johnegoatpalacezine Stories

Sheltering in place: your indie record shop has what you want

Old trailer with mailbox out front

All the objects which he contemplated with as much curiosity and admiration as gratitude, for if, in absorbing his dreams, they had delivered him from an obsession, they themselves were, in turn, enriched by the absorption… they took shape and grew solid before his eyes, and at the same time they soothed his troubled heart.

Marcel Proust (1871-1922)

How to soothe the troubled heart? This is a scary time. We’re all feeling it, to varying degrees. Turning to music, to books, and movies, is a meaningful way to expand your inner emotional world, deepen your compassion for others, will help you gather your strength for what’s still ahead, and help you find inspiration while we all await the calming of the outer very-real world. This crisis, too, shall pass, so why not have it pass while enjoying cool recording artists and their amazing records?

Nick Rennis at The Business in Anacortes, WA

Everyone has their favorite Indie record shop. Mine are The Business in Anacortes, Washington, and by extension through The Business, Resurrection Records in Spokane, Washington. Thing is, both of these shops have the good shit! I mean, Amazon might know what you need, but these small, expertly curated shops know what you want. So I’m making regular lightning visits to The Business to grab what my troubled heart aches for. Below are just a few recent treasures that have brought me enormous comfort, especially when my worries threaten to overwhelm my panicked monkey mind.

Mike House at Resurrection Records, Spokane, WA

Most Indie record shops do expert mail order, too, which means they know how to pack an LP so it arrives safely without dented corners, so that a cassette tape arrives safely without a cracked case. So your collector’s soul can be at peace, too. Reach out to them. We need each other to survive this crisis. It’s not about toilet paper and guns! It’s about being at peace and slowing down, thinking of others, finding inspiration and empathy, and remaining compassionate human beings!

The good shit

2 LPs by the band SQURL
When you’re escaping into film by one of your favorite filmmakers, who also happens to be in a very cool band. (From The Business, in The Palace Collection.)
4 LPs by the late recording artist Lizzy Mercier Descloux
When you find a new love and assign yourself some serious homework to catch up to a post-punk legend. (From The Business, in The Palace Collection.)
9 cassette tapes from Resurrection Records
When you gotta have cassette tapes because nothing else will do! (From Resurrection Records, in The Palace Collection.)
Double Date With Death LP
When your sense of mystery calls you to go deep into dark forests in distant lands. (From Resurrection Records, in The Palace Collection.)
LP and poster by recording artist Erica Freas
When one of your all-time punk legends is forced to cancel her in-store live show because of the current crisis, you can still escape into her new work to background yourself for when she will return (and she will return). (From The Business, in The Palace Collection.)
London is the Place for Me LP cover
When you just know there’s a whole lot more to this music thing out there, and now you have the time to do some deep research. (From Resurrection Records, in The Palace Collection.)
The Handsome Family Unseen LP cover
When you’re binge watching a dark detective series on HBO and every band on the soundtrack sounds like something you must add to your collection. (From The Business, in The Palace Collection.)
6 limited edition Bonnie 'Prince' Billy cassettes
When the lure of possessing the complete, extremely limited edition overwhelms your senses while at the same time provides you with the ultimate distraction. (From The Business, in The Palace Collection.)

photo credits
(where not otherwise credited)

“Trailer” / photograph by Charles Harker on Shutterstock