Oblivions

32 minutes ago, Ishtar said:

What email address are you using? I was initially replying to my confirmation email and now sent one to the orders contact from the website.

[email protected] is the address he replied from.

They charge like 15% versus Kickstarter which charges closer to 5-8%. I'm not sure if that's why bands decided to charge 30% higher than they would on Kickstarter or their own merch shop but that was definitely what bands seemed to do when using PledgeMusic.

8 minutes ago, RockPuppetz said:

Okay so I've never bought anything from pledge music, for some reason it'd turn me off from releases when I saw they were handling the release. But I am super curious, especially for big artists, what was the appeal of pledge music. What made it any better than just selling the record on a merch page?

My uneducated guess is that they networked/marketed themselves well within the music management and record label world. The bands I saw on Pledge Music were larger or older acts who seemed like they'd have no personal experience with self-releasing stuff for a decent retail price and would just take the advice of someone else as to what platform would be best.

I would grade it VG~.

11 minutes ago, Ishtar said:

Sent another email today...still never heard back on the first email and no shipping info via email, nor my.usps tracking.

Bummer. He was super responsive for me once I emailed him (he didn't respond to me on Twitter). The end result for me was I waited an extra week and the tracking didn't update, so he's packing a replacement AC copy along with an upcoming pre-order. Maybe skip to the end and shoot him an email asking if he can include a replacement copy in your next order or send it solo?

DEAL ENDED

All they had to do was not choose the most goofball ‘LOLing at pop culture memes in the toy/book section of Urban Outfitters’ tracklist and this could have been fun.

I’d pay decent $$$ to hear Weezer cover tracks from this equally random but less ironic list I just made up: R.E.M., Built to Spill, Alex G, Tegan and Sara, Ratboys, Tom Petty, Mitski, Talking Heads, Beastie Boys, XTC, Fiona Apple, etc etc.

I hope the Teal album counts as a proper terrible full length and gets us one record closer to the next good Weezer album.

DEAL ENDED

53 minutes ago, lamontbond said:

Every record order I've received from UO has been damaged.  Each one has been out of stock so they end up offering me like 20% credit for the purchase.  Sucks to buy some collectible shit just to have it dinged up.  Don't think I'lll bother w UO anymore.  Hopefully it's just me.  First few times, the records weren't packaged correctly.  Latest (the Mac Miller Swimming white vinyl) were secured better but 3 of 4 corners were bent.

Stuff that is low quantity and/or marked down is more likely to ship from an actual retail location and be trashed. It sucks! A majority of their non-low stock and non-clearance items do come brand new from their warehouse and are often exceptionally packed and double boxed. I'd avoid ordering from UO unless it's a record that is more likely to come from the latter source.

Target, if you’ll believe it, has gotten into the $100 turntable game and, if you’ll believe it, their model actually has a metal tonearm with an adjustable weight. Might be worth looking into as a slightly better alternative to the Crosley level players. It’s called the Heyday player.

1 hour ago, RecordsandIPA said:

I'll find out for you buddy

Thanks! I did the math and the last wave of the club ends on the Algernon reissues, so, whether or not this would theoretically be included, the club is RIP by then.

I had a music site around 2003, while in high school, and Up Records sent me a padded mailer of some of their releases on CD, two of which were Weekends of Sound and Contemporary Movement. I didn't quite 'get' Duster until very recently but I've been a big fan of 764-Hero since I got those promos. Two good bands.

7 hours ago, Ishtar said:

I went ahead and emailed Mike today just to check in because I still haven't seen any movement.

I emailed him too and he already got back to me. He sent me a tracking number that was created on the 10th but that hasn't updated past shipping label created. So, either it got misplaced/delayed by the postal service or it's in his garage amongst a giant stack of to-be-dropped-off packages. Perhaps others who are waiting are in the same boat.

Ah, man. I wish I knew what was included in the Asian Man Records club and what wasn't. Does anyone have any experience with their club and know whether compilations like this would be included? I know I didn't get the Alkaline Trio picture disc which I'm assuming was because it was a reissue-ish release?

