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We no longer use this blog! Please visit sakistore.net for our blog, online store, and more!

Wednesday, December 2

Visit our NEW website and online store at sakistore.net!

Greetings Customers, we are happy to announce that we have updated our website and mail order shopping experience. It’s still a work in progress but we think you’ll find it to be more functional and pleasing to the eye. You can find it at sakistore.net. This new site will act as our mail order store, as well as the hub for all info about saki, the brick-and-mortar retail store, ie. events listings, store hours, etc. This blogspot account will still exist, but we will post most updates on our new blog!

If you had an account with us through our old mail order site, you will need to create a new account on this site, which you can do by clicking on 'account' at the top right of the page. As a thank you to all of our customers we're offering some special promos for using our new site this month. Use the code '15FIRST' at checkout for 15% off your first order, or '20OFF100' for 20% off orders of $100 or more (also only good for your first order)! Both discount codes expire on December 31st.

Here are some of the features you can find on our new site:



As you can see in the screenshot above (from the top left of the new page),  you can search our entire catalog, or narrow down your search by specific 'collections,' including our Exclusive Labels (distributed by Carrot Top Distribution), In-Stock Vinyl, Sale Items, and our featured new and upcoming releases, still referred to for the time being as 'Fresh Baby Carrots' (because Carrot Top Dist., get it...).

You can also see above that there are links to 'The Distro' which will take you to Carrot Top's site if you're a distro customer looking for further info on our distributed titles. You can also go to 'The Blog' which will take you to our new blog with stuff like the weekly newsletter, employee picks, Best Of lists, special event info, long and annoying diatribes about the state of the record industry, etc. Basically the same things you would find on our old Blogspot blog. There are also links for info about Used Buying and our Epitonic saki Sessions, which we no longer do, but you can still stream and download them for free!



The 'Featured Listen' section (found near the bottom left of the new page) is where you can here some new music that we're particularly excited about. This section may feature individual tracks, playlists, and even full album streams. Don't worry, we'll be sure to make announcements in our weekly newsletter, and on social media, whenever we make exciting changes to that section.

*** Right now you can stream Nadia Reid's incredible Listen to Formation, Look For The Signs in its entirety, courtesy of Scissor Tail Records! This full album stream will only be available through Friday, December 11th. ***







All of the above screenshots can be found at the bottom of the new sakistore.net! They will show you our recent Twitter and Instagram posts, as well as any info on upcoming saki events.

Let us know if you have any questions or issues navigating the site/placing orders. Thanks and happy hunting!

Thursday, November 26

saki newsletter 11/27/15 - RSD BLACK FRIDAY!

We're sending out this week's newsletter a day early in preparation for Record Store Day's Black Friday event. All of our in-stock RSD BF releases are listed below, along with the normal 11/27 releases. We have a very low quantity of MOST of the RSD BF releases, so if you're trying to pick one of them up, we suggest getting here before the store opens at noon on Friday. Even though we only have a small portion of RSD BF releases, we will treat them the same way we treat regular RSD releases - they will be behind the counter and we will pull them for you. We will also be observing the first come, first served and one of each item per customer rule. Have a happy Thanksgiving and we'll see you at noon on Friday! Keep your eye out this weekend for special Small Business Saturday sales too!

No Spotify playlist this week because the newsletter is going out before Friday and the new releases aren't up on Spotify yet. We'll make one and post if over the weekend!
  
Here are a few things we were yapping about on Instagram, Facebook, etc. this week!

We got some new arrivals from Manufactured Recordings, including reissues of David Westlake (The Servants), Beach Bullies, and The Shocking Pinks!

New tapes from Orindal Records! Nephew In The Wild and Plastic Owen Band from Advance Base are now in stock. You ever heard Owen Ashworth sing 'Lodi?'

New batch of Hozac singles available now!

As the weather is getting colder, don't forget you can pick up a saki knit cap that will not only keep your tip extra toasty, it's also good for 5% off your purchase any time you wear it in the store! Same goes for any other saki-branded merchandise, FYI.

