Record Store Hauls (San Diego and Portland)

SAN DIEGO:

Nickelodeon Records:
Beginning the Folk Guitar (an instructional record with sheet music/tabs)
John Fahey - Christmas with John Fahey Vol. II
First Man on the Moon (a documentary record on the moon landing)
Public Image Ltd. - 9

Great little record store run by two older women. Lots of idiosyncratic sections like "Space", "College" (full of university fight song and band recordings--in particular the motherlode for an Ohio State Buckeyes fan ), "Smoking" (records with people smoking on them), "Advertising," etc.

Off the Record:
B-52's - Wild Planet
John Fahey - Christmas Guitar Volume One
Funkadelic - The Electric Spanking of War Babies
Hunx - Hairdresser Blues
Curtis Mayfield - Curtis/Live
Prince - Dirty Mind
Kurt Vile - Childish Prodigy

PORTLAND:

Jackpot Records:
Jandek - Chair Beside a Window
RJD2 - Deadringer
Ty Segall - Goodbye Bread

Everyday Music:
Crystal Castles - Crystal Castles
Fennesz - June (12")
Lindstrom and Prins Thomas - Tirsdagsjam (12")
Jack Oblivion - Saturday Night Part 2 (10")
Zola Jesus - Conatus

This store is just a behemoth. Extensive CD sections as well. I mostly mined the electronic and experimental sections.

Second Ave Records:
Big Black - Songs About Fucking
Kate Bush - Never For Ever
Kate Bush - The Dreaming
Kate Bush - Running Up That Hill (12")
Cloud Nothings - Cloud Nothings
Peter Gabriel - Security

Great, ramshackle store focusing on rock. Sections for punk, '60s garage/psychedelic,  '50s, rockabilly/psychobilly, etc. Lots of CDs and other goodies behind the counter in cardboard boxes that can be rooted through on request.

The Best of 2011

My final list of the top 25 songs and top 5 albums of the year, as determined by me. Mostly by gut feeling, although factors such as longevity and sentimental value are factors in addition to overall personal enjoyment. Rule change this year--one song per artist.

Top 25 Songs

1. Planningtorock - The Breaks
2. Zola Jesus - Ixode
3. Let's Wrestle - I Will Not Give In
4. Kurt Vile - Runner Ups
5. James Blake - The Wilhelm Scream
6. Lykke Li - I Follow Rivers
7. Yuck - Operation
8. Tune-Yards - Bizness
9. St. Vincent - Cruel
10. Cut Copy - Take Me Over
11. Wild Flag - Romance
12. TV On The Radio - Will Do
13. Mind Spiders - Don't Let Her Go
14. Nicolas Jaar - Space is Only Noise if You Can See
15. Neon Indian - The Blindside Kiss
16. The Flaming Lips with Neon Indian - Is David Bowie Dying?
17. Frank Ocean - Lovecrimes
18. Sloan - Beverley Terrace
19. Freddie Gibbs - Let Ya Nuts Hang (feat. Scrilla)
20. Tyler the Creator - Yonkers
21. Jack Oblivian - Kidnapper
22. John Tejada - The Living Night
23. Moon Duo - Scars
24. Apex Manor - Teenage Blood
25. Sic Alps - Eat Happy

Top 5 Albums

1. Kurt Vile - Smoke Ring For My Halo
2. Zola Jesus - Conatus
3. Yuck - Yuck
4. Tune-Yards - W H O K I L L
5. Lykke Li - Wounded Rhymes