It’s coming on Record Store Day, (Saturday, April 22, 2023) so it’s time again to roll out the incredible titles in the offing for the big, enduring holiday built in support and celebration of independent record stores the world over. This particular Record Store Day, the 16th, sets a high bar as far as the magnitude, artistry and diversity of the releases are concerned.
Following her year as Record Store Day Ambassador 2022, Taylor Swift continues to show her love for record stores with the vinyl release of Taylor Swift’s folklore: the long pond studio sessions. Taylor and her collaborators recorded the Grammy Album Of The Year folklore during the Covid19 lockdown, and didn’t actually get the chance to play their work together until September 2020, when the Long Pond Studio Sessions brought together Taylor Swift, Aaron Dessner (The National), Jack Antonoff (Bleachers) and Justin Vernon (Bon Iver) for a live recording and Disney+ documentary. The double grey vinyl release coming April 22 as part of the Record Store Day celebration is exclusive to record stores.
2023 Record Store Day Ambassadors Jason Isbell & Amanda Shires, the first musical couple to hold the title, come together on vinyl as well to show further support with their Record Store Day release, The Sound Emporium EP, featuring brand new music from both Amanda and Jason, a reimagined version of Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit’s "Tour of Duty" and a cover of Richard Thompson's "Beeswing.” Amanda Shires also makes the List with a solo EP, Live At Columbia Studio A featuring tracks recorded at the legendary studio in Nashville in the lead up to her critically acclaimed album Take It Like A Man.
Brand new music comes to record stores from Beach House, with the Become EP of unreleased tracks from the Once Twice Melody sessions, and new takes on beloved albums come from Norah Jones, who revisits her Little Broken Hearts album for a live take with producer Danger Mouse on Little Broken Hearts: The Allaire Sessions, and from Wilco, who's recently Grammy-crowned Yankee Hotel Foxtrot gets released in alternate form on Crosseyed Strangers: An Alternate Yankee Hotel Foxtrot.
Musicians like Maya Hawke and Em Beihold have physical “firsts” on Record Store Day this year, as Hawke’s first singles get a 7” release, and Beihold’s debut Egg In The Basket comes to vinyl. And women who are used to finding themselves in the bins of a record store add new titles to their sections, including Stevie Nicks with Bella Donna Live 1981, Tori Amos with Little Earthquakes - The B-Sides and the fossora remixes from Bjork.
Consider the surface scratched, but there are so many more exciting releases on deck for Record Store Day 2023. Expect titles from Todd Rundgren, The Sisters Of Mercy, Van Halen, Motley Crue, Yes, The Pogues, The Magnetic Fields, The Black Keys, Ivy, The Game, Temptations, T. Rex, Tangerine Dream, Sparks, Soul Asylum, and the list does go on!
For more information, visit recordstoreday.com
