On July 11th, I posted the first installment of this series. With an optimistic outlook I thought it would be no big deal to relinquish my iTunes account for indie record stores. Boy was I fucking wrong... Here's where it all went to shit. In spite of there being three record stores in my neighborhood, the problem became finding a record store that actually carried the album(s) I was in search of...
On the day of the physical release of Frank Ocean's Channel Orange (7/17/12), I happily walked into THREE record stores only to walk right back out unsuccessful in my task. Two of them were out of stock and one of them hadn't even got the albums in yet. I called yet another record store thinking I could stop on my way home but instead had a tragic conversation with one of the workers who was confused and thought the album didn't come out until the week after. Pissed off and frustrated I went home. Broke down and bought it on iTunes. *hangs head in shame*
About three weeks later, I returned to one of the record stores in my neighborhood and by some miracle they had the physical CD. So I bought it. I spent $25.98 (11.99 on iTunes and 13.99 for physical) for one album. Frustration.
A similar experience happened to me yet again tonight. In anticipation of today's paycheck, I made a short list of albums I wanted to buy - Passion Pit's Gossamer, Stars' The North, Dinosaur Jr.'s I Bet On Sky and Grizzly Bear's Shields. I walked away with half of my list. When I asked the worker at the record store if I just wasn't looking in the right spot, a woman (I presumed an owner) popped her head out of the office, said they did not have either album but could order for me. And then disappeared just as fast as she appeared. I came home. Opened up my computer and waved the white flag of surrender. This time without the shame. Thank you iTunes.
This challenge has been nothing but disappointment from day one...
