Whoops, didn't mean to be quite so face melting

Sunday's Record Store Day After instore by Mitchell And Manley was reviewed by The Signal And Noise blog, who report that the duo "melted faces". They later told us that they hadn't meant to be quite so loud... It was good though!

Two exciting instores in April!

Heads up, folks! We're pleased to announce two awesome instore performances this coming month.

First, on Monday, April 11th, at 6pm, we've got MOON DUO! The Wooden Shjips offshoot's new album for Sacred Bones, "Mazes", was one of our Records Of The Week this past Friday, as if we had to tell you. (By the way, we sold out of those really quick, we'll have more in stock tomorrow though - alas, without the super limited bonus disc, those are gone gone gone.)

That'll be a kind of a kick off to the week leading up to, yes, RECORD STORE DAY, Saturday April 16th! Can't wait. We're not gonna have any bands play here on Record Store Day, that would be too crazy, but guess what? We've got a special Record Store Day related instore on Sunday the 17th. Record Store Day After, as it were.

It'll be another duo, Phil Manley aka Life Coach (Trans Am, Jonas Reinhardt, The Fucking Champs, etc.) and Isaiah Mitchell (Earthless) in support of their RSD release on Thrill Jockey, the vinyl-only Mitchell and Manley "Norcal Values" album.

That's Sunday April 17th at 5pm. We're pretty excited about this, so be there, and make it a Record Store Weekend!

Here's Thrill Jockey's press release blurb about "Norcal Values", btw:

Floating down the Yuba River, hang gliding off the cliffs at Fort Funston, a day at Ocean Beach with the dog, a leisurely stroll in Golden Gate Park, a fat bag of Trainwreck; these are among the many images that come to mind when listening to Mitchell and Manley’s Norcal Values.

Inspired by his spiritual advisor, Bettina Richards, Phil Manley recruited the shredding stylings of Earthless’ Isaiah Mitchell to collaborate on a record comprised almost exclusively of a single continuous guitar solo. The recording was made live with no overdubs - completely improvised. This recording exhibits inspiration so pure that it could only come from within. Drawing from the classical Indian music tradition as well as from modern new age music, Norcal Values is the sonic equivalent of fine Californian cuisine. We invite you to dine upon its bountiful aural splendor. Bon appetite.

Guess we're part of the trend

The New York Times reports on the decline of blogging, vs. the use of social media like Facebook and Twitter.

Most '90s album cover ever?

Discuss.

Whew, that's a relief...

So we don't have to change the name of the store after all...

http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/01/13/no-your-zodiac-sign-hasnt-changed/?hpt=C2

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/15/us/15zodiac.html?_r=1&hp

Lichens instore

Don't forget, Robert A.A. Lowe aka Lichens will be performing at the shop tomorrow, Wednesday December 15th at 6pm!!!!!

Here's what we wrote about Lichens' debut on Kranky/Holy Mountain:

Robert Lowe, of the now defunct 90 Day Men, as well as part time member of TV On The Radio, delivers his first solo record, using the name Lichens, and creates a ghostly otherworld, using primarily his voice. That's right. An acapella record. Well, mostly. Lowe's haunting impressionistic vocals are drenched in reverb and sent drifitng into the ether, a soft fluttering falsetto most of the time, a low monk like chant at others, swooping through ominous minor key melodies, over simple sparkling guitar lines, wrapped in a warm and shimmery haze, over a bed of rumbling drones and occasional chiming percussion. Delicate crystalline soundscapes equal parts Pelt, Sigur Ros, Scott Tuma and Jewelled Antler. All three tracks recorded live with no overdubs, all completely otherworldly and breathtakingly lovely.

Blogging blues

Hey folks, as you may (or may not) have noticed, posting has been light 'round here lately. Haven't even been keeping up with the usual blog post announcing a new New Arrivals list. That's 'cause until we manage to migrate this blog onto the front page of the actual AQ site (which is part of a major site upgrade we have in the works), it's seeming to us that we get a better response / wider readership from things we post to our Facebook page, or Twitter about. If you haven't signed up for either or both, may we suggest you do so?

Lately we've been posting a "used cd score of the day" to the Facebook page, for those of you who don't regularly dig through our used section... there's some hidden gems.

Not that we're gonna not post stuff here too... but just a heads up to check out those other socially networked means of staying in touch with what's going at AQ.