Thursday, December 27, 2007

Twenty songs Austin really loved this year

Above: Jens Lekman

Boy howdy. If you think there were a lot of albums this year, you should try thinking about how many songs there were. Austin did a calculation*, and he determined that 4,321,093 songs were released this year. Consider yourselves lucky that he narrowed it down 20. Then again, to be fair, his individual tracks list changes about every 15 minutes. That said, consider this, then, a snapshot of a handful of really awesome songs. OK! Enough! Enjoy!

1. Jens Lekman - "A Postcard to Nina"

2. Muscles - "
Ice Cream"
3. LCD Soundsystem - "All My Friends"
4. Chromeo - "Tenderoni"
5. White Rabbits - "The Plot"
6. Animal Collective - "For Reverend Green"
7. Rihanna - "Umbrella"
8. Panda Bear - "Bros"
9. Rich Boy - "Boy Looka Here"
10. Radiohead - "Bodysnatchers"
11. Justice - "D.A.N.C.E."
12. Amy Winehouse - "Rehab"
13. Jay-Z feat. Nas - "Success"
14. Blitzen Trapper - "Wild Mountain Home"
15. Book of Knots feat. Tom Waits - "Pray"
16. Patrick Wolf - "The Magic Position"
17. Ted Leo and the Pharmacists - "The Toro and the Toreador"
18. Spoon - "You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb"
19. Of Montreal - "Heimdalsgate Like a Promethean Curse"
20. Band of Horses - "Plans" (Grizzly Bear cover)

* He actually did no such calculation.

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Wednesday, December 26, 2007

Decatur CD's chronologically ordered in-store performances of 2007

All things considered, we're still a baby indie retail store. That being said, we had a ton of in-store performances this year...more than any year in our existence. It's something we truly love to do, and something you can expect much more of in 2008. Enjoy this chronologically ordered list, and feel free to click on the links to view photos from each respective show:

1. Rising Appalachia - January 21, 2007
2. Papa Mali - January 26, 2007
3. Jim Threlkeld - February, 20, 2007
4. Blake Guthrie - February, 27, 2007
5. Tommy Womack - March 3, 2007
6. Modern Skirts - April 7, 2007
7. The Floating Coats - May 25, 2007
8. The Back Yardbirds - July 6, 2007
9. Peter Case - September 2, 2007
10. Kodac Harrison and Kristin Markiton - September 7, 2007
11. Techung - October 17, 2007
12. Richard Parsons - November 8, 2007
13. Georgia Fireflies - November 9, 2007
14. Romantica - November 10, 2007
15. Silver Lakes - November 11, 2007
16. Jeffrey Foucault and Caroline Herring - November 17, 2007
17. Art Rosenbaum - December 20, 2007
18. David Stephens - December 20, 2007
19. Swing Set - December 22, 2007
20. The Floating Coats - December 22, 2007

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Eliot's top five Kiwi records of 2007

Eliot has a bit of a thing for New Zealand and its music. After hearing The Dead C, he knew he and the Kiwis would be a match made in heaven. And after receiving the Flying Nun 25th Anniversary box set for Christmas 2006, an obsession began. Here are his favorite New Zealand records of 2007:

1. Pumice – Pebbles
2. The Terminals – Last Days of the Sun
3. Birchville Cat Motel – Astro Catastrophes
4. The Dead C – Future Artists
5. David Kilgour – The Far Now

(Editor's note: Although Young Eliot is far too good for such pedestrian ventures as TELEVISION, it should be noted that New Zealand comedy duo Flight of the Conchords made quite a splash this year both critically and comercially. If you haven't seen the show, we stock the DVD. If you'd like a sampling of their hilarious music, we stock the EP. Also, the guys have a full-length album in the works that's set to drop on Sub Pop in spring 2008.)

