There’s lots of interesting info in an update posted Friday on Crooked Beat’s MySpace page: Vinyl is now the big sales driver for the store, which is now dialing back the new CDs it stocks and getting more selective with its used CD selection as well. Excerpts from the post below. (But go read the whole thing. Thanks to Don Carr for the heads-up.):

For the second year in a row (2008) New & Used Vinyl LPs have outsold CDs at Crooked Beat. LPs now account for around 70% of our total sales. We will be increasing our vinyl selection even more in the coming months.

New CDs: Crooked Beat will continue to stock New CDs but on a more limited basis. Effective Immediately: we will now only primarily stock CDs from indie and import labels such as Touch & Go, Matador, Dischord, Merge, 4AD, Sub Pop, Numero, Bomp, Damaged Goods, Cherry Red, Secretly Canadian, Ace, Bear Family, Soul Jazz, Anti, etc….

Used CDs: We will now only carry Used CDs that mirror our selection of New CDs. e.g., Crooked Beat always stocks New CDs by artists such as Built To Spill, Magnetic Fields, Cat Power. Therefore, we will usually accept them as USED trade-ins provided they are in good condition.

There are tons of awesome new/old vinyl at Red Onion. We just got the e-mail. You wanna race for that gospel comp on vinyl? Don’t worry there’s more. Lots more. The man’s got some cool reissue psych folk and some Mexican psych-punk, the new Love Is All, a bunch of Low LPs, and so on.

Read More “What’s New @ Red Onion” »

Intangible Arts is reporting that Orpheus, located next to the Clarendon metro stop, is still having its going-out-of-business sale:

“Proprietor Rick’s ‘final days’ and store-closing sales have been going on since last winter, and we hungry vinyl-hounds have picked the bones while wiping away tears… But there’s STILL meat on them bones.

Orpheus’ door was set to close for the last time this Saturday but there may be ONE LAST RALLY. Evidently Rick has the month of December to clear out even more inventory, if he can be convinced the customers will be there to support it.”

Vinyl District was the first to this story. Look–it’s obvious what needs to happen. This store just needs to quit all this business about closing its doors. It just needs to stay open or move somewhere and continue its grand tradition. One more thing: Rick should at least know by now that he is beloved among vinyl nerds. I don’t see too many people mourning the CD/Game Exchange place in Adams Morgan. That place closed down a few weeks ago (I heard).

*photo courtesy of the Vinyl District.

May we suggest that you nerd out i.e. scan the list of new LP arrivals at Red Onion after the jump. Not on the list but just as fine as anything out there–two new titles from hot vinyl-only label Mississippi Records. Red Onion’s got both (a gospel comp. and a reissue of an obscure punk band you’ve never heard of but should).

Read More “New Arrivals @ Red Onion” »

This past weekend, Local Legend Tom Porter held a massive vinyl sale in his backyard. We hyped it.

Some of you complained that you missed out. Today, we are glad to report that Tom Porter is hosting another vinyl sale in his Chapin Street backyard (1435 Chapin Street NW). The sale will be on Saturday. We will have more details on this soon.

Dischord folk write:

We are currently stocked on many Dischord titles on Vinyl that have been unavailable for months and in some cases years, including Dag Nasty, Can I Say, which is now available for the first time on blue vinyl. We are also fully stocked on the following releases:

Minor Threat Out of Step EP
Minor Threat, First Two 7″s EP
Minor Threat, Salad Days 7″
Minor Threat, First Demo Tape 7″
Rites of Spring, S/t
Fugazi, Seven Songs
Fugazi, Repeater
Fugazi, In On The Killtaker
Fugazi, End Hits
Fugazi, Instrument Soundtrack
Fugazi, The Argument
Pupils, S/t
Lungfish, Feral Hymns

And notes: “All these Vinyl albums come with a complimentary MP3 download when purchased from our website.”

I know you lost your 401K. Times are hard. The stock market is currently going all screwy. It’s time to invest in the one thing that never loses its value: Vinyl LPs.

Legendary Jazz Hero Tom Porter is hosting a massive vinyl sale in the back of his house located at 1435 Chapin Street NW. The sale is on Saturday (tomorrow!) from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and will include jazz, soul, and hip-hop vinyl, posters, books, CDs, and clothes.

Porter will be selling tons of vinyl and will be joined by two more sellers. So make plenty of time in your schedules for some serious crate digging. I was over at Porter’s house last night and got to peek at his records. I saw plenty of Charlie Parker, Roy Ayers, Nina Simone, and so on. Much of his stash will be selling for $2, $3, Porter says. Also, expect to see a few Blue Note LPs as well! (I spotted a mint Grant Green).

Feeling down about the financial mess? “Help is on the way,” Porter says.

So show up!