Quick, Before It Melts.

Today is Record Store Day across the world, celebrating the independent record stores everywhere that make music geeks like me swoon. We're not talking your big-box chains here--we're talking about your one-off, unique and totally hip holes in the wall that carry everything indie from A-Z.

If you're in the UK, Rough Trade Record Shop East has a whole line-up of artists confirmed to play in celebration of today; just click the link for more info.

Merge records is teaming up with record shops across the US to give away a split 7" with Destroyer and Wye Oak. Want to know if one will be available at your favourite shop? Click here for a list of participants.

I, unfortunately, don't have any independent record stores around me anymore. The last of them closed a few years back, and so I'm left in the lurch when it comes to new music--online ordering is ok, but I love browsing the racks and searching through the store for interesting stuff. the best and closest indie record store to me is Buffalo, NY's New World Record. Even they weren't sure they'd be around for this year's event, but, they've managed to hold out just a bit longer. Still, New World Record has also announced that they'll be closing sometime in the next while, after 23 1/2 years. So if you're in the area, go down and check out the bands they have lined up for today, buy something cool for your stereo, and.... well, give those folks down there a hug. They need it.

My musical selection today is from one of my new favourite albums, Saturdays = Youth, by M83. It's a lovely throwback to the lost innocence of the 80s, without the sappy melodrama that Molly Ringwald seemed to sweat out of her pores.