We are so thankful, appreciative, and grateful for all the years of support and love from our friends and family!  Thank you!  XOXO!

We had a blast!

Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)

“When I was young coach called me the tiger/ I always had knack with danger… Italian shoes like these rubes know the difference/ Suitcase of cash in the back of my stick shift/ I had to be the best of the bourgeoisie/ Now my kingdom for a cup of coffee… Oh, America, can I owe you one?”

-St. Vincent, “Year of the Tiger” from Strange Mercy (2011)

I used to dread writing anything resembling what I know to be album reviews.  Strangely enough, I actually enjoy reading them (or at the very least, I generally don’t dislike reading reviews) but writing them myself has always felt like a very arduous task as I usually feel woefully underqualified to make any sort of musical assessment on what is usually something very personal for an artist.  Even when talking music with friends, I qualify any recommendations or criticisms as my own personal opinion and attempt to undercut my “authority” (if, in fact, I have any) at every turn.  When it comes to critically evaluating music in the review format, I feel- to put it plainly- stupid. 

When Michael and I discussed some of the aspects of WILMATIC, he suggested we write album reviews as well.  (Unbeknownst to him, my agreement was tentative and apprehensive because of my aforementioned reservations.  His idea, however, was a no-brainer.)  In anticipation of this day, which saw the release of some fantastic and eagerly-awaited albums, ideas slowly started form on how to approach my quandary.

1. Talk about the anticipation of listening to a new album from an artist you love

My original plan was to write about the new St. Vincent album, Strange Mercy, before listening to it.  The idea was to discuss the excitement and eagerness to hear new work from a beloved artist, along with a fear of disappointment that makes listening to music so exhilarating at times.  Well, that plan was a “go” until I heard some  obviously familiar tunes floating through the air at work in the offices and studio yesterday.  I made sure to let Jessie know how jealous I was that she and Sam were going to be graced by her majesty Annie Clark live in concert soon, and eventually sat down at my desk to get some work done.  No one could tell, but what I heard coming out of those speakers shook me.  At one point I made mistake after mistake while trying to finish up what I was doing.  Was I upset that the boss lady had ruined my idea?  Not in the least, because now I couldn’t wait to get home and listen to my vinyl copy on the home stereo.

2.  Do a preliminary overview of my feelings about the album and discuss how they’ll probably change over the next year

I love Strange Mercy.  A lot.  And I’ve only listened to it twice.  And that scares me.  One day, my friend Eric (yes, Gravity/PosterHoundFamilyWorkshop Eric) and I were talking about “growers,” as well as their quasi-antithesis- the albums you love immediately, play them constantly for a few weeks, and then don’t listen to them again for at least a year.  Maybe.  It could be that you just burn yourself out on those records; perhaps they are just “less,” somehow, than originally imagined.  Whatever the case, albums like this shine brightly and fade quickly.  I really hope this isn’t the case with Strange Mercy.  I wasn’t quite sure how much I would like the album when I saw the promos and the video for the lead single, “Cruel,” which isn’t to say I wasn’t intrigued or excited.  It just wasn’t enough to go on, obviously.

What will I think about this album next year?  Will I still be as excited?  It took almost two years to appreciate and love Actor (I first saw Clark performing on Austin City Limits and was immediately struck by the dissonant and disjointed nature of her music), though that has more to do with how I listen to albums (poorly for at least the first year) than the album itself; now I can’t it out of my head.  Admittedly, I still haven’t given Marry Me a fair shot- the initial listen struck me as boring, and I have yet to go back to it in earnest.  Now is as good a time as any, I suppose.

It’s not very often that I sit down, relax, and listen to music- as is the case with a lot of people these days- but I was determined to do so with Strange Mercy.  I had built it up so much in my mind and waited so patiently to listen to it that I felt it deserved a bit of a production.  And so emerges the purpose of this “review,” which is also intertwined with one of the central purposes of WILMATIC- to celebrate and extol the virtues and values of our independent record stores, such as Gravity, and the act of listening (and, of course, enjoying) to our favorite music.

