▼ Music On the Wish List Ten must-have selections for June Record Store Day. BY CHRIS COPLAN music nerd’s favorite holiday continues to make its return, following up April’s festiv- ities with a second day of fun on Saturday, June 18. Does that split decision have anything to do with ongoing delays in pressing vinyl (per NME)? Sure, issues in the supply chain have pushed back LP releases for artists big and small. But for the average fan, you can just look A at it as yet another chance to spend the day buying and celebrating great music. So, in that triumphant vein, we’ve assembled our list of must-haves for RSD June. From mainstream rap to vintage folk, musical icons and unsung heroes alike, these are just some of the items worthy of your time and hard-earned cash. Billy Bragg, Life’s A Riot With Spy vs Spy (30th Anniversary Edition) Billy Bragg will always remain, regardless of the praise he does actually receive, a criminally uncelebrated folk hero. But luckily there’s a small measure of justice with this reissue of his 1983 debut album, complete with the remastered LP as well as live solo version recorded in London in June 2013. There’s no better way to commemorate 30 years than with the clearest, most compelling instance of Bragg’s canon, an album brimming with s with most of popular music, Record Store Day has been disrupted in recent years thanks to COVID-19. But now, the endless wit, a bevy of social commentary, and pure emotion to boot. Miles Davis, What It Is: Montreal 7/7/83 And from great career beginnings to trium- phant endings, this Miles Davis release is a clear winner for long-time fans and unini- tiated newbies alike. The show and release are best known for featuring one of Davis’ “final great bands,” including drummer Al Foster, sax player Bill Evans, and guitarist John Scofield. Several tracks later comprised Davis’ ’80s releases, including cuts from 1982’s We Want Miles and 1984’s Decoy, providing listeners with the intensity and mastery that would define the final arc of Davis’ brilliant career. Various Artists, Go Ahead Punk...Make My Day If you were around, there were plenty of great bands and high points that defined ’90s punk. But if you weren’t, you can go back and revisit the era with this classic 1996 sampler, which compiles a who’s who of acts from the Nitro Records roster. That list includes AFI, Guttermouth, The Vandals, and The Offspring, whose cover of “Hey Joe” was previously a sampler- exclusive offering. The release encapsu- lates what was great about West Coast punk of the time — a sense of manic energy and chaos that helped redefine the scene at-large. Plus, the orange splatter vinyl should make for some real eye candy. Nicki Minaj, Beam Me Up Scotty Playful and ferocious, Beam Me Up, Scotty captures a very specific moment in the career of Nicki Minaj. It landed just before she hit it big with the We Are Young Money compilation and, a short time later, her debut album, Pink Friday. It’s a record that showcases Minaj’s raw intensity and lyrical prowess across a maddening 20-something tracks. Wasn’t this album already re-released back in May 2021? Sure. But having it on double vinyl just feels different, and it’s the sort of MC master- class that deserves to be heard on hi-def audio. To paraphrase Minaj herself, it just goes real, real far away. Peter Gabriel, Live Blood One could make an argument that latter- day Peter Gabriel is on a next level (and that’s clearly saying something). That includes the epic Scratch My Back, in which Gabriel assembled some powerful, bare-bones cover songs. But a genuine highlight is New Blood, in which he re-recorded classic tracks from his discog- raphy alongside a 46-piece orchestra. This live album, recorded in London in March 2011, is the clearest version of this vision, and a powerful recontextualization of the spirit and intellect that defined Gabriel’s career. You haven’t heard “Solsbury Hill” till you’ve heard it like this. Wilco, Cruel Country Pre- Release Limited Edition The last few months have been marked by a vinyl shortage (which further explains why Record Store Day was split into two days this year). Is it possible to blame Wilco, at least in part, for this delay, espe- cially after their juggernaut vinyl re-release of Yankee Hotel Foxtrot? Sure. But there’s no denying that their fans clearly want vinyl, and the band are willing to give them what they want — even if that means waiting for a while. And so all of that is to say, we’re finally getting this year’s Cruel Country on LP, and all the madness will be worth it for this thoughtful and highly engaging album. Various Artists, The Royal Tenenbaums (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) We could spend a few days straight debating over the best Wes Anderson film. (This humble writer’s vote? The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou.) But to save time, we can just default to The Royal Tenenbaums for both the quality of the film itself and, perhaps more importantly, it’s epic soundtrack. Helmed by Devo’s own Mark Mothersbaugh, the double LP is a smorgasbord of rock music >> p 28 27 phoenixnewtimes.com | CONTENTS | FEEDBACK | OPINION | NEWS | FEATURE | NIGHT+DAY | CULTURE | FILM | CAFE | MUSIC | PHOENIX NEW TIMES JUNE 16TH– JUNE 22ND, 2022
