Friday, April 23, 2010

Collect 'Em All

A lot of this blog consists of me continuing to get some of the same records I already own, but different variations of that same record. I'm not sure why I do this or what is my motivation behind it. I guess its almost like a way of showing how much you like a record by getting as many copies as possible. It could also just be for bragging rights, sometimes I feel like it's the latter of the two. Maybe it's just a simple novelty thing? Sometimes I realize it gets out of hand, but moments later I get excited again about it. It's odd how these things work.

Well after that intro, after a while of not really getting anything new from this band, I got two records. Cold World has been a band that just stands out to me, maybe its from seeing them in Philly a few times, or just that the band is so well liked, yet they don't play that much. Cold World to me plays a type of hardcore that is just a no-brainer. A lot of hardcore kids like hip hop and it makes me wonder how a band like this hadn't come out that actually could pull it off well. Probably because it's not easy.

This is the third and lost copy of the No Omega Compilation LP that I did not have. For anyone that doesn't know this puts all of the first 7"s on one release, and I think an extra song. To me this is the best Cold World. This LP just sort of encompasses all of it. This one is out of 104 copies.

Also keeping with my preferred Cold World releases, this is the self-titled 7" on blue. I feel like that for the most part the hype that surrounded this band has died down a bit, which is awesome because it makes for great deals on stuff I normally would've passed on. I believe this one is out of 200.

Here we have The Effort's From Our Mistakes 7" on green from the 1st press, 175 copies. Compare it to the other post I had from the first press here

I decided to place an order at React! for a few things I didn't have. I picked up the Carry On re-release of It's All Our Blood put out a while ago, I had picked up a copy on white from Sean Youngblood and I thought I had pre-ordered this and the red copy from React, but I found out later that I did not. Maybe I'll get a copy on red somewhere down the road.

I picked up a copy of The Effort #2 fanzine. This really impressed me, sometimes I feel like the quality of a zine just doesn't impress me most of the time. This thing is incredibly well done. Huge interviews, lots of topics and just tons of rad stuff. I'm looking forward to sitting down and actually reading it. I was also supposed to pick up a copy of Mindset's Time & Pressure on black, but Aram sent me it on red. Aram did however give me the other screen-printed mailer used for the Mindset 7", so that was a nice bonus.

So now I have duplicates of red and white. Aram wants me to fund his label apparently. No worries I can pick up a copy on black at a show I'm sure.

This is another copy of On's Vital Times, this time on black, out of 600. I need to get more copies of this record. It is just too good.

Here we have another copy of Swamp Thing's 7" on tan I think. Kind of hard to distinguish between tan and gold, under different light it can go either way.

I love Bracewar's first 7" and after I heard the LP I wasn't really impressed at all. About two weeks ago I was giving it another listen, and there are several tracks that are pretty good. So I thought maybe a purchase was necessary, and to my luck and fairly easily, I got the Sound and Fury version out of 100.

I decided to pick up another Wishingwell release, this is Insted's Bonds of Friendship. Probably one of the best covers I've seen, mixes the like 50s and youthcrew look really well.

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

So Much to Post About

The past couple of weeks I've been getting a lot of stuff in and it's been just piling up so this is the culmination of that. I'll start with what was probably the most notable thing that happened in the past few weeks, Mindset's record release.

This was probably one of the best shows I have been to, including the after show. Lots of great bands and friends. Check out the videos from the show if you haven't here. It would only make sense that I start this blog with Time & Pressure.

On the left is the yellow record release press of the new 7" limited to 100 copies. Next to that is the white out of 200 and then the red out of 400. The record release show was on a Sunday and the next day I received my pre-order from React!, how fitting. At the record release I picked up a copy of the white vinyl because I was under the impression that I had missed the opportunity to get a copy of it for the pre-order, the things went so fast and I was at work. To my surprise when I opened the package there was a red copy and a white copy, so I now have two copies on white. Anyone interested in picking it up let me know. At the record release, pretty much anyone who bought the 7" also got the Sacred Love demo and Thinking Cap #1. Also like an idiot I picked up the poster at the show that came in my pre-order so I now have two of those too for anyone who is interested.

