Urban Outfitters. Commercial hipster mecca or wannabe-hiptard haven? I can’t claim to be a huge fan but I’d be lying if I said I’ve never shopped there and would probably decorate future apartments from their home department were its wares not so over-priced. They steal designs from young, independent, freelance designers and mass-market them from clothes that are probably made in sweatshops, because seriously, who isn’t using cheap overseas labor these days (besides the coke heads at American Apparel)?
This past weekend I was in an Urban Outfitters [I had a gift card!] and actually stumbled upon something I found to be absolutely brilliant: at the cash register there was a pile of CDs called “Free Yr Radio: Benefiting Independent Non-Commercial Radio.” As previously mentioned, we love all things independent and non-commercial here at PopWreck, so I was drawn to the CD to check out which bands they’d recruited for the comp. Much to my surprise, I loved every single band that provided a track; maybe not so surprisingly because I have a friend who tells me I’m a hipster and I might secretly aspire to be one, but not the douche-y hiptard kind, I promise.
The back of the CD case promises that “The net profits from this benefit CD will be split among Free Yr Radio 2007 partner stations. Your purchase will directly help support noncommercial radio in the U.S. (so buy two!).” Stations benefitted include: WLUW, KJHK, KTRU, WKNC, KGNU, KZSC, KCMP The Current, WERS, WBWS, WNHU, KXLU, and [my personal fave] Y-Rock on XPN. In addition to UO, Toyota yaris are the other sponsor for the projects, so I suppose they’ll plug the yari as a hipster car. (I had to Google what a yari was, btw.) The coolest thing about the CD is that the inside cover has a intro. by Jimmy Tamborello (Dntel, Postal Service, James Figurine) about how great non-commercial radio is and what a terrible time music would have without it. Amen.
Track Listing:
Klaxons Golden Skans (Erol Alkan’s Ekstra Spektral Edit)
The Ponys Hara Kiri (Live)
Voxtrot Stephen (Live)
The Long Winters Commander Thinks Aloud (Live/Prev. Unreleased)
Annuals Swing Low, Sweet Chariot
Man Man Easy Eats (Live)
The Rapture Crimson Red
Rogue Wave Publish My Love (Live)
Tapes ‘N Tapes Cowbell (Live)
Dinosaur Jr. Yer Son
Grizzly Bear Little Brother (Live)
El-P Poisenville Kids No Wins (Live)
Dntel The Distance (Metronomy Remix)
Sonic Youth World Looks Red (Live)
Isn’t that a pretty sick compilation? I really am not getting paid by Urban or Toyota to say this, I mean it. It’s a great cause and the CD was only $10 (probably the cheapest thing you’ll find at an U.O.!) and supports all of the non-commercial radio stations listed above. Seriously pick one up if you find yourself in or around an Urban Outfitters, just avoid the stuff with stolen designs.
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