You Wanted The Best. You Got The Best (Apparently...).

Oh Gene, Oh Paul. I don't quite know what to say about this.

Barn Owl & Jefre Cantu-Ledesma live in Bristol

Barn Owl & Jefre Cantu-Ledesma Live At The Cube (Bristol) from Dan Crossley on Vimeo.

AMCR's last show & Title Tracks this weekend!

We're pretty excited about the in-stores we've got going on this weekend at saki! Saturday, we'll be joined by locals Andy Marchel & The Cocaine Rainbow & Tiny Manatee. This is apparently AMCR's last show, so we expect them to go totally "balls out," in the parlance of our times. We're told that Andy Marchel is a real person, The Cocaine Rainbow is but a myth...

On Sunday, we're freakin ecstatic to have Washington, DC's Title Tracks grace our humble stage! Title Tracks is the latest project of one John Davis, formerly of Georgie James and Q And Not U. They play a brand of punchy power-pop that that easily puts them in league with some of the greats like Big Star & The Nerves. They'll be joined by locals, Whales, who ain't so bad themselves.

To summarize: this weekend is going to be awesome. You want to be here.

Ulgy Things #31 is here!

The greatest rock 'n' roll zine to ever grace your bookshelves has just released their latest issue, #31! We just got it in at saki and we're pretty psyched because this issue has features on THEM, Hendrix, The Stooges & Norton Records among others... OH, and there's a big, juicy saki ad on page 101! Come check it out.

Point out the ad when you buy it and we'll give you 20% off. You have to physically turn to page 101 and point to it... it's not that hard, just lick your fingers first for friction.

Cass McCombs: Wit's End out now!

The new Cass McCombs album Wit's End came out today. Cass hasn't released a video for anything off this album, but some nice people made this video for the first single "County Line." It's totally NSFW or NSFRJ (Not Suitable For Recovering Junkies). You can watch it here.

Another Bill Callahan interview!

Sorry, I know we've been heavy on the Bill Callahan posts recently, but I'm still unpacking Apocalypse myself, and I don't think any other album of his has come with so much press. Also, it's just fun to read an interview with Bill Callahan. It's like someone is chasing him around with a page of questions and he's just running away from them, shouting "You can't catch me..." I love it!

In this one, he compares poet James Tate to Mitch Hedburg (WHAT!?), says the phrase, "Hug a thug" (AWESOME), contemplates remixing Marvin Gaye songs (I'd listen), and says that he doesn't have a TV, but he's catching up with Friday Night Lights online (THE BEST THING I'VE EVER HEARD).

Cameron McGill interview with A.V. Club Chicago!

Mr. McGill sits down with A.V. Club and discusses the process of recording CM&WA's latest -Is A Beast, touring 150 days a year, and how to avoid opening for a magician. Check it out and come see them live at Schubas this Friday-Yeahaah!

"When Her Friends Spoke of Love" charity zine

One of our favorite Japanese shops -BIG LOVE- recently released a charity zine with all proceeds going to earthquake victims in Japan. It features Ariel Pink, Nite Jewel, Puro Instinct, Cold Cave, Grass Widow, Reading Rainbow, Hunx & His Punx, Captured Tracks, Mexican Summer & More... Click the links for more details and go ahead and buy one. DO IT!

New Releases @ saki 4/26/11!

Akita/Gustafsson/O'Rourke - One Bird, Two Bird LP
Black Mountain - Rollercoaster 7"
Daedelus - Bespoke CD & LP
Des Ark - Don't Rock The Boat LP
Earth - Angels of Darkness, Demons of Light LP
Explosions In The Sky - Take Care, Take Care, Take Care CD & LP
Fresh & Only's - Secret Walls 12" EP
Holy Ghost! - S/T CD
Implodes - Black Earth LP
Cass McComb's - Wit's End CD & LP
Pygmy Lush - Old Friends CD & LP
Of Montreal - Thecontrollersphere CD & LP
Will Sheff - I Am Very Far: Lyrics book
Sleigh Bells - Treats LP reissue
T. Rex - Zinc Alloy & The Hidden Riders of Tomorrow CD & LP
T. Rex - Tanx CD & LP
Thao & Mirah S/T CD & LP
Times New Viking - Dancer Equired CD & LP
Tindersticks - Claire Denis Film Scores CD & LP

Wanna see Surfer Blood!?

We've got 4 more spots to give away for Surfer Blood's May 7th show with ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead and True Widow at The Bottom Lounge! Just come in and buy any item from any of those 3 bands and we'll put you on the guest list! It's that easy - you can even buy a 7"! Why would you NOT do it?