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Monday, December 24, 2007

Eliot's top 10 Japanese psych records of 2007

Above: Acid Mothers Temple

Leave it to our very own long-haired lover of crazy rock 'n' roll to deliver a list of the very finest of 2007's Japanese psychedelic albums. We encourage you to open your mind and tune in to any of the following:

1. Sachiko M – Salon De Sachiko
2. Astro – Astral Orange Sunshine
3. Acid Mothers Temple & the Melting Paraiso UFO – Nam Myo Ho Ren Gye Ko
4. Otomo Yoshihide – The Prisoner
5. Ghost – In Stormy Nights
6. Sachiko - Kunado
7. Boris w/Michio Kurihara – Rainbow
8. Acid Mothers Temple & the Melting Paraiso UFO – Crystal Rainbow Pyramid
9. LSD March - Constellation of Tragedy
10. Boredoms – Super Roots Vol. 9

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Swing Set and The Floating Coats photos

Just the other day (Saturday, December 22nd to be precise), we got a little crazy and opened our doors from 10am-12am. As is the appropriate measure to coincide with such a marathon of indie retail, we asked some folks to play music. Alex Brenner of Soda Jerk performed under his new solo moniker, Swing Set, to open the night. Following Mr. Brenner, The Floating Coats made their triumphant to Decatur CD. Let it be said that if you ever need a band to play for close to three hours, The Floating Coats are that band. Whoa ho ho. Quite a fun night. Thanks to all who were involved. We had a blast.










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Sunday, December 23, 2007

Eliot, Austin and Kerry's favorite odds 'n' sods, reissues and box sets from the foul, twisted year of twenty ought seven

This is probably the least scientifically put together list of them all. Eliot, Austin and Kerry basically threw their picks into a pile, shuffled them around and then waited to see what fell out of the hat first. Very great stuff, though. Have a look:

1. Sonic Youth – Daydream Nation
2. Sandy Denny – Live at the BBC
3. Joy Division - Closer/Unknown Pleasures
4. Albert Ayler & Don Cherry – The Hilversum Session
5. Lisa Germano – Lullaby for Liquid Pig
6. The Sly & the Family Stone catalog/box set
7. Just about anything the Numero Group put out this year
8. Pylon - Gyrate Plus
9. Betty Davis - Betty Davis/They Say I'm Different
10. The Art of Field Recording box set
11. The Modern Lovers - s/t
12. Ornette Coleman – Live at the Hillcrest Club
13. The Pink Floyd – The Piper at the Gates of Dawn
14. Townes Van Zandt - various
15. Magazine - Real Life
16. Sun Ra – Strange Strings
17. Leonard Cohen - various
18. Michio Kurihara – Sunset Notes
19. Magnolia Electric Co. - Sojourner box set
20. The King Khan & BBQ Show

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Holiday cookies!

Molly from Live Nation dropped some cookies on our doorstep. And if there is one thing we love, it's cookies. Thanks, Molly!

Incidentally, the green and red bag behind Molly's cookies has MORE cookies from Mary Jane. Thanks, Mary Jane!

Michael from Alliance also sent a goodie bag. Thanks, Michael!

Here's hoping each and every one of you is giving and receiving some treats this season. Have a safe holiday, everyone...

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Saturday, December 22, 2007

Art Rosenbaum and David Stephens photos

We were honored to have Art Rosenbaum in the store Thursday night, and so glad to see David Stephens back in town for a minute. Things are appropriately crazy in the store at the moment, so please pardon the lack of exposition. Enjoy the photos:












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The Security Chicken's top six records of ALL TIME

Hello, friends. I hope you have been enjoying the lists so far. Warren, Austin, Eliot and Kerry are nice people and all (I mean, I'd hang out with them if I had nothing better to do), but they're awfully simple-minded when it comes to music. So many opinions, so little substance. That's why I'm going to bring the noise with this post. Behold! My TOP SIX RECORDS OF ALL TIME!!!!111:

1. Songs to Make Dogs Happy!
After discovering this gem of an opus of a transcendent moment in the history of recorded music just last year, and having had a full 365 days more to bathe in its utter genius, I realized that it's the greatest set of songs ever pressed to plastic. This is cold, hard, ragged fact, not opinion.
2. Monster Ballads Xmas
Skid Row doing "Jingle Bells." Faster Pussycat's rendition of "Silent Night." L.A. Guns mandhandling "Run Rudolph Run." Enough said. OR, better yet, Enuff Z'Nuff (who is also included on this collection, rocking the hoo-ha out of "Happy Holiday")!
3. James Blunt - Back to Bedlam
My life is brilliant since finding this singer-songwriter. This album is beautiful, it's true.
4. The Shaggs - Philosophy of the World
Frank Zappa wasn't kidding when he called this band "better than the Beatles." I mean, seriously, have you listened to Zappa's music? That guy never joked about anything!
5. Yanni - Live at the Acropolis
With a 'stache like that, how could you say no?
6. Michael Bublé - Call Me Irresponsible
You'd have had to call ME irresponsible if I hadn't included this one. Zing!

