Hawaii is gorgeous at dawn, with turquoise waters giving off flecks of sunlight as cotton candy clouds roll by. When the view is accompanied by a child with a 103 degree fever it requires plans that won’t have you outside all day. With decades of training behind me I can often sniff out a quality record store from miles away. I had noticed the hand-painted sign for Hungry Ear Records in downtown Kailua as we passed by on our travels numerous times. That it butted against Coconut Grove Music and it’s collection of beat up telecasters in the window was taken as a very good omen.
As I have been able to acquire most of my “must have” list of music via gemm and ebay, I have been pondering the usefulness of digging through piles of CDs and records. I find it therapeutic in nature but some of the thrill of the hunt has been lost and economically it is hard to beat being able to pluck tracks from itunes or emusic. An hour in Hungry Ear re-instilled my confidence in the viability of working your way through a quality record store on all counts.
I managed to round up 25 discs for $40 before even venturing into the main bins (where I paid full price for an original pressing of Culture’s “Two Sevens Clash” - but I lost my previous copy years ago and I have been listening to reggae for a week so what can you do? It’s like finding yourself at Joe’s Crab Shack after watching The Deadliest Catch all day.)
With that in mind, here is a top ten listing of tracks that I gathered that are unavailable on itunes or e-music. Enjoy (and visit your local record store pronto!)
Paris Angels - All On You (Perfume)
I bought this on cassette when I was in France in 92 and have longed for a proper digital version ever since. It is a classic melding of The Field Mice with Joy Division and was all the brilliance the band really ever had in them. We should all be so lucky to leave such a mark behind. This was on the “Best of Indie Top 20” disc with heavyweights like Pixies, Sugarcubes, Happy Mondays, New Order as well as a few others that peaked only once like Flowered Up. A dollar well spent.
The Smiths – Work Is A Four-Letter Word (sub in How Soon Is Now?)
Okay – you can actually find this rare Smiths track on itunes but I thought it was a big coup. Little did I know that you can’t buy the classic How Soon Is Now? in either spot! (Which I already had but came along for the ride on two discs I bought!)
Rainy Day – I’ll Keep It With Mine
Super rare Dylan cover with Opal backing Susanna Hoffs on the Rough Trade “a constant source of interruption” compilation that features so many goodies I easily lose count. Aztec Camera, The Woodentops, Prefab Sprout, Arthur Russell, Shellyan Orphan, Jonathan Richmond and the Modern Lovers and so many more closing with Robert Wyatt’s haunting take on the Costello classic “Shipbuilding.”
The Noise Club – Obsessed
This is off the “Bright Lights, Big City” soundtrack, which has Prince, New Order, Bryan Ferry, Konk, Depeche Mode, Donald Fagen and M/A/R/R/S classic “Pump Up The Volume” and only cost a sweet, sweet buck. You also get this cheestastic slice of 80s synthfunk.
Straitjacket Fits – Brittle
Off the “No Alternative” comp to benefit the Red Hot Organization which also has every alternaname from 1993 on it (and is best bought at the time for the hidden Nirvana track “Verse Chorus Verse” as well as contributions from American Music Club, Uncle Tupelo and Pavement.) I have always had a soft spot for this quirky guitar band.
The Pale Fountains – the entire “…from across the kitchen table” album
This Ian Broudie produced poptastic disc from 1985 shows the band at their finest, reaching for the chart love that will never come. The group sort of re-emerged for two shows recently.
Sharkboy – Razor
I already own this but it is such a magnificent song that it begs to be listed. This came along with an “Indie Top 20” disc that included Blur, Radiohead (Creep!), Bjork, Saint Etienne, The Boo Radleys and great tracks from 1-20 comprising top songs from the early 90s. This slow building slashing joy still sounds amazing.
The Associates – Take Me To The Girl
Not my favorite track from the eclectic 80’s popsters (finally closed out with dramatic singer Billy Mackenzie’s suicide in 97) but the two bucks laid down for “Retro Night” brought out everything from Frankie Goes To Hollywood to Naked Eyes to Madness, Devo and finally a chance to own Peter Schilling’s “Major Tom.”
The Beat – Don’t Wait Up For Me
The U.S. group led by Paul Collins, were power pop masters (and the reason the UK ska band had to become The English Beat.) Classic tracks from The dbs, Bangles, Wire Train, Translator, Romeo Void, The Waitresses and The Knack round out this $2 “Punky But Chic… The American New Wave” collection.
The A’s – A Woman’s Got The Power
Philly’s power pop contribution were one of those bands who everyone that heard them couldn’t understand why they weren’t big stars. Hard to argue when you listen back. This track is on volume 6 of Rhino’s “New Wave Hits of the 80s” which ranges from megahits from Men at Work and Culture Club to novelty hits from Jim Carroll, Josie Cotton and Captain Sensible.
Shameless plug–there’s quite a bit of The Pale Fountains this week over at … vinyldistrict.blogspot.com .
July 25, 2008 at 4:40 pmUgh, Kailua. I used to date a girl that lived up there, terrible experience (of course, I was living down in Ko Olina at the time, so it was a hike to pick her up for dates). I’m impressed that you managed to find a good record store in Hawaii though, I always have a pain finding any good music out here. Thank God for iTunes.
July 25, 2008 at 10:42 pmNice nabs, John. Anyone who sees a Pale Fountains record at a reasonable price: buy it. You will not be disappointed. That goes for Shack and Michael Head, too.
July 26, 2008 at 5:39 pm
Do you wanna rip me a copy of “From Across the Kitchen Table”?????
July 25, 2008 at 1:15 pm