Retailers are ready to push rare, exclusive, classic and just-plain-strange vinyl—last year gave the world the Monks’ unbelievable “Pretty Suzanne”—and lots of musicians and writers and musician-writers are signed up to help pull extra people inside. (Full roster of special releases here!) This list was compiled by Lainna Fader and Steven Martinez.

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Download: The Soft Pack “Answer To Yourself” [Audio clip: view full post to listen] (from the self-titled LP out Feb. 2 on Kemado) We interviewed the Soft Pack (then the Muslims) the day they moved to L.A. and we have been happy to see all the wild insanity that has developed for them since—the latest [...]

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Farmer Dave Scher is almost the Chris Darrow of his day, thanks to collaborations with Elvis Costello, Jenny Lewis, Nobody and the Mystic Chords of Memory, dios, Miranda Lee Richards and more. He is currently basking in the happy after-effects of his new solo album Flash Forward To The Good Times. This interview by Thomas McMahon.

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photo courtesy poo bah We weren’t able to get a hold of everyone in Southern California who is observing Record Store Day tomorrow, but we did ask a few of our favorite local stores what sort of special things they’ll be doing. If you aren’t at Coachella—or if you want to sneak away—be sure to [...]

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L.A. RECORD interviewed Crystal Antlers back before they’d even made their first EP and popularized the legend of Long Beach’s psychedelic chimneysweeps. Now Crystal Antlers’ Tentacles will be the final new release on Touch and Go. Founders Bell and guitarist Errol Davis—who has recently rejoined the band—meet for chicken and waffles. This interview by Chris Ziegler.

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Long Beach’s Greater California release their long-awaited All The Colors album tonight at Fingerprints, so we are reviving this interview from the ancient L.A. RECORD volume 1 archives in their honor. They remain Long Beach’s closest thing yet to S.F. Sorrow or Odessey and Oracle and its farthest thing yet from Sublime. This interview by Chris Ziegler.

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Dexter Romweber was the guitar half of the Flat Duo Jets, a two-man rock ‘n’ roll band from the deep south that had the power of Dr. Ross and Abner Jay combined. They were filmed for—and broke up during—the documentary Two-Headed Cow, screening tonight. Dex and his new duo (with his sister Sara) have a new album and will be performing in L.A. this weekend. This interview by Nolan Knight.

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From the folks down at Fingerprints in Long Beach:

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Plastic Nancy

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