Happy Record Store Day 2024!

Every year, Record Store Day approaches and I regularly prepare my routine: check online the list, make it into a little wish list, attempt to some sort of priority/ranking, and then, the final step, the preparation for disappointment.

I love records, I love record store, I love getting to know the owners when I can etc. But RSD to me has always been the inevitable shit show of "oh we didn't order it!" -but why? or "we had 2 copies and they're gone already!" -but I was here at opening times!

And worst of all, it's when I get in full FOMO feelings and end up getting something I didn't really want but it was there and I sort of know the artist, so let's buy it!

This year it was pretty ok, compared to other years. This is what I got today:

Groove Armada - White Light: I managed to get Black Light last year (?) and this is the perfect complement. Love the idea of these companion albums and Will Young's History is a gem!

Alison Goldfrapp - The Love Reinvention: I love any reinvention album, and when Richard X is involved then I am in!

Sophie Ellis-Bextor - Remixes: ok, this wasn't necessarily on my list, BUT, I love love her and the glitter vinyl was definitely appealing. The tracklist? I would have picked a few more

Dolores O'Riordan - Are you Listening?: I promised myself it was gonna be either this or The Cranberries' Bury the Hatchet and I went for this. I think as a release this would be less of a mainstream item to collect and the other album I might just get it as a regular release in the future. Love her so much.

Jessie Ware - Tough Love: As you can see, for a few years now, I have been a supporter of Jessie's and her older albums are a bit more difficult to find in vinyl so I am very pleased I got my hands on this one.

Now, I included in the picture (because there was a 6th space in my little exhibition) an old EP that is very close to my heart and that's Florrie - Introduction. I bought this on its release, more than 10 years ago, it was signed and it contained what is, in my opinion, still her finest piece Left too Late (how I wished it included the Fred Falke remix of Call 911 too!). The EP is available online to stream (thank God) but the reason why this is relevant today is that Florrie has been prepping herself to the release of her first debut album! After years and years of EPs, cancelled projects, countless digital releases, The Lost Ones has been announced.

From what we know so far, the album will contain only one re-worked version of one of her old songs -I Took a Little Something- the recently released Personal (also included in the compilation of the same name), and the rest will be freshly penned songs. She has released two of them already, the title track and Kissing in the Cold. The latter one is the stand out that makes me really looking forward to the album. In the last few years, Florrie has gone too softie for my tastes, to the point that my Florrie flas hasn't been all the way up in a while. This song gives me hope that Florrie still wants to put out full bodied pieces as she used to. I really wish this works out for her- within reasons of expectations of course- and mostly for Xenomania who really need an actively recording act these days. And by that what I really mean is that I myself need an actively recording Xenomania act. It has been too long.

There is another nostalgia flavoured release coming up: sir Will Young has officially announce his new all-new 80s sounding project called Light It Up coming up later this year and its first single Falling Deep has been released a couple of days ago. I mentioned earlier that I am a big Richard X fan, and I was definitely hoping his name was going to show up on this project, but Mr Young would have dropped it already if that were the case. Which he did not. Falling Deep is making it into my playlists for the next few months but I do hope there is even more energetic. I absolutely love the video. I am only just a few years younger than Mr Young and his choice of including only people 40+ year old is a greatly appreciated move. I am a great supporter of his work. It's been a good while since I have seen him on tour and he is pulling quite the impressive number of dates! Maybe I should find an excuse to visit England again. Who knows.

Last but not least, I want to do a little shout out to another festivity happening today! It's not just RDS 2024 but 20th April it is a very important anniversary. On the 20th of April 1999 the very first episode of the global phenomenon Popstars aired in New Zeeland! The series introduced to the public the very first Popstars-signed band TrueBliss 25 years ago! Wouldn't it be great to see a great celebration of such milestones from the girls of TrueBliss? I would definitely be watching the virtual space of the internet for more! An international digital release on streaming services of their debut album Dream? A physical release? A tour??? The wish list would be long! A shout out to my dear friends at World of Popstars for keeping the world entertained and educated! I am sure they're up to something...

Happy April 20,

Ciao Reload!