Happy New Year!

...to you and yours!

Love, saki.

Essential Winter Albums

Impose's William Cody Watson has posted more than a few of his essential winter albums to help us get through this sweater weather. As a recent Chicago transplant, I have to say I appreciate his efforts. There are a bunch of albums here that are pretty obvious selections, but I found a few that I hadn't heard before and a few that I just never took the chance to listen to before. Have a look and see if you find anything new to help you get through the cold, wind, rain and snow this winter. Leave any other suggestions you have in the comments!

If it's warm and sunny where you are - you go to hell. You go right to hell.

Spend It At saki!

Do you come home from the holidays every year with a handful of gift cards from places where you rarely ever shop? Are you thinking, "Man, I wish I had $25 to spend at saki instead of Best Buy!" Well, you're in luck, kiddo. saki now accepts gift cards from these retailers, same as CASH:

Best Buy
Amazon
Staples
Office Depot
InSound
Apple Store
Home Depot
CVS Pharmacy
Walgreens
Costco
Whole Foods
Trader Joe’s
Dominick’s
Target
OfficeMax
Binny’s
Barnes and Noble
Borders
Radioshack
Michaels
Ikea
Artists Frame Service
Blick

*list is subject to change at any time*

*****When redeeming gift cards at saki, please present your card at the counter to be checked for balance and expiration date prior to purchase. Any remaining balance will be issued as a saki gift certificate. Cards can be used towards your purchase that day, or for a saki gift certificate to be used at a later date. saki reserves the right to accept, or not accept, any gift card from any retailer, at any time, at our discretion*****

New Year's Hours!

*****SAKI WILL BE CLOSING AT 5PM ON FRIDAY, DECEMBER 31ST FOR NEW YEAR'S EVE. WE WILL REMAIN CLOSED UNTIL SUNDAY, JANUARY 2ND, AT WHICH TIME WE WILL RESUME OUR NORMAL STORE HOURS! SEE YOU THEN!*****

Hollis

Hollis by Benoît Pioulard
Track from the sold-out Valley cassette on FM Dust

saki closed 12/29

We apologize in advance for any inconvenience, but saki will be closed tomorrow (12/29) for our yearly inventory. Thanks for understanding, and we will be back open on Thursday. Hope you're having a great holiday...

Just in case you haven't had enough year end lists

I'm sure you've all studied and memorized our year end lists by now. It's been a tradition for the past few years at CTD to not only post our own lists, but we ask our friends and colleagues to share their lists as well. Two of my favorite customers went above and beyond that, and sent links to their year end lists on their own websites, presented in a much fancier way than we do here.

So here they are, if you would like to bask in their glory. (and you should.)


Brad Schelden, Indie Music Buyer at Amoeba Music Hollywood:
http://www.amoeba.com/blog/2010/12/pen-is-mightier-than-the-sword/my-top-50-albums-of-2010-.html


Melanie Hershberger, owner of Music Saves, Cleveland
http://musicsaves.com/bestof10.htm

Christmas Card from a Hooker in Minneapolis

I have to post this somewhere on the internet every year at Christmas. Enjoy.

The Twelfth Dey of Christmas

And so we come to our last day of Christmas, which is actually the last day of Not Christmas before the actual day of Christmas. After tomorrow, things go back to being Not Christmas for a while.
Be good to each other whenever you can.
Harpy Holidays.

The Eleventh Dey of Christmas

Searching through the Dey Company/Dey Industries audio archives, this rare and nearly forgotten recording, labeled "X-mas Yogi," is believed to be the first ever Christmas message to be recorded for the purpose of mass consumption.
It contains a rather forward looking view of the Holiday season from what many would still consider a somewhat unorthodox Yogi of the Himalayan mountains.




Follow it here!

It Won't Be Long

<3

Just one of the Joys of Christmas with Family

Scourges of the Holiday Season

Chris Hefner, of The Pink Hotel fame, just sent us his video X-Mas card. We thought we'd share it. Enjoy Scourges of the Holiday Season!

Handsome Family Plays with Jeff Tweedy!

Just announced! The Handsome Family will join Jeff Tweedy at his performances on January 7th & 8th in honor of the 75th anniversary of the Boulder Theater.

2032 14th Street | Boulder, CO | 303.786.7030

Tickets are sold out, but maybe you can find some on the internets!

http://www.wilcoworld.net
http://www.handsomefamily.com

Students of Decay 1st Quarter 2011 Mix

First Quarter 2011 Mix by Students of Decay

Teaser mix for the SOD vinyl and cassette releases that are due out in the first quarter of 2011.