Cross Record release show this Saturday!

If you weren't already planning on coming out this Saturday for the latest installment of Pish Posh, presented by Another New Calligraphy, you should know it will also be doubling as the release party for Cross Record's new album, Magnetic Current.

The album was released this past Tuesday via ANC. So come out and celebrate the new record with us. There will also be performances by Reid Karris, Heather Momyer, & Chris Bower!

saki will be closed on Sunday

Hey shoppers, saki will be closed this Sunday. We recommend that you get all your shopping in on Saturday while enjoying the sights and sounds of Another New Calligraphy's latest installment of Pish Posh! We'll be celebrating the release of Cross Record's new album Magnetic Current which is being released be ANC!

Wax Trax! 33 1/3 Retrospectacle

I had a much needed amazing, life affirming time at last weekend's Wax Trax! 33 1/3 Retrospectacle.

I don't have time to write down my complete thoughts on it right now. If you're super curious, just check the Twitter #WaxTrax hashtag.

In the meantime, here are the photos I took on cell phone and with pocket cam. Click the link for the full set of each night.

Friday Night

Front 242

Saturday Night

Revolting Cocks

saki's April 2011 8track mix!

8tracks is a new site that allows users to upload and share streaming music files. Unlike it's long lost bastard cousin, Muxtape, 8tracks is tooootally legal. So, enjoy saki's first 8track mix. This one is just kind of thrown together, but it features some pretty awesome tracks from Bill Callahan, California Wives, James Blake & Cross Record. We'll try to post these mixes regularly. Let us know what you think!

Ukulele Crazy!

I'm a big fan of the new record from tUnE-yArDs - which is out today on 4AD. Merrill Garbus, the lady behind the project utilizes her voice, drums, and field recordings and loops them through a digital voice recorder and shareware mixing soundware to create a gnarly, eclectic funky sound. She also uses a ukulele in her songs, and uses the instrument in a very unorthodox method. Ukulele's have been featured a lot in indie rock as of late - you can read more about it in this great article from the NY Times

The Four Steps of Gold Panda

Last year, Gold Panda turned quite a few heads with the release of Lucky Shiner on Ghostly International. And sure, we reported the Pitchfork.com 8.3 rating back in October, and now NPR graces us with with four steps of found sound...as per Gold Panda, that is!

Grouper : Alien Observer

Grouper - Alien Observer from Hamish Parkinson on Vimeo.

Marsen Jules video

Marsen Jules - Once in a moment from Vincent Fugère on Vimeo.

New Releases @ saki 4/19/11!

Well, there aren't too many releases this week, probably for good reason. Who wants to put their album out right after Record Store Day!? However, some of those Record Store Day releases were actually just 4/19 releases that the labels let us put out early. So here's a reminder for those along with the few other 4/19 releases...

tUnE-YarDs - W H O K I L L CD & LP
Micachu & The Shapes w/ The London Sinfonietta - Chopped & Screwed LP
Gorillaz - The Fall CD & LP
Rudolph Wurlitzer - Slow Fade (as read by Will Oldham) Audiobook
The High Llamas - Talahomi Way CD & LP
People's Temple - Sons of Stone LP
Burmese - Lun Yurn LP
Blink - Architects cassette
Wholphin #13 DVD
White Mystery - Blood & Venom CD & LP

Don't buy RSD items on eBay... at least not yet!

Okay folks, I go through this little talk every year after Record Store Day... DON'T BE A FOOL and pay good money for RSD items on eBay! I understand that you mostly likely didn't find everything you wanted on Saturday. That's bound to happen with so many limited releases and so many people trying to snatch them up. We've already seen some RSD items going for ridiculous amounts on eBay and it's only been two days! Here's the thing: IF YOU WAIT A FEW MONTHS, ALMOST ALL OF THOSE ITEMS WILL DROP BACK DOWN TO REGULAR PRICE (or something closer to it).

I've worked at a store for every single Record Store Day so far and I've watched this happen EVERY YEAR. If you really want those White Stripes records, just wait until they drop down to $10-$15. It WILL happen. Don't give the eBay flippers the chance to exploit Record Store Day for their own personal gain. Yeah, it's America, but seriously, F&#K those guys - get a real job.

Mess Around 2011

If you happen to be in Atlanta, GA this weekend don't miss our friends White Mystery play at The Earl as part of this year's Mess Around Festival. Also, on the bill are The Testors, The Oblivions, Shannon & The Clams, Personal & The Pizzas, Hunx & His Punx, K Holes, Mickey, The Half Rats, and more!

saki's got their not-yet-released sophomore LP Blood & Venom hidden behind the counter, and as a special Record Store Day treat you can buy a copy this Saturday (4/16), before its official release.

