Other Music
15 E 4th St, New York, NY
(Reviewed August '03)

Recently when deciding where to visit during a superquick visit to Manhattan, Other Music was the immediate choice. This was a minor pilgrimage of sorts, as my credit card has been intimate with their website for a good while now, though I'd never set foot in their store. Sure, you can talk to Amy1701 online forever, but eventually your soul needs to see if her looks are as good as her typing skills, if you know what I mean.

The store itself, cozy and bright, sits right across from a Tower Records. Normally I fault a hipster record store for not carrying the latest Beyoncé, but with limited space and a simple walk across the street, this issue more or less cancels itself out.

Selection: Choice and hand-picked. Easily could've spent $400 in there. Sections for psych, now sound, krautrock, electronic, out sound, etc – most of it very tasty and inviting. Vinyl covers the walls, and there's a small used section. As most decent indie stores use the same distributors, and get hit continually by promo (please ease up on the Ladytron, Fanatic), it's easy to get cynical at about how even "indie" isn't truly "indie" anymore, but I'll rant elsewhere. (Picks up phone, calls parents, and instantly begins to rant uncontrollably to blank silence on the other end.)

Service: Squeezing a conversation out of the clerk was tough (perhaps a late last-night), but overall the staff was very helpful (one gave us decent directions). Friendly and very little attitude … always refreshing in a record store. The clientele seemed to be trying to figure out my vaguely non-hipster hipsterism.

Prices: Especially given that this is the middle of Manhattan, not bad at all.

On their hi-fi: Some sort of Hillbilly Country comp.

What I bought: Motor Hexen, Magpie compilation (early 70s UK pop comp), Stars Heart, Jandek Lost Cause, latest issue of The Wire.

Listening station(s): Don't recall.

Cool finds: They were out of the CD reissue of Linda Perhacs Parallelograms, but I did spy copies of Kenneth Higney's Attic Demonstration, an outsider album that just got a decent CD rerelease. Jandek LPs on the wall, but those are all on CD these days. All kinda tempting, but I gotta eat too … might have to get my stomach stapled so as to allow for more indulgent CD buying.

Tangential thoughts: Parking sucks, but welcome to NYC. Head a few blocks down Broadway to nab great footwear.

Parting words: The friend who accompanied me is a huge Stones fan, so wasn't really in his element here, but he waited patiently as I spun around the room. We were out in 10 minutes, as we were doing New York in 5 hours. Not enough Other Music pilgimage time for me, but I got the feel pretty well. Back home Chicago has some similiar stores, but nothing as organized and together as OM.

Review by Leeland Ronaldinho