As the Crow Flies

Tomorrow marks the third annual celebration of Record Store Day, a day where "...all of the independently owned record stores come together with artists to celebrate the art of music." How do you celebrate the art music, you ask? Fair enough. You celebrate by getting down. And, more specifically, by going to a bunch of free in-store performances by your favorite musicians, picking up a bunch free stuff that's actually cool, and supporting your local record store/bands in a time when the ever-shifting music industry seems to be getting more and more local. Unlike the produce in our neighborhood. I mean, come on. Really? No one in New York grows arugula?

Speaking of New York, two of our favorite records stores—Soundfix in Williamsburg and Other Music in a neighborhood we refuse to call NoHo—are taking parts in Record Store Day activities. And Other especially seems to be raising the bar this year with guest DJs all day and in-stores from past KoR favorites, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart and The Drums. Here's a live recording of The Pains' new single, Say No to Love to get you excited. Not enough for you? Damn, reader. Well, how about special Record Day releases like a split 7" with Bon Iver and Peter Gabriel covering each others' songs (no lie), a limited edition hand-screen-printed full-length from Hold Steady, a special 10" from The Boss with two rare live tracks, a red vinyl 7" from Passion Pit, a hand-numbered previously unreleased 7" from none other than the Rolling Stones, a new track from a new favorite brit band, Let's Wrestle, the previously out of print vinyl for REM's seminal Chronic Town EP, a vinyl reissue of TV on the Radio's Dear Science, and a crap-load of other exciting stuff. Full listing here. And head here to find a participating record store near you. Gooooooooooooooooooooooooooo the continued/reinvigorated tangible representation of auditory art! Woo!