Tons more about Record Store Day at saki here, here, and here.

Captcha Takes Over The Hideout 4/15/11

Tomorrow night
our friends
at Captcha records
take over the Hideout...

Transmission hypes RSD!

Transmission has a nice little write-up on all the record store day events going on at saki this Saturday. They also talk about our brothers from other mothers (the other stores in town), but saki is the only store that required a seperate link for full details... BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT GOING ON! Just want to make that clear. Come to saki on Saturday and you'll have a good time.

Distractions on Giant System and at saki!

Check out Distractions on (the always awesome) Giant System! Oh, and how nice of them to mention that Distractions will be playing here at saki on Saturday as part of our Record Store Day in-store marathon with Distractions, 1900's, In Tall Buildings, Bob Dey's Tank Engine Man, Chaperone, This Is Cinema & Rabid Rabbit!

Cute Roulette

I'd like it be clearly stated on the record that I discovered Cute Roulette while on my break today, but I waited until I got home from work before I wasted hours of my life with it.

Cute Roulette - may God have mercy on us all...



via

Donate to a great cause, get free stuff!

If you've been keeping up with all the info on our Record Store Day page, you know that we've got lots of cool stuff to give away! Most of it will be out there on a table for the taking, but certain items will be raffled off with all proceeds going to help relief efforts in Japan!

For $1 per entry you can put your name in a drawing to win either an AUTOGRAPHED Bill Callahan puzzle, a screen printed TV On The Radio show poster for their upcoming sold out show at Metro, or tickets to the upcoming Femi Kuti, Yacht, or CSS shows, also at Metro! Obviously, we owe a big thanks to Metro for donating their goods as well as our buds at Drag City for the Callahan puzzle.

That's it! Take some free stuff, and donate if you feel inclined, or pay $1 to enter to win any of the above giveaways!

The Bitter Tears on NPR!

Take a listen to The Bitter Tears on NPR as they talk about dumpster diving for instruments, the beginning of the band, and their contribution to this weekend's Chicago International Movies and Music Festival, CIMMfest.

They mention Carrot Top Records' own, The Handsome Family as one of their first influences.

"It's more about not censoring yourself, in almost an extreme way, like opening up the faucets and letting everything out." - Alan Scalpone of The Bitter Tears

Make sure the see the members of The Bitter Tears perform live at the CIMMFest this Saturday 4/17 at 10:30PM, at the Wicker Park Arts Center, 2215 W North Ave. The performance will take place in accordinance with Brent Green's "Gravity Was Everywhere Back Then."

Apocalypse...NOW. Bill Callahan Pitchfork 8.0

Accuracy in today's media is something that is often missed, if not avoided. Pitchfork.com, however, absolutely nails it this time with a few words to describe Mr. Bill Callahan (former Smog-fella) and his new Drag City album, Apocalypse.

"8.0"

"He's penetrating, he's ironic, he's intimate, he's elusive, he's distant and calcified, he's vulnerable and warm -- it's all there, album to album, song to song, and sometimes line to line."

"Callahan is making the best albums of his career."

NY Times profile: Bill Callahan

You would be wise to take a few minutes and read this NY Times profile of Bill Callahan. Sure, he's an enigma, wrapped in a puzzle, wrapped in a weathered denim shirt, but damn, the man pack an emotional punch into just about any phrase.

Oh, and what great time to mention that we'll be raffling off an autographed Bill Callahan puzzle on Record Store Day. All proceeds will go to Red Cross disaster relief in Japan.

New Releases 4/12/11!

Panda Bear - Tomboy CD & LP (the t-shirt bundle comes out on Saturday!)
Low - C'mon CD & LP
Cameron McGill & What Army - Is A Beast CD
Smoking Popes - This Is Only A Test LP
A Lull - Confetti
Autechre - EPs 91'-02' CD
Crystal Stilts - In Love With Oblivion CD
Fredrik - Flora CD
Jonny - S/T CD
Colombia 45 - V/A 7"
Jeff Buckley - Grace LP reissue
Miles Davis - Kind of Blue LP reissue
Jimi Hendrix - South Southern Delta LP
Quintron - Sucre De Sauvage LP
Sonny & The Sunsets - Hit After Hit CD & LP
German Measles - A German Joke Is No Laughing Matter LP
Nicolas Jaar - Space Is Only Noise LP
Vivian Girls - Share The Joy CD & LP
Hano/O'Rourke/Ambarchi - In A Flash... LP
Nick Lowe - Labour of Lust LP reissue
Gypsyblood - Cold In The Guestway CD & LP
Booker T. & the MG's - Best Of LP reissue
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. - Horse Power EP/My Love Is Easy Remixes Pt. 1 LP
The Feelies - Here Before LP
Princess Nicotine: Folk & Pop Sounds of Myanmar Vol. 1 LP
Bass Drum of Death - GB City CD & LP
Young Widows - In & Out of Youth & Lightness CD & LP
Ponytail - Do Whatever You Want All The Time CD & LP
Little Scream - The Golden Record CD & LP

Busted At Oz! One copy left!

