B&R Music Podcast 20: Thrift Store Cowboys - Beer Me That Vinyl
This month’s Beer Me That Vinyl record is an absolute beauty. 12" vinyl copy of the 10th anniversary edition of Thrift Store Cowboys’ Lay Low While Crawling or Creeping. The cover is a letterpresse by the band. Only 50 copies were pressed. The songs, carefully and masterfully produced by Craig Schumacher (Calexico, Iron & Wine) are earthy, gritty, and poetic and have a surprising delicacy and intricacy with catchy refrains/
This album features Colt Miller, Amanda Shires, Todd Pertll, Daniel Fluitt, Clint Miller & Kris Killingsworth.
We were fortunate enough to get Daniel and Kris (aka Tugboat) on the podcast to talk about the music on and the making of this record, their growth as a band over the years, and all about Lubbock, where the band got its start.
Lubbock, TX is evidently a place that is unlike anywhere else in the country, and Dan and Tugboat from Thrift Store Cowboys have the stories to prove it. On 'Lay Low While Crawling or Creeping' Thrift Store set out to score the soundtrack of West Texas, and the result of that was in incredible record and a bag full of amazing behind-the-scenes stories from the making of it. We get into allll of that and more on this podcast, and had a blast doing it. We're pairing this super cool 10th anniversary edition of the album pressed on sleek red vinyl with the Bed of Nails from Hi-Wire Brewing. So put on yer boots, enjoy this podcast, and pick yourself up a copy!
B&R Music Podcast 19: Mike Frede From Last Days of Autumn Brewing
Mike Frede, el jefe from Last Days of Autumn Brewing sat down with us along with Zack Roskop of Knox Brew Tours for this Beer Me That Vinyl Episode of the B&R Music Podcast. It was a ton of fun to talk to Mike and learn about the history or Last Days as well as all of the connections it has to music. All of the beers they brew, food they make, and events they put on have a certain level of love and charm baked in, and hearing him tell the stories behind it all was a blast. If you listen to this podcast, it will make you want to come in and hang out at Last Days. Guaranteed.
We caught Mike on a Wednesday morning before he took off for a daycation kayaking trip. Something about pouring a few Last Days beers from a pitcher at 10am on a weekday morning just felt right.
You can still pick up a copy of Gamenight’s album Buddro on BeerMeThatVinyl.com.
If you want to learn more about Last Days of Autumn Brewing, you can check out LastDaysOfAutumn.com.
B&R Music Podcast 18: Gamenight - Beer Me That Vinyl
This month's Beer Me That Vinyl is one we've been excited about for a long time. Fifteen-year veterans of Knoxville's music scene Gamenight is pairing their latest album 'Buddro' with Last Days of Autumn's Panda Magic APA. This record is amazing and the perfect addition to any vinyl collection. Josh and Brandon Manis (aka the Bash Brothers) joined us on the podcast to talk about their band, this album, and a bunch of other great stories along the way. Also, Sisqo's "Thong Song" factored heavily into this episode somehow.
Right before recording this podcast, we took Josh and Brandon upstairs to Last Days of Autumn and let them pick the beer to pair with this record. It’s very fitting that they chose Panda Magic, not only because it’s super smooth like their record, but also because we just happened to have a panda costume on hand in our office/studio. So if you don’t trust us, take it from your trusted neighborhood panda. You want this record.
To purchase this record and/or the Abridged gift card, visit beermethatvinyl.com
To learn about and hear more Guy Marshall, you can visit their website at gamenight.bandcamp.com
B&R Music Podcast 16: Beer Me That Vinyl with Aaron and Zach from Abridged Beer Company
On the part 2 of this month's Beer Me That Vinyl, Garrett and Zack Roskop of Knox Brew Tours sat down with Aaron Freeman and Zach Young from Abridged Beer Company to talk about their beer, music, and a whole lot more!
