It's The Submarines' Vinyl District!

The Submarines Blog Takeover, Day 4! Blake's back and she's got plenty to cover:

As you likely know, Haiti was hit by a magnitude 7.0 earthquake Tuesday, devastating much of the country. Donations can be made to help with the relief effort through a number of organizations, including Wyclef Jean's, Yéle Haiti. The Yéle Haiti site has been temporarily overwhelmed, but you can donate $5 by texting YELE to 501501.

This year, restored audio recordings and a number of short films made by Alan Lomax in Haiti in 1936 have been made available in the amazing box set, "Alan Lomax in Haiti." Here is a beautiful sacred song, called 'Gede Nibo, yo fè rayi mwen' from Volume 7, sung by Francilia, who worked for Lomax, and whom he recorded singing many traditional tunes.

Francilia - Gede Nibo, yo fè rayi mwen (Mp3)

While I'd love to devote this post to the music of Haiti and the Caribbean (including more contemporary artists) in tribute to those effected by this tragic event, I'm no expert and would be making a pretty amateur attempt. Thus...I'll now return to Subs-love-records blogging...

We, The Submarines, reside in a sleepy pocket of Northeast Los Angeles, in close proximity to many fine independently owned record-selling establishments, including these two lovely ones: Origami Vinyl is a shop and label in the heart of Echo Park, near our beloved venue, The Echo.

Territory Barbeque and Records is a hybrid BBQ restaurant and vinyl shop in Virgil Village in Silverlake, and has one of the grooviest looking bright-green storefronts around.

Another great vinyl-oriented establishment in the Echo Park area is the revamped former Ranchero bar, El Prado, which boasts 'beer, snacks and records' and is very pretty, indeed, with albums stacked up above the mirrored bar:


To close this post, I'd like to mention an album which came out the other day called 1%: the Music, Volume 1, which includes a Submarines song called, 'The Tide.' 1% is a non-profit which works to support environmental programs. We're really happy for them that this compilation has reached the iTunes alternative top ten this week.

And finally, here are a few things I'm rocking out to this week whilst running (training for the Boston Marathon in April):

Major Lazer - Pon de Floor (Mp3)
David Byrne and Dirty Projectors - Knotty Pine (Mp3)
Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros - 40 Day Dream (Mp3)