We're sitting on 1 last copy of Permanent's Busted At Oz comp! This is limited to 500 copies and most stores and distros are now sold out of it. Oh, and all proceeds from it go to the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless

Frankly, we're disappointed that this thing is still here people... Come on in and snag it for a mere $17 before it's up on eBay for twice as much!

The world IS falling apart and coming to an end. Here's proof

I stand among you, stunned. Absolutely stunned.

Big Weekend Plans

Man, oh man. Despite the fact that next weekend is Record Store Day and things are a bit crazy here in crazy town, we've got a lot going on THIS weekend as well. Go say hi to our man, Karl at the CHIRP Record Fair (details @ Windy City Rock). He'll be peddling the goods behind a fold-up table instead of a speckled orange counter top for one weekend only.

We recommend that you hit up the fair early and then make your way over to saki for a jam-packed in-store lineup from The Part Five, Dick Wolf! and Geronimo! starting at 4pm. The Part Five are celebrating the release of their new album The Tightening and we'll have copies on hand at saki as well as at the record fair!

See you here and/or there!

Kill me. Do it now.

(courtesy Jeff Gentner/Getty Images North America)

+

(courtesy of Splash.com)

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(courtesy of Musings of a Tired Soul blog)

Ticket Giveaway: Wax Trax! Records Retrospectacle!

Ladies & gentlemen, you have ONE WEEK to win a ticket to the Wax Trax! Records Retrospectacle: 33 1/3 Year Anniversary at Metro on 4/17!

We have 2 spots to give away and all you have to do is come in to saki, buy ANYTHING, and give us your name. That's right, just buy something - something big, something small, doesn't matter - and the first two people to do so will be on the list for the last night of the Retrospectacle on 4/17. Hurry up now!

Get all the info about Record Store Day @ saki!

Did you know we have a Record Store Day page on our blog with all the info you need for RSD 2011 @ saki!? Check out all the in-stores, special sales, deals & promotions we're offering, as well as a nearly complete list of the exclusive RSD titles that we will have on hand!

Just click on that thing to your right that says "Record Store Day!" Here, we'll make it even easier for you, just click here.

2 or more cool things...

Panda Bear's new album Tomboy is streaming at NPR and there's a new True Widow video available for your aural/ocular enjoyment.

Also, while were chatting, just an update on the Surfer Blood, ...Trail of Dead & True Widow ticket giveaway... we've already had a lot of interest for this one and the spots are limited so you might want to act fast! Unfortunately, Surfer Blood's Astro Coast is out of print on LP. We have the CD in stock as well as the 'Floating Vibes' 7". You can purchase any of those, as well as the ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead CDs & LPs that we have on hand OR the new True Widow album on CD or LP, which we highly recommend!

New Releases @ saki 4/5/11!

Not a TON of releases this week, but holy cow, new Bill Callahan, Cold Cave, Alela Diane, and old Destroyer! That's a good week in my book!

Bill Callahan - Apocalypse CD & LP
Acid Mothers Temple - Pink Lady Lemonade CD (LP delayed)
Cold Cave - Cherish The Light Years CD & LP
Matthew Dear - The Slowdance EP CD
Destroyer - Ideas for Songs LP (old cassette-only release now on LP!)
Herzog - Search LP
The Kills - Blood Pressures LP
Mirror Mirror - FRKWYS Vol. 5 12"
Residents - Meet The Residents CD & LP
Shannon & the Clams - Sleep Talk CD (LP delayed)
Teengenerate - Smash Hits LP
Alela Diane w/ Wild Divine - S/T CD & LP

FREE LIGHTNING BOLT SHOW!

Pardon the shouting, but THERE IS A FREE LIGHTNING BOLT SHOW AT THE EMPTY BOTTLE TONIGHT!!! Why would you NOT want to be there? It will cost you nothing but a few brain cells and the ability to hear certain high frequency sounds from now on...

The 'Mats on SNL

I hadn't seen these before. Live on SNL 1986.

Thanks to Red Red Wine On A Sunday for keeping these up.


What a mess by mmr421



That's where we're riding by mmr421