On part one of this month’s BMTV, we talked to Guy Marshall about their album The Love We’ve Made Together and Otherwise. The beer that we’ve paired with that record is Abridged’s Lady Danger Dolly Pop. Lady Danger is part of a series of fruited sour goses, and unfortunately, that one is already gone. BUT whenever you decide to venture to Abridged there will be a different version of the Dolly Pop available, and they’re all incredibly vivid fruited sour goses that are bursting with flavor. We highly highly recommend picking up a pint or a crowler of whichever Dolly Pop is on tap at Abridged, because they’re all superb.
B&R Music Podcast 15: Beer Me That Vinyl with Guy Marshall
Adam and Sarrenna McNulty of Guy Marshall joined us to talk about their latest record 'The Love We've Made Together And Otherwise', and what a conversation it was! We go deeeeep on this one and were treated to great stories and insights behind the songwriting, production, and album art for the album. Touching on topics like love, religion, personal introspection, and so many other aspects that color the creation of this record, we now have a greatly strengthened appreciation for it. While listening to this episode, if you've already heard, you'll love it more. If you haven't, you'll want to listen immediately.
This month, the bundle comes with a copy of the album and an option to add a gift card to the brewery where you can pick up the Lady Danger Dollypop at your leisure. Records and gift cards will be mailed to you.
“The harmonies by the couple bring to mind another tumultuous duo: Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris, and the exquisite dance their voices do is just as gorgeous. Backed by longtime guitarist Eric Griffin, who helped the couple establish the band in the beginning, along with rhythm section Travis Bigwood and Zach Gilleran (as well as guitarist Joshua Manis), the pair has built a country record that’s both mournful and beguiling. With steel guitar and loping rhythms, the band (along with producer Will Carter) paints deepwoods backdrops against which the lyrics resonate with all of the sorrow and breathtaking beauty of a loon’s cry across a midnight lake.”
We’re doing something new starting with this month’s beer and vinyl pairing. We’re splitting up the podcasts in to two separate episode. On this one we only talk to Guy Marshall about the album. On the next one, we’ll talk to Aaron Freeman of Abridged to allow enough time to talk more about their beer and more about music. That one will be up soon, so be on the lookout!
B&R Music Podcast 14 - Getting Started With Vinyl with Garreth Spinn
Garreth Spinn joins us to talk about things you need to know when getting into vinyl collecting like setting up your turntable, cleaning and maintaining records, different ways to categorize, crate digging, etc.. Also, we get on a few tangents of general music nerdery like music docs, band beefs, and more. It's a super fun episode whether you're a vinyl person or not.
If you want to add some great local records to your collection, you can check out our growing selection from Knoxville artists on the Born & Raised Store.
Tips For Taking Care of Your Vinyl Collection
A vinyl collection is a sacred possession for most. You will spend your lifetime building it, so it’s best to make sure it lasts. That’s why proper care and cleaning is imperative. Here are some quick tips to keep your records sounding great.
Clean them routinely.
Dust, hair, and other particles can build up on records relatively easily. As the stylus drags through the grooves, the particles of dust can build up, and the friction between the stylus and dust can damage your record. Also, a good cleaning will help with the hiss and popping. If you don’t clean them properly, you can actually damage them more, so be sure to buy the proper cleaning supplies for records and follow directions. Your t-shirt or towel is not a record cleaner. (Looking at you, Kent.) You can find a couple of suggestions below.
Vinyl Cleaning Kit
Clean your stylus.
This might sound like a repeat of the first point, but the dust can get caught on the needle as well. Be sure to clean that off with a stylus brush. It will not only help your records, but the stylus will last longer as well. The kit above includes a stylus brush.
Handle your vinyl with care.
Your hands carry all sorts of dirt and oil almost all the time. Pressing your fingers into the grooves will definitely lead to problems down the road. Be sure to hold the vinyl by outside edges, and always be gentle with your records. If you do press your fingers into the grooves, be sure to clean the record.
Store your records vertically.
Never stack your vinyl on top of one another. The pressure from the weight of the records is sure to ruin them. Always stack them vertically. It’s also a much easier way to find the record you want. We can get into nerdy catalog methods in another post, but be sure to start with vertical storage. There are some suggestions below on inexpensive storage units. We also custom build storage units for friends and customers.
