Thursday, February 5, 2009

A TVD Orpheus Records Update: Maybe we should just change the name to Morpheus?

Nine (or ten?) lives, indeed. From the source:

"ORPHEUS RECORDS WILL BE OPEN THE REMAINING FRIDAYS & SATURDAYS IN FEBRUARY ....Friday & Saturday...Noon til 9pm.......February 6 & 7...Feb 13 & 14...Feb 20 & 21 and Feb 27 & 28...There are about 2000 lps out, that weren't out 3 weeks ago. They are not part of the "sale", but they are priced to move. Come on in, gobble them up, and while you're here........ THIS WEEKEND CONTINUES OUR 2nd ANNUAL "GOING OUT OF BUSINESS SALE". To Commemorate the occasion ALL THE LPS THAT WE WERE SELLING FOR ONE DOLLAR WILL BE 2 FOR A DOLLAR.... The new release & re-issue lps that have never been part of the sale are on display, still FULL PRICE. MOST OTHER LPS IN THE STORE ARE 2 FOR ONE DOLLAR. THAT MEANS: if the sticker says it's 99 cents it's 2 for a dollar, if the sticker says it's $9.99, it's 2 for a dollar, if the sticker says it's $29.99 or even more (not likely) it's still 2 for a dollar. Come on in, stack 'em up and buy as much as you can afford, or more, 2 for ONE DOLLAR. Please bring boxes if you need them, we're out..."


(And yea - thanks MM for the headline joke!)

TVD Ticket Giveaway | The Submarines & The Morning Benders | Black Cat, Sunday, February 8th

The Submarines have covered The Morning Benders. The Morning Benders have covered The Submarines. Now TVD's got you covered with a pair of tickets for Sunday night's show at The Black Cat and a tour CD for the individual jumping up and down and waving in the comments to get our attention.

So now, here's a tip for one perfect Sunday -- head on over to Civilian Arts for the TVD, Som Records, and DC Soul-sponsored Record Fair, then zip on over to the Cat and catch the Subs and the Benders live. It does not get better, now does it?

The contest closes on Friday, so get to typing! (Remember to leave us some contact info too!)


The Submarines - Waiting for a War [Morning Benders Cover] (Mp3)
The Morning Benders - 1940 [Submarines Cover] (Mp3)

TVD's Alternative Ulcer

Covers are kind of like relationships. The first time you hear a cover, it's like the start of a relationship where you are reminded of things from past relationships, but you are also experiencing something new. A good cover is like a fun brand new relationship where you really dig the person and you get to enjoy all the things that make being with someone fun. A bad cover however is like when you realize why you're single-maybe what you had in the past was awesome and this new thing kind of blows. In fact, this new thing may be ruining the concept of relationships for you altogether. Ok thank you for bearing with me during that awful analogy I just made. But I think you get my point?

Covers and I have a sordid relationship. Sometimes I’ll love a cover more than the original. Other times the cover is so bad it will actually make me hate the original. Still, other times I'll hate the original but I'll completely dig the cover. For instance a few months back I came across a George Benson album in which he covers Beatles songs. I bought the album at the encouragement of my friend Ben but was reluctant to listen to it. Like a bad relationship, the Beatles have left me with some baggage. When I was in college I dated a guy who absolutely loved them. His musical tastes in general were great and it wasn’t as if all he listened to were the Beatles. However, he listened to a lot of the Beatles. During the course of our relationship, in the summer before I came to law school, I worked in a Beatles themed bar. And just like with the guy I was dating, it wasn’t all Beatles all the time. But it was a lot of damn Beatles. After that period of my life, I had Beatles baggage. From the stuff you hear regularly on the radio to the more obscure music-I couldn’t hear any of it. So you can understand my reluctance to get this George Benson album. Probably what really prompted me to buy it was my friend Ben saying that if I didn’t he would, and my overachieving competitive side kicked in so at that point I had to buy it. I came home and gave it a listen while doing the dishes. I didn’t want to give it the full attention it probably deserved. I couldn’t. I had to ease in, just like with any new relationship.

Not too long ago I gave Ben the album in exchange for a few of his records. It’s not that I hated the album, but he wanted it more than I did. As with relationships, you gotta know when to let go. I’m still not sure exactly how I feel about the album, so instead of telling you, loyal readers, how I feel, I want your reactions. (Don’t I always!)

Oh, and YOU’RE WELCOME BEN!


George Benson - The Other Side Of Abbey Road (LP Side One) (Mp3)
George Benson - The Other Side Of Abbey Road (LP Side Two) (Mp3)

TVD's Eleven Weeks of Record Store Day Vinyl Giveaways | Week 2!

Not for one moment do we think we need to school the readership of TVD in regard to these three seminal Van Morrison releases, 1968's 'Astral Weeks' and Van's two bits of brilliance from 1970, 'Moondance' and 'His Band and the Street Choir.'

What we do need to impart however, is that this triumvirate of 180gram remastered vinyl from the original analog master tapes is the mind-blowing prize for the second week of our Record Store Day 2009 'Eleven Weeks of Vinyl Giveaways' contest! That's right--this week's one winner gets all three LPs shipped directly to his or her mailbox.

By now you know the drill; grab our attention in the comments WITH your email address (important!) so we can contact you about your triumphant win. (Or, you can comment and forward your email address in an email to us. We're not picky.)

Just make it funny. Or make it smart. About record stores. Or Record Store Day. Or vinyl. About us or you. Or something else all together. Just make it before next Monday (2/9) when we'll choose our winner. (AND launch giveaway #3...)