Queensland singer-songwriter Leanne Tennant speaks for so many of us in her latest single “Record Stores,” an ode to those special places that are so much more than retail outlets. They’re places where we can find new friends, new sonic connections that make us feel less alone.
“I was dwelling on anything and everything, and began to spiral into a pretty shitty place,” Leanne admitted. “Through the thick of it I walked over to my record player and threw on an album, and within minutes my whole mindset had shifted. I wrote record stores later that day as a reminder of the power and importance of music. We play it at our weddings, we play it at our funerals, it’s the soundtrack to all the important milestones in our lives, and has the ability to instantly change someone’s mindset. It is a powerful thing, and life would be pretty grim without it”.
“Record Stores” comes from Leanne’s new album Happiness is….. which drops this Thursday, July 9. If you love this track and the previous singles, including “Cherry Cola” and “Bring It All Back,” make sure you check out the rest on your favourite streaming service. And if you’re in Cairns, check out her album launch show at Tanks Art Centre on July 31. Tickets are limited due to COVID-19 regulations, so make sure you buy yours from TicketLink soon.
Image used with permission from Footstomp Music
Does anyone else remember spending hours in record stores? My mum used to leave my in Brashs while she’d do the grocery shopping and I’d spend forever staring at the cassettes and CDs, planning my next purchase. Even better were the days when I’d catch the bus after school to Rices Bookshop and pour over their exhaustive range of vinyl. That’s where I picked up Bon Jovi’s Slippery When Wet, Wham’s Make It Big, and Poison’s Open Up and Say … Ahh! I was thrilled to search the internet to find Rices is still there on Newcastle’s Hunter Street, and it’s still selling records. There’s even the odd website, like