Concord Record Table
Always properly balance the tonearm.
Heavy tracking is sure to ruin your records quickly. Most turntables come with a recommended tracking weight. Tracking heavier will wear through records much faster and could also wear through your stylus quicker as well. Here’s a video to show how to properly set up your table.
Get rid of your cheap turntable.
This only applies to the cheap suitcase Crosley turntables. There is no intention of perpetuating the hipster snobby shaming of beginner set ups. All should be able to enjoy vinyl at any level. However, Crosley tables are known to have poorly calibrated, plastic arms that drag on the surface of vinyl. These heavy tracking arms combined with a ceramic cartridge, are guaranteed to destroy your records over time. If you want some tips on beginner tables, we have an article about that here:
These tips should help keep your vinyl in mint condition and keep you listening for years to come. Have thoughts or tips on how to help make your records last? Share them with us on the Beer Me That Vinyl community page here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/569947647233663/
Beginner's Guide to Buy Your First Vinyl Turntable
We at Born & Raised love collecting and listening to vinyl. The medium offers an active, communal listening experience that isn’t really found in streaming or other music media. The process of thumbing through your collection to find the perfect album to fit the day or the mood and dropping the needle to your favorite music provides a tactile involvement that is unique to vinyl records. In addition to the romanticism of the experience, vinyl also offers a higher quality audio experience than other lossy music formats like mp3s. The list of pros is much longer, but we can save that discussion for another time. Rather than preach to the converted, today we’re here to guide you through the ever-important first step in becoming a vinyl collector; choosing your first turntable.
Admittedly, when I first got into vinyl in college, approaching the experience was intimidating. Do I need to buy all the old classics first? Is there value in the records that I have already? Does my collection need to be stocked with super rare records to be cool? How do I know if a used vinyl is in good condition? Is some guy in tight jeans going to materialize in my living room and make fun of me if my turntable costs less than $500? I faced plenty of insecurities venturing into all of this.
A vinyl setup can seem complicated at first. It’s not as easy as plugging in your phone to an aux cable. There are multiple pieces involved to get a quality sound, and some of the language may be unfamiliar since it’s not commonly used.
So I wanted to offer just some quick info to help others start their life-long addiction to vinyl collecting. While a set-up requires more than just a turntable, we are going to focus on that part of the signal chain, and we will walk through the others in subsequent posts. Understand this though, Your sound will only be as good as the weakest part of the audio signal chain. You can spend $5,000 on a turntable, but if you are listening to it with cheap speakers you got off wish.com, well that table won’t do you much good.
You don’t have to spend an entire paycheck for a good turntable. Save that paycheck for the records. There are plenty of great starter tables out there. Here are some quick steps to help you find the right turntable for you.
WARNING: If it looks like a suitcase, you probably should avoid it. Crosley and Victrola tables are super retro-looking and trendy at the moment and also incredibly affordable, but they can damage your vinyl over time. Pretty much every part of those tables from the cartridge to the arm are poorly designed and can scratch up your prized records. Just save your money and skip these.
Before starting your shopping, Outline features you are looking for.
Do you want to listen via bluetooth speakers? Do you want automatic buttons that drop the needle and return the arm after it’s done playing? What size do you want and how much space do you have? Do you want a USB out to record your albums? Outline these first before diving in.
The Basics
Know the basics of a table. Turntables are instruments, and the nicer tables can allow for some serious fine tuning. Know the basics so you know how involved you’d like to be.
Cartridge: This is the part that makes the sound work. The needle drags through the grooves on the vinyl and amplifies it to make the sound of the record.
Tonearm: This connects the cartridge to the table and tracks the needle through the grooves.
Direct Drive/Belt Drive: This is what spins the vinyl. Direct drives are great for DJs because they get to the proper speed quickly, but also could transfer vibrations more easily and lead to more unwanted noise. Belt drives are great for the listener looking to sit in their living room and listen.
Phono Preamp: Some tables come with preamps already in them. Vinyl has a lower signal output than most other formats. It requires an amp to bring it up to standard level or line level. My first table didn’t have a preamp on it, and I assumed something was broken. All it needed was something to bring it up to line level. Some tables have a preamp built into the table.
