So many good records, so little time…

Please be sure to check out the records on this snapshot of favorites worked on by GGR in 2020, curated by some of our employees and colleagues. Happy listening, and Happy Holidays!

Clint Holley (Well Made Music)

Koyaanisqatsi – Original Soundtrack
Black Unity Trio – Al Fatihah
Jeff Carney- Imperfect Space Journeys
The Local Honeys – Little Girls Acting Like Men
Black Market Brass – Undying Thirst
Honorable mention: Christy Lynn Band – Sweetheart of the Radio

Dave Polster (Well Made Music)

The Horace Tapscott Quintet-“The Giant Is Awakened” (Real Gone Music)
Philip Glass – Koyaanisqatsi (Orange Mountain Music)
Robbie Basho-“Songs of the Great Mystery—The Lost Vanguard Sessions” (Real Gone Music)
Christopher Young-“Invaders from Mars” 7″ OST (1984 Publishing)
Emily Keener-“I Do Not Have To Be Good” (Self Released)
GA-20-“Live Vol. 1” (Karma Chief)
The Wild Giraffes-“Live at the Cleveland Agora” (Self Released)
F**k Yeah, Dinosaurs!-“65 Million Beers Ago” (Self Released)
The Aquabats!-“Kooky Spooky” (MVD)
Man-“Revelation” (Real Gone Music)
Midnight Syndicate-“Music of Halloween Horror Nights” (Self Released)
Sad Penny-“Sun Cured/Nightside” (Soul Step Records)
Mavericks-“En Español” (Thirty Tigers)
The Awakening-“Hear, Sense, and Feel” (Real Gone Music)
Loney Hutchins-“Appalachia” (Self Released)
Dan Lacksman-“Dan Lacksman” (Real Gone Music)
Morgan Ames-“Silent Night, Deadly Night” OST (1984 Publishing)
The Bombillas-“The Bombillas” (F-Spot Records)
Lauren Lanzaretta-“Deliverance” (Self Released)
Ghost Funk Orchestra-“An Ode to Escapism” (Karma Chief)
Fountains of Wayne-“Welcome Interstate Managers” (Real Gone Music)
Red Devil Ryders-“Pour Me Another One” (Just Because Records)
Factual Brains-“Scooter” (Self Released)
Trans Siberian Orchestra-“Ghosts of Christmas Eve” (Warner)
Malcolm Holcombe-“Tricks of the Trade” (Self Released)
Rancid Vat-“Tableaus Of Human Drama Collected Like Food Stains On A Filthy Restaurant Tablecloth” (Greg Bailey)
Black Unity Trio-“Al-Fatihah” (Gotta Groove Records)
Black Market Brass-“Undying Thirst” (Colemine Records)
Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band-“The Gordian Knot” (Blackrock Creative)
Monophonics-“It’s Only Us” (Colemine Records)
The Brother Moves On-“A New Myth” (Joyful Noise)
A Black Rose Burial-“An Awakening of Revenants” (Wax Vessel)
Woody and Jeremy-“Strange Satisfaction” (Self Released)
Walter Bishop Jr.-“Coral Keys” (Real Gone Music)
Matt Duncan-“Who Are You” bw “State Bird” (Soul Step Records)
Throttle Elevator Music-“Emergency Exit” (Wide Hive Records)

Gio Ruvolo

Invent Animate- Greyview (Tragic Hero)
Bask-Ramble Beyond (Self-Aware)
Kelly Finnegan- The Tales People Tell repress (Colemine)
Dead Horse- Horsecore: An Unrelated Story That’s Time Consuming
Dr. Acula-S.L.O.B. (Total Deathcore)
Mavericks- En Espanol (Thirty Tigers)

Michael Fanos

Tobacco – Fucked Up Friends
Sen Morimoto – Sen Morimoto
L7 – The Beauty Process
NNamdi – Krazy Karl
Luke Titus – Plasma
Russ Meyers – Vixen OST
The Du-Rites – A Funky Bad Time
Black Unity Trio – Al-Fatihah
Slow Pulp – Moveys

