New York: Manhattan: East Village

Last updated September 1, 1997
 

Accidental CDs
131 Avenue A
(between 8th & 9th Streets)
(212) 995-2224
and, mysteriously, (888) 688-6377
Cramped and crammed with vinyl on one side of a narrow aisle and CDs on the other, they mercifully display a large selection of CDs out front. Current used CDs from about $8 to $12. Not a large variety and all a bit grimy. Vinyl not especially distinguished or priced to move.

Adult Crash
66 Avenue A
(between 4th and 5th Streets)
(212) 387-0558
A trip to this store can function as a quick education in classifying all of that confusing "downtown arty rock music" or make you realize how futile it is to try. The CDs and vinyl are grouped by genre, done with enough self-mocking to forgive the steep prices for new stuff. My first impression was of a heartless haven for purists, but they have improved matters by including a section of used CDs (go to the back and face the door), and used 7" & 12" vinyl (in drawers under the new stuff). They have the Metamkine series of 3" CDs featuring Musique Concrete artists for $7.99. Their stock is thin, so you need to be lucky to get what you want. They take plastic.

Breakbeat Science
335 East 9th Street
(between 1st and 2nd Avenues)
(212) 995-2592
7 days, 1-8
www.breakbeatscience.com
Small but choice selection of 12" white-label mixes, probably illegal. Owners and dance-culture necessities DJ Dara and DJ DB will play what you like and even show you some in-store exclusives featuring their own contributions. Some hip fashions. Listening stations.

Dance Tracks Records
91 East 3rd Street
(212) 260-TRAX
While most New York record stores feel like closets that need cleaning, this is Gotham's most deluxe 12" specialty shop. And the good news: the prices are what you'd expect to spend elsewhere. Submerge yourself in the large leather sofas, enjoy the AC, imagine yourself the resident DJ and play house on one of the 4 DJ stations. Techno-shy, they like loft and deep house and cater to professionals. A Friday nite hangout.

Danny's Records
240 East 4th Street
(between Avenues B & C)
Never, ever, ever been open.

Downtown Music Gallery
211 East 5th Street
(between Second & Third Avenues)
(212) 473-0043
A couple of years after opening with the promise of being an eclectic's dream, DMG, although dotted with great world, avant-jazz, and underground obscurities, seems to be turning into a run-o-the-mill used shop. Still, you can find vinyl here on some new releases, and the staff is always helpful.

East Village Books & Records
101 St. Marks Place
(between First Avenue & Avenue A)
(212) 477-8647
Mon-Thu, 3-11:30; Fri, 2:30-12; Sat, 12-12; Sun, 1-9.
Listed here primarily for their large selection of books on music and rock in particular. Not as cheap as the Strand, but, as they say, "50% of profits from donated books supports local causes." Whatever that means. Just a few used CDs ($7.99 per) and cassettes ($4.99 per), not a great selection. They take plastic.

Eightball Records: The Shop
105 East 9th Street
(212) 674-8963
Mon-Sat, 1-9.
Clothing store/music store/cafe catering primarily to the DJ set. Mostly current vinyl cuts, not for the uninitiated. Adjunct to Eightball: the Label.

Etherea Records
441 East 9th Street
(between First Avenue & Avenue A)
(212) 358-1126
Mon-Sat, 1-10; Sun, 1-9
A tiny, bursting, bustling store that sports a variety of genres and price ranges. Used CDs on the wall range from $5 to $10. Vinyl, from 7" records for $10 (thrift-style sounds) to current jungle, trip-hop and electronica at around $12 a disc. I suspect that the purist will say that only the more well-known artists are represented, but they are certainly easier to buy here than at Throb or Strange. A respectable assortment of well priced 7", reggae, jazz and classic & 80s rock. A few well-picked cassettes and some choice fanzines and videos eat up more of the little wall space left. A store for everyone, but please, only three at a time. Plastic.

Finyl Vinyl
204 East 6th Street
(between Second Avenue & Bowery)
(212) 533-8007
Mon-Sat, 12-7; Sun, 12-6.
Three cheers for vinyl!!! Home to an assortment of rare records, champion of obscure rock/R&B labels, helpful and there's always something cool playing on the stereo. If you still own a turntable you must shop here. Consider cassettes the Devil¹s playground, to whit, nada. Take plastic.

Footlight
113 East 12th Street
(212) 533-1572
Mon-Fri, 11-7; Sat, 10-6; Sun, 12-5.
The best, first stop for personality, film and Broadway recordings. Hyper-organized, well-lit collector¹s store staffed by knowledgeable help. Footlight features mostly vinyl soundtracks, showtunes and a lot of singers who sing the standards, i.e., Streisand, Clooney, Crosby, Steve & Edie. Also on hand is an interesting assortment of jazz, folk, world and early rock/pop, and all the above in small quantity on CD. All credit cards.

Goodwill
186 Second Avenue
A small amount of vinyl in the back. A few CDs for those interested in finding them. Cheap. Scratched.

