Swag

When you live as the Mole does, those things which are inexpensive or free are especially helpful, expecially in the world of entertaining oneself. Dollar stores are fun, and the 50 cent bins at the comic shop can be helpful, but as a certain buzzcut stereo and tv hawker from Portland usedta say (and if you're a real Portlander you know of whom I sprechen): "Free is a very good price."

This is whatcha call swag -- free stuff. I learned the term from the "Bam Builds His New Skatepark" episode of Viva La Bam, and am now on a near constant swag radar fix. Free stuff. I have discovered that record stores, especially those independent wrecka stows (see Prince, "Under The Cherry Moon", or better yet, don't) that still sell paraphrenalia and mood candles, are willing to divest themselves of their excess free promotional crap that their reps bestow on them, and occasionally that includes some decent music.

Case in point: yesterday I was able to visit a couple of Baltimore-area record stores and in one of them there was a veritable treasure trove of stuff, supplying new music and samples. A lot of smaller labels will allow their up-and-coming artists to include theyselfs on giveaway discs and you are then able to acquire some pretty decent music for free. Here's a bit of what I picked up, FYI:

John Prine: I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus / Silver Bells -- this little sampler disc is apparently a re-release of the first single from Oh Boy! records back in 1980 -- Mr. Prine does Christmas favorites. The music is fun and will add to the holiday repertoire nicely; but the really cool thing here is that the original single was on red vinyl, and I used to collect colored-vinyl singles (dont ask me where they are now, its a sad, sad tale of woe) -- but with this little 2-song CD they have tried to replicate the feel of red vinyl with a partially see-thru redvinyl disc. Very cool. And yes, it was FREE.

This Bird Has Flown: Bonus Tracks -- This is a couple of bonuses from a recent album celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Beatles' Rubber Soul album. The first track is Slow Runner's I've Just Seen A Face, turning the semi-frenetic original track into a slow, laid-back slacker version that is very endearing; the second is Sam Champion's version of "It's Only Love", which is also nice, though I must admit I dont recall ever hearing the original version. But certainly the quality of these two extras speaks to the potential of the album itself and getting these for FREE endears me to the makers and would certainly incline me more toward purchasing said compilation.

Coheed and Cambria: Welcome Home -- this was a gasper, an honest to God vinyl 45 from the brand new Coheed album. Coheed is growing on me, I love any band that is relentlessly individualistic and does what they want to do no matter what, and the fact that they would be willing to actually commit a track to vinyl says a lot about their character. I miss my 45s, this is true, and I am glad to have this one; there's just something about vinyl that has a depth and resonance that CD's don't. I dont know how to put my finger on it, but listening to music on vinyl requires a real commitment from the listener -- you cant go anywhere, you have to stay and listen, and pay attention. CD's are like cell phones; they have made life more portable, yes, you cant imagine life without them, but we've lost some kind of communality (whoosh theres a word) because of them. I need to smell the vinyl. And, by Jiminy, this sucker was FREEEEE.

Anyway. There was more swag in this trip, but not worth mentioning. But isn't it nice to know the giant corporate death monster throws you a bone every once in awhile? Keep your feet on the ground, and keep looking at the stars.....