Matt Earley

Airto Moreira – Seeds On The Ground
Ausklang – Chronos
Bastards of Soul – Spinnin’
Doug Carn – Spirit of the New Land
Bird and the Bee – S/T
Black Unity Trio – Al Fatihah
Bob Lefevre – & The Already Gone
Brian Owens- Love Came Down
Calvin Keys – Shaw-Neeq
Charles Hill Jr – Old Loves and Old Memories
Cleveland Eaton – Plenty Good Eaton
Cole Degenova – Really Human
Colter Wall – Western Swing & Waltzes and Other Punchy Songs
Couple – Top of the Pop
Dan Golding – Untitled Goose Game
Dan Reeder – Every Which Way
Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio – I Told You So
Destroyer – Have We Met
Emily Nenni – Hell of a Woman
Ernie Johnson From Detroit – Live Vol. I & II
Flat Five – Another World
Fountains of Wayne- Welcome Interstate Managers
Ghost Funk Orchestra – An Ode To Escapism
Golden Streets of Paradise – Throes
Heavy Velvet – Sessions
Holly Bowling – Seeking All That’s Still Unsung
H.P. Lovecraft – At The Mountains of Madness
Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit – Reunions
Jeremy Fetzer – Mendocino
Jerome Jennings – Solidarity
Jerusafunk -JFUNK
Jorge Trasante – Investigatcion Musical Desde Las Raices Folklore Afro Uruguayo
Kellee Patterson – Maiden Voyage
Kevin Krauter – Full Hand
Loney Hutchins – Buried Loot, Demos From The House of Cash and Outlaw Era 73-78
Lucinda Williams – Good Souls Better Angels
Mavericks – En Espanol
Mayer Hawthorne – Rare Changes
Me And Him Call It Us – Epilogue
Mestizo Beat – Canoga Madness
Michael Sarian – New Aurora
Morricone Youth – The Last Porno Show
Narayan Gopal – In Your Honor
Nemegata – Hycha Wy
Penrose Records singles
Pete Milo – Mixed Up Shook Up
Phase 7 – Playtime
Richard Houghten – Sailing Through Rainbows of Sound
Roland Haynes – Second Wave
Sen Morimoto – S/T
Shiner – Schadenfreude
Sinn Sisamouth – Groove Club Vol 4
Steve Dawson & Funeral Bonsai Wedding – Last Flight Out
Steve & Teresa – Catching a Wave
Sweet Megg – Under the Moonlight
Sweet Trip – Velocity: Design: Comfort
The Awakening – Hear, Sense and Feel
The Bombillas – S/T
The Du-Rites – A Funky Bad Time
The Fox Sisters – Bust Out!
The Horace Tapscott Quintet – The Giant Is Awakened
The Lees of Memory – Moon Shot
The Power of Attorney – Chainging Man b/w I’m Just Your Clown
The Wicker Man (Cadabra)
Throttle Elevator Music – Emergency Exit
Video Age – Pleasure Line
Walter Bishop Jr – Coral Keys
Wick Records Battle of the Bands LP
Woody Goss – Woody and Jeremy

Mike Burrows

Black Market Brass – “Undying Thirst” (Colemine)
Barbara Howard – “On the Rise” (Colemine)
The Awakening – “Hear Sense and Feel” (Real Gone/Black Jazz)
Horace Tapscott Quintet – “The Giant is Awakened” (Real Gone)
Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra – “Che Che Colé Makossa b/w Che Che Colé” 7” (Daptone)
Narayan Gopal – “In Your Honor”
Kim Jung Mi – “Now” (Lion Productions)
Actual Form – “Hyperzone” (Earthquaker)
Philip Glass – “KOYAANISQATSI”
Jeff Carney – “Imperfect Space Journeys” (Lion Productions)
The Wild Giraffes – “Live at the Cleveland Agora” (Neck Records)
Loney Hutchins – “Buried Loot: Demos From the House of Cash & ‘Outlaw’ Era ’73-’78”
Möwer – “Grand Punk Railroad” 7” (Audacious Madness Records
Carl Zittrer and Paul Zaza “Prom Night” 7″ (1984 Publishing)
Christopher Young- “Invaders From Mars” 7″ (1984 Publishing)

Ren Harcar

Black Taffy: Opal Wand
Cor de Lux: Dream Life
Devon Jon Goldberg / Morricone Youth: The Last Porno Show OST (Country Club Records)
Falcon Jane: Faith (Darling Recordings)
Ghost Funk Orchestra: An Ode to Escapism (Colemine)
Jordan Romero: Call Me Sweet Flavor
Lacerate: S/T
L7: Slap Happy (MVD)
Life Without Buildings: Any Other City repress (What’s Your Rupture)
Mutant Strain: S/T (Sorry State Records)
My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult: Confessions of a Knife (Wax! Trax)
Obnox: Savage Raygun (ever/never)
Strike Under: Immediate Action (Wax! Trax)
Soft Kill: Memory Loss 7” (Cercle Social Records)
Special Interest: The Passion Of
Stolyette: Mach

Steve Sandley

Kyuss – “Blues For The Red Sun” and “….And the Circus Leaves Town (Warner)
2 of the best represses of the year. Classic Stoner Rock from Palm Desert, Cal. These 2 LPs have been on my play list for over 20 years, 1st time to hear them on vinyl- Wowzer!
Cardiac Arrest- The Day That Death Prevailed (Boris Records) Total thrash attack grinders from Chicago. Best Death Metal record of the year. Perfect oOld school vs new school mash-up.
Los Pinche Pinches- Best Album I Ever Heard- 7”. Heavy doom surf rock. It rocked my face off. Surf rock from hell- I loved it.
Fluids- Exploitive Practices A+ Heavy as hell doom n’ grind. Has a mortician vibe. It’s a thrasher.
Mad Max Elliot- The Blue Moon Goon (Nudie Records) Rock-a-billy one mand band rocker. Total repeat spinner. I played this one a bunce. Primitive early garage rock.
Fight- A Small Deadly Space (Real Gone) Total 1980’s classic hard rock for the 2020’s. Rob Halford from Judas Priest side band
Benjamin Finger & James Plotkin- We Carry the Curse (Roman Numeral Records) Total perfect lay-low mellow music. Ambient to dark ambient- it chills me out. A+
Duck Duck Goose- Noise, Noise and More Noise. (Wax Vessel) 1 sided LP of crazy metal slam grind. It’s a ripper. Pissed
Earthmonkey- Underground Carousel Double LP of spacerock trip jams. Very e-z going mellow stuff. Smooth Ambient
Murf- Video Nasties Snotty punk thrash with glam grind overtones. I dig it.
Midnight Syndicate- Music of Halloween Horror Nights (Edward Douglas Entity Productions) Name says it all. Perfect graveyard music. Really creepy and spooky
L7- Slap Happy-repress (MVD) Pop punk, rock party. Glam girls’ rockin