New releases and RSD BF releases:

7"s

Ariel Pink and  Blood Orange - Heaven Knows What: Original Music From The Film 7"
Jeff Buckley - Everyday People 7"
Kurt Cobain - And I Love Her 7"
Phil Collins - In The Air Tonight 7"
Eazy-E - Merry Muthafuckin' Xmas 7"
Neal Hefti - Batman Theme 7"
Kinks - Deidcated Kinks 7" EP
Kinks - Kwyet Kinks 7" EP
Merchandise feat. Dum Dum Girls - Red Sun 7"
Otis Redding - Shake 7" EP

10' vinyl

The Arcs - The Arcs vs The Inventors Vol. 1 10"
Big Star - Jesus Christ 10"
The Get Up Kids - Red Letter Day 10"
BB King - Thrill Is Gone 10"
Les Paul and Mary Ford - Christmas Cheer 10"
Spoon - TV Set 10"
Johnny Thunders - Daddy Rollin' Stone 10" EP

12" vinyl

Adele - 25 LP
B-52's - Live! 8-24-1979 LP
Beach Bullies - We Rule The Universe LP
Beck - Dreams 12"
Behemoth - Pandemonic Incantations LP
Buzzocks - Another Music In A Diffeent Kitchen (orange) LP
Johnny Cash - Live In Denmark 1971 LP
Clash - S/T (white/blue split vinyl) LP
Deerhoof - Fever 121614 LP
Earth, Wind, and Fire - Best of (pic disc) LP
Gang of Four - Songs of the Free LP
Ben Harper - Fight For Your Mind LP
Harry Pussy - S/T LP
Jimi Hendrix - Burning Desire 2LP
Roscoe Holcomb - San Diego State Folk Festival 1972 LP
John Lee Hooker - Two Sides of... LP
The Jesus and Mary Chain - Barbed-Wire Kisses (red vinyl) 2LP
Jerry Lee Lewis - S/T LP
Lush - Ciao! Best of Lush LP
Manatees - Crock N My Pocket LP
Miss Lana Rebel and Kevin Michael Mayfield - Midtown Island Sessions LP
NIN - Halo IV 4LP box
Willian Onyeabor - Atomic Bomb LP
William Onyeabor - Tomorrow LP
William Onyeabor - Body and Soul LP
Ourkast - Stankonia (colored vinyl) LP
Parquet Courts - Monastic Living 12" EP
Carl Perkins - Dance Album of Carl Perkins LP
Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody 12"
Nadia Reid - Listen To Formation, Look For The Signs LP
Lee Robinson Machine - Family Album LP
Atticus Ross - Music From Love and Mercy (soundtrack) LP
Scientist - Introducing Scientist: The Best Dub Album In The World LP
Ty Segall - Ty Rex CD and LP
Shocking Pinks - Dance the Dance Electric LP
Sonics - Sonics 50 LP box
Soviettes - Rarities LP
Ween - The Pod (clear vinyl) LP
David Westlake - Play Dusty For Me LP
Frank Zappa - Feeding The Monkies at Ma Maison LP
Zombies - BBC Radio Sessions LP

12" soundtracks, comps. and V/A

The Color of Noise Original Soundtrack LP
High Fidelity Original Soundtrack LP
True Detective: Music From The HBO Series - V/A LP

cassette

Bambi Kino Duo - See Heat cassette


Staff Picks:


Listen to Formation, Look For The Signs was released last year in Nadia's native New Zealand. According to some very sardonic New Zealand bloggers, there's a large amount of musicians flying the 'Americana' flag in NZ right now, and these purveyors of fine blogspot criticism are just sick of it. Many of them, however, seem to agree that Nadia Reid soars above the pack. That is most likely because her sound does not fall under 'folk' or 'Americana' but it transcends easy designation.
This is an incredibly powerful album, no matter what you choose to call it stylistically. The backing band really has that whole yearning restraint thing down - they always sound like they're building to something that may not necessarily come, but it adds a tension to the songs that, paired with Reid's warm voice (it's like the blanket we all need to be wrapped in this time of year) makes for an extremely moving experience. 
 
Ticket giveaways:



Buy a release from any band playing an upcoming Empty Bottle, Schubas or Lincoln Hall show and we can add you to the guest list. Stop in or give us a call! Keep an eye out for announcements for eligible Metro, Constellation, and Bottom Lounge shows too!

Wednesday, November 25

Adam's Pick of the Week: Nadia Reid - Listen to Formation, Look For The Signs

Listen to Formation, Look For The Signs was released last year in Nadia's native New Zealand. According to some very sardonic New Zealand bloggers, there's a large amount of musicians flying the 'Americana' flag in NZ right now, and these purveyors of fine blogspot criticism are just sick of it. Many of them, however, seem to agree that Nadia Reid soars above the pack. That is most likely because her sound does not fall under 'folk' or 'Americana' but it transcends easy designation.

This is an incredibly powerful album, no matter what you choose to call it stylistically. The backing band really has that whole yearning restraint thing down - they always sound like they're building to something that may not necessarily come, but it adds a tension to the songs that, paired with Reid's warm voice (it's like the blanket we all need to be wrapped in this time of year) makes for an extremely moving experience.

