Best CDs/Tapes/Record Store '97

Best CDs/Tapes/ Record Store

Zia Records
Three Locations

READERS' PICK: Rock rules at Zia Records. It's got ska, folk, reggae, jazz, blues, classical and soundtracks, too; but the bulk of the store belongs to rock and roll in all its various configurations. New and used, you'll find all your favorite pop artists gathered together in one glorious gumbo of alphabet soup, with Marvin Gaye right alongside Gaye Bykers on Acid. Zia has it all: imports, new releases and of course, boxed sets. Zia has every kind of boxed set, from the expected (Eric Clapton's Crossroads) to the unusual (Jack Kerouac's complete recordings). There's even a Misfits boxed set that comes in a coffin-shaped box. Zia Records' inventory is every bit as comprehensive, and it stays open just as late (till midnight daily) as the leading corporate conglomerate, so why go anywhere else?

READERS' POLL RUNNER-UP: Hear's Music, 2508 N. Campbell Ave. The little storefront (next door to The Book Stop and Rainbow Guitars) doesn't have much room--and still less for the sort of stuff you can buy at Circuit City. Even so, Hear's manages to cram 15,000-odd CDs into a couple hundred square feet, and the selection covers an astonishing range of music from nearly every country on the planet. If you're looking for blues from Mali, rap from Israel, reels from Scotland, or just the divine sounds of Mr. George Jones, you'll find it at Hear's Music.

A REAL SCREAM: The Sound Addict, 714 N. Stone Ave., has to be one of the coolest little corner shops in town, hidden in the commercial hustle and bustle just north of downtown, and within spitting distance of the funky Mat Bevel Institute. Outside, the shop's unassuming yellow exterior isn't hard to miss, even for the pedestrian ambling past on the sidewalk--that is, unless said ambler happens to hear over the sound of traffic the energetic strains of ska spilling out of an open door. Music is always playing--more than likely something you've never heard before, or a vaguely familiar import. There always seems to be one or two regular audiophiles browsing expertly through the merchandise, which is primarily devoted to ska and punk. Devotion to indie label and underground releases is also apparent. The shop has a homey, rec-room feel to it: Posters and T-shirts cover every square inch of wall space. If you can't find it at Sound Addict, the top-addict himself will search his vast network of connections to find that rare B-side or Japanese re-release, if only so that he can smile broadly in triumph as he pulls it from beneath the counter and places it into your doubting hands. Go ahead, get your fix.

A REAL SCREAM: "Hey, the CD boxes are empty. If you want to steal something, try Zia Records," announces a sign on one of the Toxic Ranch Records racks (424 E. Sixth St.). It's a poignant moment when the eager young clerk is torn between cheerfully retrieving the compact disc the customer requests and keeping a watchful eye on vagrant punks in the corner vinyl section. Besides such retail drama, Toxic Ranch has some really cool merchandise in its inventory. The CD selection is aimed primarily at the truly alternative: the underground, the sick, the perverted and eclectic. A random perusal unearths The Pain Teens, Day Glo Abortions, Chokebore, God Bullies, Jaw Box and Alice Donut. Occasional in-store performances and one of the most comprehensive alternative press/fanzine selections in town--from Puncture and Ben is Dead, the acclaimed fanzine from Los Angeles, to Are You Ready for Anarchy Comics, Palookaville and Coochy Cooty. So, if a Richard Hell CD, Germs T-shirt, and the latest edition of Peep Show really blow your skirt up, try Toxic Ranch's bountiful harvest of weirdness.

1998 Winner: Zia Record Exchange
1996 Winner: Zia Record Exchange
1995 Winner: Zia Record Exchange