Truss and Matthew Parker pick the 20 essential releases they’ll be queuing up for come Saturday morning.

To find participating stores and check out the full list of releases and events, visit the Record Store Day site.

Next: Record Store Day: 20 essential purchases

David Bowie - Starman

There are several reasons why we think this will do well. Firstly, it’s a picture disc featuring David Bowie in full Ziggy Stardust regalia and looking every inch the alien rock god.

Secondly, it’s got an unreleased recording of his 1972 Top Of The Pops performance, the tapes of which were only recently rediscovered. MP

Battles - Dross Glop 4

The fourth release in experimental rock trio Battles’ 12-inch remix series, Dross Glop, sees the band remixed by Scottish synth maestro Hudson Mohawke, New York art-rock collective Gang Gang Dance and DFA Records’ Patrick Mahoney & Dennis McNany. ST

Vaccines/R. Stevie Moore - Why Should I Love You/Post Break-Up Sex

The ultra-prolific cult American songwriter get’s covered by The Vaccines and then returns the favour with a version of their tune Post Break-Up Sex. It’s the kind of one-off meeting of minds that Record Store Day embodies. Limited to just 500 copies. MP

Zomby - Where were U In 92?

Where Were U In 92?, the retro-infused, jungle reimagining debut from anonymous producer Zomby is arguably one of the best conceived electronic albums of the past decade.

For Record Store Day this year it gets a long-overdue first vinyl pressing. An essential purchase for dance music fans. ST

BBC Radiophonic Workshop - Dr Who Sound Effects/Out Of This World

These LPs collect some of the ‘60s sound effect work of the electronic revolutionaries at the BBC Radiophonic Workshop.

Not only do these reissues stand as a historical document to early days of synthesis - featuring the work of icons like Delia Derbyshire, John Baker, Brian Hodgson and Paddy Kingsland - but they are a dream for anyone who works with samples. ST

Dead Boys - Sonic Reducer

The Cleveland band’s much-loved debut single (as covered by Guns N’ Roses, Pearl Jam etc.) and the opening track of their first album, Young, Loud And Snotty, helped establish the group as a seminal first-wave punk rock band - now it’s back in a run of just 800. MP

The Electronic Anthology Project Of Dinosaur Jr

Built To Spill bassist Brett Netson revives his Electronic Anthology Project, the moniker under which he reimagines grunge-fuelled ‘90s indie rock songs as slow-burning analogue synth pop that sits somewhere between The Human League and John Carpenter.

Here he turns his oscillators towards the back-catalogue of Dinosaur Jr, with J Mascis stepping in to rerecord his original vocal parts. ST

Bloc Party - She's Hearing Voices

The band’s first ever single, and one of indie label Transgressive’s first ever releases, reissued on red vinyl and backed with The Marshals Are Dead and unreleased early live favourite The Answer.

Limited to just 500 copies, we predict this will be one of Record Store Day 2012’s most sought after items. MP

Drokk - Music Inspired By Mega City One

Portishead mainman Geoff Barrow teams up with BBC composer Ben Salisbury to produce an imaginary soundtrack album inspired by the universe of 2000 AD comic character Judge Dredd.

The resulting album, which was produced almost entirely with an Oberheim TVS-1, sounds like a lost John Carpenter soundtrack form the mid-‘80s. ST

J Dilla - Think Twice

Since his death in 2006 - aged just 32 - Detroit-born producer James Yancey, aka J Dilla/Jay Dee, has become one of the most iconic figures in 21st century hiphop.

This track, a cut from his solo debut Welcome 2 Detroit, is one of his best, and clear evidence of why his jazz-infused production style is so lauded and influential. This release is limited to 225 copies. ST

Sex Pistols - Anarchy In The UK

Another jubilee party, another round of Sex Pistols reissues. Nowadays they’re probably a bit too old and buttery to do the establishment much harm, but it’s fun to reminisce while we wait for Plan B to get his shit together and stick it to the man. MP

Metallica - Beyond Magnetic

OK, having been released in both digital and CD-format, the tracks included here aren’t exactly hard to find now, but it does come on silver vinyl and include a Metallica sticker, so if you’re a sucker for shiny things, or a Tallywhacker completist, then this is for you. MP

Otis Redding/Aretha Franklin - Respect

Two utterly classic versions of Respect - from Aretha Franklin and Otis Redding - on one gold-coloured 7-inch. As if we need to explain why you should want this? Limited to 800 copies. ST

Mastodon/Feist - A Commotion/Black Tongue

Following the establishment of an unlikely friendship during their appearance on Later… With Jools Holland in October of last year, fey indie queen Feist and beefy Atlanta prog-country-metal-riff-lords Mastodon are releasing a split 7-inch. Each act is covering a song penned by the other. MP

Refused - The Shape Of Punk To Come

This 2LP pressing of Refused's '98 progressive-punk rock classic doesn't appear to differ much from the version that was reissued back in 2010, other than that it's pressed on to clear vinyl this time.

Either way, it's an utterly classic rock album and an essential purchase for any punk fan that didn't pick up a copy last time around. ST

Machinedrum - Room(s) Extended

One of last year’s best dance records, from New York’s Machinedrum, gets a deluxe RSD reissue.

Here, the original album - which seamlessly blends influences from house, garage, footwork and jungle - is complemented by remixes from labelmates like FaltyDL, Traxman and Chrissy Murderbot, plus a host of bonus tracks. ST

The Future Sound Of London - Papua New Guinea/Murmurations

The duo's early-'90s rave classic gets a 10-inch reissue, and still sounds as fresh as the day it was released.

The flipside provides a taste of the pair's forthcoming Environments 4 album. Limited to 500 copies. ST

The White Stripes - Handsprings/Red Death At 6.14

Both of these lesser-spotted tracks from the band’s De Stijl era have been previously available on other complilations, so your enjoyment/procurement of this 7-inch will probably depend entirely on whether or not you like red and white swirly vinyl. We do very much and will be disappointed if it doesn’t taste like strawberries. MP

The Supremes - Baby Love

The Motown classic is reissued on a heart-shaped 7-inch. The B-side is an alternate take of Stop In The Name Of Love. There’s basically a lot of love in the room, which is fine by us, because we’re all kings of seduction here on ’Radar. MP

Flaming Lips - The Flaming Lips And Heady Fwends

Wayne Coyne and co. team up with a weird and wonderful assortment of big names (including Ke$ha, Bon Iver, Edward Sharpe And The Magnetic Zeros, Biz Markie, Nick Cave, Tame Impala, Yoko Ono, Chris Martin and Neon Indian) for this Record Store Day exclusive album.

What’s more The Flaming Lips and their guest stars are rumoured to have contributed vials of blood to be mixed in the with the vinyl pressing. MP