1. Bryter Layter (from the forthcoming TBA LP)
2. Chihei Hatakeyama (from the forthcoming "Dedication II" LP)
3. Jefre Cantu-Ledesma (from the forthcoming "Shining Skull Breath" LP)
4. Pausal (from the forthcoming "Autumnal" cassette)
5. Billy Gomberg (from the forthcoming "Only the Sun for Our" cassette)
6. Caboladies (from the forthcoming "Renewable Destination" LP)
7. Aquarelle (from the forthcoming "Sung in Broken Symmetry" LP)

Happy Holidays!

The Tenth Dey of Christmas

On December 5, 2010, the Department of Calls Missed received a message from a man claiming to be answering an advertisement for employment at Dey Company/Dey Industries. He did not leave his name and there is no evidence that such an advertisement ever existed...

Follow it here...

The Ninth Dey of Christmas

The world is sad enough as it is, don't you think?

Follow it here...

CTD/saki "best of" 2010 lists are up!

You asked for, you got it: CTD/saki's "Best Of" lists for 2010, with varying degrees of thoroughness and numberedness. Maybe you didn't ask for it, but we're giving it up anyhow! In. Your. Face.

Please take some time to peruse our lists, maybe you'll find something new, maybe you'll find another reason to hate one of us, maybe you'll find a secret decoder ring, maybe you'll find whatever it was that Nic Cage was looking for in National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets (I think it was a book, of what, I do not know), maybe you're sick of this introduction. Go check out the lists!

***For a list of lists from our CTD friends and cohorts, click here***

The Eighth Dey of Christmas

A forgotten Holiday tradition...

Follow it here!

Works of Emily Flake at saki until Jan. 3rd!

You may remember way back when we announced that our favorite illustratrix, Emily Flake would be exhibiting her Funny and Not So Funny Drawings at saki through the month of December. Well, look at a calendar, man. December's almost over! Emily's work will only be gracing our walls for another week or so. We hope that everyone, given the time this holiday season, will come out and see Emily's drawings if they haven't already. They'll be coming down on January 3rd. See you before that! Oh, and her art is also available for purchase. Did we mention that!?

If you're on a budget, we also have AUTOGRAPHED copies of Emily's books, Lulu Eightball Vol.'s 1 & 2, and These Things Ain't Gonna Smoke Themselves available from $9.95-$14.95!! There is only a limited quantity of autographed copies so get them while you can!

Last minute gifts from saki!

Just a reminder for all you procrastinators, and those of you stuck with picky relations, saki has some pretty sweet last minute gift options for you!

LP album frames for $10
Autographed copies of Emily Flake's Lulu Eightball books (Vol. 1 & Vol. 2), and her paean to everyone's favorite vice, These Things Ain't Gonna Smoke Themselves from $9.95-$14.95
Dave Tompkin's history of the vocoder, How To Wreck A Nice Beach on sale for $23.00
R. Crumb's Heroes of Blues, Jazz & Country for $17.50
Pendant necklaces from Rock Candy By Helen, featuring the art of Jon Langford for $20
Jon Langford's "Paw Prints" series featuring Ian, Jimi, John Peel, Johnny Cash, and more for $120, or the set of 8 for $850
The Collected Fanzines of Harmony Korine for $23
Touch & Go: The Complete Hardcore Punk Zine '79-83' for $24
Assorted box sets from Joy Division, The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, Brian Eno & more
A huge assortment of 33 1/3 books
Toys and plush dolls from Shawnimals
Black Box and Buddha Machine noise makers
Turntables

We also have musician's supplies for 25% off and all saki gift certificates are 10% off!

Oh yeah, and A LOT, A LOT of records.

saki Holiday Cookie Exchange!

I think this is the best idea we've ever had! This Tuesday, December 21st, saki will be hosting our first (hopefully, annual) saki Holiday Cookie Exchange. So, what does this mean for you, good people? It means that you should get dappered up in your finest festive vestments and come hang out at saki with cookies or booze in hand. We say cookies, but you can feel free to bring any type of snack or libation, as long as you're fully prepared to share it. Your treats can be homemade or store-bought, and your vestments can be classy or tacky, it's really all up to you and that's what makes it fun. We also ask everyone to bring something to decorate the store with. It can be tinsel, lights, fake snow, or your best impression of a 5-year-old's drawing of Santa Clause, again, totally up to you!

