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Related, I briefly wanted to defend Record Store Day, which touched off a debate in comments, and on various Facebook pages (best one: “when’s rotary phone day?”). Usually the arguments go along the lines of:

  1. Records sound better. That’s really in the ear of the listener; my ear is not terribly good, and neither is my equipment. Honestly, I have trouble telling the difference with anything that’s no lossier than a 192kbps mp3.* I’m slightly audiophilic, within my very limited budget, so it does drive me nuts to see people using stock iPod headphones (they’re terrible; a pair of $20 Sony buds are much better), but my financial and auditory limitations are substantial. So, if you like vinyl better, that’s great, but that’s not why I’m here.

I also like eclectic spoken word stuff; I actually wasn’t much of a music listener as a kid, preferring radio, especially early-midcentury comedy. And on my last trip to Reckless, I picked up two Spike Jones radio recordings and Nichols and May Examine Doctors for $5. Most any record store will have Bill Cosby and Bob Newhart for cheap.