In a world where records are sold along with apartment decor (Urban

In a world where records are sold along with apartment decor (Urban Outfitters) and often grossly overpriced (like a copy of Donald Fagen’s The Nightfly, marked at $49, found at a local shop), the platters at Easy Street West Seattle are an audiophile’s dream. “That is insane,” says buyer Mark Pickerel, who curates the store’s stacks, about the Nightfly price tag. He’s surely selling more wax at his place, where “LP sales are better than ever.” It can’t be an overstatement–the selection of used, new, and obscure titles are expansive—from RJD2’s Deadringer to the Byrd’s Sweetheart of the Rodeo—yet affordable. The best deals are in the used section, where prices average between one and five bucks; new releases run around $17-$20. When there’s too much stock, sidewalk sales pimp albums for .50 cents (sometimes free), and if you start an LP card, your purchases will eventually earn you a free album. Come September, you’ll likely find Pickerel’s latest solo release Tess, on Fin Records, lining the shelves as well.