As someone who not only professes to be a music aficionado, but has also worked in record stores for 10+ years, the act and ritual of listening to music is sometimes as important as what I’m actually playing.  Sitting down in my classic wooden office chair in the Pink Room (our family’s name for where my records and stereo system are set up; and yes, the walls are in fact pink); a single, low-wattage lamp to temper the atmosphere; closed doors; no cell phone to siphon my attention; I even take off my glasses to dull my sight, with hopes of even the slightest of bumps in my listening acumen.  Not to be too graphic, but finally putting the needle to wax was quite the release- hearing those initial crackles, hisses, and pops, followed by the most exhilarating musical journey on which I’ve embarked in a while.  Actor may have been the attempt of the disgruntled privileged to grin and bear whatever problems arise even in their relatively comfortable lives, an album seemingly delivered with discreet smirks, winks, and nods; Strange Mercy has abandoned those hopes, and the resolve to “push through” has been eroded.  Not only has the personal apocalypse for the privileged been foretold, it is being awaited and helplessly welcomed.

I faithfully follow along with the lyrics on the inner-sleeves of the gatefold, vinyl packaging (unfortunately not a common practice for me), anxiously wondering how Annie Clark is going to make each syllable fit together.  I can’t say I’m familiar with any kind of substance addiction, but I can only imagine that how I feel when I hear certain records is as close as I come to a “high”- it only begets the want for more, and it may take you a great deal of time, money, and records to get that feeling again.  Can you experience these sensations listening through you iPod or iPhone earbuds, or your iPod docking station?  Maybe, but even as Annie Clark stated in a recent Pitchfork interview, “An mp3 is a compressed form of data. It’s not the full spectrum. It’s never going to sound as good as a record.”  And yes, you can copy better, more complete music files to your portable music devices, but what good does that do when you are playing an amazing album while cleaning the house or doing the dishes?  I’m guilty of the same practices, and I know my full attention isn’t there in those instances.  It wouldn’t be shocking to find out that the ceremony I conducted to listen to Strange Mercy lent to my ecstatic enjoyment of the record, as it should.  Part of me understands the convenience of iTunes or “other means” of obtaining music- it leaves you time to do other things you also enjoy; it saves room in your living space to either leave bare or fill with other interests; it might even save you a few bucks so you can spend that extra money how you wish.  However, listen to your favorite music, unoccupied and unencumbered, on vinyl (hell, even CD) with even the most basic stereo setup (build it outside-in, as they say) and I think you’ll begin to understand.  There are sounds that simply will not resonate in the same way (if at all) coming through even the best of headphones and earbuds.

Even more practical (and economical), a physical copy of an album has value- take it to Gravity after you’ve had your fill and redeemed your digital download code (most new vinyl, especially from non-major labels, will give you a free download code for the album so you can still have your digital/transportable copies), and use that credit to get something else and then someone else can discover the record.  You help some of your friends make a living AND help other friends discover and enjoy new tunes… and THEY help those other friends continue making a living!  And on and on and on…

Particulars of Strange Mercy are fading in my mind for now because I’m so new and unfamiliar to this album, but those initial impressions are “impossible to untrigger.”  Some may wonder why anyone would find such joy and exuberance in an album that seems impossibly dark and desperate; a close friend of mine and I have actually discussed the why we feel so drawn to music typically described as “dark.”  While I don’t recall the specifics of our conversations, I feel like Annie Clark scratched the surface of what we tried to get at in her Pitchfork interview:

“I know that, physically, I’m a very demure-looking person. But I certainly have as much aggression or anger as the next person, and that’s got to come out somehow. I’m lucky that I get to play music, and that it’s not going to come out in some totally destructive way.”

Could it be that these sorts of feelings are part of everyone’s human experience?  I certainly think so, and perhaps just as some of her music is a form of exorcism, so may be listening to it for the rest of us.  A strange- yet, apparently necessary- mercy, indeed.

“Sharper than some new box cutters, on Parkay’s and butters
And Stevie Wonder’s, to make you run and tell the others
The beat lovers, and play my jam like the numbers
Son I rock the globe like I rocked your boat
I’m bout to tap it on your shoulder cuz you got to know.”

