Record Store Day, a day to “celebrate the culture of the independently owned record store” was held on Saturday, April 21 this year. This was my first year that I actively took notice in Record Store Day and followed the new releases that came out of it. Some of my personal highlights include a new song from Florence and the Machine, a release of Mac DeMarco’s “This Old Dog Demos”, and a new song by Phoenix. Florence and the Machine’s new song, “Sky Full of Song” was released as a limited edition 7” vinyl for Record Store Day. You can find it on most music streaming services like Spotify, SoundCloud Go, and Apple Music. The first 20 seconds are only vocals and it sounds almost prayer-like with Florence Welch’s captivating voice. Even though it’s a new release, “Sky Full of Song” sounds like it could fit perfectly on “How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful.” If this single is any indication of what Florence and the Machine’s next album will sound like, I’m excited for what’s to come.
Mac DeMarco’s “This Old Dog Demos” is not currently available on Spotify or Apple Music, but you can find the full album on Youtube and SoundCloud. The demo’s release comes in a year after “This Old Dog” was accidentally leaked, almost a full month ahead of its original release date, May 7. It’s definitely a must listen for fans of “This Old Dog” as its mostly instrumental and very low key. It consists mostly of new songs that were never released by Mac, except for six songs off “This Old Dog.” Side A starts off with demo songs whereas Side B is all instrumentals. Personally, I’m a fan of the instrumental side; it’s great concentration music and upbeat at times.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCxeEzRPN9E&feature=youtu.be
Phoenix’s new song, “Monologue” was recorded during the “Ti Amo” sessions but was never released. Like “This Old Dog Demos”, you can’t find it on Spotify or Apple Music, but it is up on Youtube. “Ti Amo” brought us songs like “J-Boy” and “Fior Di Latte”, both of which carry Phoenix’s distinct sound that fans know and love. My immediate thought upon listening to “Monologue” for the first time was that it sounded different from the rest of “Ti Amo”, which might explain why it was never released. The chorus is a repetition of “to love” and the rest of the lyrics feel superficial as well. I expected a more upbeat song and am always a fan of low key songs, but I couldn’t bring myself to like this new release.
You can check out the full list of Record Store Day releases here.
