Why I Love Going To Record Stores

 

Yes this is why I love the act of going into a record store and digging through bins to find gems. The hunt is just so much fun! I was recently in the excellent Princeton Record Exchange  in, you guessed it Princeton New Jersey. There's a reason this place is consistently put on lists of best record stores in the country. It has a huge selection, nothing but high grade records(you won't find anything less than VG), a great staff, and a generally fun atmosphere. I used to go all the time when I lived in Ewing, but now that I'm on the other side of New Jersey I don't get there too often unfortunately. Anyway, I picked up some really cool records and I'm never disappointed when I leave.

 

First up is Assassin's debut album "The Upcoming Terror". A classic of 80's German thrash, and very underrated in that scene. I love Kreator, Sodom, Destruction, and Mekong Delta as much as the next guy; but this band(and specifically this album) are fucking face ripping! This really sounds like the soundtrack to a war, actually given the cover and the imagery associated I imagine and 80's sci-fi movie. Listen to this and tell me it wouldn't be perfect for that scene in "The Terminator" when Reese tells Sarah Connor about the future, and the machines are rampaging all over humanity.

 

Anyway, this pressing is the 2011 remaster on 180 gram vinyl and bonus live tracks as side 4. I usually stay away from remastered records because they sound like shit. "Remastering" is often just code for compression and brickwalling, but this sounds awesome. It's on really cool looking orange wax, with the cover recreated on the label. A great release for sure. 

Up next is another face shreddingly awesome metal album, but not from the 80's German thrash scene.

 

Instead it's local New Jersey prog/power metal favorites, Symphony X and their 2011 album "Iconoclast". Incredible album for those into this style; shredding guitars, really powerful vocals, keyboards, and an overall high level of compositional skill. The wax is grey, which fits with the rest of the imagery. I love the art that Symphony X has on all of their releases, it really draws you into the concept of the album. There's even picture sleeves with even more art!

 

I picked up a used record as well, also from the metal section. Some might debate this one as not being quite metal, but I think it's close enough. 

 

Yep, it's Ratt's classic 1984 album "Out Of The Cellar". Spandex, Aquanet, makeup, some random hot chick, everything you'd expect from this time period and genre. But this also has really well written songs that are more than just radio pop songs. The guitar work is the highlight obviously, but Stephen Pearcy voice is not be overlooked either. Definitely one of the best of the genre. The record is actually a promo copy as you can see, which is cool I guess. The condition is almost perfect aside from two price stickers, but honestly when I pay 3 bucks for a record I don't care about things like that. 

And now for something completely different...

 

Kings Of Leon's 2010 album "Come Around Sundown". I'm sure anyone reading this has heard this band, they were all over the radio with their last album. Not much to say that hasn't been said already, just good old school style southern rock. Like a more laid back version of the first two ZZ Top albums or something, I really like it. I really like the gatefold cover with beautiful picture sleeves as well. 

Good finds, great store, lots of awesome music to keep me occupied for a few days.