Spin Zone: A Record Store Day Top 5 as this year's vinyl celebration looms

Listen up, music fans. That sound you just heard is the roar of approval from vinyl lovers anticipating the full-fledged return of Record Store Day on April 23 at independent music stores nationwide.

After splitting into multiple separate Record Store Day “drops” for the past two years in the name of COVID-related crowd control, the annual celebration of vinyl records, the fans who love them and the independent retailers who sell them, is returning in its original one-day incarnation.

Looking back: Volusia vinyl fans' fidelity rewarded on Record Store Day

For record fans, it’s an occasion comparable to Black Friday and Super Bowl Sunday rolled into one.

Expect fans to line up early for a chance to purchase rare, exclusive or limited-edition releases by hundreds of acts including Taylor Swift, Prince, Nicki Minaj, Mariah Carey, Childish Gambino, Stevie Nicks, the Cure, Kacey Musgraves and Pearl Jam.

The event also is highly anticipated by Volusia County’s indie record shops, including Atlantic Sounds, 138 W. International Speedway Blvd., in Daytona Beach; Groovy Records, 212 N. Woodland Blvd., DeLand; and Steve's Downtown Music, 108A S. Woodland Blvd., also in DeLand.

“There’s a lot of great stuff,” said Mike Toole, who has owned of Atlantic Sounds for nearly 40 years. “This will be very big this year. It’s going to be huge.”

For Toole, one of this year’s most coveted RSD releases is an expanded edition of The Doors "L.A. Woman," a 4-LP set boasting over 2-1/2 hours of outtakes culled from bonus content of the album’s 50th anniversary set.

At Groovy Records in DeLand, owner Jerry Schafer praised the release roster for its ample spotlight on jazz reflected in offerings such as previously unreleased jazz concerts by Charles Mingus and Bill Evans, among others.

For Schafer, “Art Pepper Meets the Rhythm Section,” an influential 1957 session showcasing the famed alto saxophonist with a trio of Miles Davis sidemen — pianist Red Garland, bassist Paul Chambers and drummer Philly Joe Jones — is a RSD 2022 highlight.

“That album is really hard to get,” he said. “It’s almost a masterpiece.”

Also in DeLand, Record Store Day is traditionally one of the biggest days of the year at Steve’s Downtown Music, said owner Steve Chmielewski.

“The Record Store Days last year were the biggest days my store ever had,” he said.

Visit recordstoreday.com for the full list of releases. Also, be advised, that due to supply-chain issues, some releases won’t be available on April 23. Those are slated for a second, back-up “RSD Drops date” on June 18. So, check the list to confirm the release date of specific titles.

In the meantime, here are five highly anticipated titles:

Taylor Swift: 'The Lakes'

Swift is this year’s official RSD ambassador, so it’s fitting that her limited edition (10,000 copies) vinyl release of “The Lakes (Original Version)” single is among this year’s in-demand items. It’s on clear vinyl to match the monochrome sleeve, featuring another outtake from the “Folklore” photographic sessions.

John Williams: 'Lost In Space: Title Themes from the Hit TV Series'

The revered composer marks his 90th birthday with a limited release (900 copies) album devoted to themes and cues, both used and unused, from the cult-favorite 1960s sci-fi series, along with cast interviews.

Williams also will be represented in a RSD release of 50th anniversary two-LP edition of “The Cowboys (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack).” The 1972 western starred John Wayne in a cast that also included Slim Pickens, Colleen Dewhurst and Bruce Dern.

Childish Gambino, Kauai

The Grammy-winning hip-hop star's 2014 EP, "Kauai," basks in the Record Store Day spotlight with its first-ever vinyl release. The limited-edition offering — showcasing the pop-flavored opener “Sober” — is being pressed on three surprise color vinyl variants to be randomly distributed.

Allman Brothers Band, 'Cream of the Crop 2003'

Featuring homegrown rock legend Gregg Allman, this three-LP live collection documents the Allman Brothers Band at work on the road in 2003. Tracks include such classics as “Midnight Rider,” “Statesboro Blues,” “Melissa,” “Whipping Post” and others at shows in Indianapolis, Pittsburgh, Hartford, Connecticut, Raleigh, North Carolina, and Darien Center, New York.

Joni Mitchell, 'Blue Highlights'

Culled from the second volume of the ongoing Joni Mitchell Archives series, this RSD release consists of extremely rare recordings from Mitchell’s classic album, Blue, which marked its 50th anniversary in 2021. Mitchell was involved in the curation of the project.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Record Store 2022 Volusia County best picks