Platter: This is the mat that the vinyl sits on to spin.
Tracking Force: The amount of weight that the tonearm applies to the needle to track through the groove. Most tables and cartridges have recommended weights and some arms don’t allow the user to tune this part. The key here is to be sure to read directions and make sure you don’t track too heavy to avoid damaging your records. In most cases, the tracking force range falls between one and three grams. Beware that tables without counterweights can track heavy and still could damage your vinyl. Also, improperly balancing your counterweight can lead to heavy tracking and damaged vinyl.
Knowing the basic components of a table can help you decide what’s important to your personal experience. It’s okay to find a more hands-off table that allows you to get to listening quicker. The hunt for higher fidelity may catch you one day and you can make adjustments then. The journey of collecting vinyl can last a lifetime so there will be plenty of time to gradually upgrade your system as you learn more and crave a better listening experience.
Recommendations.
There are a few great starter tables listed below. Remember to find the table and set up that fits you and your listening habits best. There are plenty of tables out there and the ones below aren’t the only options, but we like them.
Audio-Technica AT-LP60
If mixing and matching all the different pieces of equipment sounds too complicated, this table is for you. Take out all the fuss and get to spinning immediately. It’s budget friendly and totally automatic. There is also a model with Bluetooth so you can hook up to bluetooth speakers. It sounds fine enough and gets you in the game fast. No counterweight on this table so just be conscious of how heavy it tracks.
Fluance RT81
This is the table we have here in the Born & Raised office. It’s a great place to start, because it has many features that are great for people who are new to vinyl, but it allows you to upgrade down the road. It sounds great, has some customizable options to fine tune your listening experience, but you can also get to listening quick. You have to manually queue records, which I personally love. If you want a start button, this isn’t for you.
Pro-Ject Debut Carbon
Want to go full-on nerd right out of the gate? Here is a great place to start. If you like to tinker and want to add more time to your set up in the name of fidelity, this might be worth checking out. It doesn’t have a phono preamp built in and doesn’t have a USB output. Speed changes have to be done manually. You will get more details from your records with this though. It also has a carbon-fiber tonearm which you usually only find in fancier tables.
Go out there and get a set-up and start crate digging!
Got ideas, thoughts or questions? Feel free to share with us on social media. We would love to hear from you!
Beer Me That Vinyl Episode 2: William Wild Self Titled + Crafty Bastard Brewery
Beer Me That Vinyl Episode 2
This week’s bundle includes one copy of the self titled album William Wild and a 4 pack of beer from Crafty Bastard. The 4 pack features 2 16oz cans of Hop Candy IPA and 2 16oz cans of the Tessalation IPA.
William Wild’s self titled album is a cinematic, moody experience of acoustic folk/rock. The band’s debut album is a perfect listening experience and is even more enjoyable with a cold Crafty Bastard beer in hand.
Hop Candy and Tessalation IPA have become fan favorites of Crafty Bastard’s beer offerings. Both are incredibly approachable IPAs that are enjoyed by all including those who might not fancy themselves IPA drinkers. Crafty Bastard Brewery is an artisanal, small-batch brewery with deep roots in the community.
This bundle is on sale until Friday, May 8th at 10am. Orders will be available for delivery or pick up on May 8th. Pick Ups will be at Crafty Bastard downtown location at 6 Emory Pl Knoxville, Tennessee. It will be open from 2-8pm.
Beer Me That Vinyl Episode 1: Cereus Bright + Elst Brewing Co.
Beer Me That Vinyl Episode 1
Episode 1 featured a 12’ vinyl copy of the of Cereus Bright’s “Excuses” and a combo 4 pack of the Double IPA and Ivory Stout from Elst Brewing Co.
To learn more about Cereus Bright and other offers they have available visit https://cereusbright.com
The 2016 release, “Excuses,” is Cereus Bright's debut full-length album. Paste Magazine wrote, “Excuses is a mellow and mature record, one that demonstrates the band’s earnestness and acumen.”