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Top six Eliot Vs. Warren argument albums of 2007

More than a few customers have witnessed the stubborn glory of an argument between Eliot and Warren. These two have gone to the mat over the worth of Ozzie Smith, the alleged guilt/non-guilt of Michael Vick and various other sports issues.

Thing is, music is even more contested between the duo. It's naturally a very subjective topic on its own, but these guys can find a way to argue about almost anything (even the age-old debate of cats vs. dogs). That being said, we won't go into the details of each of these albums. Just know that Eliot and Warren do not agree on any of them:

1. Arcade Fire – Neon Bible
2. Robert Plant and Alison Krauss – Raising Sand
3. Joanna Newsom – Ys Street Band EP
4. Scat Cat – Tikin’ Out Da Frame
5. Otomo Yoshihide – The Prisoner OST
6. Robert Wyatt - Comicopera

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Friday, December 21, 2007

Austin's top eight ATL musical discoveries of 2007

Still a relative newbie to the south, Austin really threw himself into the local scene this year, catching plenty of shows, sampling CDs here at the store and spending far too much time hopping from MySpace page to MySpace page. As such, he found a lot of great Atlanta bands. Keep in mind, though...many of these acts have been performing for quite a while in their own respective ways. Austin used a "if I haven't heard it, it's new to me" mentality for this list. Enjoy some of his favorite local discoveries from 2007. They run the gamut from old timey bluegrass to doom metal, so be sure to click on the links and sample the music from each act's MySpace page. Support your local musicians, y'all:

1. The Coathangers
2. Zoroaster
3. Gentleman Jesse and His Men
4. Stonerider
5. Scars
6. Georgia Fireflies
7. The Carbonas
8. Pistolero

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Eliot's top four 2007 records involving Mike Watt

This one is awfully pertinent considering the former Minutemen bassist just turned 50 yesterday. (Hazzah! Here's to 50 more years!) Eliot is a big fan, and Mike Watt's a busy man, so this list was pretty much a no-brainer. Bask in the glory of Watt's 2007 output (after all, you try and think of another legendary 50-year-old punk bass player who played on four albums this year):

1. Unknown Instructors – The Master’s Voice
2. Banyan – Live at Lucy’s
3. Kelly Clarkson – My December
4. “The Stooges” – The Weirdness

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Warren's 13 favorite albums of 2007, in no particular order, plus others?

Warren grumbled when he was told to name his favorite albums of the year. (The man is very busy and doesn't have time for these sorts of frivolous endeavors. Just look at him in the above picture. The guys is always working!) However, when pressed, he realized 2007 was pretty awesome. Here are a few of his favorites:

The National - Boxer
Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
v/a - I'm Not There soundtrack
Wilco - Sky Blue Sky
Mavis Staples - We'll Never Turn Back
Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
Bruce Springsteen - Magic/Live in Dublin
Broken Social Scene Presents Kevin Drew - Spirit If...
Sharon Jones - 100 Days, 100 Nights
Iron & Wine - The Shepherd's Dog
Steve Earle - Washington Square Serenade
Avett Brothers - Emotionalism
...and others probably, too.

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Thursday, December 20, 2007

The top 11 albums Austin thinks you unfairly ignored in the year 2007

Austin is extremely tired of year-end lists. He's read something like 37 of them already, and it seems like there is a new one every day. Despite this fact, he knows he has a duty for Decatur CD, and by golly, he shall fulfill this duty. As such, he'd like to address a few albums he feels people haven't been listening to closely enough. Oh, and though he refuses to type up any descriptors about the following selections, he would be more than happy to talk to you about them. Just ask. But for now, enjoy:

