Rasputin's was just around the corner from our hotel and had a pretty good vinyl selection amongst all the DVDs and CDs. In one of the busiest parts of the city, it was always packed and seemed to have a very high turnover with new stuff apparent each time I visited.
From here I managed to pick up:
I'm really getting into White Fence now - on first listen it seemed so dishevelled and ragged I had to turn it off, but it gets steadily more melodic with every listen now that I'm more receptive to it.
Classic.
The Growing ConcernThis is a very heavy repress of this Mainstream Records psychedelic folk rock album. Does anyone know whether these reissues are legit - they're the ones with the black and gold 180 gram vinyl reissue stickers on the front which are always pressed up to look exactly like the original pressings, even down to the labels. Anyone know who puts these out and if they've got an online store?
Back to the Growing Concern - this is a classic album, partway between the first Jefferson Airplane album and the Yankee Dollar. Great.
Buffalo Springfield AgainA used copy of this classic for $1.95 would be criminal to leave behind, even with a seam split.
Country Joe and the Fish - Electric Music For The Mind And BodyThis is a new reissue which appears to have been released by Vanguard themselves. I couldn't visit San Francisco and not pick up something appropriate like this. I had an original copy which I had to sell at one point, so nice to have a vinyl copy again.
Stoked to find this special Record Store Day 12" from the great Jonathan Wilson. Three covers George Harrison's "Isn't It a Pity" which features Graham Nash, but doesn't add much to the original plus excellent covers of Happy Traum's "Trials of Jonathan" and Apryl Fool's "Tomorrow's Child" which are both great.
Kaleidoscope - Tangerine DreamSunbeam sure do a nice job of these reissues. Beautiful thick gatefold sleeve, full colour booklet, heavy vinyl pressing and one of my very favorite albums from the sixties which gets better every time I hear it. love.
From here I picked up:
Jacco Gardner used this in his Active Listener guest mix, and while most seem to think it's pretty average I'm pleasantly surprised. More baroque pop than psychedelia, but some very nice period flavour. Another one of those 180 gram reissues which may or may not be legit.
Wichita Fall - Life is But a DreamThis is a reasonably unheralded baroque pop album from the late sixties with ornate Beatlesque orchestration and the odd psychedelic flourish. I picked up a nice original copy for $15 - it's growing on me, but I can see why it hasn't developed a bigger reputation with collectors.
My purchases from Marquee Moon Vinyl in Florence have turned up in the post too, so I'll geek out over them with you over the next few days and then stop showing off with my shopping and get back into some more serious reviewing - thanks for indulging me!