Jammyland
60 East Third Street
(212) 614-0185
(fax) 614-0037
Reggae and world-music store featuring vinyl and CDs. Prices average around $15 for CDs, $5-8 for used LPs, and $7-12 for new LPs. Lots o' imports. A wide enough selection to make this a worthwhile stop. Tiny, but very reliable for new stuff.

Joe's Compact Disc
11 St. Marks Place
(212) 673-4606
Mon-Thu, 11-11; Fri & Sat, 11 am-midnight; Sun,11-9
This store is bifurcated; a separate used-CD room faces the one with new CDs across the vestibule. They are therefore jumpy about security. The fact that namesake Joe used to be the buyback guy at Sounds doesn't help. Not a comfortable environment. Most new CDs are around $9.99, but selection is spotty. Some good used techno CDs.

Kim's Video & Music (a.k.a. Mondo Kim's)
6 St. Marks Place
7 days, 9-midnight
Constant reorganization of this store makes it difficult to predict what you'll find here. There is always something interesting (or unheard-of) on sale each week, up near the front of the racks. Strong on avant garde, electronica and art rock along with an excellent editorial selection of everything from bluegrass to spoken word. Many reasonably-priced used CDs. Vinyl is presently on the second floor, in the back. Lots of used 7" art-rock & new-wave singles. Like all used record purchases, open 'em up, give 'em a look-see, and hope for the best. They take credit cards.

Mindwave
212 East 6th Street
(between Bowery & 2nd Avenue)
(212) 475-8742
Kinky. The selection here is almost exclusively goth and hardcore industrial, all CDs. The staff is friendly if intimidating, yet eager to please. CDs displayed in those plastic clamshell longboxes make for difficult browsing. Check out Crib Fashions next door or slink over to Finyl Vinyl if you need more familiar territory. Plastic.

Norman's Sound and Vision
67 Cooper Square
(St. Marks & Bowery)
(212) 473-6599
Where does he get his stuff? All the CDs, used or new, are (re)shrinkwrapped. This place has a slightly sleazy feel, albeit homey and harmless. Recent reorganization makes for more user-friendly shopping. The standard new release is $11.99. No vinyl. I noticed that he has strong suits in world and experimental music. CDs on the Subharmonic and Tzadik labels go for $12.99. Many well organized jazz and blues discs. Plastic.

Other Music
15 East 4th Street
(212) 477-8150
Mon-Thu, 11-9; Fri, 11-10; Sat 11-9; Sun, 11-7
Specializing in avant-garde, electronica, Kraut-rock and new Japanese noise, these guys have what the others have got plus a little something extra (60s French kitsch, perhaps?). New vinyl albums and 7-inchers, with some pricey used singles. Lots of fanzines and some comix. Used CDs are a bit more expensive than average, but they make up for it in selection. Ticket vendors for some clubs, as well. Plastic.

Proud A. Ras Novelty & Records
117 East 7th Street
(718) 940-9411
Small store specializing in reggae/Rasta culture. Next to Strange Cargo store. Not a good first stop‹small selection and erratic hours. Call first‹as of September 1 they have a new number.

Reborn 14
238 East 14th Street
(between Second & Third Avenues, near Irving Plaza)
(212) 529-7370
Now this is a real junk shop. Books and vinyl smelling of fresh cat pee. Albums as marked inside the covers and singles at $2 reflect pricing while intoxicated. They actually have a toilet in the back which is available to all who can find it. Unique. Recover at the Beauty Bar across the street.

Record Runner
5 Jones Street
(between Bleecker and West 4th Street)
(212) 255-4280
A cozy cubbyhole with mostly-mainstream vinyl at a price. Some new-wave and Brit-pop collectibles. Nothing off-beat or crazy.

Rose's Variety (a.k.a. Rose's Vintage Men's Store)
145 Second Avenue at 9th Street
(212) 979-7660
Mostly used clothing with a couple of crates of beat-up records, about $2 each, that are refreshed occasionally. We've found great mood music & Nuevo Trova records here in the past, quite accidentally. Sister store to Rose's around the corner on 9th Street.

Salvation Army
112 Fourth Avenue
(212) 673-2741
Vinyl downstairs. CDs behind the register; cassettes, as well. User-friendly, i.e. picked over.

Satellite
342 Bowery
(between Great Jones & Bond Streets, near CBGBs)
(212)780-9305
Mon-Thu, 12-8; Fri & Sat,12-9; Sun, 1-7
Cleverly hidden among replacement car-parts shops and Bowery missions. The spacious front of the shop features fashions and the vinyl is all jammed in the back half. Genres and sub-genres well-marked, aiding the neophyte. Many listening stations. Because of the wide variety of DJ-based records (ie. house, techno, trance, jungle, trip-hop, hardcore, ambient, electro, ad infinitum) this beehive buzzes with many tongues, all spoken fluently by the nimble staff. Mysterious vinyl is well marked with bar coded labels. Plastic.

St. Marks Sounds
20 St. Marks Place
(212) 677-3444
The main store, which once stood tall with its selection of new and used rock and alternative vinyl, is a real yawn. Pretty much new & used CDs these days, the good news is that new CDs hover at about $10. A good place to sell back what you're tired of.