Jens Lekman - Night Falls Over Kortedala
White Rabbits - Fort Nightly
Lil Wayne - just about anything
Clockcleaner - Babylon Rules
Spank Rock - FabricLive 33
Queens of the Stone Age - Era Vulgaris
Muscles - Guns Babes Lemonade
Yeasayer - All Hour Cymbals
Bill Callahan - Woke on a Whaleheart
Grinderman - s/t
Matthew Dear - Asa Breed

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Young Eliot's top 40 (distributed/easily acquired) albums of 2007

Apparently, someone told Young Eliot that quantity is more important than quality, and that the really cool kids list a whole bunch of albums to prove their musical knowledge. We kid, we kid. Eliot is a fiend for the tunes, and as such, he listens to FAR too many albums every year. Have a look at all the stuff he's crazy about from 2007. And remember, Christmas is right around the corner:

1. Alejandro Jodorowsky, Ronald Frangapine, Don Cherry – The Holy Mountain Soundtrack
2. Akron/Family – Love is Simple
3. K-Rino – Book Number 7
4. Earthless – Rhythms from a Cosmic Sky
5. Don Cherry – Live at Café Montmartre
6. Nublu Orchestra Conducted by Butch Morris
7. Grachan Moncur III – Inner Cry Blues
8. The Busy Signals – s/t
9. Sir Richard Bishop – While My Guitar Violently Bleeds
10. MV & EE w/the Bummer Road – Green Blues
11. Charles Mingus & Eric Dolphy – Cornell 1964
12. Psychedelic Horseshit – Magic Flowers Drowned
13. Angels of Light – We Are Him
14. Pink Reason – Cleaning the Mirror
15. Times New Viking – The Paisley Reich
16. Meg Baird – Dear Companion
17. Sapat – Mortise & Tenon
18. Shellac – Excellent Italian Greyhound
19. The Fiery Furnaces – Widow City
20. Mark Sultan – The Sultanic Verses
21. Black Milk – Popular Demand
22. Mammatus – The Coast Explodes
23. Arve Henriksen – Strjon
24. The Time Flys – Rebels of Babylon
25. Super Furry Animals – Hey Venus!
26. Saturday Looks Good to Me – Fill Up the Room
27. Richard & Linda Thompson – In Concert, November 1975
28. Wooden Shjips – s/t
29. The Raspberries – Live on Sunset Strip
30. Supersilent 8
31. Magnolia Electric Co. – Sojourner
32. Dinosaur Jr. – Beyond
33. Magik Markers – Boss
34. Opsvik & Jennings – Commuter Anthems
35. Marissa Nadler – Songs III: Bird on Water
36. David Murray – Sacred Ground
37. Silver Daggers – New & High Ord
38. (tie) Linda Thompson – Versatile Heart
38. (tie) Richard Thompson – Sweet Warrior
38. (tie) Teddy Thompson – Up Front and Down Low

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Kerry's top 10 albums of 2007

And here we go... Hold onto your e-hats, folks, because, as mentioned, we've got plenty to share with you. First up is the artist currently known as Kerry. Here are her top 10 albums of the year:

1. Radiohead: In Rainbows
2. Deerhunter: Cryptograms
3. Dan Deacon: Spiderman of the Rings
4. Stax 50th Anniversary Celebration (not really an album, per se, but that’s alright)
5. Akron/Family: Love Is Simple
6. Panda Bear: Person Pitch
7. Deerhoof: Friend Opportunity
8. Dinosaur Jr: Beyond
9. Richard Thompson: Sweet Warrior
10. Elliott Smith: New Moon

Stay tuned. Next up is Eliot's list...

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We're making some lists, checking them twice...

Last year around this time, we went a little crazy. We did not one, but FIVE (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) year-end music lists. This year, we're going quite a bit more overboard. The first batch of lists will come tonight or tomorrow, and it will keep going and going and going from there. Consider yourselves warned, y'all.

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Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Art Rosenbaum and David Stephens at Decatur CD tomorrow night!

We've got a pretty serious treat in store (get it! in store!) for y'all on Thursday (Dec. 20th). Read on...

Art Rosenbaum, documentarian of the mind-blowing Art of Field Recording: Volume I box set that we've been selling like mad, will perform around 6pm. Rosenbaum's legend truly precedes him. Just have a look at his biography. Not only is he Wheatley Professor in Fine Arts at the Lamar Dodd School of Art at UGA (if any of you folks have studied under him, please stop by and say hello), an illustrator of books and a self-taught folk musician, but the man has worked and studied in France and Germany, amongst myriad other accomplishments.


