VINYL VIEWS: WEEK OF 10/4/21
“Hello, Boils & Ghouls! SPOOPY VINYL VIEWS is our CREEPY blog where we feature album recommendations from our “SCREAM TEAM” – SHAYNE “THE SKINWALKER” & JAXON “STILL AT LARGE”, and also from our GUEST UNDERTAKERS. This week we hear from JACK-O-LANTERN ZYLSTRA!
Scroll down to read this week’s album picks or start shopping! Sign up now to be a part of our Vinyl Views family and be the first to hear about new releases, store events, and exclusive promotions. Looking for a prior week of Vinyl Views? If so, CLICK HERE
Jack Zylstra is 18 years old. He just graduated from OPRF this past year. He is an aspiring actor and musician who hopes to have a career in both fields. He currently works as a set dresser for season 9 of Chicago PD. In his free time Jack’s favorite hobbies are listening to music, reading, watching movies, and embracing nature
Artist: KISS
Album: Destroyer
Kiss has always been a very fun band to listen to. Not only is their stage persona amazing, but they also have their power rock sound that always sounds clean and crisp. Destroyer is one of my favorite albums because I love the way the songs flow from one into the other flawlessly. The title song Detroit Rock City has sounds of someone driving their motorcycle through the night, which for me reminds me of the infamous late night drives with friends as the days come closer and closer to Halloween.
Check out the track God Of Thunder
Artist: Pat Metheny Group
Album: Pat Metheny Group
Pat Metheny has become a recent favorite for me. I was introduced to Pat by one of my close friends who I jam with occasionally. I love the phrases he creates and how carefree his playing is. Lyle Mays is another standout in his music due to his virtuoso playing and transitions through different keyboards. Even though this was their debut album, they never fail to sound perfect. Their music for me has always had an uplifting positive tone that never fails to bring me joy. This album is a perfect representation of the changing seasons and embracing the beauty of nature
Check out the track San Lorenzo
Artist: Vince Guaraldi
Album: It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown
Charlie Brown has been a staple of the holiday seasons for generations. I always have had the fond memory of my grandma putting on all of the specials at their designated time of year. Vince Guaraldi truly is one of my favorite soundtrack musicians. The great pumpkin has always brought joy to me and the soundtrack is perfect background music for putting up decorations, or sitting at home with the family after going trick or treating. It’s the perfect Halloween music and it has always had a special place in my heart.
.Check out the track The Great Pumpkin Waltz
Shayne is switching it up in 2021 and bringing us his custom playlists each week. Check out here or come into the store and listen to them in our Sounderator (tricked out 1940’s refrigerator that you sit in while enjoying a tasty selection of tunes).
Shayne’s playlist this week is titled Spoopy 1
From: Shayne:
This is but a small taste of the deliciously fiendish ditties I have in store for you this month!
Access the Spotify Playlist Here => 
Artist: Bone Thugs-N-Harmony
Album: E 1999 Eternal
No hip hop album screams Halloween to me more than this album. The way that they embrace horror aesthetics and bring them into their sound keeps everything feeling fresh, even while being buried inside the rotting corpse of the genre that is Gangster Rap. Now that October has started, my urges to play this album on a constant loop have also returned. Their flows on the record are both very rhythmic and harmonic, and creep their way inside of my brain, refusing to go away.
.Check out the track Die Die Die
Artist: Kim Petras
Album: Turn Off The Light
This is a collection of Halloween themed pop bangers, taking a lot of its sound from Electropop, House, and EDM. This album takes the Christmas album trope and flips it on its head, instead picking a more devilish holiday. The songs here, just like many Christmas songs, end up getting stuck in my head year round. The fun Halloween themed lyrics, banger instrumental tracks that make you want to get up and dance, and powerful pop vocals all create a memorable experience. Check out the song Massacre, which takes the famous melody from Carol of the Bells, and turns it into a spooky banger.
Check out the track Massacre
Artist: Froggy Fresh
Album: Escape From Hood Mountain
I’ve been saving this one for a rainy day. This album is a really dumb, stupid, dumb album. But that’s sorta it’s thing. I love this album, and the rest of his work to bits. The corny jokes combine with mediocre rap and are coated in a large layer of campiness, creating a devilishly delightful listening experience. This album, alongside his other two masterpieces, have multiple Halloween themed gems. But Shayne would kill me if I didn’t pick Nightmare on My Street, because it is a song about his favorite horror icon, Freddy. But because of legal reasons they don’t call him Freddy, and instead refer to him as Fardy Krueger. This album is a really goofy listen, and if you are fine with a bit of cheese you will love it.
Check out the track Nightmare On My Street
How Do I Order Music (Or Other Things)?
Val’s is now open again (safely)! Bring a face mask and we will sanitize your hands on the way in. Social distancing, of course. Val’s halla has worked hard over this quarantine period to launch its Online Store which has thousands of titles for you to choose from. We will continue to add inventory everyday, but just let us know what you are looking for! We are happy to look through our off-line inventory of over 50,000 titles to see what we have for you. Also, we place orders with our distributor every Monday which means we see them in our store by Tuesday (most of the time). We sell records (as well as turntables), CDs, cassettes, 8-tracks, DVDs and more. To get started, you can Click Here to access the Online Store, or fill out the form below to let us know what you are looking for.
What About Delivery?
Val’s is offering Curbside Pickup and No-Contact Delivery Service to customers who live within a 5-mile radius of the Oak Park Arts District. Orders can also be shipped to customers outside that radius for a flat fee of $5. Order as much as you want – still $5 shipping! Stay safe and be well!