Record Store Day is rapidly approaching on Saturday, April 22. Some of you have your “must have” and “want” lists ready to go and your day all mapped out. But for those who haven’t had a chance to scour the long list of vinyl exclusives set to be released on Record Store Day, here is a handy collection of some of the standouts.

This year’s wide array features a series of high-profile releases from Twin Cities bands that could be in big demand at our local record shops. Be on the lookout for any of these stellar titles on Record Store Day.

5 Albums With Minnesota Ties

Hüsker Dü - Tonite Longhorn

This two-LP set of early and explosive Hüsker Dü live recordings features original flyers and artwork. The performances are from the band’s untamed inception, capturing potent shows at Minneapolis’ beloved and dearly missed punk and new wave club Jay's Longhorn Bar from 1979-1980. The sets are compiled from the historical Hüsker Dü recording archives by Terry Katzman, so the quality is guaranteed. If you never got a chance to see Hüsker Dü back in the day, or if you were a Longhorn regular who was lucky enough to be at some of these shows, this collection captures the raw fury of the band’s early days. Back in 1979, the Hüskers were still our little secret, and these fiery sets are a testament to that boisterous moment in time.  

The Cactus Blossoms - If Not For You (Bob Dylan Songs Vol. 1)

The Cactus Blossoms tip their creative hat to one of Minnesota’s greatest songwriters on their new EP. Jack Torrey and Page Burkum rework four Bob Dylan classics from his early catalog, “If Not For You,” “To Ramona,” “Went To See the Gypsy,” and “Tell Me That It Isn’t True.” As if that wasn’t enough to pique your interest, the EP comes pressed on snazzy blue vinyl as well. These aren’t just merely straight run-throughs of his songs. They manage to add their own distinctive touch. "Dylan’s music was a friend and guide to me in those early years and has continued to be an artistic home base for me and Page,” Torrey says. "His songwriting on the Nashville Skyline and New Morning albums are such departures from his mid-‘60s rock ’n’ roll poetry, and they really comfortably fit into our wheelhouse without us having to imitate his unique style."

Soul Asylum - Unplugged

Soul Asylum’s 1993 MTV Unplugged performance is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, and no better way to honor that set than by reissuing it on vinyl for the very first time. This double-LP features a new mix taken from the original tapes, and the full 16-song set, including four previously unreleased performances. Soul Asylum is so psyched about this Unplugged reissue that they are planning or recreating the performance at the State Theatre on April 20, where they will be joined by special guest Ivan Neville, just as they were for the original Unplugged performance in 1993, as well as local string quartet STRINGenius. For the lucky few who purchased VIP tickets to this show, the performance will also be pressed on hand-poured vinyl by Excelsior-based vinyl record club Bandbox (Note: I am currently employed by Bandbox).

Various Artists - Surfin' The Great Lakes: Kay Bank Studio Surf Sides Of The 1960s

Unheralded Nicollet Avenue recording studio Kay Bank Studio is rightfully in the spotlight on Record Store Day, with this collection of surf rock jams from the 1960s recorded right here in landlocked Minneapolis. The Trashmen are well represented with two lively numbers on the album (their worldwide sensation “Surfin’ Bird” was recorded at Kay Bank), as are The Vaqueros, The Mustangs, The Satisfactions, and The Chancellors.

 This record is sure to help usher in spring and summer here in the Twin Cities, and perhaps inspire you to head to the ocean and take up surfing yourself. And if the catchy surf rock jams didn’t get your attention, the record is pressed on seaglass blue vinyl to make you think of tasty waves each time you give the album a spin.

Beach House - Become

Baltimore dream-pop duo Beach House recorded portions of their brilliant 2022 album, Once Twice Melody, at Pachyderm Studio in Cannon Falls.  On Record Store Day the group is set to release Become, a new companion EP to their recent record. Become features five previously unreleased songs recorded during those same Once Twice Melody sessions. Become is pressed on stylish crystal-clear vinyl, and is a limited edition run of only 8,000 copies here in the United States. 

