Crib Notes

For some reason, it’s been all very hush-hush, but Criminal Records is planning to expand its L5P mini-empire with a satellite location dedicated to vinyl. We’re told Criminal will soon take over the Euclid Avenue storefront that recently housed R. Land’s Summerland art show, filling it with new, and possibly used, records.

Criminal’s new listening station

Details are sketchy because, for unknown reasons, the fun-loving Criminals have been tight-lipped about their plans. What we hear is that the move will allow the original store to expand its selection of comics, magazines and toys. We don’t know where the CDs will be housed.

But we do know that vinyl is in the midst of a consumer boom as young’uns raised on mp3s are gradually discovering that the LP is the most bad-ass recorded music format God ever created!

How does neighboring Wax ‘N Facts feel about the additional competition? The ever-perky Victoria told us the folks there are looking forward to the company, the more the merrier, and all that. If anything, the new outlet will help promote the supremacy of vinyl, which may boost everyone’s business.

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Lloyd

Richard Lloyd is the former/sometimes guitarist for the seminal NYC art-punk outfit Television, and later for Cleveland, OH’s Rocket from the Tombs. As an American punk icon Lloyd played a first-hand role in shaping the course of evolution for art-punk on this side of the Atlantic, but his solo career has remained in obscurity.

He is best described as eccentric man, and if you ask him about the songs he writes he’ll talk your ear off with allegories about dreams, monks and man’s need to face his inner animals. He’s not quite the austere art rock figure from the ‘70s that I had envisioned before talking with him about his forthcoming album of Jimi Hendrix covers, called The Jamie Neverts Story.

Lloyd is actually one of the more engaging and not to mention memorable interviews I’ve done in a while. Even though his talk of religion and philosophy went a bit over my head at times, he was never heavy handed. I even looked up things like Antinomian, Malimath and Velvert Turner when I hung up the phone. I reached for the Dictionary not because he made me feel dumb, but because his level of enthusiasm was that infectious.

Lloyd plays Smith’s Olde Bar on Tues., Aug. 5 at 9 p.m. fronting the Sufimonkey Trio (featuring fellow Television alum, drummer Billy Ficca). He’ll also do a meet-and-greet at Criminal Records before the show at or around 7 p.m.

Richard Lloyd: I usually allow 20-30 minutes for interviews by telephone but my record company guy screwed up and scheduled someone else for 6:15 p.m., which is ridiculous, I know, But what are you gonna do?

Chad Radford: It will just make me ask better questions.

I hope so, but I am verbose so you’ll have to shut me up.

The club in Atlanta where you’re playing has your show listed as “an evening with Richard Lloyd…”

I guess that means there’s no opening act. We have two hours of material, so there’s no problem with that.

Is it a comprehensive set spanning your whole career? Are we going to hear some Television songs?

(more…)

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Adron

Tomorrow night (as in Wed., July 30th) at 7 p.m. Adorn is playing a free, in-store performance at Criminal Records in L5P before she heads over the The Earl for the CD release party of her New Street Records debut.

(Photo courtesy of Adron)

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Criminal Records

466 Moreland Ave.
404-215-9511

For week ending 7/24/2008

1. Gentlemen Jesse and His Men Gentlemen Jesse and His Men (vinyl and cd)
2. Beck Modern Guilt
3. Sigur Ros Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust
4. Avett Brothers The Second Gleam
5. The Hold Steady Stay Positive
6. Dr. Dog Fate
7. Noot D’Noot Goofer Dust
8. Gentleman Jesse and his Men Gentleman Jesse and his Men (CD only)
9. Old 97’s Blame it on Gravity
10. The Melvins Nude with Boots

Moods Music
1131 Euclid Ave.
404-653-0724

For week ending 7/25/2008

1. J*Davey The Beauty In Distortion/The Land Of the Lost
2. Dwele Rize
3. Sy Smith Conflict
4. Algebra Purpose
5. Unwrapped V/A Vol. 5
6. Anthony David Acey Duecy
7. Eric Roberson Left
8. Dain Harris/Brandon A. Thomas For The Moment/A Soul Acoustic
9. Hil St Soul Black Pearl
10. Al Green Lay It Down

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After attending the record show at the Marriott Hotel on Clairmont Road, this weekend, Criminal Records‘ Shannon Mulvaney was so distraught over the sad state of skirting the perimeter to buy music that he fired off a beautiful little tirade in the record store’s weekly newsletter.

After co-worker Adam Renshaw told him about catching part of a conversation in which one elder record lord said to the other, “…for my money, it’s the best Sugarloaf ever recorded…” Mulvaney decided to take action.

To remedy this situation, Criminal is in the process of organizing a Record Show in Little 5 points. According to Mulvaney’s report, “We want to create a show where people can hang out and sell and buy records in a friendly environment. We’ll even play music! So, if you are at all interested in having your own booth, hit me up at shannon@criminal.com. Please just don’t call me out if you hear me saying I prefer the mono Rubber Soul to the stereo.”

