RSD booty 2016

Husker Du - In a Free Land 7"

Honestly felt like this was kind of a rip-off at $10 with its plain-ass true-to-original packaging/black vinyl, not to mention it's a 3-track 5-minute EP, but like it's "In a Free Land" bruh, 4 real. And like it was apparently limited to 2000 copies omg. I knew and enjoyed these tracks originally from the bonus section on Everything Falls Apart and More, but having 'em here all secluded on this cute lil 7" is a treat and brings out the greatness just a wee bit more. The title track is just holy shit good, an earlier-era Husker classic indeed, and quite the shining example of them transitioning from str8-up-rip-roarin' speedy hardcore to like beautiful fucking loud melodics. Side B is more in the realm of str8-up-rip-roarin' speedy hardcore: "What Do I Want?" frantically expresses those desperate and imperative questions we all ask ourselves while beating our heads against the wall, M.I.C. brings a token singalong and then at the end he's all like "fuckin goin" or whatever. This single rules.

OutKast - Elevators (Me & You) 10"

"Elevators", obvious highlight from 1996's ATLiens, duh. Hella goofy cover art of an alien head+cheap font that looks like it was conceived by an 8th grader but that's okay. Back cover features Big Boi blunt-sesh with a presumably sXe 3K behind him on the phone all like ehhh, so that's cool. But yo, this glow in the dark alien green vinyl, like yeah, had to get it (bad pic/looks better in person I assure you). Cuz like glow in the dark, slime green stuff, "Elevators". It saves the original cut for last, throws a certainly-great trunk-rattlin' remix at you first, and tosses ya the "ONP 86" remix from ATLiens, an amusing novelty acappella version, and instrumentals of the aforementioned remixes. I think it was like $13? and certainly the best deal of this purchased trio. "Elevators" here is proven great and dare I say chill no matter the version or transformation, all too easy to throw this one on and be like yeahhh, OutKast, man. O and it helps that the remixes are like, equatable in likability to the original, that rules. The accapella one brings out those subtle voc-overdubs and the semi-ghastly qualities of the chorus-choir, thoze instrumentals bump and stand on their own. Well I will say the trunk-rattlin' instrumental kinda kills the ONP one but whatevz. I mean what more do you want out of a hip-hop single? The answer better be nothing. It's weird to not have the original first and foremost, but I kinda like that it's saved for last cuz you wind up craving it/forgetting how it truly differentiates from the mixes ya know? Then it comes on and you're like oh yeah, damn. Visions of them trying to write rhymes w/ paper-n-pencil underneath ceiling fans, trying to get bigger. And like when Dre runs into that dude from his past at the mall who thinks he's got bank cuz they had a single or whatever. And Dre's all like nah dude I'm kinda poor too and live by the beat like you live by a check, cmon man don't assume. So tight. This shit was definitely my #1 pickup. Out of like 6 semi-desired pickups, sure, but like "Elevators" and glow in the dark alien green vinyl and on a 10" no less? Like, yeah. Such a chill single, bro. Compared to the Husker Du one it feels like a mammoth trek.

Sex Pistols - Never Mind the Bullocks, Here's the Sex Pistols 12"

So yeah I totally should've owned this on vinyl for like 15 years now, but admittedly am glad to have neglected purchasing it for so long and ending up with this boss picture disc edition. At $22 I was like eh, but yeah this thing rules. Side A is a front cover replica, Side B is a back cover replica, pink and green and black, yeah I had to do it. This one came with a sleeve (fancy) and on the sleeve is omg an official silver Record Store Day Exclusive sticker (so fancy). Does anything need to be said about the music tho, really? Like omg. Listen that classic opening march and the invincible threesome of songs that kick it off, listen to "Bodies" again for godsake, sing along to the album's entirety in a terrible and unabashed British accent and roll the R's, remember when punk was still just kinda like crude classic rock with amped-up attitude and vigor and disgust, groan at but love "Anarchy in the U.K.", marvel at the continued greatness during a deep cut like "Pretty Vacant". Final track "EMI" is labeled here as an 'unlimited edition' (soooo fancy) but no difference was noted. Does this mean the original was somehow limited this whole time and nobody noticed? It sufficed anyway, gotta say. Stick-out and comparable slow-burner "Sub-Mission" sounds alot better to present me than less-patient 15-year old me for sure. People can talk shit bout the contrived/arranged-band aspect of the ol Pistols all they want. Album is essential and rules, str8 up. PRAW-BLEM. PRAW-BLEM. PRAW-BLEM. "God Save the Queen" remains the shit no matter how cliche. Johnny Rotten pre-PiL, Sid Vicious pre-dead. "Seventeen" as the underrated 2-minute gem stuffed in between the 2 overrated gems. It's one thing to be a lazy sod, a whole other to be a lazy Sid. GOOOOD-BYEEEEE AA&MMMM.