Vinyl records have quickly become a staple in many people’s lives again, and if they are a staple in yours, Bloomington is the place to be.
In the digital age, it’s easy to forget about the large waxy discs that used to carry the music we still enjoy listening to today. And if you’re a classic rock fan like me, there is a distinct sound to enjoy while listening to a vinyl record.
There is warmth in the sound compared to the cold, hard sound on digitized tracks, which seems to be why people are reverting back to how it was intended to be heard with vinyl on a turntable.
I was gifted my dad’s vinyl record collection my sophomore year of high school.
While pouring over his 600 records in pristine condition, admiring how he kept so many and took such great care of them, I quickly became consumed with their history, the artwork and the warm sound they produced.
I had to have more.
I documented what we had and found the gaps with what we didn’t.
I took rock history classes once I got to IU, making a note of all the obscure vinyls we were missing from the 1960s and 1970s and making it my mission to expand the collection.
Then I discovered Tracks and Landlocked Music.
Both are places where you can go to pour through stacks and racks of vinyl records, discovering hidden gems of the past while conversing with gems of the present.
If vinyl records are something you are attracted to, both stores are great places.
Tracks is located on Kirkwood Avenue while Landlocked Music is right on North Walnut Street.
When you’re downtown or just looking for something to do, you’ll be able to spend hours brushing off the dust on the classics.
allmwagn@indiana.edu
@allisonmwagner