The exchange technically starts at 6:30 but we're open all day if you want to come in and do some last-minute Christmas shopping beforehand! We've got saki gift certificates for 10% off if that helps... see you there!

xoxo <3 saki

The Seventh Dey of Christmas

Take heed, take heed. Be warned and be calmed, if you can.

Follow as usual here...

The Sixth Dey of Christmas

Don't Be a Fool...



Follow it here!

Captain Beefheart R.I.P.

Captain Beefheart (aka Don Van Vliet) passed away at the age of 69 today, due to complications from multiple sclerosis. A tremendous talent, and a true musical innovator...he will be missed.

www.rollingstone.com/music/news/captain-beefheart-dead-at-age-69-20101217

Condo Fucks @ The Hideout

The Condo Fucks (aka Yo La Tengo) and Eleventh Dream Day at the Hideout in May was one of the best shows I saw all year. Possibly the best show I've ever seen. Some people don't like covers. I love 'em.




Now, if only I could find a video of the two groups closing the night with Dream Syndicate's "Halloween" and VU's "Ocean".

The Fifth Dey of Christmas

Day five! Oh, Lord! Lordy, Lordy!

Of course you can still go here...

588-2300

To go along w/ Pat's post about classic Chicago commercials, I thought this one had to be mentioned:



I don't know any Chicagoan who doesn't know that jingle. Had to pick one where he gives away the Michael Jordan basketball too...

I've Got Something For Yooouu!!!

For all of y'all who grew up in the greater Chicagoland area: A low-budget taste of reminiscence.



As far as my sleuthing has led me, the number is still valid for those in need of car insurance. If so, here's their link, Eagle Insurance. This blog advertisement cost them $24.76 and an eagle suit less than the original.

saki closing early today (12/16)

saki will be closing early today at 6:30 for our annual holiday party. Just so you know!!!

The Fourth Dey of Christmas

On this the Fourth Dey of Christmas, we return to some important messages. This one is a reminder of the true priorities of the season.

Follow it here on the Facebook...

A Winter Solstice Shadow Puppet Show

Since we were not being graced with another mildly debauched, but lovely panto this year, this will just have to do. :-)

The Hideout Presents: a Winter Solstice Shadow Puppet Show 

Shadow Puppets and Music for Kids and Adults

This Sunday, December 19 ONLY. 3pm sharp.

Adults $8

Kids Free or donation if you can manage it

Kathleen Judge and friends (including Sally Timms) will be performing the lovely shadow puppet plays  "Jabberwocky" and "Revontulet," this Sunday 19th December at The Hideout at 3pm. This is a kiddy friendly show and will include music from Tiny Cover Band.  Show lasts about an hour. Please spread the word, post wherever you can...buy advance tix at The Hideout website.

The Handsome Family Tour the West Coast!

The Handsome Family are hitting the road in January 2011!

West Coast tour dates:

Jan 19 The Biltmore - Vancouver, BC
Jan 20 Tractor Tavern - Seattle, WA
Jan 21 Doug Fir - Portland, OR
Jan 22 Sam Bond's Garage - Eugene, OR
Jan 25 Freight and Salvage - Berkeley, CA
Jan 26 Café DuNord - San Francisco, CA
Jan 28 Bootleg Theater - Los Angeles, CA
Jan 29 McCabe's Guitar Shop - Santa Monica, CA
Jan 30 Rhythm Room - Phoenix, AZ

Seance at saki: The Movie!!!

Now on sale at saki : A DVD of the The Bitter Tears and Bob Dey's Tank Engine Man performing for saki's first Art Challenge on October 30th, 2010. Only $3!

Tasked with telling the story of the pioneering Spiritualists the Fox Sisters, BDTEM sings the tale while The BT's take things to a whole new level of Bitter Tears Weird.

Included with the film is a soundtrack of incidental music prepared especially for the night's event!

And it's all available for only $3! Come into saki and ask for it!

The Third Dey of Christmas

What Holy times we are having this year! How about a song for Dey Three? Just a little sap for your Hot Holiday Pancakes.

Here to follow... if you have the Facebook

Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy

Courtesy of Funny or Die, I present to you, a frame by frame (more or less) recreation of the best Christmas pairing ever. My apologies to the two turtle doves.

Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy with Will Ferrell & John C. Reilly from Will Ferrell

The Second Dey of Christmas

You mean there's more? Dey two is a little tip for those still woefully searching...

You'll have to go there today.

Go here, too.

12 Dey's of Christmas

Oh, and the Dey's of Christmas are upon us. As we approach the 25th of December, take a peep at these messages and songs from Bob Dey's Tank Engine Man, a staple artist group of ol' saki . There will be 12 of them, so be sure to stay tuned to this part of the internet!





