Happy Thanksgiving from the Criminal Records family! (Next week: Wyclef Jean & Jay Reatard in-stores!)

The Criminal Records Newsletter
Wednesday, November 25th, 2009

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In case you've been living in a cave, or have recently been incarcerated, or are a Luddite, a drifting cowboy, wandering seer of visions or otherwise, you must be aware of the fact that the 2009 holiday season is in full swing. Here at Criminal Records World Headquarters, we are ready, willing, and able to accommodate your music/comic/toy/popular culture gift needs.

In fact, this Friday, we've got great deals on DVDs and Blu-Ray discs for one day only. There are box sets a-plenty and they're priced to move. Neat, special-interest, and limited-edition vinyl is here in quantity. USB-enabled and regular turntables are in stock for the audio enthusiast on your list. Tons of our catalog titles are available on CD starting as low as $3.99, and don't forget we've got gift cards, too.

Zano is in the midst of a massive graphic novel restocking project. Shannon has been amassing used vinyl like he's suffering from head trauma. Kerri has gathered a wonderfully-curated selection of music books and more. Lots of nice, new headphones from Sennheiser have recently been added to our selection. And the rest of us? Frankly, we're just trying to make sense of it all.

Adam

I tend to think that the average Criminal Records customer is not the one who's getting up at 3 in the morning this Friday to battle their friends and neighbors for the best deals on cut-rate merchandise at Super-Mega-Globo-Hyper-Mart. Sure, the prices may be low, but what is the cost on your soul? Here, in the trenches of independent retail, we're ready to help you find something unique. We have a professional and knowledgeable staff to answer your questions and provide suggestions. So stop by the store this weekend while you're in the middle of your holiday shopping madness. We're like the cool older brother of the store where you have to go to pick up something for Mom. On second thought, she wanted that Hall and Oates box set, right? Hmmm.
- Adam

Bonus newsletter bit by our birthday boy, Buttons!
Hey, it's your buddy, Chris. Normally I prefer to stay out of the craziness that is the newsletter but I am excited about four records (vinyl only) that we just got in.

Kill Rock Stars just reissued two of my favorite post-punk records. The first is the 30th anniversary version of the Delta 5 "Mind Your Own Business" single on the glorious 45-rpm 7inch format. The record is limited to 1,000 copies and comes with a remix by Peter Hook (bass player of Joy Division/New Order). This song is probably one of the greatest dance anthems of all time. I first heard it via the Le Shok cover when I was in high school and immediately tracked down all the recordings by the Delta 5. Seriously, you need to buy this. Just imagine Gang of Four with female vocalists and TWO bass players!

Kill Rocks Stars also reissued one of the holy grails of post-punk records: the first album by the Raincoats! Championed by Kurt Cobain, this record used to be impossible to find. Long before blogs and downloads, I almost paid $30 for a used CD version of this record. Now you can buy it on vinyl for an affordable price, and it comes with a download.

The third record I want to rant about is the Alternative TV's The Image has Cracked. This band was an interesting link between classic punk rock and the more experimental post punk music that followed in its wake. Imagine the aggression of the Sex Pistols but with the weird artiness of the slits or subway sect.

Buttons

The final record I want to rant about is the Young Marble Giants' Live at Hurrah LP. Normally I avoid live recordings like the plague but this one shows the minimal three piece of YMG playing two incredible sets of their best songs. The sheer lo-fi nature of the recording (the drum beats are played off from a cassette play) shows how daring and innovative bands could be without modern technology.
- Chris (aka Buttons)

P.S. from Lillian: The store will be closing early at 6pm today (Wednesday), and it will be closed for Thanksgiving. Fear not, we'll open back up on Friday at 11am. If you're at a loss for something to do Thanksgiving night, head over to 529 in East Atlanta and wish Chris a happy birthday (it's also Tommy Chung's b-day, so if you see the Selmanaires/Adron/Atlas Sound bassist around at, say, Aurora, be sure to wish him a happy day, too). Chris will be spinning all the best "goth hits," so get out your eyeliner and lint roller, and join us while we dance off the calories ingested earlier during the day. If that's too dark for you, you can hop, skip, jump over to Mary's for our friend's Britpop dance party. The links to each event's FB page can be found over here on our website. Both events are free (but 21+, though). Speaking of free entertainment, we are giving away tickets to see Metric (Center Stage) and Shawn Mullins (Variety) on Saturday.