Friday, November 20

saki newsletter 11/20/15!

Thanks to everyone who came out for Dave Segedy (Sleeping Bag) and Ovef Ow at The Burlington on Tuesday, and for Chicago Emo Night on Thursday! We're sorry that Five Pound Snap had to drop out of Tuesday's show, but we think it was still a damn good show. Congrats to the folks who won the saki giveaway at Emo Night. You all have terrible singing voices, but enjoy your gift certificate and hat anyway!

Max Clarke's show 'The View From My Summer Home In Space' is still up! Max is in New York now, but I'm sure he can still use a little extra help. So come in and buy a piece from his show!

Check out our Spotify playlist of some of our favorite tracks from this week's releases (the ones that are available on Spotify at least). Let us know what you think! Do you think we left anything important out? Did we pick the wrong track from your favorite release? We want to know. You can contact us via Twitter, Facebook, or email us at info@sakistore.net. We have other playlists available on Spotify as well. Follow us, check out the playlists, and keep an eye on what we're playing in the store!

This week we're really into the Beat Happening comp., Sun Ra, and local dudes, Clearance!


Here are a few things we were yapping about on Instagram, Facebook, etc. this week!

New tapes from Orindal Records! Nephew In The Wild and Plastic Owen Band from Advance Base are now in stock, and oh man are they good.

New batch of Hozac singles out this week!

This week we brought out the 'emo' jams of yesterday and today to celebrate Chicago Emo Night at The Burlington (every third Thursday)!

Tom Scharpling sent us these stickers for Best Show because we asked him to! What a guy.

Bill Tucker dropped off a few copies of his new LP, a compilation of previous cassette releases, a few weeks ago and we finally got around to listening to it (on this awesome lime vinyl). It's really killer slacker rock that you should check out!

As the weather is getting colder, don't forget you can pick up a saki knit cap that will not only keep your tip extra toasty, it's also good for 5% off your purchase any time you wear it in the store! Same goes for any other saki-branded merchandise, FYI.

New releases:

Advance Base - Plastic Owen Band cassette (previously tour-only singles, b-sides and rarities comp) Advance Base - Nephew In The Wild cassette
Beat Happening - Look Around (career retrospective comp) LP
Boys Life - Departures and Landfalls (reissue) LP
Nuno Canavarro - Plux Quba
Clearance - Rapid Rewards LP
Gross Pointe - Bad Seed 7"
Kurt Cobain - And I Love Her 7"
Helta Skelta - Beyond The Black Stump LP
Mama - Speed Trap 7" EP
Mammatus - Sparkling Waters LP
Outkast - Stankonia LP
Pre-Moon Syndrome - V/A LP
Sigur Ros - Takk 3xLP
Silence - Hark The Silence LP
Six Organs of Admittance - Hexadic II LP
Subtractions - It's Exposed 7" EP 
Sun Ra - Sleeping Beauty LP
TV Freaks - Bad Luck Charms LP
Utah Jazz - Ivory Waves LP

Staff Picks:

Adam's Pick of the Week: Steve Gunn - Boerum Palace


Originally released in '09, this was the beginning of Steve Gunn's blossoming into one of the most heralded in a new crop of American guitarists known for their fusing with traditional Americana and modern experimental guitar techinque. Everyone who has picked up his more recent albums like Time Off, Way Out Weather, or Seasonal Hire (with Black Twig Pickers) would be remiss to not clutch this gem of a reissue!

Ticket giveaways:



Buy a release from any band playing an upcoming Empty Bottle, Schubas or Lincoln Hall show and we can add you to the guest list. Stop in or give us a call! Keep an eye out for announcements for eligible Metro, Constellation, and Bottom Lounge shows too!

Thursday, November 19

Adam's Pick of the Week: Steve Gunn - Boerum Palace

Originally released in '09, this was the beginning of Steve Gunn's blossoming into one of the most heralded in a new crop of American guitarists known for their fusing with traditional Americana and modern experimental guitar techinque. Everyone who has picked up his more recent albums like Time Off, Way Out Weather, or Seasonal Hire (with Black Twig Pickers) would be remiss to not clutch this gem of a reissue!

Friday, November 13

saki newsletter 11/13/15!

This Tuesday our old pals from Bloomington, Sleeping Bag are going to be in town playing The Burlington. They're touring with Five Pound Snap out of Detroit, and our local favs Ovef Ow will round out the bill. We'll have a hosted bar for PBRs early in the night and Adam will be DJing for a while up front. Come out and say hi!


saki presents Sleeping Bag with Five Pound Snap and Ovef Ow at The Burlington
Tuesday, November 17th at 9pm 

Max Clarke's show 'The View From My Summer Home In Space' is still up! Max is in New York now, but I'm sure he can still use a little extra help. So come in and buy a piece from his show!

