Spending $3 Never Felt So Good

My record player was a integral part of the introduction I had to music.
I am old enough to remember dancing to New Kids on the Block, Tiffany and Richard Marx's 7-inch singles. (Don't judge my taste in tunes back then, I was 12.)
But, like most of people of my generation, compact discs – and later mp3s – became my main source of music.
Fast-forward two decades, and I have come full circle.
Vinyl is again where it is at.
The sound, the feel, the scratches, the bumps. There is something about listening to tunes on my Crosley Traveler Turntable that transports me back in time – even if I am listening to something released three weeks ago.
Everyone has favorite songs, favorite albums, favorite artists. I now have favorite vinyl.
Here is just a sampling:

• Cat Power "You are Free": This album was a Christmas present from my friend Jake – before I even bought a turntable. He had heard me talk so much about wanting to switch over to vinyl, he made this purchase to spur me on. One of Cat Power's best albums – although not "The Greatest." Chan Marshall's earnest, lovelorn 2003 release got me through until I could afford to supplement my collection.
• Carole King "Tapestry": I didn't listen to this album for a few weeks after I bought it at Shake, Rattle and Read, just doors down from my home in Chicago's Uptown neighborhood. At only $3, I knew the record was not going to be in the best condition. Boy, was I wrong. I played it for the first time when friends gathered to celebrate my birthday. "I Feel The Earth Move," "You've Got a Friend" and the rest play clear and quite perfect. One of my favorite purchases, but not the cheapest.
• Andrew Bird "The Mysterious Production of Eggs": I am still on the waiting list at several record stores for Andrew Bird's 2005 masterpiece. No matter where I looked – including some Web sites in England, which is funny considering Bird is from Chicago – I could not find a copy. That can be the tricky thing about vinyl, as only so many copies of any record are produced. I went ahead and placed a back-order order though insound.com. Almost four months later, to my great pleasure, it was waiting for me one day when I got home from work. Unexpected and well worth the wait. May want to call Reckless Records and take my name off their list, huh?
• Okkervil River "Black Sheep Boy": I found out three days before that one of my favorite bands, Okkervil River, was the opening act for the New Pornographers. As much as I love them, I couldn't pay $50 to listen to them play for half an hour, as I'm not a big fan of the headliners. I live two doors down from The Riviera, and met some friends outside for a chat after the show. I could see workers inside the venue breaking down the merchandise stand, and ran in to buy "Black Sheep Boy." Didn't even have to go to the concert and walked away with a souvenir. "Don't Fall in Love With Everyone You See" and their newest, "The Stand Ins," also sound excellent on vinyl.
• Elton John "Honky Chateau": My friend Jake – the same one who got me all started n- came to stay with me for six weeks this summer. While wandering around one day, he stumbled across a thrift store that sold used records for 90 cents. I enjoyed listening to the Jerry Reed and Hank Williams he bought as well, but it was "Honky Chateau" that really excited me. So much so, that when he finally made plans to go back to Alabama, he left Elton John with me as a thank-you. A 90-cent record may not sound like much of a gift, but knowing it was hard for him to leave it with me is priceless.
• "Breakfast at Tiffany's": I had always dreamed of owning a version of Henry Mancini's "Moon River" on vinyl. Imagine my delight when I stumbled across the soundtrack at the Brown Elephant Thrift Store in Chicago's Andersonville neighborhood. I grabbed that and five other $1 records, including some old Tanya Tucker – I am from Mississippi, by the way – and a cast recording of "Guys and Dolls." Had I known before going to the counter that it was half-price day, I would have grabbed more. Total? Six records for $3.11. Can't beat it.
• Wilco "A Ghost is Born": OK, I admit it, I am a huge Wilco fan – even if only after three years of absorbing all of their music it feels like Classic Rock to me now. (Thanks again Jake.) "A Ghost is Born" is the only Wilco album I have yet to purchase on vinyl, mainly because it is my favorite. The CD was the soundtrack to my move from the South to Chicago almost three years ago, and it got me through a lot. (Thanks Jeff Tweedy and Glenn Kotche.) Noise never sounded so good.
• Elliott Smith "Figure 8": "Figure 8" is the last album Elliott Smith completed before his untimely death. The 2000 album was re-released on double vinyl in 2008. Most fans have a personal favorite of Smith's albums, and this one is mine. It was the first "new" record purchase that I made. "Everything Means Nothing to Me" highlights Smith's own fight with depression, and "Can't Make a Sound" remains a haunting anthem. A must-have for anyone who appreciates American singer-songwriters.
  

There are many more albums I could talk about – Ryan Adam's "Easy Tiger" on orange vinyl, which Iron & Wine track sounds best – but I guess I work for The Times of Northwest Indiana, and not Rolling Stone.
Either way, if anything piques your interest, check it out.
Happy listening.