Record Stores: Beta Band to Vic Chesnutt

Remember that scene in High Fidelity when Cusack tosses on "Dry the Rain" by the Beta Band and predicts the reaction throughout the store? If not, see below. Well, any record nerd knows that feeling. I had just that experience last week in Amoeba, an experience that happens about 1/2 the times I visit the store.


As I was sifting through the $1 CD bins, suddenly a track came on. I thought I recognized the singer, but not the song. "Wait, this is Vic Chesnutt," I thought. I was distracted. In a good way. The song just got better and better. I looked around the store and saw a number of people bobbing their heads. I knew that I didn't own every Chesnutt record and had to immediately find out the record in question. As I do all the time, I casually walked by the "Information" desk to see the "Now Playing" CD. It was Vic Chesnutt's About to Choke. I headed straight for the C's. Nothing. "Man, what a song," I kept thinking. I left with a $3 copy of The Waxwings' Low to the Ground and a $1 copy of Absentee's Schmotime.

When I got home, I searched around for the record. Fairly hard to find, but there were copies. I finally found one for $19 and here it sits on my turnable. Thanks, Amoeba.

And here's the track:

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