Check out our Spotify playlist of some of our favorite tracks from this week's releases (the ones that are available on Spotify at least). Let us know what you think! Do you think we left anything important out? Did we pick the wrong track from your favorite release? We want to know. You can contact us via Twitter, Facebook, or email us at info@sakistore.net. We have other playlists available on Spotify as well. Follow us, check out the playlists, and keep an eye on what we're playing in the store!

This week we're especially into the new Coathangers split with Black Lips, the Boys Life and Silkworm reissues, and Verma!


Here are a few things we were yapping about on Instagram, Facebook, etc. this week!

 Dave Segedy from Sleeping Bag released a new solo cassette this week on Jurassic Pop! You can pick one up at The Burlington on Tuesday night when he plays with Five Pound Snap and Ovef Ow!
 
Tom Scharpling sent us these stickers for Best Show because we asked him to! What a guy.

We bid farewell to one of the absolute greats this week. Allen Toussaint shaped the sound of soul, RnB, rock, jazz, and hip-hop more than most people realize, and he did while maintaining himself as one of the classiest, most humble dudes to ever do it. He will be GREATLY missed.

Bill Tucker dropped off a few copies of his new LP, a compilation of previous cassette releases, a few weeks ago and we finally got around to listening to it (on this awesome lime vinyl). It's really killer slacker rock that you should check out!

 New arrivals and restocks from Get Hip Records (and distro). Lots of weirdo psych/garage and soul unknowns to dig into!

As the weather is getting colder, don't forget you can pick up a saki knit cap that will not only keep your tip extra toasty, it's also good for 5% off your purchase any time you wear it in the store! Same goes for any other saki-branded merchandise, FYI.

New releases: 

A Christmas Gift For You From Phil Spector - V/A LP
Atmosphere - The Fun EP
The Aux Mix Tape - V/A cassette (from Chicago's Auxiliary Art Center DIY space!)
Besnard Lakes - Golden Lion 12" EP
Black Lips/Coathangers - split 7"
The Body and Krieg - S/T LP
Boys Life - Departures and Landfalls LP
Adam Busch - River of Bricks LP
Sima Cunningham - The Wolf That Eats The Sheep LP
Deafheaven - New Bermuda LP
Eskimeaux - Two Mountains CD, LP and cassette
Kim Fowley - Another Man's Gold LP
Guided By Voices - Briefcase 4: Captain Kangaroo Won The War LP
Tim Hecker - Norberg/Apondalifa LP
Homme - S/T flexi single (with download for full album)
Invisible Astro Healing Quartet - 2 LP
Jeff The Brotherhood - Global Chakra Rhythms LP
King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard - Paper Mache Dream Balloon LP
Chris Knox - Seizure LP
Love Canal - Enter The Love Canal cassette
Mark McGuire - Beyond Belief CD and LP
Medusa - Temptress/Strangulation 7"
Eddie Noack - Ain't The Reaping Ever Done (1962-1976) LP
Oneohtrix Point Never - Garden of Delete CD and LP
Outkast - ATLiens LP
Outkast - Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik LP
Silkworm - It'll Be Cool LP
Patti Smith - Horses LP
Tall Dwarfs - Weeville LP
Willie Thrasher - Spirit Child LP
Traams - Modern Dancing LP
Verma - Mul.apin LP
Wrekmeister Harmonies - Night of Your Ascension LP
                
 Staff Picks:

Justin's Pick... Pretend - Tapestry'd Life


Post-rock foursome Pretend have been playing and writing music together on the California coast for over a decade now. This confident sophomore release sees them writing arrangements seemingly influenced by the Pacific itself, with songs that gently wash in and evolve into cacophonous tidal waves and back again.
This is an album that is confident in taking its time. Clocking in at ninety minutes and featuring no single track under five, a collection of potential singles this isn't. Tapestry'd Life is a tantric experience, a record to be enjoyed in its entirety and with your full attention. Sitting on a beach at night with the tide coming in wouldn't hurt, either.

Ticket giveaways:



Buy a release from any band playing an upcoming Empty Bottle, Schubas or Lincoln Hall show and we can add you to the guest list. Stop in or give us a call! Keep an eye out for announcements for eligible Metro, Constellation, and Bottom Lounge shows too!

