#michael berdan

June 21, 2022 Playlist.

Summer paid out more than I expected. It started unofficially with Sacred Bones’ 15th anniversary showcase at the Knockdown Center. Dominican Pete gave me two days notice before he stopped by, ending an eleven-year drought of not seeing him. All he did was take me to 7-11 to get him some lighters then back home to roll up, light up, and play me some Tears For Fears before he was barely conscious in la-la land (my house) as we listened to Pure Hell. Eleven years didn’t compare to when I came to visit my Jewish-ginger friend Candy at her family restaurant in the fields of Calverton. Not since leaving the Brentwood-era behind and making endless promises to patronize her had I seen how she was doing. Barely getting by, she said, as she looked to re-locate to a busier locale. Oh, and my compulsiveness showed up to throw my money away at record stores again. I spent more than what I did four years before and I still wasn’t finished hitting up all the shops of my liking.

Another check-up at Manhattan’s West side was around the corner so that gave me an idea. I visited the Academy Annex in Greenpoint in late February for a city jaunt and spent a sizable sum for some out-of-the-ordinary records. Wee, Throbbing Gristle, Sweeping Promises, Lonnie Liston Smith were the highlights of that cold-snap visit. That’s because I made two pretty inexpensive online orders from them in December. They had another location in Manhattan, so what better way to spend the rest of the day in the city? I was in and out in a matter of 45 minutes. I couldn’t wait another second for a secretary’s confirmation of a next visit. So guess what? Don’t call me, I’ll call you. I hastily walked out of the building and took the next 6 train I could hop on. Nine stops and six minutes downtown was all it took to resume walking to East 12th Street under hazy cloudy skies and temperatures borderlining on 70*F.

I walked east along what seemed like the sweet narrow streets. Residential buildings high enough to provide shade as I walked past the groups of school children and their leaders expounding on being aware of their surroundings and looking out for each other and themselves. Young kids in groups of three, four, five of colored hair, piercings, and skate-punk outfits standing on the sidewalk talking about nothing significant. I approach the Lower East Side playground where at least forty or so high-schoolers shot hoops, chased each other around, and screamed out loud. Only then I look to my left and there was Academy.

I stayed for a good two-and-a-half hours perusing through 90% of the store’s inventory thumbing through everything I could. City stores had what the island stores didn’t. What a treat it’d be to find those key releases I’ve always been reading about. Surely there were plenty. Finally, they came home with me.

Three exhausting hours later, I payed up and left with my finds. Around the corner was the L line which connected me to the uptown 1 / 2 / 3 to Penn Station where I reverse the process under still-overcast silver skies. I was getting these city music-store excursions out of my system. It all started with Williamsburg’s Rough Trade and that was such an unreal experience that I regretted holding off the borough stops for so long. No real excuse why. Nevermind the few island stores left. On the train ride home, I considered whether to visit either Generation Records or Captured Tracks, one which was growing on me to stop by. Summer was still young with lots of time on the clock to still make the best happen.

Caparezza: “Eyes Wide Shut”

Henry Mancini: “Hilly’s Theme”

Rips: “Mirror”

Exek: “I’m After Your Best Interests”

Genghis Tron: “Alone In The Heart Of The Night”

Sunrot: “21%”

Savak: “Cold Ocean”

Fontaines D.C.: “I Love You”

Mediaslaves: %

Devil Wears Prada, The: "Watchtower"

Kill Alters: “Eyelid Viewing”

Hardcorebae: “Umm...Let It Go?”

Street Sects: “Present Tents”

UNSPKBLE: “Where All Hope Dies”

Smirk: “Do You?”

Great American Ghost: “Kingmaker”

Michael Berdan: “Angels Of Vengeance”

Restraining Order: “Better Luck Next Time”

Age Of Apocalypse: “Fury”

Black Dresses: “Angel Hair”

Ayria: “My Device”

Queensway: “Return To Dirt”

Exek: “Sen Yen For 30 Minutes Of Violin”

Strangers With Guns: “Somebody Needs A Hug”

Riot For Romance: “Less For Regret”

Ill Communication: “A Lecture In Survivability”

Offset: Spectacles, The: “Dead Air”

Drunkdriver: “Knife Day” b/w “January 2nd” (2009)

Michael Berdan (Uniform, York Factory Complaint)

Michael Berdan has a message for you.