Here's an artist's rendering of this set.

9 minutes ago, mmhmm said:

I've been given the option to return it for a full refund, and they'll cover the shipping costs, or keep it and take a 20 pound refund or a 30 pound store credit.  What would you do?

As someone who was just offered a 5% refund on $700 worth of trashed box sets (shipped with zero padding or protection, cases torn and ripped apart, records seem OK) from MusicVaultz AND told that they were doing me a favor by giving me a higher percentage than they normally offer, I'm of two minds. On one hand, that 20% refund is astronomically higher than MusicVaultz offers! What a deal! On the other, less sarcastic hand, we gotta send this stuff back and make the labels/companies eat that $$$. You can't do these kinds of things and have the consequence be slightly less of a decent profit. The consequence should be that you lose $$$ if you don't deliver what you advertise.

I got my clear on Monday!

I really dig it. IMO, this could have just been released as a Bazan/Lo Tom album and feels closer to those than any Pedro album but I love everything Bazan does, so, I'm happy.

I got the same flurry of email notifications for old orders from Kings Road too. It is more likely some kind of refresh of their database/system than a hacking but I suppose there are some wacky hackers out there.

I haven't found a way to keep a list that satisfies my obsessive nature while also remaining fun and enjoyable for me as a whole person. Eventually, it becomes a task and reminds me of when I ran a blog and podcast, etc, and music became less fun. There is also something zen about accepting that I'll miss some stuff I liked in Jan/Feb but that it's OK and I don't have to remember everything.

I don't have experience getting PayPal to assist on an order that was placed outside their 180 day window but I hope they offer some kind of help for delayed pre-order situations. If not, definitely contact your credit card company or bank and ask them if they can help you secure a replacement/return, since you received a 'not as described' item.

If they do honor a return, something to look into would be PayPal's return shipping program. The only time I used it, like in 2016, they covered up to $20-25 for returns on items paid with PayPal. I believe you have to opt-in before hand (google should help) but it's free and it will eat up most if not all the international shipping costs.

I'd normally just watch from the sidelines and make a personal note never to buy from this label ever again but, in this case, it seems their thought process was to bank on customers not wanting to deal with the hassle (rather than issue a refund ahead of time or be upfront about the changes) so I feel compelled to urge people to not give up immediately and exhaust your options for a return/refund. Some joint social media sharing feels appropriate too, considering their lack of a meaningful response.

S'only non-photographable.

Color package was sold out but then I remembered I had left a tab open from earlier today and I tried adding to cart from the old tab. It worked and my order went through. Good times on VC.

As someone who went to Discogs yesterday hoping it would be added to the database with photos, I would appreciate if someone posted photos and satisfied my curiosity, as well.

5 minutes ago, backpackoat said:

I just got my box set in the mail. I am incredibly upset. Firstly, the way they packed this was loose in a much bigger box so it came SUPER damaged. So badly in fact, that USPS actually had a separate notification tacked onto it that it was received in bad condition. What didn't help was the fact that the packaging for the set is incredibly chincy to begin with. It's all kept together with a piece of photo paper used as a band to keep all the 7 inches together. 

Now let's talk about what was promised and what it didn't come with:

"Each track from the record is presented on its own clear 7” with separate artwork for the track..."  -- Did not come with any artwork AT ALL. Got an envelope with 4 pictures from the music video in it. Not artwork, and certainly not "for each track." Each record is a clear 7" with the same black and white center label encased in a cheap piece of thin plastic

"– with a signed note from Forrest included..." No note included. It's 1 cent cardboard beverage coaster with a signature on it

"and individual limited number..." Not numbered anywhere

"You’ll never pick up a greater release. GOFORIT!" This was a terrible release. Not worth it in my opinion at all. Complete waste of money.

I feel like someone wrote up that description and started taking pre-orders before getting a quote from their pressing plant.