True Colors had a special press of Focus on the Light from Six Feet Under for the tour. At first I saw this thing and was like they just glue a piece of paper to the one I already had, the one that came with the Rush of Hope pre-order. So I was instantly turned off and appalled that they would try and make me buy another copy. So after the first show, before the second show I was playing on my phone and saw Mike's post about the record and then I wanted it. Luckily for me the True Colors guys stuck around for the second show and I asked Packo if he could pull out a copy for me, which he generously did. Close call.

Here's a good picture of some friends and I during True Colors set at the show.

Also at the show I picked up two LPs from someone who I think just brought some stuff they were looking to get rid of.

On top is Blue Monday's Rewritten on purple, on the bottom is Comeback Kid's Wake the Dead on blue. Neither one is that rare or special, but both were definitely good pick ups for the price, $6 each.

Also at the show I picked up a copy of Boiling Over's Trash City on Green, second press. I've been meaning to pick this up and just never got around to it til now.

Bummer this band just played their last show, I would've liked to hear more.

One of the first things I picked up over a week ago was Forfeit's Visions with the Summer Tour sleeve. Limited to 100 Copies, mine's #100, pretty cool.

So big surprise, I pre-ordered the new Down to Nothing 7". So here are the two versions that were available for pre-order.

I believe the black and white cover is the limited version I think out of 300. No idea the pressing on the regular versions. Both on black, the packaging is not bad and overall clean, but I'm not that impressed to be honest. I was however impressed by the music, a few things I'm not a fan of but overall I was definitely feeling it. An updated collection picture is on its way.

Next I picked up two Common Cause releases.

The copy of Statement of Purpose on blue is out of 300. The Power to Change LP is the European tour version with the DJ sleeve, limited to 250 copies. I started feeling this band after Aram sent out the e-mails with the download to the React pressing of Statement of Purpose.

Here's another Down to Nothing pick up.

This is the Revelation compilation, Generations. Not only does this have an unreleased DTN song, but it has an incredibly impressive list of bands on it. These are the two versions that were released both limited to 550 copies.

After winning a couple things on eBay from a guy he gave me a second chance offer on this and I didn't pass up on it.

This is the Summer Tour version of Fired Up's When the Lights go, numbered out of 150. Glad to add this to the collection.

Another addition to a different collection is I finally got a copy of Get the Most's Core Values.

This is the most common color limited to 300 copies, I'm just happy to finally have a copy. These things don't go for cheap.

Next was another record that I was happy to finally get a copy of, add to the collection, and usually goes for a good amount.

This is ON's original release, Vital Times. This record seriously owns, so happy to have it. When I saw my man Marc over at Uncontrollable Substance post about getting a copy as an extra in a package, I immediately sent him an offer. In like two days it was in my hands, Marc is awesome and can pack a record.

In once again another addition to a collection I picked up two more copies of The Carrier's s/t 7".

The bottom is the version from Sound and Fury 08, numbered out of 75. The top one is just from the second press, limited to 102 copies. I got an offer from a guy to pick this up from him like two months ago and like an idiot I didn't check his trader feedback until after I sent my money. So with that being said I didn't expect my record to show up after seeing that I shouldn't have trusted him. So I sent him an e-mail after a few weeks saying I didn't expect him to send me the record. He said that he had and that he had another copy and would send it to me again along with some others to make up for the time, I was like "sure". So maybe two weeks later I get a package in the mail and sure enough there is The Carrier 7", to my surprise. He also threw in the two other colors form the 2nd press and an Answer 7". The dude totally made up for it and then some. However I already had the two other Carrier 7"s, dude definitely still went out of his way.

I also picked up two tapes. First is my man Bobby Egger's old band Full Nelson's promo tape for their 7".

These guys need to get back together to play a show, their 7" was solid.

Just the other day I got my copy of A Helping Hand Compilation.

This was an awesome compilation put together for Keith from Alert. Keith lost a lot of his personal belongings not to mention a house in a fire. All of the proceeds for this are going to Keith. So if you've got $3 and want a great compilation of current bands, head over here and pick one up for a good cause. Keith is an awesome dude and deserves any help he can get. This is the Pre-Order cover, numbered out of 30 copies. I'm going to pick up the regular version sometime soon. Please help Keith out.

So that's all for this massive post, and maybe my biggest one yet. I've got more stuff already to put up. It never ends.