I went to buy the new Eels album last week in a shop
and I realised that if I didn't live in London, which I do, that would be IT for buying music on the high street. Have been to two HMVs in London and a Fopp and they don't stock it as presumably they're not restocking or stocking stuff that isn't top 5.
I realise we've been talking about this for a few weeks but it really hit me y'know?
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IT's a motherfucker.
Boom-cha!
Newcastle has a few independents
but now that HMV has stopped stocking new(er) releases than aren't Top 10 type albums I've found it impossible to track down things like The Seer by Swans and Vertikal by Cult of Luna.
Nick Cave should be in stock somewhere but there are a few other new things I'm not holding out for.
Do Beatdown not have The Seer?
not when i popped in
but I was just being quick - they tend to be the best for metal though
they had it the other week
just the cd like
Nowhere in Newcastle had the newest Deerhoof or the MBV remastered EPs though which was a bit rubbish
I went to Brighton this weekend
and was amazed that there were FOUR indie record stores. Resident was fucking great. Man, I loved that place i want to move there.
Resident know how to do it.
Great store and great webstore. Browse the catalogue online, order for an in-store pick up then waltz down there after work to pick it up. There's a reason no-one ever leaves Brighton.
Resident is laid out SO SO SO well
and that's why they appear to be so successful, perfect location & a wide choice of music + good offers. The reason Rounder collapsed is because it was very much a music fans record store and was incredibly difficult and even quite intimidating to browse in.
...
If HMV goes, there is nowhere left in Sheffield to buy new release albums. There's one record shop, in a suburb, that sells mainly second hand hand stuff.
I've always enjoyed being able to walk into town and buy something on a whim. I don't want that to end.
Weirdly my nearest HMV which is closing soon
understandably doesn't have the new Eels or Villagers, but does have the new Frightened Rabbit.
The independent round the corner has all three though and I don't live in London.
think everyone is expecting F'Rabbit to Do An Elbow on this album
There's a billboard for it opposite my flat.
I really hope they don't become shit.
And yet, here you are, on the internet.
You could buy the MP3 album right now from a number of sources.
Or you order it online to arrive in a couple of days and in the meantime you could listen to it for free (with adverts) from Spotify
http://open.spotify.com/album/6LjY7U8d0LsvLOt8qrvyL7
...which is sort of the problem
If you want to listen on Spotify you have to actually sit at a computer and listen to things with shite speakers. Or you could subscribe and listen to in on your phone...if you want your phone to mysteriously drain battery and fill up with memory even if you delete all synced playlists. If you want to actually own something and order it online, you usually have to pay stupidly extortionate P&P to even receive your goods within 2 days of deciding you want to buy it. The you have to make sure you're in when the postman arrives just in case he can't fit it in the letter box (vinyls/boxsets/multiple CD purchases). Where's the fun in all this? Walking into a shop, paying for something and walking out with it will always be better.
Okay...
"If you want to listen on Spotify you have to actually sit at a computer and listen to things with shite speakers" - Right. Where's this marvellous moving stereo you have with amazing speakers that you don't have to remain in one place to listen on? Also, why is it unable to connect, via the marvels of standard audio cabling, to your computer?
Can't really comment on the phone thing. When I had a paid Spotify account I didn't have those issues particularly. You're right, though, that without buying MP3s or having the CD to rip, you can't listen to the album on the move until it arrives in the post. On the other hand, you don't have to travel to get it in this scenario so that's something.
Not all online purchases require you pay extortionate P&P.
Many post CDs individually so you can easily get it through your letterbox. You can probably get at least two through the average one.
Personally I like opening a parcel from an 'e-tailer' with something in more than I like going into a shop and purchasing it.
But then again, I circumvent all of this by buying all my music directly as MP3s.
Stereo's in the lounge, computer's in the box room (study).
I have a laptop but the headphone socket's broke and besides, I'd still have to put it next to the stereo thus making its usability redundant. I only signed up for Spotify as a trial because Amazon let me down delivering a pre-order (said it broke in transit hence was returned without my knowledge) and I wanted to listen to the album in question on a long journey. For me the best bit about buying records in shops is the unpredictability of how many I'm going to walk out with. It could be none or it could be 10 depending on what's playing, what's just been released, what's on sale, what's recommended etc. Online, the more you buy, you more delivery costs and the less likely it is that the postman doesn't stick a red card through the box. To me, MP3s are just a way of making CDs and vinyl portable and I appreciate that streaming has it's place in this stupidly evolving world of ours but I don't like that it looks like they'll become the only option in the not too distant future.
you really sound like Alan Partridge
sorry
Your computer issues are really specific, though.
There are ways around what you're talking about - USB sound devices for the laptop for a few quid, for example, long cables from the computer or even some kind WiFi device.
Basically your entire argument against buying stuff online is pretty specific to you and the times something went wrong. Amazon let you down: I've been to record shops before and they've not had the album I wanted in stock: this wasn't what made me decide I wasn't that bothered about going to record shops any more.
My response was a direct one to the OP, who wrote, "...if I didn't live in London, which I do, that would be IT for buying music on the high street," hence we are comparing an HMV in a small town to the possibilities of the internet. Which in my mind also means not that great a selection of music. I've been to the small Leadenhall St. Market HMV many times in recent years and their concentration on games and DVD/BR means that as a music store it's fantastically limited. I can't imagine going in there and coming out with what I want, let alone a lot more than I wanted.
just use one of those
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cables-ALL-Headphone-Extension-Screened/dp/B007VS9FCI/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1360754614&sr=8-2
and plug it into a new usb soundcard for your laptop. I've been doing that for like 2 years (minus the usb soundcard).
Re: Spotify app
I couldn't find a way for it to recommend me new things. There was the radio function but all that did was play me songs that I already own, probably because it doesn't integrate with the ipod and was therefore assuming I didn't know it. I just found it all a bit rubbish and the memory/battery drain is a real issue for me and not something I want to pay £10 a month for.
Again, I can't really comment. It sounds like you wanted Spotify to do something I don't.
For me it's a way to listen to albums I think I might buy. I get recommendations on the PC via the Pitchfork plugin and some others, or mostly I use the internet to tell me what to listen to.
I stopped my subscription because, while it was nice to be able to use it on my phone, I still ended up buying the albums I liked so I was essentially paying twice for everything.
On my second free trial of Spotify Premium.
I usually end up I unsubscribing as I find I play stuff I mainly own.
Never had the battery issue though and the radio function is pretty nifty. I have the free version on my desktop but listen to most of my music through my phone/ipad so, really, the Premium version is the only realistic option for me as far as Spotify goes.
in Durham
HMV is the *only* place that isn't a supermarket
luckily in Leeds
there are still two great indies, Crash Records and Jumbo Records (who were featured in The Guardian a couple of weeks ago no less!). Not sure if the HMV is staying or going but don't really care as it's been shit for a couple of years.