Thursday, November 12

Justin's Pick of the Week: Pretend - Tapestry'd Life

California post-rock foursome Pretend have been playing and writing music together on the California coast for over a decade now. This confident sophomore release sees them writing arrangements seemingly influenced by the Pacific itself, with songs that gently wash in and evolve into cacophonous tidal waves and back again.

This is an album that is confident in taking its time. Clocking in at ninety minutes and featuring no single track under five, a collection of potential singles this isn't. Tapestry'd Life is a tantric experience, a record to be enjoyed in its entirety and with your full attention. Sitting on a beach at night with the tide coming in wouldn't hurt, either.

Friday, November 6

saki newsletter 11/6/15!

We have an in-store TOMORROW, November 7th, with Basement Family, Whoa Thunder (STL), Not For You and Beat Bums!
In-store with Basement Family, Whoa Thunder, Not For You, and Beat Bums
Saturday, November 7th at 4pm
ALL AGES. BYOB.

We have another 'saki presents' show coming up at The Burlington on the 17th. Our old pals from Bloomington, Sleeping Bag are going to be in town. They'll touring with Five Pound Snap out of Detroit, and our local favs Ovef Ow will round out the bill. We'll probably have some kind of deal for free drinks, and maybe some saki giveaways and/or DJ sets, so keep checking the newsletter or the Facebook event for more info!



saki presents Sleeping Bag with Five Pound Snap and Ovef Ow at The Burlington

Tuesday, November 17th at 9pm 

Max Clarke's 'Pizza Astronaut' print from our pizza-themed art show was easily the most popular piece. We've invited Max back for his very own show, which is up now! If you missed the opening, with sets from Wet Wallet and Max's band, The Cut Worms, you should be very upset about it. It was an awesome time! Max's pieces will be up all month and he's in the process of relocating to New York. Let's help him move!

Check out our Spotify playlist of some of our favorite tracks from this week's releases (the ones that are available on Spotify at least). Let us know what you think! Do you think we left anything important out? Did we pick the wrong track from your favorite release? We want to know. You can contact us via Twitter, Facebook, or email us at info@sakistore.net. We have other playlists available on Spotify as well. Follow us, check out the playlists, and keep an eye on what we're playing in the store!

This week we're especially excited about the Red Red Meat and Elvis Costello, and Magnetic Fields reissues, plus the new ones from William Alexander, Miguel, and Santah!
 
 

Here are a few things we were yammering about on Instagram, etc. this week:

We had a scream on Halloween, handing out candy to the kids and blasting Crypt jams and John Carpenter soundtracks all day!

 We picked up a few items from Stupid Bag Records (and distro) that you won't find any many stores! The Radiator Hospital 7" is already sold out and we have VERY low quantity of these others. Come snag one quick!

 New arrivals and restocks from Get Hip Records (and distro). Lots of weirdo psych/garage and soul unknowns to dig into!

As the weather is getting colder, don't forget you can pick up a saki knit cap that will not only keep your tip extra toasty, it's also good for 5% off your purchase any time you wear it in the store! Same goes for any other saki-branded merchandise, FYI.

This is our new headless friend. We think he needs a name. What do you think?

New releases: 

William Alexander - Strangest Things LP
Bell Witch - Four Phantoms LP
Cheatahs - Mythologies LP
Elvis Costello - Armed Forces LP
Elvis Costello - This Year's Model LP
Elvis Costello - My Aim Is True LP
Flaming Lips - Imagene Peise: Atlas Eets Christmas LP 
Foxing - Dealer LP
Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings - It's A Holiday Soul Party LP
Magic Trick - Half Man Half Machine LP
Magnetic Fields - 69 Love Songs 6x10" COLORED vinyl (while they last)
    Miguel - Wildheart LP
Ono - Ennui LP
Perils - S/T LP
Private Wax 2: Super Rare Boogie and Disco
Red Red Meat - Jimmywine Majestic LP
Red Red Meat - S/T LP
Rim and Kasa - Too Tough LP
Santah - Chico CD and LP
Sun Ra - To Those Of Earth and Other Worlds (compiled by Gilles Peterson) LP
Vacation - Back To The Land 7"

 Staff Picks:

Adam's pick... Ork Records: New York, New York


Well, hell, I don't really know how much there is to say about this one. It really speaks for itself! Numero is at their very best when they're knocking out carefully constructed box sets like this. The book ALONE is worth $40-50 and then you get 4 LPs of AMAZING music on top of that?? I can't stress it enough: BUY THIS.

Ticket giveaways:



Buy a release from any band playing an upcoming Empty Bottle, Schubas or Lincoln Hall show and we can add you to the guest list. Stop in or give us a call! Keep an eye out for announcements for eligible Metro, Constellation, and Bottom Lounge shows too!