[Record Store Recon is a reoccurring segment brought to you by us or brought to us by you. Let's not forget physical media! Let's celebrate it! Send in a photo of your purchase, why you're excited about it, where you got it, and we'll post it for all to see. Is it rare? Is it your favorite record of all time? Is the packaging making you drool? We want to know ,so send 'em in.]

Words by Brendan

I hadn’t been to Mind Cure in a number of months. I usually try to swing by every once in a while just to see what’s new, but it had really been too long between visits. They posted on their Facebook page last week about getting a huge pile of new used records (not an oxymoron, I swear) and I knew I had to check it out. Here’s what I found.

Exhibit A: Elliot Smith / XO (1998) [Geffen]

I’ll come right out and say it: I have never listened to an Elliot Smith album. I don’t think I can even name any songs. Here I am, though, completely willing and (now) fully able to rectify this blasphemous situation. This record was remarkably low-priced and in great condition, although it is a 2008 re-pressing from Plain Recordings and not one of those super rare originals. I’m looking forward to loving this.

Check it out: “Waltz #2 (XO)”

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Exhibit B: The Jesus & Mary Chain / Psychocandy (1985) [Reprise]

“Classic album. Must buy.” That’s pretty much what I thought when I saw this, and I’m glad I did it. The 80s were kind of a wasteland for music…and lots of other things (except for me being born)…in my opinion, but this is a highlight. Sounds awesome on the turntable.

Check it out: “Never Understand”

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Exhibit C: Woven Bones / In and Out and Back Again (2010) [Hozac]

Solid, scuzzy, garage rock Hozac goodness, this album is. This label knows what it wants bands to sound like, and they find all the best examples. I found this album last year and still listen to it every once in a while, so when I saw this in the store with a $4 tag, I knew it would be mine bwahaha.

Check it out: “Your Way With My Life”

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Exhibit D: Times New Viking / Dig Yourself (2005) [Siltbreeze]

I’ve somehow managed to piece together the catalog in reverse-chronological order (not counting this year’s album), so here we are with their first LP. It’s lo-fi and hard-rockin’, just as you’d expect from this gang. And the back cover cites that it was “Lovingly fucked with by Mike ‘Rep’ Hummel“. Cool.

Check it out: “Lion& Oil”

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Exhibit E: Kurt Vile / So Outta Reach (2011) [Matador]

This isn’t really a “find” because it’s new and recently released, but I am a KV addict and will basically buy anything he puts out. Yup. So this was a “must”. The Springsteen cover on here is outstanding. (Check out this live version from when I saw him back in March, too.)

Check it out: “The Creature”

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Exhibit F: Sleater-Kinney / One Beat (2002) [Kill Rock Stars]

This is a band that is a record collection staple, I feel, so I’m piecing together their discography as I find them. This was the find of the day, I think, with a low low price, a poster, and a bonus 7″ of “Off With Your Head”. Score!

Check it out: “One Beat”

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Exhibit G: First Aid Kit / “Universal Soldier” b/w “It Hurts Me Too” (2010) [Third Man]

These Swedish sisters have wondrous voices, the kind that will make you forget you’re standing in a record store with headphones on and eyes closed, entranced by their harmonies… I’m speaking frome experience here. This 45 has two covers—the A-side is a Buffy Sainte-Marie protest song, and the B-side is a Blues standard attributed to Melvin London—and they are both absolutely gorgeous.

Check it out: “Universal Soldier”

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Exhibit H: Karl Hendricks Trio / Some Girls Like Cigarettes (1992) [Big Ten]

I keep finding Karl Hendricks singles and EPs at local stores for almost dirt-cheap prices, and I will keep snatching them up before yinz can! This 10″ has 8 fabulous rock songs, with names like “Pittsburgh’s Hottest Babes” and “How’s the Cat?”, and I am very much a fan. This is an original from Pittsburgh’s Big Ten Rex, not a Merge re-issue from 1995, as well. By the way, don’t forget about our Echo Chamber session with Karl from earlier this year!

Check it out: “Baseball Cards”

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I’m so glad I made it out to Polish Hill on a Saturday afternoon to peruse the racks. Have you been there recently and made some nice finds? Tell us about it! And get out there and support local stores and physical media. It’s a win/win/win situation.

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Filed under: Record Store Recon