Grimey's New and Preloved Music

I just thought that I should give a much deserved shout out to my favorite record store, Grimey's New and Preloved Music, in Nashville, TN. It is one of my favorite places and I always walk away with handfuls of new music. The staff is so nice, and not snobbish at all. If you are looking to start listening to a new band, they will direct you to the best album to try first. They are one of the only Think Indie record stores in Tennessee, and carry albums that are very hard to find. Also, the instores are fantastic. Over the past few months I have seen Conor Oberst, an amazing Nashville super group covering the Walkmen, and Chris Thile and Edgar Meyer. They were also named one of Paste Magazine's 17 Coolest Record Stores in America. So, make your way out to 8th Avenue South and say hi to some of the awesome people at Grimey's or even catch an awesome upcoming instore.

http://www.grimeys.com/index.html

A Conversation with David Condos

David Condos is one of my favorite Nashville artists. He has such an amazing voice, writes lovely lyrics, and is a really nice guy. He released his debut album, Smoking City, in 2006, and just released an EP entitled Like Wolves, which he is offering for a free download on his website for a limited time. My friend Katelyn told me about him a while ago and I got Smoking City. I loved his voice and starting listening to the album so much. Now, with this new release, I have even more to listen to and love. “Permanent” is my favorite song, although “Like Wolves” is a close second.
I got the chance to do a phone interview with David and he was really nice. He moved to Nashville seven years ago with his family, and attended Belmont. Most of his current band went to Belmont also, and he was really close friends with Koral, who provides vocals and other various instruments, and was roommates with Ian, the guitarist. I asked why he decided to release Like Wolves for free, and he said, “Our sound has evolved since Smoking City and I wanted to give something back to the fans.” Also, Like Wolves and his other latest songs have been more collaborative with his bandmates. He has more eclectic influences such as Nick Cave, Radiohead, The National, and Wilco.
His writing inspirations are from “direct personal experiences”. David and his band have played many shows in Nashville, at places like The End and Mercy Lounge. His most memorable show has been in New York, and he says it was a “big band trip out there”. When asked about his fan base in Nashville, he responded, “We love our fans!”
His favorite songs to perform are his more intense, more passionate songs, like “Keep Your Hand on the Door” and “Like Wolves”. His favorite places in Nashville are Grimey’s New and Preloved Music, Hillsboro Village, and East Village. Even the last album he purchased, Mule Variations by Tom Waits, was purchased from the Grimey’s Preloved section. For those fans looking for even more releases from David, he reported he is hoping to get in the studio and release another EP before the end of the year.
I asked him who his celebrity crush was, and he answered, “I know this sounds generic for a guy indie musician, but I have to say Zooey Deschanel.” He also just decided to go gluten-free, yet chicken enchiladas are his favorite food. His favorite movie is Clifford, starring Martin Short.

To purchase Smoking City and receive a free download of Like Wolves, go to his site:
http://www.davidcondos.com/

(Photo from David's flickr)