"I'd buy that for a dollar!" Great purchases for a buck or less

Ok, so since I can’t crate-dig, I made the crates come to me! Bought ~2500 random old records for $300 and have spent the past week sorting them. About 75% were total trash, just bunk, Percy Faith and Living Strings and James Last and the Norman Luboff Choir. A whole bunch more I can flip for maybe a buck apiece if I’m lucky, $20/box if no takers. There were a surprising number of half-decent things, stuff I can sell for $3-5 easy. I upgraded a few records in my collection that were in questionable condition, added a few nice staples (Bill Withers, Dusty Springfield, Four Tops, New Order). And I’ve been loving throwing random semi-interesting-looking things on to see what they are, something I haven’t really done for many years. I had almost given up on the magic of the bin find... this restores my faith in the Holy Crate.

Smith - A Group Called Smith
These folks must have been a hoot to see live, great party music. It’s all covers, but generally really well done. Well worth a fiver if you’re into finding the missing like between BB/Holding co and the J Geils Band. And if you don’t care that they don’t write any of their own material.

Ramsey Lewis - Mother Nature’s Son
Weird jazzbo covers of songs from the White Album. Ranges from quirky to schmaltzy to downright sinister. I’m a sucker for Beatles cover albums (Holyridge Strings, Torero Band, George Martin & Orchestra) but this is by far the best one I’ve found. Bonus points for the cuckoo sleeve art.

There was an original Ella on Verve which sounds incredible (although it being Ella Sings Broadway I don’t really need to keep it). But the pick of the litter was a really nice copy of Thirsty Moon, a krautrock band on Brain. Total score!

Still sorting, cleaning & playing. Will post more finds if I dig any up.

Aw that sounds like fun!!

I remember Smith's song "Baby, It's you" from the 70s. An actual hit.

Weakest performance on the album! It was a hit, huh? I just assumed they were a no-hit no-wonder.

I don't know how it charted but it got regular airplay on SoCal top 40 stations.

From wiki: The highest-charting version of "Baby It's You" was by the band Smith, who took the song to number five on the US charts in 1969.

to whoever left pristine copies of First Reformed, Xen Cuts and a whole lot of early aughts/late 90s emo and math rock, I thank you

also anyone in toronto who needs a CD copy of Leaves Turn Inside You, mcluskyism or The Rising Tide get your ass to the salvation army thrift store at lansdowne stn

Have bought a bunch of collections this year. Some of my favourite discoveries for a buck or two:

Wild Tchopitoulas
Charles Wright and the Watts 103rd St Rhythm Band
MC Lyte - Eyes on This
Moev - Zimmerkampf
Jane Fair Jazz Quintet
Brother to Brother - Let Your Mind Be Free
Bang Bang You’re Terry Reid
Little Richard - The King of Rock & Roll (absolutely bonkers)
Montrose - s/t
Carolyn Franklin (aretha’s sis) - Baby Dynamite
Ramsey Lewis - Mother Nature’s Son

Well in terms of classic albums, the other day I managed to get a full copy of Stevie Wonder's Songs in the Key of Life on Vinyl for $1 at a thrift store. Also got a copy of Jan Johansson's Jazz på svenska, which is something I usually wouldn't expect to find at a thrift store in Alberta.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/COKE-BOYS-DJ-WYNTER-ONLYRAPPERHEARDWORLDWIDE-COKEBOY-30COKE/223639046864?hash=item3411ed0ad0:g:7dAAAOSwbdxdZI7k

.@oryxofelia wanted to hit a thrift store so while she was perusing dated fashion at the local @GoodwillIntl I hit the CD section not expecting much. I found far more than I could have hoped for for only 99¢ a pop. pic.twitter.com/LGtQsqPyxm

— Brian O'Neill (@NYC__Native) March 27, 2021

The Sarah Brightman was for her; the Therapy? CD single was the most unexpected thing to find and the Willie Nelson tribute has some great bands on it.

Already started listening to the Methods of Mayhem. Wow, does it suck, haha!

— Brian O'Neill (@NYC__Native) March 27, 2021

Hardly obscure, but here I am listening to The Good, the Bad and the Queen for the hundredth time, got it for a dollar in some cutprice store a decade ago. I love the Allen/Simonon grooves so much.