-Mos Def, “Universal Magnetic” from Soundbombing (1997)

Gravity may be one of the universe's quintessential urges, constantly exerting itself on any and all matter.  Therefore, it only makes sense that Edge of Urge and Gravity Records team up to satisfy your quintessential urges- fashion and music.

As a former record store hustler (but forever the record junkie), Tuesdays are like my Christmas except they happen like 50-some odd times per year.  The same goes for most of everyone here at EoU, which is why we've teamed up with our fam at Gravity to make Tuesdays special for you too.

If you aren't already familiar, Tuesday in the United States is often the official New Release day for music.  While there is an annual Record Store Day, we need to start celebrating our nation's independent record stores a little more often.  Here in Wilmington aka Wilmatic, Gravity Records and Edge of Urge are going to do just that.  In fact, the name of this new spectacular is Wilmatic.  Why?  First, one of my favorite albums of all-time is Nas' Illmatic, which (because of its amazing dopeness) came to mean anything that is beyond cool/awesome/ill/sick/amazing/dope/the best/perfection.  I can't think of a better term to describe EoU and Gravity, both individually and collectively.  Second, the incredible nature of all of this is automatic- it's going to happen, and y'all are going to love it.  Similar to gravity, it always "is" and always "will be."  Enough blabbering, here are the details:

1. Peep EoU's & Gravity's Facebook and Twitter to see what new release(s) we'll be pushing.

2.  Starting on the Tuesday of that week's new release(s) (running through Saturday), buy something at EoU.  Take that receipt to Gravity and get 10% off of the approved new release!

OR

Buy the approved new release(s) at Gravity first.  Bring that receipt to EoU and get 10% off any non-consignment, non-sale item!

What's that?  You want more?  OK.

3.  Awesomely Awesome You: "Oh, hey!  Is that the new [insert incredible album here]?"  Incredibly Incredible EoU employee: "Why... it certainly is!"  The week of the approved new release(s), we'll play it/them at least once per day in-store.  Come in and buy something while we're playing it and get 15% off of your new release purchase at Gravity!   Oh, did you buy your new musical masterpiece(s) at Gravity first?  Bring that receipt while we're pumping the new ish and get 15% off your purchase(s) at EoU!

That's enough, ri...  NO?!!?  Fine.  Here you go...

4.  Refreshingly Fresh EoU/Gravity employee: "NICE Gravity records/EoU t-shirt!"  Wonderfully wonderful You: "Thanks!  I love showing everyone around town how much I love y'all!"  Already bought your new release(s) at Gravity that week and coming into EoU (with your Gravity receipt, of course) to get your 10%/15% off?  Wear your Gravity Records t-shirt into EoU and get an additional 5% off your purchase(s).  Already got your gear at EoU?  Going over to Gravity (with your EoU receipt, of course) to get your 10%/15% off your approved new release?  Wear your EoU t-shirt to Gravity and get what?  You guessed it- an additional 5% off your new release!  That means you can get up to 20 mother flippin' % off at either EoU or Gravity if you play your cards right.

All of that said, let's go ahead and get this party started next week because there is A TON of seriously heavy ish coming out:

St. Vincent- Strange Mercy

Neon Indian- Era Extrana

GIRLS- Father, Son, Holy Ghost

CANT (Chris Taylor of Grizzly Bear)- Dreams Come True

Toro Y Moi- Freaking Out

There it is, your list of newness to cop starting this coming Tuesday for WILMATIC.  Make us proud Wilmington.

OH!  One more thing- because we love you and you love us, wear your EoU t-shirt to Gravity ANYTIME and get 10% off approved merchandise; wear your Gravity t-shirt to EoU ANYTIME and get 10% off non-consignment, non-sale merchandise!  We already know you love us, but it doesn't hurt to show it.  We love PDA.  And we love you.  Spread love.

All jeans and shorts:

BUY ONE, GET ONE FREE! or 50% off one pair!

Motel Rocks!

25% Off!

Sale Shoes, currently 50% off:

75% Off!

All other shoes:

25% Off!

Online shoppers- stay tuned for your sale- goes up Friday night!!!

Get these looks for less than $100!  (minus the jewelry)