Jive Time Turntable

Clearance-Clearance Annex

You’ve been to our large Clearance Annex in the Fremont Vintage Mall – now check out our new “Clearance-Clearance” annex in Edmonds! Find approximately 5,000 additional bargain priced LPs (most 50¢-$2) inside the Aurora Antique Pavilion. You probably won’t find any super rare or collectible vinyl here, but lots of mainstream classic rock,  jazz, country, popular, soundtracks, and more. New records added weekly! The mall hours are Mon-Fri: 10-7, Sat: 10-6, and Sun: 11-6.

The Aurora Antique Pavilion is located at 24111 Highway 99, Edmonds, WA 98026. (above the Burlington Coat Factory.)  We’re in the far back right, space #35.

iPhone Wallpaper

We’ve turned a few of our favorite iconic album covers into iPhone wallpaper! Click here to view all of the designs in actual size, email yourself the design you choose and save it to your photo library. (Or navigate to this page on your iPhone and save the image directly.) Then select it in your wallpaper settings and voila! Watch this blog for more iPhone wallpaper designs to come!

Nick Gilder “You Know Who You Are” (1977)

You Know Who You Are is an irresistible slab of glittery teen lust laid to wax, the castrato vocals of ex-Sweeney Todd singer Nick Gilder the perfect foil for detailing the blue movie diary “Rated X,” the squealing rockshow frenzy of “Backstreet Noise,” and Sunset sleaze of Sweeny Todd cuts “Roxy Roller” and “Tantalize.” Overall You Know Who You Are feels like the aural equivalent of a worn issue of Star, crammed front-to-back with trashy, tasteless pop that buzzes with electric ecstasy of Sweet and steamy glam grooves of classic T-Rex. –Ben

Terry Riley “A Rainbow In Curved Air” (1967)

Future Holden Caufields, venturing out into the big bad city just two decades later, would have no need to feel so alienated — not with Central Park Be-Ins to take part in and Terry Riley’s A Rainbow In Curved Air providing the imaginary soundtrack. Riley’s LP – produced in ’67 once again by Music Of Our Time overseer David Berhman- is the most blatantly pop-friendly of all experimental albums up until Philip Glass’s Glassworks (the latter designed for an upscale yuppie audience which didn’t exist at the height of the Vietnam war.) No such compromises on Riley’s part–his loose, drony improvisations, heard here in gloriously overdubbed three dimensions, appealed to eager, young ears opened up by the raga craze and all sorts of other Eastern “space.” And despite his benign, hippie veneer, the composer didn’t neglect the dark side of Aquarius either, as the ominous psychedelic swirl of “Poppy Nogood & The Phantom Band,” with its dense overlay of reeds, organ and tape loops, demonstrates ad infinitum. –SS

The Who “Face Dances” (1981)

Excluding the classic rock radio staple “Eminence Front” from 1982’s “It’s Hard,” the eighties weren’t terribly kind to The Who. At the time of “Face Dances” release, fans were still mourning the loss of Keith Moon while punk and emerging new wave were stealing press space and radio air-waves. It’s difficult to imagine now how proto-punkers like The Who couldn’t have easily coexisted alongside The Clash, but at the time they were considered almost polar opposites. (Long time Seattleites might remember both camp’s negative reaction at that disastrous double bill in the Kingdome in ’82). Listening now, though, and judged on it’s own merits, “Face Dances” is surprisingly enjoyable and this underdog of an LP finds its way onto my turntable and ipod more often than “Who’s Next.” “Face Dances” is definitely not in league with the aforementioned classic but neither has it been played to death for the last twenty-five years. Also, I now prefer a introspective Pete Townshend even if Roger Daltry still delivers his words with all the gusto of “Baba O’Riley.” For anyone who’s written this one off, pick up the next 99¢ copy you see and give it a fresh listen the way you might approach a Townshend or Entwistle LP. Not only does it contain some of Townshend’s finest (Don’t Let Go The Coat) and oddest lyrical moments (Did You Steal My Money, Cache Cache), it features the “quiet” Entwistle’s least quiet moment, “The Quiet One” along with everyone’s favorite guilty Who-pleasure, “You Better You Bet” and the album closer’s lost gem, “Another Tricky Day.” –David

Lick Our Decals Off, Baby!

