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Serving Chicago since 1989!
Here are our Reckless Records staff Best of 2023 lists, as always with some help from friends of the store. A lot of incredible Chicago music is represented here, and many things you won't see elsewhere. We hope these lists inspire you to check out something that may have gone under your radar this year.

If you bought music from us or spent any time in our shops in 2023, we appreciate your support so much.
Happy New Year!

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Here is the list of RSD Black Friday records still in stock at the shops.

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Currently our inventory is only for sale in our shops. You can be sure that we will let you know if and when online sales return!

-- Reckless Records


MISERABLE PEOPLE
MISERABLE EP (5TRKS)
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Rat's Pizza
Chicago's own MISERABLE PEOPLE deliver their debut EP of 5 fast & angry songs. Clocking in at barely 10 minutes, it's the feeling of existential dread & hopelessness boiled down to its most immediate & essential. Reckless veteran Dylan Sowle delivers vocals that would fit in nicely on an SST Records comp, with music that straddles the line between thrash punk & post-hardcore. RIYL: RITES OF SPRING, CIRCLE JERKS, the absurdity of human existence. RECOMMENDED.
Available at: Belmont and Loop
New Cassette $6.99
DJ RASHAD
DOUBLE CUP (2LP, 10TH ANNIVERSARY ED.) (LTD. GOLD VINYL, w/ ALTERNATE ARTWORK)
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Partisan
Hard to believe it's been 10 years of "Double Cup". Here's what we had to say about this great Chicago record back in 2013. We've come a long way... Sadly, this is the final album from Chicago's DJ RASHAD, who passed away in 2014. But what a final long-player! "Double Cup," upon its release, is easily the biggest Footwork album that's been released thus far. FYI, the name of the Footwork genre is born of a dancing style associated with the music, which evolved from juke. Repetitive, bass-heavy dance music that will appeal to House fans, for sure. R.I.P. DJ RASHAD! RECOMMENDED!
Available at: All Stores
New LP $31.99
GUIDED BY VOICES
NOWHERE TO GO BUT UP
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Guided By Voices
3rd album of '23 (and 39th overall!!!) from ROBERT POLLARD's GBV is his most bracing, immediately accessible pop record since he shacked up with RIC OCASEK for 'Do the Collapse.' Infectious ear worms abound but with less scuzz than usual, exploding out of the speakers in glorious hi-fi that especially suits the crisp guitar tones and bright riffage of Bob's co-conspirators on this current hot streak, Doug Gillard & Bobby Bare Jr. His lyrics are extra special on this one too, surreal as ever but also disarmingly candid about time & aging. Bottom line is Bob's still a master & we're lucky to have this. HIGHLY REC'D!!!
Available at: Milwaukee Ave and Loop
New LP $19.99
INCENDIARY
CHANGE THE WAY YOU THINK ABOUT PAIN
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Closed Casket
Long Island punk cult heroes INCENDIARY return with (the awesomely titled) 'Change the Way You Think About Pain,' the long-awaited follow-up to 17's killer 'Thousand Mile Stare.' We're happy to report that this is worth the wait & then some. Bone-crushing riffs & breakdowns pile up relentlessly under Brendan Garrone's blunt-force vocals, which are often a ringer for Zach De La Rocha's & make this a worthwhile pickup for fans of RAGE just as much for the NYHC heads. Every song here is prime heel wrestler entrance theme music - real ones know. This is HIGHLY, HIGHLY REC'D!
Available at: Milwaukee Ave
New LP $22.99
DREAM UNENDING & WORM
STARPATH (LTD. PINK & BLUE VINYL)
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20 Buck Spin
20 Buck Spin cap another banner year for their label with this split release from two of the best bands on their roster. DREAM UNENDING waylay the CURE-isms of the brilliant 'Song of Salvation' for slower tempos & a heavy grunge feel with bluesy leads & extended solos ala 90s METALLICA and even PEARL JAM (but with pitch black vocals). On their side, WORM continue sharpening their death metal attack, adding ethereal synths to the mix that amp up the cosmic & otherworldly elements of their music even higher. Whether this is just a one-off (two-off??) or an exciting tease of what's to come from both bands, this is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Available at: Belmont and Milwaukee Ave
New LP $24.99
NIECY BLUES
EXIT SIMULATION
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Kranky
"Exit Simulation" is the impressive debut album by the South Carolina based artist Janise Robinson aka NIECY BLUES. Imagine chopped & screwed trip-hop mixed with bedroom R&B tastefully drenched in beautiful reverb. Bass & sub frequencies are utilitzed expertly along with field recordings all highlighted by some truly wonderful lead vocals. If you ever dreamed of Erykah Badu or Solange style vocals over GROUPER or slowed-down trip hop then this record is going to be a dream for you. RECOMMENDED.
Available at: Belmont and Loop
New LP $18.99
MORIMOTO, SEN
DIAGNOSIS (NEON YELLOW VINYL)
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City Slang
We're really excited to be carrying this record from local luminary SEN MORIMOTO, who jumps across genre on "Diagnosis". You'll hear touches of fusion jazz, funk, emo, R&B and theatrical art rock, tied together with his clear and nimble voice. RECOMMENDED
Available at: All Stores
New LP $24.99
BAR ITALIA
TWITS
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Matador
Following hot off the heels of their excellent "Tracey Denim" LP from earlier this year, BAR ITALIA keeps busy with "The Twits", expanding from moody, lo-fi shoegaze and alt-rock into tape-affected psychedelia. Hard to say if the title is at all inspired by Roald Dahl - the band can be a bit cheeky with references, or otherwise just detached - or if it's a dyslexic form of "twist" but either way it's a great followup. RECOMMENDED!
Available at: All Stores
New LP $22.99
AXIS: SOVA
BLINDED BY OBLIVION
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God?
2023 album from this long-running Chicago project which has expanded over time from Brett Sova guitar- and-drum-machine solo recordings to now a full-on power trio lineup with bassist Jeremy Freeze & drummer Josh Johannpeter. Produced way out west with TY SEGALL (whose sun-dried fingerprints are all over this), Blinded by Oblivion is a ripping set of glammy psych-pop that slams its foot on the gas and never lets up. We hear touches of DEVO, GARY NUMAN, BLONDIE and Berlin BOWIE/IGGY, and in its most anthemic & catchy moments these guys even approach the dizzying classic rock heights of RUSH and 'Eliminator' -era ZZ TOP. The chrome sheen is juxtaposed by bright vocal harmonies & provocative lyrics that give the set a big bright neon heart at its center. Absolutely fantastic stuff. RECOMMENDED!
Available at: Loop
New LP $21.99
BCMC
FOREIGN SMOKES
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Drag City
BCMC is an improvisational project from Chicagoans COOPER CRAIN (Bitchin Bajas, Cave) and BILL MacKAY (Ryler Walker, Black Duck). Bill lays down multi- tracked licks, riffs & solos over Cooper's exploratory organ & synth tones, resulting in a beguiling mix that often leans towards ambient/drone but also incorporates Tuareg desert blues, raga, post-rock & kosmiche. As is to be expected from anything these two have their hands in, this LP is first rate. We're very much looking forward to more collabs between them in the future. RECOMMENDED!
Available at: Belmont and Loop
New LP $21.99