St. Marks Sounds CD Store
16 St. Marks Place
(212) 677-2727
Mon-Thu, 12-10; Fri & Sat, 12-11; Sun, 12-9
The CD store, small as it is, offers a broad selection of the latest digital offerings (at very good prices) and cassettes (that seem to be on their way out). The bulk of the store is used CDs. Mike rules the roost: watch him dance if you ask to hear something he likes. Most new releases here go for $9.99. One of our favorite places.

See Hear
33 St. Marks Place
(212) 505-9781
(fax) 387-8017
7 days, 11 -11.
seehearfan@aol.com
Best place in the city for those hard-to-find teenage tattoo/music mags and biker-punk bios‹literally all indie music publications under one roof. Ted, your hidden host, maintains a fine selection of new and used music books, counterculture comics and magazines, fanzines, and every current popular pop music mag.

Smash Compact Discs
17 St. Marks Place
(between Second and Third Avenues)
(212) 473-2200
7 days, 11-10
Recommended more for its selection of used CDs than anything else. It does carry an interesting assortment of rarities, promos, bootlegs, etc. as well as a lot of imports, but its prices are a bit on the high end. I do recommend checking out the used record guy who's outside on the weekends for his collection of funk, rock, R&B and soul. Negotiate on the overpriced collectors' pieces above the register. Plastic.

Space Age Bachelor Pad
77 East 10th Street
(between Third & Fourth Avenues)
One of the few remaining East Village knee-deep-in-junk stores, this place features well-worn vinyl in milk crates alongside waterlogged Playboys and old beer coasters. Recent attempts at orderliness have successfully failed. Worth a visit just to pass a few moments with Larry, the kindly curmudgeon-in-training. Dig for treasure.

Stooz Records
122 East 7th Street
(between First Avenue & Avenue A)
(212) 979-6294
Mon-Thu, noon-2 am; Fri-Sat noon-1 am; Sun, 12-9
Used vinyl and CDs and the latest new hit & hip. A difficult store to contend with: the spacious back area offers a wide assortment of rock, punk, jazz, funk and soul vinyl, but definitely no bargains. The CDs are either on the front counter and difficult to extract, or in locked glass cases. Cassettes are cheap. Word has it that much of the collectible stuff once belonged to Manny of Manny's at the old Knitting Factory (ie. Luscious Jackson's "In Search of Manny"). Plastic.

Strange?
445 East 9th Street
(between First Avenue & Avenue A)
(212) 505-3025
strange@pipeline.com
Strange indeed. Rave threads in the back and one rack of CDs in the front. Not for the uninitiated. A good place to pick up invites to East Coast raves. Techno. Ambient. They seem to specialize in the work put out by the indie label Fax.

Strange Cargo
117 East 7th Street
(between First Avenue & Avenue A)
(212) 260-6495
Mon-Thu, 12-8; Fri & Sat, 12-10; Sun, 12-6
Brand-new nostalgia shop, probably better for for the related music promo items than the small selection of choice LPs, singles and a few CDs. Hey, they got 8-tracks, old music mags and a Masters of the Universe singles tote at $13.

Throb
211 East 14th Street
(between Second and Third Avenues)
(212) 533-BEAT
Mon-Sat, 12-9; Sun, 1-9
Mecca for DJs and followers of rave sounds. Very helpful staff will guide you with suggestions and definitions. Listening stations. Some CDs, but mostly vinyl, all well organized by genres. Don't look for any bargains, but rather the most up-to-date beats. A friend says, "Unlike other stores, these guys don't withhold limited new releases for themselves." Plastic.

Tompkins Park Books and Records
111 East 7th Street
(212) 979-8958
A used-book store with used LPs, 7" and 12" singles that is guaranteed to contain a few gems for those with the patience to wade through the jumble. Really nice people, who more and more have realized the value of what they have. We always find a few good used LPs and music books every trip. They take personal checks and they like what they do.

Tower Records
692 Broadway at 4th Street
(212) 505-1500
Tower succeeds more for its sheer volume of merchandise than for anything else. The jazz and classical rooms are well stocked. We use Tower as our default store when we need new things, and need them in a hurry for a project.

Tower Annex
Lafayette & East 4th Street
(212) 505-1500
What¹s left of Tower's vinyl (not much, although they always seem on the verge of becoming a collectors' store) is still at the Annex, where, amidst the mostly-classical mid-line and budget selection you may be surprised at what you can find. Check it out often for its rotating crop of surprises, and its low prices on leftover CD's, a lot of them imports you may not have otherwise seen.

Venus Records
13 St. Marks Place
(212) 598-4459
(fax) 941-6536
Seven years ago, we set the trend for the music industry by characterizing the music in this store as "grungy". Nothing has changed much since then, except that the record biz has picked up on our lead and Venus is carrying more "product" than ever. Upstairs are new and used CDs and cassettes at OK prices and lots of used or open CDs at $5 or less. Older and collectible LPs at reasonable prices are in the basement, including an excellent selection of 70s hardcore punk 7" singles. Like almost all stores in New York, they no longer sell bootlegs. Venus will take your plastic/checks.

 
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