Upcoming In-store Events

All of our in-store events are free and all-ages. Check the events page on our website (or our Myspace or Facebook pages, or follow us on Twitter) for the latest updates. If you use Google Calendar, you can add our calendar to yours!

NEXT Wednesday! Dec. 2nd @ 6:00pm
Wyclef Jean

We are stoked to have Wyclef visit the store, AND we are thrilled to announce that he will be performing live from our stage! He'll also be signing after his short set, so get your Sharpies and your records ready. In case you didn't already know, Wyclef is stopping by to promote his latest release, Toussaint St. Jean: From the Hut, To the Projects, To the Mansion, and rumor has it that DJ Drama will also be at Wednesday's in-store event. Get ready!

NEXT Thursday! Dec. 3rd @ 4:30pm
Jay Reatard
Oooh, a brand new addition to our in-store calendar! Mr. Reatard is playing at the EARL later on with his new band, but we've managed to snag him for the afternoon. It's been a while since any of us were underage and in school, but if memory serves, 4:30pm is the perfect time for a free and all-ages in-store show. Hope you can join us for this afternoon special!

Saturday, Dec. 5th, & Sunday, Dec. 6th
Adult Swim Stimulus Package
Stop by the store during this weekend and get a free Adult Swim tote bag (made out of recycled billboard vinyl!) packed with stimulating swag. Free with any purchase, while supplies last.

Friday, December 11th @ 7:00pm
Brendan Benson & Cory Chisel
These guys will also be playing at the EARL later this same night, but they'll be treating us to an all-ages acoustic set beforehand.

Saturday, December 12th
from noon until 6:00pm
A-hole Santa
Yep, it's that time of year again. Get your finest holiday sweaters out of storage, gather the kids/pets, and join us for this annual tradition. A-hole Santa even has a Facebook page if you want to RSVP. However, we don't guarantee better or "special" (nudge, nudge, wink, wink) treatment if you do RSVP.

FYI: The Wook Jin Clark comic book signing is happening eventually but we're not sure when.

New & Notable Releases for the week of Nov. 23rd...
The full version of this list is on our website here. That's where we try to include the info about the bonus things that come for free when you purchase a CD or LP, but sometimes that stuff arrives after we compile the list, so be sure to check at the front counter.

Tom Waits - Glitter And Doom Live 2xCD (Anti)
* This double CD is only $9.99 for a limited time only. Get it now!
Jay Reatard - Blood Visions [Reissue] CD (Fat Possum)
* Free and all-ages in-store show NEXT Thursday, Dec. 3rd, at 4:30pm.
Blakroc - Blakroc CD/LP (Blakroc)
* Available on "Black Friday," Nov. 27th. Read more about this one here on our site.
50 Cent - Before I Self-Destruct CD+DVD (Aftermath)
April & May - Best CD (Riverman Music)
Beyonce - I Am Sasha Fierce [Deluxe Edition] CD (Sony)
Brian Jonestown Massacre - One [Reissue] CDEP/12" (A Records)
Brimstone Howl - Big Deal (What's He Done Lately?) CD/LP (Alive)
Can - Soon Over Babaluna [Reissue] CD (Mute)
Can - Soundtracks [Reissue] CD (Mute)
Lovvers - Think CDEP (Wichita)
Megasus - Megasus CD (20 Buck Spin)
Moby - Wait For Me [Deluxe Edition] 2xCD+DVD (Mute)
NOFX - Cokie The Clown CDEP (Fat Wreck)
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - The Live Anthology 4xCD/7xLP (Reprise)
Rihanna - Rated R CD (Def Jam)
Angie Stone - Unexpected CD (Stax)
Townes Van Zandt - In The Beginning [Reissue] CD (Fat Possum)
Various Artists - Daptone Gold CD/2xLP+MP3 (Daptone)
Various Artists - Wrecktrospective 3xCD (Fat Wreck)