Tim Thornton

Accelera Deck – Crystalline Prickle
Azure Ray – S/T (Reissue)
Charles Bukowski – Reads His Poetry (Reissue) (Real Gone)
Richard Devine – Untitled
Electronic System – Vol. II & III (Reissue) (Real Gone)
Factual Brains – Scooter (Contractual Gains)
Fire-Toolz – Rainbow Bridge
Jerry Paper – Toon Time Raw! (Reissue) (Bayonet)
Clint Mansell – The Fountain (Reissue) (Mondo Tees)
Milla – The Divine Comedy (Reissue) (Real Gone)
My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult – Confessions Of A Knife (Reissue) (Wax! Trax)
Nnamdi – Krazy Karl (Sooper Records)
Nonlocal Forecast – Holographic Universe(s?)!
Kellee Patterson – Maiden Voyage (Reissue) (Real Gone)
Philip Glass – Koyaanisqatsi (Reissue)
Ras Ivi & The Rastafari Family – Our History
Strike Under – Immediate Action / One Eye (Reissue) (Wax! Trax)
Tobacco – Fucked Up Friends (Reissue) (Rad Cult)
Jorge Trasante – Investigacion Musical Desde Las Raices Folklore Afro Uruguayo (Reissue) (Lion Productions)
Video Age – Pleasure Line (Inflated Records)
Wolf Eyes / Blank Hellscape – Split (12 XU)

Vince Slusarz -SR

In no particular order and with the knowledge did not have enough time to listen to other pressings that would have made this list.

The Flat Five- Another World (Pravda Records)
Mr. Gnome-The Day You Flew Away (El Marko Records)
Lori Mckenna- The Balladeer (Thirty Tigers)
Dan Reeder- Every Which Way (Oh Boy Records)
Kyleen Downes- Come on Sit Down
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit- Reunions (Thirty Tigers)
Mavericks- En Espanol (Thirty Tigers)
Rudy De Anda- Tender Epoch (Karma Chief)
Sleeping At Last- Astronomy Volume 1
Chris Smither- More From the Levee (Signature Sounds)
Black Unity Trio- Al-Fatihah (Salaam/Gotta Groove)
Tennessee Jet- The Country (Thirty Tigers)
The Fox Sisters- Bust Out!
Ghost of Paul Revere- Good At Losing Everything (Crooked Cove)
The Bangles- Sweetheart of the Sun reissue (Real Gone)
Joan Osbourne- Trouble and Strife (Thirty Tigers)
Steve and Teresa- Catching a Wave (Aloha Got Soul)
Phase 7- Playtime (Aloha Got Soul)
Guided by Voices- Mirrored Aztec (Rockathon)
Ghost Funk Orchestra- An Ode to Escapism (Colemine)
The Avett Brothers- The Fourth Avett Guild 7” (Ramseur Records)
The Lees of Memory- Moon Shot
Lucinda Williams- Good Souls, Better Angels (Thirty Tigers)
Sweet Trip- Velocity, Design: Comfort (Darla Records)
Wick Compilation- Battle of the Bands (Daptone)
Obnox- Savage Raygun (ever/never)
Emily Keener- I Do Not Have to Be Good
Richard Houghten- Sailing Through Rainbows of Sound (Sly Vinyl)
Wild Giraffes- Live at Cleveland Agora (Neck Records)
Liz Longley- Funeral For My Past
Stutter Steps- Reeling (Blue Arrow Records)
Charles Hill, Jr. Old Loves and Old Memories (Armadillo Tail Recording)
Rain- The Lost Album reissue (Saxon Recordings)
The Bird and the Bee- S/T (Slow Down Sounds)
Dr. Demento- First Century Dementia (MVD)
Tobin Sprout- Supersonic Chairman 7”
Phil Madeira-Open Heart (Mercyland)
Eli Paperboy Reed- That’s Love/Anytime You Want Me 7”
Lyn Stanley- The Moonlight Sessions Volume II
Gene Russell- New Direction (Real Gone/Black Jazz)
The Wicker Man (Cadabra)
Brian Owens- Love Came Down (Soul Step)
Matt Duncan- Who Are You On Your Own/Sate Bird 7” (Soul Step)