Some huge names in music have particular album releases tied to right now, Document Retailer Day. We spotlight a number of – and take a hear.
SCOTT SIMON, HOST:
Document Retailer Day is right now. How can we observe it? What sort of card do you ship? Stephen Thompson from NPR Music is right here as our information. Stephen, thanks a lot for being with us.
STEPHEN THOMPSON, BYLINE: It’s a pleasure to be right here, Scott.
SIMON: I am afraid I do not know what Document Retailer Day actually is.
THOMPSON: Nicely, Document Retailer Day began in 2008 as a approach of attracting prospects again to brick-and-mortar document shops – encouraging individuals to stand up off their couches, cease simply listening to music via their computer systems, go to an precise document retailer and purchase some music. And along with that, Document Retailer Day has a complete bunch of form of sponsored, unique releases.
SIMON: Nicely, what sort of music are you wanting ahead to?
THOMPSON: For me, there are a pair that stand out. You realize, considered one of my favourite bands from the ’90s, Harvey Hazard, put out a document referred to as “King James Model…”
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “MEETINGS WITH REMARKABLE MEN (SHOW ME THE HERO)”)
HARVEY DANGER: (Singing) I bowed earlier than the avatar. He stated, the issue’s clear to me. You by no means obtained over Morrissey. Yeah. I stated, effectively, proper you’re. It is a lot more durable to be underfed than under-understood, he stated. Yeah.
THOMPSON: …Twenty-five years in the past, which makes me really feel very outdated. It is a great document. It did not do very effectively, and now it is getting a deluxe reissue on vinyl with bonus tracks. That is one which I am going to actually be on the lookout for. Followers of the French band Air – they’ve a basic album referred to as “Moon Safari” from 1998. It is getting a deluxe reissue with reside tracks and demos and stuff like that. And it will get extra esoteric from there. There are some actually obscure titles, a few of which I am fairly enthusiastic about.
SIMON: Is that what the day’s for – in some ways, to have fun music that possibly has been ignored?
THOMPSON: Nicely, I feel they actually attempt to have it each methods. You’ve got a mixture of titles which are fairly esoteric to carry out the music nerds, however they will additionally typically have titles by larger artists. And annually, Document Retailer Day appoints a distinct ambassador – a form of huge, A-list pop, rock, hip-hop star who will launch an unique title that may carry out extra informal followers. This yr, that artist is Put up Malone. And Put up Malone is dropping an album referred to as “Put up Malone Tribute To Nirvana,” which is the first-ever vinyl urgent of a livestream Put up Malone did throughout the pandemic, the place he carried out a bunch of Nirvana songs.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “COME AS YOU ARE”)
POST MALONE: (Singing) Come as you’re, as you had been, as I need you to be, as a pal, as a pal, as a identified enemy.
THOMPSON: And that is being pressed as a Document Retailer Day unique – 17,000 copies. And so followers of Put up Malone will go to their native document shops and decide that up. There’s additionally a 7-inch single of “Fortnight,” which is the tune he did with Taylor Swift. That is actually been on vinyl for a very long time. However for collectors who need this particular urgent of it, they will solely get it by way of Document Retailer Day.
SIMON: Stephen, I wish to ask you rigorously a few responsible pleasure.
THOMPSON: (Laughter).
SIMON: Possibly one thing you will purchase and play only for your self over some headphones so nobody can hear it.
THOMPSON: (Laughter) You realize, now that you just point out it, there’s a title that I am very enthusiastic about. And I really feel like solely a small handful of individuals will probably be as excited as I’m, however there’s a urgent of an album by a bunch referred to as The Rock-afire Explosion.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “WILL YOU MARRY ME”)
THE ROCK-AFIRE EXPLOSION: (Singing) And if solely it was mine to decide on, I would by no means ever wish to lose my Lucy.
THOMPSON: Scott, have you ever ever heard of the Rock-afire Explosion?
SIMON: Positive. No, by no means.
THOMPSON: (Laughter) The Rock-afire Explosion was the animatronic band that performed in ShowBiz Pizza eating places within the Nineteen Eighties. Chuck E. Cheese additionally has had…
SIMON: (Laughter).
THOMPSON: …These form of animatronic, you already know, robotic bands.
SIMON: Yeah.
THOMPSON: However ShowBiz Pizza had a bunch referred to as The Rock-afire Explosion, and so they performed unique compositions unique to The Rock-afire Explosion. And I will probably be looking for out an album referred to as “Authentic Goals: Songs From Showbiz” by The Rock-afire Explosion.
SIMON: This can most likely not shock you. I have been advised that my tastes, just about in every thing…
THOMPSON: (Laughter).
SIMON: …Are what they name fundamental.
THOMPSON: (Laughter) Put on it with delight.
SIMON: So – effectively, I wish to open up to you. What I would like to purchase and hearken to are songs from the film model of “Cats.”
THOMPSON: (Laughter). Nicely, that will carry out Taylor Swift followers, ‘trigger she is within the…
SIMON: What does she sing from “Cats”? How do I not know this?
THOMPSON: She sings an unique tune. It’s not from the unique “Cats” manufacturing, the place the entire film grinds to much more of a halt than it had already floor to carry out Taylor Swift to carry out a tune that didn’t get nominated for an Academy Award.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “BEAUTIFUL GHOSTS”)
TAYLOR SWIFT: (Singing) All that I needed was to be needed.
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