At last! Jive Time logo stickers are here! Slap one of these puppies on your car bumper, snow board or guitar case and everyone will know you have great taste in music (and record stores). Our stickers are printed on quality vinyl with a glossy protective layer and measure 4″ in diameter. Best of all, they’re FREE with purchase at Jive Time – just ask!

Update: For those of you in other parts of the country, you can now order a Jive Time sticker/button combo in our new online merchandise store.

Roxy Music “Stranded” (1973)

Stranded was Roxy Music’s first album after the departure of Brian Eno – who was undeniably the band’s driving force when it came to experimental avant-garde rock. No doubt the change in personnel lost the band a number of acolytes but there are enough traces of his influence remaining to make this the finest album the band ever released and, in my eyes at least, something of a classic. The introduction of Eddie Jobson’s woodwind rather than Eno’s spacey loops signalled a sea change in the band’s approach with Ferry using this smoother sound to promote himself as the ultimate suave womaniser who thought he could seduce with a mere twitch of his tonsils. And, on some of these tracks, that doesn’t sound too farfetched. With the passage of time it becomes ever more apparent that Roxy Music consisted of some truly excellent musicians. Phil Manzanera’s guitar, Andy Mackay’s sax and, in particular, one of the most underrated of drummers, Paul Thompson, all deserve equal credit even though they couldn’t compete with Ferry’s persona. The album contains eight tracks all of which are praiseworthy but special consideration should be given to “A Song For Europe”, “Amazona”, “Psalm” and the tour-de-force “Mother Of Pearl”. –Ian

Deface Value

Deface Value is home to authentically found and intentionally altered album art. Vintage record sleeves provide the canvas; paint, pencil, ball-point pen, Sharpies, fingernail polish, and elements of collage provide the media. Since many of the covers were found second hand, we won’t always know what provided the inspiration. Visit the gallery›

Elton John “Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy” (1975)

Strangely paradoxical how Elton John is now fiercely, almost neurotically, obsessed with protecting his personal life, yet in 1975 released Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy which purported to tell the story of his and Bernie Taupin’s struggle for recognition. Equally interesting, given his sexual ambivalence, is the unspoken story behind such songs as “Someone Saved My Life Tonight” and “We All Fall In Love Sometimes”. Interesting as all that is, the most important factor to remember about this album is that it’s an absolute cracker. Everything seems to have come together at the right time to create a near classic. This is Elton’s finest backing band. Davey Johnstone, Dee Murray, Nigel Ollson and Ray Cooper may have come and gone throughout his career but there can be no doubting he should have stuck with them. The artwork for the album by Alan Aldridge is superb and certainly one of my favorite covers. And the songs, because of the stories behind them, have power and poignancy. But, I said this is a near classic and that’s why reviewing is a personal business. Others may like “Tell Me When The Whistle Blows” and “(Gotta Get A) Meal Ticket”, I don’t and that’s were the album falls down. Still, the Captain and the Cowboy done good. –Ben

Eric B. & Rakim “Paid in Full” (1987)

Run-D.M.C. proved hip-hop was a genre that could stand on it’s own and they also laid the foundation for hardcore rap. Fast forward to 1987, rappers all use pretty simple, elementary rhyme schemes and enter Eric B. & Rakim’s album Paid In Full. In this album, Rakim revolutionizes the art of rapping completely by himself. Instead using the simple rhyme schemes of the past, he introduces the use of multi-syllables, similes and internal rhyming to hip-hop music, making his brags a lot more serious. And he doesn’t really touch on any real subject matter either, most of it is just him bragging about how dope he is and how great Eric B. as a DJ is, but he does touch on the topic of money with “Paid In Full” where he claims rapping pays off and also touches on his 5% ‘roots’, a group which he joined shortly before starting his rap career. As a braggart, Rakim is simply sick, songs like “My Melody” and “I Know You Got Soul” are all-time classics and got quotable for days, so they never get old. Although most claim that Eric B. does the production, it’s in-fact Marley Marl who does lots of scratching and produces two cuts (“My Melody” and “Eric B. Is President”) while Rakim takes care of the rest. The back cover credits “Eric B. & Rakim” as the producer of the album, which makes Eric B.’s shady act even more suspect as a fake that took credit for other’s work. Regardless, this album is simply awesome and the production is also notable for introducing James Brown samples to hip-hop – something many rappers went crazy with for the few years following 1987. A classic that is one of the most influential albums ever and it’s crazy how 8 years had to go by for this album to reach platinum sales. It’s your duty as a hip-hop fan to be familiar with this album and also know at least two songs in their entirety or else you wont be approved by me. (not that anyone cares, but hey, that’s just how it goes!) –Prt Cpt

