Every time we hop on the New York Subway, it seems, someone's blasting reggaeton or salsa so loudly we can make out the words halfway down the train car. So it's fitting that the much-missed Latin music emporium Record Mart is back, installed in a new storefront in the Times Square station under 42nd Street.
The shop closed down in 1999, when it carried a mix of salsa, Latin jazz, mambo and tango. After a lengthy station renovation, decidedly not Hispanic owner Jess Moskowitz had to catch up with the times. So while he still has plenty of big band-ish tracks, you can also dig through the crates for Mexican rancheras and tons of reggaeton.
The shop is right across from some Wachovia Bank ATMs, between the 1, 2, 3 trains and the N, R, Q, W lines. If you can't find it, just listen for the tunes--if you can hear them over the breakdancers that swarm the station on weekends.
We love shopping. And our London correspondent Annabel Ross does too...
When you think about markets in London, Portobello is probably the first that comes to mind, but it's not the only place to spend your pennies. Spitalfields Market, in the trendy East End, play host to an array of tantalising treats for your tastebuds and covetable clothes for your wardrobe, most far more affordable than their Notting Hill counterparts.
Sunday is the busiest day, with over 200 stalls, including an organic-only food market. Fridays are popular with fashionistas as the Young Designers' Market features wares from over 50 aspiring designers, while the first and third Wednesdays of the month are reserved for the Books and Records Market, choc-full of a fantastic selection of literature and music, both new and used.
Located just a short walk from Liverpool Street Station, the Spitalfields vicinity is home to a range of stylish second-hand and vintage clothing boutiques, as well as some newer additions including a Benefit makeup store and swanky-yet-affordable eatery Canteen, for those who prefer comfort food to fresh produce. Oh, and keep your eyes peeled for celebrity shoppers among the crowds--Kate Moss and Sienna Miller are big fans of the area, too!
In addition to bars, boutiques, and overall snootiness, hipsters also bring independent record stores to their 'hoods. And since Brooklyn still reigns supreme as the place to live for twentysomethings, the borough is teeming with shops slinging everything from classical music on vinyl to CDs by up-and-coming bands guaranteed to boost your indie cred.
Though Manhattan has its fair share of worthwhile shops, Brooklyn's less chaotic atmosphere makes for a much more pleasant shopping trip. So, hop on the L train and skip Circuit City for your music fix.
Were it not for Gridskipper's recent "Indianapolis for Beginners" guide, we might not have gotten the idea to wander over there this weekend. But wander we did, and we've brought back an addendum for that list. Newbies to the city will want to check out Missing Link Records, should they be in the market for some tunes.
If a respectable shop is only as good as its basement might suggest, Missing Link delivers. Below its main floor is a classically rank record store basement loaded with discount vinyl. Above, on the main floor, you'll find used and new vinyl and CDs--lots of punk, oldies, and metal. Missing Link also prides itself on its hip hop collection.
What the store won't tell you outright is that it actually has some freaky, magical voodoo powers. How else to explain the fact that we found a CD here for $.25? One we'd previously paid $7 for online. Please excuse us while we weep.
Jaunted reader Marinho, who is from Vancouver but currently in Tokyo for work, recently wrote in asking where to score great bootlegs and rare classic rock in Tokyo. An addendum to our original recommendations is below.
Well, Marinho, the best Tokyo record store is the one you can find. If you read Japanese, congratulations! You probably will be able to find all of them. If you don't read Japanese, getting around is a bit more bewildering, and that's why I'm such a big advocate of taking the Oedo line to Shinjuku-nishiguchi station and using the D5 exit. This plants you in a great, concentrated area of record stores, and finding them is relatively easy from there.
It was damn hot in the Virginia Beach area this Friday. While the roast-a-thon was short lived, it's never too early to start building your directory of local indoor activities (so long as they don't include the Tropicana Resort, that is). Music fans, sun haters, and FlyerTalk types alike should look no further than Relative Theory Records, a Norfolk store you could pretty much live in. Those who get the shakes when not actively engaged in some sort of loyalty program will be happy about the Relative Theory card: $10 gets you the opportunity to accrue store credit (5% of every purchase you make) AND demand a free small coffee every time you enter the shop.
Speaking of the coffee, this place doesn't just shill records, though that's its primary purpose. There's a cafe in the corner, and WiFi to boot, though the seating is extremely limited--most counter spots are set up with turntables and intended for customers previewing records. The vibe and impression one gets of the store's taste leans towards the McIndie, but the selection is pretty damn good. The vinyl and used CD sections are well stocked, and staff recommendations abound, as partly evidenced by the input scrawled on the above vinyl divider. Elsewhere, stickers on merchandise proclaim "Your new boner!" and "That guy from the Kinks!", etc. Indeed, the clerks are not yet jaded, and whoever's in charge is clearly still in their "Holy crap! I own a record store!" phase. Let's hope the feeling last, because this is actually a very, very fun place to hang out.
Relative Theory also holds shows at night, and shoppers are welcome to come in and browse as usual while bands are playing. Don't trust the opening hours on the Relative Theory website, though. The place is open from 10 a.m. - 9 p.m., Monday-Saturday, and 12 p.m. - 7 p.m. on Sundays.
Island of Sound is a website run by a former expat English teacher in Taiwan, aimed at documenting the island's rich independent music culture. Webmaster Marty Hodulick left Taiwan in 2005, but his website still stands, still gets the occasional guestbook message, and is certainly still relevant. It's a one-of-a-kind resource in English that covers the venues, festivals, bands and labels of a scene largely unknown outside of Asia. As Marty puts it, Island of Sound aims to deflect attention from "7-11 sellouts" and focus it on the underground.
While browsing through the site, make sure you read up on the history of Nipples, its bassist/singer KK, and her label, White Wabbit Records (and its spin-off store, White Wabbit Orange). KK's a personal girlcrush of ours, and she's done wonders in Taipei and beyond with her efforts. Other articles of note include TRA Music Corporation and Bad Daughter.
In Taiwan, where many parents of today's indie rock stars still consider it bizarre to chase a living playing guitar, rebellion is still real and "the scene" has yet to be completely co-opted. Show some respect and read about it.
Memphis and Elvis: they go together like bananas and peanut butter. In a city renowned for music tourism, you'd think it all revolves around Presley. But there's another side to Tennessee's second city.
Memphis has (or had; he moved to North Carolina) another king: Greg Cartwright. The local legend, Reigning Sound rocker and garage superproducer is an icon here. He's not the only player in Memphis's modern rock 'n' roll history, but his name is surely synonymous--at least to those in the know--with it. Basically, if you're looking for the "indie" rock, you'll be experiencing Greg's Memphis (as opposed to Elvis's).
There's certainly no escaping his recordings (with the Reigning Sound, Oblivians and Compulsive Gamblers, to name a few, plus those he's produced) at stores like Goner Records and Shangri-La Records.
The former, located in Cooper-Young, even put out a live album of Cartwright's, appropriately titled Live at Goner Records, that was recorded in the store. Goner's a gem that has been around for about three years. The selection is roughly half vinyl and half CD, with the requisite local music section up front (in fact, it's the first thing you'll see upon entering the store).
Shangri-La puts out its own Memphis rock compilations, and, of course, carries all the Cartwright records you'll ever need; there's also a healthy mix of vinyl and compact discs here. Come by on Fridays at 5 p.m. for the beginning of "happy hour" for discounts and live performances. The store is just blocks away from Memphis's legendary Ardent Studios, meaning the additional 3-minute pilgrimage is compulsory if you actually dig music.
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