Let's Get Physical: Initial Picks For Record Store Day Black Friday
- Julian Ramirez
- 18 hours ago
- 4 min read
We're a little over a month away from the Black Friday edition of the vinyl community's most divisive day of the year: Record Store Day. Introduced only two years after the first Record Store Day (which is usually in April), the Black Friday variant is much smaller and attempts to cash in on the shopping season with quiet honestly a very niche lineup of releases.
So before you head out next month to pick up some releases, here are my thoughts on the good, the bad, and the completely unneeded.

This a bit of a weird one. There are many variants out in the wild already and I don't necessarily think it needs another pressing in a new color. But since it is the 25th anniversary, I guess that is a good enough reason... right? One disc is pressed on clear with yellow and black splatter which seems very apropos for the record but the other disc is clear with mint green and blue jay splatter which is....yeah. There will be a commemorative OBI so those of us who appreciate that extra bit of paper that is often on Japanese pressings. And if you were hoping for maybe some outtakes or additional tracks on this copy, I'm sorry to say it's just the same record as previous editions. This one is basically for those who don't already have this incredible hip hop collaboration between Dan The Automator and Del The Funky Homosapien.

Ween - Shinola, Vol. 1 Ween has been on a tear re-releasing some of their admittedly hard to find records. Shinola Vol 1 will be the next and I'm incredibly excited. It's a it's a compilation of remastered demos, besides, an alternate versions of tracks from the '90s to 2003. Despite seeing a repress in 2017 (holy crap that was 8 years ago), the cheapest copy currently available on Discogs is in the mid hundreds and it's double that on eBay. Records like this is why Record Store Day releases exist: to get rare and hard to find vinyl to the masses. Given how rabid their fan base is, I expect this one to sell out pretty quickly even with 6000 pressed. Especially since it's pressed on a very gross Brown vinyl, which just seems completely up Ween's alley (pun intended).

I have a soft spot for oddity records and the Tick OST from the fantastic people over at Terror Vision certainly fits the bill. The label is known for tackling lesser known or just outright strange soundtracks, predominantly in the horror genre, so this is almost a double oddity. However, I suggest you take a listen to it. It's a really fun jazzy time.

Love - The Complete Elektra Albums Love is a fantastic psychedelic band from the '70s and this is a boxset that is certainly deserved. Anyone who hasn't discovered amazing rockers through a Wes Anderson soundtrack like I did many many years ago has a chance to get Love's entire Electra releases in one fell swoop. For me. It's a bit of a toss-up since I already have three of the five records and boxsets tend to carry a hefty price tag.

I think this one is for for the Back to the Future diehards and completionists. From the outside, this is a bit of a random release for the 40th anniversary of the the first film. Pressed on Doc Brown Vinyl (whats with all the brown vinyl?) the single disc release from Varese Sarabande contains tracks from all three BTTF movies and a variant cover utilizing unused art from the late and undeniable great Drew Struzman. But as an aforementioned diehard of the time traveling franchise, it's on my to buy list.

Thievery Corporation - Radio Retaliation This year has been chock full of Thievery Corporation ready issues with their fantastic The Cosmic Game getting a proper RSD release back in April. Now the even more sought after Radio Retaliation is getting a nice green pressing to compliment the cover and an additional track! This will be a great addition to any electronic music fan's collection.

Sleigh Bells - Treats 1500 copies is an insanely low run or this fantastic Sleigh Bells release. The band recently made their comeback and this debut still holds up with its manic production melding Derek Edward Miller's distorted guitar with Alexis Krauss' glimmering voice that rallies on the tracks like a cheerleader chant at times. "Rill Rill" alone is worth the cost of admission to this fantastic album. This is the first non-picture disc reissue since its initial release, which is criminal, and the blue/white vinyl color certainly fits Treats' cover. The release also comes with a 16 page booklet which if it's anything like the initial pressing's booklet, is a wonderful synthesis of the album's ethos.
Now some rapid fire thoughts!
The Rolling Stones Their Satanic Majesties Request - Zoetropes are cool but may not sound the best
Danny Elfman Big Top Pee-Wee (The Original Soundtrack Album) - Wish this wasn't on picture disc (see above)
Billie Eilish Live - Billie Eilish releases are always big and tend to sell out quickly
Various Artists Jazz Dispensary: Green Bullets - This compilations are always a fun trip!
Wicked Crosley Turntable - But why?