The Art of Field Recording box has been written up all over the place, including the New York Times and Pitchfork, and it's just a fantastic release any way you look at it. Lance and April Ledbetter, the folks behind Dust-to-Digital (they put out the box, and many other amazing releases), will actually be in the store Thursday night as well.


Following Rosenbaum, our old pal and banjo fiend, David Stephens, will play at 8pm. David lives in Brooklyn right now, but while in Atlanta, he spent a lot of time at the Center of Puppetry Arts and here at DCD chatting us up about country music. He even performed once here at the store, plucking his signature banjo and crafting stuffed rabbits. He is a true renaissance man, a self-described "tobacco stain on the face of bluegrass music." It'll be great to have him back.

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Books?!? We got books.

We've been clamoring about this on the DCD Newsletter quite a bit, but it's about time we got around to a short 'n' sweet blog shout. If you've been in the store recently, you surely noticed large pair of bookcases near the DVD section. In case the sign didn't tip you off, we've partnered with our friends at A Cappella Books to bring you one of the finest music book selections in town. Stop by soon and have a gander. Although we're still very much in the infant stages of this new venture, we've already accumulated well over 200 titles. Not too shabby, eh? And remember, a book is the thinking person's stocking stuffer. We'll see you soon...

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Monday, December 10, 2007

New. Release. Tuesday.


They're boxes, see? In a set. A set of boxes. A box set. Get it? Oh, nevermind.

It's not the strongest release day in recent history, but we've certainly seen worse. Plus, with the holiday season all on top of us, you're not looking for new stuff anyway. You're looking for old goodies or maybe stuff from earlier in the year. Ah, but don't miss out on new things from the following. They're on our shelves this very Tuesday (tomorrow, that is):

Radiohead (box set...but not that box set)
Wu-Tang Clan (first proper album in six years!)
Pink Floyd (another box, this one with 16 discs)
Beanie Sigel
Dave Matthews Band (live at Piedmont Park)
...and more!

You know the drill, true believers. Better get into the store while you can.

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Saturday, December 08, 2007

REMINDER: We have Alejandro tickets!

This went out in ye olde Decatur CD Newsletter as well, but we thought it important to remind y'all that we're selling tickets for Alejandro Escovedo's early show (6:30pm) on Jan. 10th at Eddie's Attic. However, we only have 10 tickets left, so if you want 'em, come get 'em. This is a show not to be missed.

Have a happy Saturday, everyone...

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Monday, December 03, 2007

New. Release. Tuesday.

Phew. It couldn't have gotten much worse than last week, and luckily, it got much better. Not only are we stocking a great live album from the pair of French robots pictured above, but there is a solid handful of big-name artists dropping stuff this particular New Release Tuesday. There are also some EPs, box sets (perfect for holiday shopping) and much more, so have a look at the list and we'll see you soon:

Daft Punk (live)
Ghostface Killah
Rufus Wainwright (live)
Walk Hard (soundtrack)
David Bowie (box)
Nick Drake (box)
Aloha (EP)
James Brown (singles)
DJ Drama
The Wreckers
Tender Forever
Roisin Murphy
Nelly Furtado (live)
Eazy-E
The Libertines (best)
...and more!

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Saturday, December 01, 2007

Happy holidays from Decatur CD!

Kinda looks like he's holding a miniature meat cleaver, no?

Today is a new day. And a new month, for that matter. December, even. They tell us that means it's officially the holiday season or some such nonsense. That means it's time to get in the spirit! And spirit we have. Where is this all going? Who knows, really. But we have been decorating, as you can see both above and below. Austin is our official holiday mascot. Have a look:



Amid all the lights and assorted ballyhoo, we've also unveiled our seasonal music section. It's located in the island straight across from the cash register where we normally keep the new arrival used stuff. If you're looking to get in the holiday mood, there really is no better way to do so than by browsing the 700 and some odd CDs. As usual, be sure to let us know if you're looking for anything in particular. We'll get it for you, faster than anywhere in town. See you soon, y'all...

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