DVDs:
The Black Crowes - Cabin Fever DVD (Silver Arrow)
Sting - A Winter's Night... Live From Durham Cathedral 2xDVD (Deutsche Grammophone)

Vinyl:
The Blues Project - Projections LP (Sundazed)
Les Claypool - Of Whales And Woe LP (Prawnsong)
Les Claypool & The Frog Brigade - Purple Onion LP (Prawnsong)
Greg Dulli - Dangerous Highway Vol. 1: A Tribute To The Songs Of Eddie Hinton 7" (Shake It)
Drive By Truckers - Dangerous Highway Vol. 2: A Tribute To The Songs Of Eddie Hinton 7" (Shake It)
Fever Tree - Fever Tree LP (Sundazed)
Gray Matter - Take It Back + 4 Songs LP (Dischord)
Roscoe Holcomb - The High Lonesome Ground LP (Folkways)
Loney Dear - Citadel Band LP+MP3 (Polyvinyl)
Primus - Frizzle Fry LP (Prawn Song)
Mark Sultan - I Am The End 7" (In The Red)
Uncle Tupelo - Anodyne LP (Rhino)
Baroness - Blue Record 2xLP+MP3 (Relapse)
Bob Dylan - Christmas In The Heart LP (Columbia)
Gov't Mule - By A Thread 2xLP (Evil Teen)
Matt & Kim - Matt & Kim LP (IHeartComix)
Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson - Summer Of Fear LP (Saddle Creek)
Them Crooked Vultures - Them Crooked Vultures 2xLP (DGC)

Please click over here to read the full list with descriptive blurbs and such on our website.

Featured titles for the month of November
Click on the album covers to hear samples or to buy from our online store.

Swimmers, The - People Are Soft (Mad Dragon)
The Swimmers return with their sophomore release on MAD Dragon Records entitled People Are Soft. The Philadelphia, PA based act is reminiscent of 60's British pop - hinting at influences such as the Kinks and the Velvet Underground while drawing comparisons to contemporaries The Arcade Fire, Interpol, Joy Division and The New Pornographers.

Nick Swardson - Seriously, Who Farted? (Comedy Central)
Join party king Nick Swardson as he talks about how he wants to mess with movie trailers and the time he lost all of his money in Vegas to a spider monkey. It's a night filled with ninjas, figure skating, confusing suicide attempts, cocky drunk girls, wasted party texts and alcohol poisoning. So sit down, drink up and start partying with Nick.

Kurt Vile - Childish Prodigy (Matador)
Philadelphia singer-songwriter Kurt Vile (yes, that is his real name) makes his Matador debut with Childish Prodigy. His second album (the first came out on the tiny Gulcher label, vinyl on Woodsist), it is a rich tapestry of rock and folk sounds, occasionally lo-fi, occasionally lustrous, hitting touchstones from Tom Petty to Street Legal-era Dylan to Spacemen 3 to Skip Spence.

Karen O and the Kids -Where The Wild Things Are Motion Picture Soundtrack (DGC)
This is the original soundtrack for the film Where The Wild Things Are, directed by Spike Jonze. All songs were written and performed by Karen O of Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

Swell Season - Strict Joy(ANTI)
The Swell Season is Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova. In 2007, Once, a film about two people falling in love on the streets of Dublin, became a phenomenon. On the way to going gold, the Once soundtrack brought the Swell Season to the stage of the Academy Awards, where they won the Best Original Song. Now comes the follow-up album, Strict Joy and from the first track the musical magic audiences found in Once is back.