Vinyl collecting is a hobby of mine that has been nurtured by my father. Growing up in Germany, he collected a vast array of vinyl by various genres that he has since handed down to me. As a child, he would play his collection on our turntable at home and we would dance along to them with my mom. It’s one of my fondest memories growing up.

When I got older, I ended up taking the hobby up myself. My wonderful friends gifted me a turntable of my own and my first vinyl: AM by the Arctic Monkeys. Since then, I’ve collected an array of vinyl myself including: “Miss You (Extended Disco Version)” by the Rolling Stones, “Paranoid” by Black Sabbath, and “Agents of Fortune” by Blue Öyster Cult. Last season, I also picked up a ton of records from Urban Outfitters including “Freudian” by Daniel Caesar, “CTRL” by SZA, “At What Cost” by GoldLink, the “Electric Remixes” by Alina Baraz, and “American Teen” by Khalid.

This season, I have been lucky with some classic finds that I am excited to share with you. I’ve organized them by store so that you can also get acquainted with some of my favorite shops on the Northeast.

Princeton Record Exchange

Princeton Record Exchange is located close to Princeton University’s campus. It’s in a great location close to my favorite ice cream shop, the Bent Spoon, and more. The selection of vinyl here is impressive. They have a ton of new releases and you can usually find some great picks from the discount section. The store is well organized in my opinion and it is a seamless browsing experience. They also have a great partnership with Triumph Brewing Company around the corner. If you bring your purchase to Triumph, you get a dollar off beer which is fantastic! Princeton Record Exchange is definitely my favorite store to date. Unfortunately, I don’t have photos of the store but will be sure to update on my next trip there.

Stella Donnelly - Beware of the Dogs

Stella Donnelly is an Welsh-Australian singer and songwriter that has recently released her studio album “Beware of the Dogs”. On this album, she calls out the men who need to be called out unapologetically and I think that’s the kind of music we need in 2019. I absolutely love this album and thought that the vinyl would be a great addition to my collection. This album is special to me because it covers a variety of social topics which are weaved into lyrics that sound so simple and naïve. Stella Donnelly successfully serenades you about heavier topics whilst keeping things light and relaxing. I think that this juxtaposition is amazing and cheeky just like her music.

Majid Jordan - The Space Between

“The Space Between” is a really relaxed album that I enjoy. I love the dvsn feature in particular and thought that it would sound great on vinyl. There’s something unreal about listening to music that I typically listen to on Spotify on a turntable. It’s just a great experience. Plus, it was on sale so I had to grab it.

Jungle - Heavy, California Single

This is one of my favorite songs off the “For Ever” album from Jungle. It always takes me back to camping during Labor Day weekend with some of my best friends. I also thank my friend Brian for introducing me to them a couple months prior to that trip. I’m so happy to have such wonderful memories associated with this single and the vinyl was a steal!

Bonus from Jungle Concert: Jungle - For Ever

Speaking of Jungle, I happened to spontaneously buy some tickets to see them live the same week that I purchased the single. I ended up grabbing the “For Ever” album in vinyl as well and it was completely worth it! The quality is great and it even came in a gorgeous yellow pressing. The artwork within this vinyl is also so cool and features a customized 1985 Ford Escort that is their signature.

Philadelphia Record Exchange

Philadelphia Record Exchange is a cute store tucked into the northern part of Fishtown. It’s a great store for lovers of used vinyl in a variety of genres such as rock, soul, R&B and disco. The vinyl is decently priced and I think they have a great selection depending on when you visit. I didn’t find as many recent releases that caught my eye on my particular visit but I will be sure to update you if that changes.

The Temptations - With A Lot O’ Soul

Growing up, my parents raised me on a healthy dose of The Temptations, The Supremes, Diana Ross, The Jacksons and Marvin Gaye. When I came across this album, I was so excited. I listened to it once again on Spotify to confirm it was the one I was thinking of and immediately purchased it. I have 0 regrets because every song off this album is purely enjoyable and danceable. I was also happy to see the record was in pristine condition.

Chicago - Chicago X

This is another great album with one of my favorite songs: “If You Leave Me Now.” This song is one of the slower, ballads from Chicago and I think it’s such a classic. I absolutely love singing along to it and have fond memories of dancing around with my parents to this song as a child. I’m so happy I found this vinyl and at a great price to boot.

Generation Records

Generation Records is great store to visit for vintage vinyl finds. They have a huge selection of classics by genre. There also appears to be a decent amount of new condition vinyl that are available which I appreciate. One of the most unique sections that I noticed on my visit was the anime pile. I don’t think I’ve ever come across that genre on vinyl thus far. This is great store to spend some time in on your day in New York City.

The Temptations, The Supremes & Diana Ross - TCB Performance

As I mentioned earlier, I grew up listening to these legends and when I saw this vinyl, I jumped to get it. On that particular day it was raining in New York City and I had a concert to go to and in spite of this, I picked it up. I have no regrets and think it’s a fantastic piece of history. I love the introductions and think it’s nice to hear them “live.” It’s an experience that you can’t replicate but this might just come close considering.

That rounds out my current favorite record stores and vinyl finds of the season. I will be sure to create a few more of these posts as I continue to collect vinyl throughout the upcoming seasons. Do you collect vinyl? If so let me know what your first vinyl was and which album is next on your must find list! Also check out my vinyl haul on YouTube to see the records IRL!

xo,

Christine Celine