5 Best (Non-Minnesota) Record Store Day Releases

The Cure - Show

Many Cure fans' dreams were answered late last year when Robert Smith finally reissued their beloved 1992 album, Wish, on vinyl for the first time since it was originally released in honor of its 30th anniversary. Now comes this exclusive two-LP picture disc pressing of Show on Record Store Day, a treasured live album that was recorded on The Cure’s Wish tour at The Palace of Auburn Hills, Michigan. As with all recent reissues by The Cure, this repressing of Wish was overseen personally by Robert Smith (who clearly has a thing for picture discs). On the Wish Tour, The Cure featured Smith, Simon Gallup, Porl Thompson, Boris Williams, and Perry Bamonte. Show has been unavailable on vinyl (and impossible to find) since its original release in 1993, and this pressing will mark the very first time that it has been pressed on picture disc.

Pearl Jam - Give Way

Since this Pearl Jam live show was originally supposed to be released as a free promotional item for customers who purchased Single Video Theory at Best Buy stores back in 1998 (only to be scrapped at the last minute the day before), I was tempted to include this in the Minnesota ties section. Pearl Jam fans are thrilled that this long treasured bootleg of a blistering live performance at Melbourne Park on March 5, 1998, during the Australian Yield tour is finally getting an official release. Give Way is a 17-track live two-LP gatefold set (not the entire show, unfortunately) that will be released on vinyl and CD for the very first time on Record Store Day. And for those wondering what the title Give Way is alluding to, it is a reference to the Australian version of the yield sign.

Taylor Swift - folklore: the long pond studio sessions

Folklore brought all of us Swifties together during the Covid-19 lockdown and calmed us down with its tranquil, acoustic vibes. The record was eventually awarded the Grammy for Album of the Year, however Taylor Swift and her creative partners on the album (including Minneapolis drummer JT Bates) never played the songs on the album together in person. That is until The Long Pond Studio Sessions took place at The National’s Aaron Dessner’s recording studio in Hudson Valley, New York, in September 2020. These intimate, live recordings feature Swift, Dessner, Jack Antonoff, and Justin Vernon. This represents the very first time that folklore: the long pond studio sessions has been released on vinyl, and this Record Store Day exclusive two-LP set will be pressed on grey vinyl.

The 1975 - Live With The BBC Philharmonic Orchestra

This recording by the 1975 features the English pop band playing alongside the full BBC Philharmonic Orchestra. The set features songs from the group’s celebrated second studio album, I Like It When You Sleep, For You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware of It. The 1975 have recently been given the honor of being official Record Store Day 2023 Ambassadors in the U.K. Live With The BBC Philharmonic Orchestra is being released on vinyl for the very first time, and the two-LP set will be pressed on eye-catching clear vinyl.

Blur - Blur Present The Special Collectors Edition

This splendid Blur B-Sides collection is set to be released on vinyl for the first time ever on Record Store Day. This hard-to-find compilation was originally released in 1994 as a Japan-only CD, bringing together beloved B-sides (including a rambunctious cover of Rod Stewart’s “Maggie May”) taken from a series of singles released from the band's first three studio albums, Leisure, Modern Life Is Rubbish, and Parklife. And ever since, Blur fans and record collectors alike have been clamoring for a more widespread release of the compilation. Blur Present The Special Collectors Edition is a colored vinyl two-LP set.

15 More Record Store Day Gems

London Grammar - If You Wait 

Warren Zevon - The Wind

Scott Weiland - 12 Bar Blues

T. Rex - Rockin’ & Rollin’

Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros - Streetcore

Son Volt - Day of the Doug

Jonathan Richman - Jonathan Goes Country

P.M. Dawn - The Bliss Album

The Orb featuring Lee Scratch Perry - The Upsetter at the Starhouse Session

Dirty Projectors + Bjork - Mount Wittenberg Orca (Expanded Edition)

Tori Amos - Little Earthquakes-The B-Sides

The Cranberries - Wake Up and Smell The Coffee

Carole King - The Legendary Demos https://recordstoreday.com/SpecialRelease/15654

Dolly Parton - The Monument Singles Collection 1964-1968

Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers - Live At Jazz Workshop 1970

This feature is part of The Current’s 89 Days series, helping you enjoy the best of the season with weekly guides to events, entertainment, and recreation in the Twin Cities.