Follow them here, too.

The Johnny Cash Project

Back around the time that American VI: Ain't No Grave was released back in February, The Johnny Cash Project was started. The project provides still frames and a custom drawing tool for fans to create their own images of the Man in Black. The stills are then thrown together to create a music video for Cash's version of the traditional, "Ain't No Grave." These ain't no picassos, but the overall effect is charming and makes for a fine tribute and a suitable video for one Johnny Cash's last (and one of his best) studio recordings.

New Releases @ saki 12/14/10!

Bjorn Torske - Kokning LP(Smalltown Supersound)
Pains of Being Pure at Heart - Heart In Your Heartbreak 7" (Slumberland)
Birthmark - Shaking Hands CD (Parasol)
Ryan Adams & The Cardinals - III/IV CD & LP(Pax Americana)
Matthew Dear - You Put A Smell On Me 12"
The Volebeats - S/T LP (Rainbow Quartz)
Wake - Harmony LP (Drastic Plastic)

Santa Claws

More at http://www.simonscat.com/

Attn: beer nerds

On December 15th at 5:00 pm the Local Option will be pulling rare kegs out of it’s Wizard Sleeve.

The drafts for the evening will include:

Bear Republic Apex Imperial IPA
Bell’s Hell Hath No Fury
Bluegrass Brewing Heine The Elder
Dark Horse 4 Elf
Dark Horse One
De la Senne Stouterik
De la Senne Zinnebir
De Molen /Pattinson London Porter
De Molen /Pattinson Triple Stout
Djævlebryg Gudeløs
Founder’s Backwoods Bastard
Haandbrygerriet Røyk uten Ild
Jolly Pumpkin Noel De Calabaza
Mikkeller Limoncello
Mikkeller Santa’s Little Helper
Oppigårds Stark Porter
Oppigårds Well-Hopped Lager
Ska Euphoria
Struise Black Damnation III – Black Mes
Struise Black Damnation IV – Coffee Club
Struisse Pannepot
Surly Darkness
Three Floyd’s Aotearoa
Three Floyd’s Arctic Panzer Wolf
Three Floyd’s Hell’s Black Intelligencer

Cat vs Internet

 

The Hideout Holiday Sale!

Stop by The Hideout this Tuesday to pick up local, handmade gifts, and why not have a snack while you're at it?

Don't forget to come to saki too, and get a FREE TICKET for Welcome 2 The Void: Chicago Psych Fest 2 at The Hideout on January 21st and 22nd, with purchase of any music from Psych Fest's featured artists!

Read this

Amazon $3.99 Album Deals Freak Out People

So what do YOU think?

The End Is Nigh. Hooray!

The end of the year is fast approaching and as we count down the days until 2011, the joyful plan parties, the miserable test knots, and music fans scramble to put the finishing touches on their 2010 "Best Ofs". Are you positive you didn't love that Emeralds records? Do you still think you could listen to that Best Coast LP forever? "Fuck You" is the best song you heard all year? Really? It won’t be long before you're either suffering the painful ridicule, or basking in the warming praise, of your peers. So, “choose wisely” or you might end up like this guy.

One thing’s for sure, if 2012 is the end, then we're ushering in our last year with a musical bang!

Due in January 2011:

Disappears - Guider CD/LP (Kranky)

Death - Spiritual-Mental Physical CD/LP (Drag City)

Monotonix - Not Yet CD/LP (Drag City)

Sic Alps - Napa Asylum CD/2xLP

The Ex - Catch My Shoe CD/LP (Fishtank/Konkurrent)

The end is nigh. Hooray!

Demdike Stare "Voices Of Dust"

It's been a banner year for Demdike Stare's Miles Whittaker and Sean Canty -- 2010 has seen the release of not one, but three separate Demdike Stare records: "Forest of Evil", "Liberation Through Hearing, and the just-released "Voices Of Dust". All three will be compiled for a deluxe 2-cd set entitled "Tryptych", due for release on February 1st. If there's been any better electronic music released this year I haven't heard it -- this is some of the most exciting, forward-thinking music I've listened to in ages; all three of these records manage to surpass the lofty standards set by their brilliant debut "Symbiosis" from last year. Forget "hauntology" and all the cheap buzzwords; this is timeless music that transcends genre boundaries!!!

"Voices of Dust" is available now at saki!!! (Vinyl only.)