For more info look online at www.criminal.com

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Decatur CD
356 W. Ponce de Leon Ave.
404.371.9090

For week ending 7/17/2008

1. The Hold Steady Stay Positive
2. Beck Modern Guilt
3. Alejandro Escovedo Real Animal
4. Gentleman Jesse and His Men Gentleman Jesse and His Men
5. Willie Nelson and Wynton Marsalis Two Men With the Blues
6. The Baseball Project, Vol. 1 Frozen Ropes and Dying Quails
7. The Homemade Jamz Blues Band Pay Me No Mind
8. She & Him Volume 1
9. Coldplay Viva La Vida
10. Fleet Foxes Fleet Foxes

Moods Music
1131 Euclid Ave.
404-653-0724

For week ending 7/18/2008

1. Naked Music Re-Creation
2. J*Davey The Beauty In Distortion/The Land Of The lost
3. Ledisi Lost & Found
4. JSoul Love Soldier
5. Osunlad Passage
6. Choklate Choklate
7. Esperanza Spalding Esperanza
8. Various Artists Verve Remixed, Vol. 4
9. Dain Harris/Brandon A Thomas For The Moment/Soul Acoustic
10. Tony Remy & Bluey First Protocol

(more…)

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Ella Guru
2993 N. Druid Hills Road
404.325.1350

For week ending 6/30/2008

1) Alejandro Escovedo Real Animal

2) Sigur Ros Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust

3) Ry Cooder I, Flathead

4) Fleet Foxes Fleet Foxes

5) My Morning Jacket Evil Urges

6) Coldplay Viva la Vida

7) Supergrass Diamond Hoo Ha

8) Wolf Parade At Mount Zoomer

9) Various Artists Eccentric Soul: The Tragar & Note Labels

10) Etran Finatawa Desert Crossroads

Criminal Records
466 Moreland Ave.
404-215-9511

For week ending 7/3/2008

1) Sigur Ros Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust

2) My Morning Jacket Evil Urges

3) Fleet Foxes Fleet Foxes

4) Coldplay Viva la Vida

5) Withered Folie Circulaire

6) Silver Jews Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea

7) Wolf Parade At Mount Zoomer

8) Islands Arms Way

9) Portishead Third

10) Spiritualized Songs in A & E

Moods Music
1131 Euclid Ave.
404-653-0724

For week ending 7/4/2008

1. Dwele Sketches of a Man

2. J Davey The Beauty in Distortion/The Land of the Lost

3. Anthony David Acey Duecy

4. Hidden Beach Presents Unwrapped Vol. 5

5. Conya Doss Still

6. Sy Smith Conflict

7) Sabrina Malheiros New Morning

8) Osunlade Passage

9) Dain Harris & Brandon A. Thomas For the Moment/A Soul Acoustic

10) Esperanza Spalding Esperanza

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Withered

Metal underdogs Withered are playing a free in-store show at Criminal Records in L5P this Saturday (June 28th) at 4 p.m.Withered was culled from the ashes of Atlanta’s grindcore/crusty punk staple, Social Infestation in 2003 when guitarists and vocalists Chris Freeman and Mike Thompson reconvened after calling it quits with SI. After a handful of label jumps and line-up changes, and finally settling with drummer Beau Brandon and bassist Mike Longoria, the group is playing in support of its excellent Prosthetic Records debut, Folie Circulaire.

The Criminal Records in-store is free, and even though it is not the most evil of venues, the show will be badass nonetheless.

(Photo by Paul Romano)

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In its July issue, Decatur-based Paste magazine celebrates its list of the 17 coolest record stores that have outlasted the digital era, and Atlanta’s own Criminal Records made the cut with its enormous inventory of CDs, vinyl, magazines, comic books and DVDs.

“The resources on the Internet are supplements to actual record stores, not replacements,” said Josh Jackson, Paste editor in chief. “The digital era has its benefits, but I hope we can keep opening up new ways of discovering music without losing the best of the old.”

Look out for the soon-to-be released July issue of Paste for its complete listing of the 17 Coolest Record Stores in America, or click here to read it online.

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Narm

HAPPY RECORD STORE OWNER: Erik Levin (Photo courtesy of Criminal Records)

Atlanta’s very own Criminal Records, received its first Retailer of the Year award during the National Association of Recording Merchandisers’ (NARM) 50th Anniversary Gala Dinner on Wednesday, May 7 at the San Francisco Marriott. The award was presented to Eric Levin, owner of Criminal Records and Aurora Coffee.

NARM is the trade association for music retailers, wholesalers, distributors, record labels, suppliers of multimedia and various other related products and services in the music business. Its members account for almost 90% of the music sold in the U.S. music market.

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