I’ve had nightmares where all my records are stolen, more real and terrifying than those filled with monsters and Batman villains. Looking at my collection, it’s not only albums and singles, but also my last five years, alphabetized on a shelf. It tells more than any “about me” section could ever do, or at least I hope it does. I want it to reflect the parts of me I can’t communicate, a wanderlust in sound, a love of the sonic.
The record store has always been a home for me, a place filled with possibility and discovery, the tactile pleasure of flipping through albums between your fingers bettered only by the brief flashes of color of their covers. I have my favorites outside of Buffalo, the electronic sections at Rotate This and Sonic Boom in Toronto providing me something I can’t get here, but Spiral Scratch is really my favorite place to buy records. Whether it’s walking into the store and hearing a Thai Psych compilation blasting through the speakers, or getting a record for five dollars cheaper than at Record Theatre (I see you new Kurt Vile), it’s something I’m proud to have in Buffalo. It’s also the only place that’s worth checking the used bin, like the day I stumbled on someone’s 70’s and early 80’s Brian Eno records, or finding Remain In Light at the old location.
I’m sure Record Store is going to be crazy this year, with longer lines, a little too many limited edition remix albums, and needless reissues of classic rock albums, so go in on a weekday sometime. Take your time, talk to Dave at Spiral Scratch about garage rock or fantasy baseball or something. It’s fun; it could be your haven.
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