TVD Summer Vinyl Giveaways | Golden Smog 'Down By the Old Mainstream'

I have to confess that I was ready to launch our Summer Vinyl Giveaways last week. It’s already been damn summery around these parts and the calendar be damned. But last week being what it was, I had no time at all to whip up a snazzy summer graphic...which had me thinking – what’s with the seasonal giveaways anyway? Why tie these into a time period?

Particular soundtracks seem to be wed to a time period in my experience. For example, Joe Jackson’s ‘Beat Crazy’ is most definitely a Winter LP for me. It coincides in my recollection with the still, icy cold after John Lennon’s killing with its thinly veiled cynicism and punk/new wavey tensions. Echoing mine then.

Joe’s ‘Body and Soul’ is a Spring LP...all high school back seats, boy meets girl dreamworlds. Conversely, his ‘Jumpin’ Jive’ is a deep Summer record recalling a sweet and f’n innocent soundtrack of my mid-teens with my buddy Spike and I drawing comics with dreams of our comic brilliance being golden tickets to something big.

Then there’s ‘Night and Day’ - Joe’s sweet ode to Autumn. Well, at least in my head.

I can’t divorce myself from it. I'm stuck with it.

So, first up for Summer 2010, a reissue of a record I’m certain a few of you can extrapolate a time period from and a warm recollection, right? Golden Smog’s 'Down By the Old Mainstream.'


"Like most supergroup projects, Golden Smog's 'Down By the Old Mainstream' is a loose, relaxed affair that sounds like it was a lot of fun to record. Unlike most supergroups, the members of Golden Smog improve on their regular bands. Comprised of a number of alternative country-rock stars - including Wilco's Jeff Tweedy, the Jayhawks' Gary Louris, and Soul Asylum's Dan Murphy - the musicians are relaxed and loose, giving the songs a raw, rootsy kick. Since the album wasn't carefully considered, it has an offhand, relaxed charm that is sometimes lacking from Jayhawks and Soul Asylum albums . . . the performances are full of grit and fire, which is what makes Down By the Old Mainstream such an engaging listen."
—All Music Guide

We have a copy to give away to one winner who ties their entry in the comments to this post to the timeframe that’s conjured up by this record. What and when did it mean something to you? Have at it. We’ll give you a week and close this one out next Monday, 6/28.

And please, don’t forget to leave us a contact email address.