Criminal Records — 2/19/17
I recently took a trip to Atlanta with my fiancee to hold hands with otters.
I had never been to Atlanta before but had heard plenty of great things from my friends who grew up there: Great BBQ, great music, the ability to hold hands with otters. What I did not expect, however, was the feeling of a city that reminded me of the Portland, OR I grew up in: odd but familiar, unique but inclusive, proud but welcoming. A big city with a small town heart.
So it’s without too much surprise that Criminal Records was a highlight of the trip.
And the otters. Of course the otters.
Little Five Points is a mini-Hawthorne (for those familiar with Portland), full of vintage shops, book stores, and tattoo parlors. There is a medical cannabis dispensary right next to a police precinct (as one native Atlantan pointed out). A girl scout sold cookies on the street.
And then there’s Criminal Records.
One of 3, I repeat, 3 record shops within a block of each other. God bless ATL.
The spacious room was full of vinyl, comic books, and, my personal drug of choice, compact discs. It didn’t take long at all to find the dozen or so cardboard boxes labeled “$1.97.” I began my dig.
I also stopped by the general “used CD” section and the “new arrivals” to make sure I wasn’t leaving any stone unturned.
9 CDs and $31.05 airline miles later, I left the shop, fully satiated.
After a couple of beers next door at The Porter, we started to make the trek back to the car. Criminal Records was closing up for the day. Their clean up music of choice: Short Music for Short People. A compilation of 101 thirty second punk songs. Perhaps the greatest compilation ever made. One I’ve listened to nearly a hundred times and whose songs I would recite in my head when I was bored in high school. This wasn’t just a trip to Atlanta. This was a trip home.
Oh. And I got to hold hands with an otter.
Here’s what I bought:
The Diving Board: RL (Bridge Nine) I heard about Defeater during the build up and release of their most recent album “Abandoned.” I’m excited to get a chance to fully initiate myself with their sound. $1.97
The Diving Board: RL (Side One Dummy) / C (Warped Tour 2006 Compilation) ZOX is yet another band discovered through a compilation and the first that gets the diving board label as such. $1.97
A long time ago, I worked for Noah’s Bagels. The “baker” — all their dough came frozen in boxes — turned me on to this band. This is the first time I’ve seen their stuff in a bargain bin. $1.97
I’ve picked up this and Vee Vee from bargain bins in the past couple of months. Definite indie rock win. $1.97
The Diving Board: RL (BYO Records) / C (Short Music for Short People) Fitting purchase based upon the compilation where I discovered the band. $1.97
I’ve wanted a Weepies album for a long time. However, upon attempting to upload it, I discovered the cd was damaged. I tried playing the actual CD on my 3-disc changer and it started skipping. Oh well. You can’t win em all. $1.97
The Diving Board: RL (Fat Wreck Chords) / P (Bill Stevenson) I honestly didn’t know this band was still kicking. $2.97
Entire Collection purchase. I now own 5 of the 9 Jayhawks albums. Entire discography, here I come! $5.97
Entire collection purchase. I’ve been purchasing Bey’s albums in chronological order. This was literally the first CD I saw in the store. I can now purchase Lemonade whenever and wherever I want! $7.97
Subtotal: $28.73
Tax: $2.32
Total: $31.05
Originally published at confessionsofabargainbinaddict.tumblr.com.
