Hi ho, it’s off into 2010 we go. Indie rock darlings VAMPIRE WEEKEND return with their long awaited, much anticipated 2nd record. And in perfect harmony with Horizon Records way of life we are equally excited about the latest release from LAURA VEIRS. Her July Flame delivers the same refreshingly different, yet reassuringly familiar sound that first startled and delighted me when I heard 2004’s Carbon Glacier. A modern blend of folk, art song, chamber music, lyric poetry and mellow experimentation; sort of Joni Mitchell-NICO & John Cale-Gillian Welch-Exene Cervenka all swirled into disarmingly honest songs and real topics. If that weren’t enough the cult legend blues senor citizen and down home kinda guy T-MODEL FORD dishes up his first all acoustic session called Ladies Man. And then there’s Tony Simon known commonly as BLOCKHEAD, the innovative hip hop producer, bon vivant and funkmaster, who just dropped his latest CD/LP called “The Music Scene” — hmmmmm?!

Plus, we are grinning ear to ear because THE INFAMOUS STRINGDUSTERS are doing another in-store with us! This time it’s Friday January 22 at 4:30pm as a set up for their FULL CONCERT at THE HANDLEBAR. We love these guys virtuosic bluegrass based American acoustic string magic — 6 guys, 2 CDs, ONE smokin’ sound.

Finally here are some answers to questions you might not have thought to ask yet:
-Yes we have music books: recently got the amazing new bio of Thelonius Monk, and we carry the Jazz & Blues Musicians Of South Carolina by B Franklin, and the 1,000 Recordings To Hear Before You Die to name just a few.
-Yes we have Discwasher record cleaning kits, Audio Technica cartridges,
-Yes you can go into our Classical room or into our Vinyl vault, why would you even ask?? We hope you’ll visit and browse these 2 areas of our store at will any time, gee whiz!
-Yes late hours have returned to Monday nights again. Starting this week are open til 10pm Mondays just like Tues- Sat. More time for hanging out, digging around and doing that record store thang.

Horizon is deeply saddened by the news of Willie Mitchell’s passing. This renowned Memphis producer will be forever beloved around here if only for the heavenly sounds he brought us when he produced all those amazing Al Green records in the 1970s.

That’s it, all I can say is: COME SEE US.