"Tryptych" 3xcd available in February.

www.modern-love.co.uk

Ten x Ten: A Collaboration Between Chicago Bands & Printmakers

saki is proud to carry Ten x Ten: A collaboration between Chicago bands and printmakers. Ten x Ten features ten local artists who each commissioned one local band to produce an original song. The printmakers then created a 10" art print inspired by that song. All ten signed and numbered prints come in one package, which features a download code for all the featured songs. The bands and artists include: Locks, Nones (playing saki 12/18!), Jason Adasiewicz, Blasted Diplomats, Netherfriends, Joey Potts, Colin Palombi, Sonnenzimmer, Tom Smith, and more!

You can see the full exhibition of prints at LivingRoom Gallery from January 14th to February 19th or you can during their residency at The Whistler with performances by Ten x Ten artists every Tuesday in January.

Ten x Ten is presented by Homeroom Chicago & Spudnik Press!

New Releases @ saki 12/7/10!

Ten x Ten: 10 10" prints from Chicago print makers, inspired by Chicago musicians BOOK
Alarm Press # 38 - Invisible: Overlooked Albums Unseen Artists BOOK/ZINE
Reading Rainbow - Prism Eyes CD & LP
Sufjan Stevens - All Delighted People EP CD & LP
Demdike Stare - Voices of Dust LP
Aguaturbia - S/T & Volumen 2 LPs
Jim Sullivan - U.F.O LP
Jeff Phelps - Magnetic Eyes LP
Dntel - After Parties 1 & 2 12"s
In The Storm So Long - V/A LP
The Rain Don't Fall On Me - V/A LP
Saint Vitus - Various LP reissues
Coathangers/Numerators - Chicken 30 7"
Gentleman Jesse & His Men - You've Got The Wrong Man 7"
Tortured Tongues - Let Me Down 7"
Heavy Times - No Plans 7"
Analog Africa #9 - Angola Soundtrack CD
Psych Funk: Sa-Re-Ga! CD
ESG - Dance To The Best Of ESG CD

Play Santa for a Chicago Kid Who Needs It

Every year, Julia and I sign up to play Santa for a few Chicago kids who could use a bit of joy in their lives. Every year, it is one of the things that has given us the most joy. Chicago Sun-Times has started their Season of Sharing program and I encourage everybody to have two fewer drinks at the bar this week and buy a kid a present with that money instead. It's easy and fun and you'll get a letter from the kid that will warm your heart. Try it.

$25 equals
•1 night at a bar
•2 trips to Hot Doug's
•3 packs of cigs
•3 beers at Cubs/Sox
•2 movies with popcorn
•3 paperback books
•2 compact discs

FREE tickets for Welcome 2 The Void @ saki!

On January 21st and 22nd The Hideout will be hosting Welcome 2 The Void: Chicago Psych Fest 2. From now until then, you can get a FREE ticket to one of the two nights of Psych Fest 2 with purchase of any music from any of the performing bands! It's first come, first served so if you want your choice of nights come in soon!

We currently have music from GSMD, Dark Fog, Verma, Dead Luke, & Plastic Crimewave Sound in stock and we'll be working on getting more of the Pysch Fest artists for you as soon as we can! This is a great way to support some phenomenal local bands as well as your new local record store. Don't miss out!

image via

Rock Candy By Helen @ saki!

saki now carries handmade acrylic art pendants by Rock Candy By Helen! Helen Tsatsos creates these gorgeous pendants from the paintings of her husband, Jon Langford (maybe you've heard of him). Each pendant is printed on acrylic from Jon's work, sealed, and strung on silk bead cord with a sterling silver clasp. They'll make wonderful gifts for any special lady in your life this holiday season.

To help you make your gift buying decision we're selling Rock Candy By Helen pendants at saki for $20 through Christmas Eve! I already bought two, come in and get some for yourself!

10

Memoryhouse : Pale Blue

In My Room: Memoryhouse "Pale Blue" from Yours Truly on Vimeo.

New unreleased Memoryhouse song. New 7" on Suicide Squeeze available now.

How to Add the Updated Cydia Store to your iOS 4.1 Device

Funkyspacemonkey.com has a pretty easy to follow step by step of how to add the updated Cydia store to your jailbroken iPhone. You will need to know how to SSH into your device, and also use FTP (I use Cyberduck), both of which are a lot easier than you probably think they sound.

The new Cydia store app is way faster. WAY, which is a much needed improvement.

While you are at it, you should definitely change your device's default root password!!
If your iphone's Terminal app crashes, then you need to fix that too. You will need to add xSellize to Cydia's Sources, and then download MobileTerminal for iOS4 from within Cydia to replace Terminal.

See? Easy! ;-)