Quiet Chaos: 
An Introduction to ECM Records

ECM Records is a jazz label founded in 1969 in Munich, Germany by producer/bassist Manfred Eicher. ECM (Edition of Contemporary Music) became known as a label that created a musical environment all its own. The recordings were sparse, minimalistic and relying on space as an accent to create what is now widely known as the “ECM sound”. Most of the recordings were rooted in jazz but combined with other genres. As well as blues, funk and rock, various forms of European folk, world music and contemporary classical music frequently found its way into the landscape. From the packaging, to the pristine production style, Eicher’s releases all are linked with a certain aesthetic that ties them together; he has definitely had a vision in mind. One reviewer from Coda Magazine described the music as “The most Beautiful Sound Next to Silence.” But not all critics shared the same opinion.

The music was, and still is, ostracized for being self-absorbed, cold, and lacking soul. Depending on the listeners taste, the label has also been credited (or accused) of ushering in the New Age era. A number of releases do indeed have these qualities that can drag down and can get a bit arid. But there are many recordings that hit the mark, where space fills the gaps and silence gains a voice, resulting in exciting and innovative art.

Manfred Eicher’s ECM has had a significant impact on the evolution of jazz and improvised music and how it is produced, performed and recorded. By using subtlety as a tool, and combining different styles, his musical stamp has managed to produce some exploratory, modern sounds that could easily suit a broad range of musical tastes. The label is still active and going strong today and Eicher is still applying his “less is more” approach to dozens of recordings each year.

Listed here are some releases that will hopefully dispel some of the negativity surrounding the label:

1. Gateway Gateway (1975) Guitar trio set featuring John Abercrombie on guitar, the great Jack DeJohnette behind the drums, and Dave Holland on bass. This record covers everything from post-bop swing to abstract, sonic explorations. This is a criminally underrated guitar trio record, if not one of the best releases from ECM.

2. Chick Corea , Dave Holland, Barry Altschul ARC (1971) Chick Corea on piano with Dave Holland on bass and Barry Altschul on percussion – Any fans of the classic piano trio should study this record, both lyrical and dissonant; it bridges the gap between free improv and structure.

3. Julian Priester Love, Love (1973) An “electrocoustic” jazz/ funk session with tight horn arrangements, wah guitars, low-fi bass lines and eerie synth swells mingled with Latin flavored piano runs. This is a modern sounding, progressive record that still sounds fresh today-a Jive Time favorite.

4. Nils Petter Molvær Solid Ether (2000) This is trumpet player Nils Petter Molvær’s second release by this project ; a stew of trumpet swirls, loops, guitars, and various electronics with programmed beats intertwined with live drums, along with gentle female vocal interludes. There’s also some sampling from DJ Strangefruit .

5. John Abercrombie Timeless (1975) Another trio record featuring John Abercrombie and Jack DeJohnette, only this time Jan Hammer on keyboards joins the fold. I had to include this spaced out fusion masterpiece. Frenetic drumming and fuzzed out guitar and organ washes create psychedelic soundscapes with funky breaks alongside tender acoustic guitar/piano duets. No Miami Vice theme here.

For further listening check out Ebhard Weber’s Colours of Chloë (1973); think Tortoise, Talk Talk and Him (not to be confused with the metal group of the same name). Fans of progressive rock and fusion such as early King Crimson and Miles Davis’ In a Silent Way and Bitches Brew should give guitarist Terje Rypdal’s first four ECM records a spin: Terje Rypdal (1971), What Comes After (1973), Whenever I seem to be Far Away (1974) and Odyssey (1975). More recent releases include Fender Rhodes/pianist Nik Bärtch’s quartet Ronin (2006) that focuses on groove and repetitive motifs creating tension as the music evolves. Drummer Thomas StrØnen and Saxophonist Ian Ballamy’s group Food’s Quiet Inlet (2010) craft a starkly beautiful, atmospheric blend of electronic and acoustic sounds, if you like live electronics and down tempo check this out. – ECM Tim

Are we forgetting your favorite ECM recording? We’d love to hear your comments:

Sunday Funnies

Schroeder, we couldn’t have said it better ourselves! (Thanks Terry.)