The Wake

Electric Fetus
Stats:
* Lots of amenities: incense, candles, tobacco pipes, posters, clothing, jewelry
* Band DVDs
* Vinyl (sparse)
* Used CDs
* Local music
* HUGE selection
* Import CDs
* Decent prices
* Cassettes
* Concert tickets

The Electric Fetus could be equated to your grandma’s attic; that is, if your grandma was a total music nut. The colossal amount of music and stuff packed into the general store-like space makes the Electric Fetus feel homey. Good background music, fun publicity displays, bright lighting and polished hardwood floors lend to a pleasant shopping experience. Fetus also has an excellent jazz selection; hell, they have an excellent selection in Electronic, Blues, Country, Pop, Rock, African and Latin. The large selection is also reflected in the variety of patrons. Price-wise, the Fetus is fair and has most new releases on sale. In addition, Fetus also offers a selected amount of concert tickets.

Let It Be
Stats:
• HUGE vinyl selection
• Lots of band DVDs
• Variety of concert tickets
• Tons of imports and singles
• Smattering of T-shirts and posters
• Decent prices
• Local Music
• Lots of 45s

Let It Be has a polished urban atmosphere and is the store for record junkies. Let It Be has newer, older and used vinyl in an assortment of genres. They also have tons of Electronic/House music plus a nice variety of Pop/Rock music. And if you’re looking for imports and singles, Let It Be is the place. Band DVDs are also well stocked with an entire wall devoted to them. There is, however, a limited selection when it comes to Country, Folk, Rap/Hip Hop and Blues. Yet, Let It Be has a nice downtown corner location, which is easy accessible by bus. The atmosphere is fun, with posters hung up to the tops of the high vaulted ceilings. Additionally, the CD and record bins are organized neatly. Let It Be is a classic music store that one would find in a movie.

Tree House Records
Stats:
• Good local music selection
• Genera selection limited
• Nice vinyl selection
• Used CDs
• Lots of 45s
• Fairly good prices
• Lots of Jazz CDs

Tree House Records is reminiscent of a great garage sale because of its extensive used record selection (but it also has new records). There are multiple genres represented in the vinyl selection, which is refreshing. Tree House is a niche record store where one can find an excellent selection of college indie rock bands and rare avant-garde music; however, what it lacks in genre selection it makes up with having a friendly staff that knows their music. The numerous Jazz CDs are great, as are the local and used sections. Tree House feels like your favorite pair of old shoes, which happen to have decently priced and good music.

Know Name Records
Stats:
• Amenities: T-shirts, posters, tobacco pipes, and incense
• Band DVDs
• Pinball machines!
• Ok selection of used CDs
• Decent vinyl
• Good selection of Rock/Pop college music
• Concert Ticket
• Ok prices

Know Name Records feels like a very creative hippie’s room. The tie-dyed wall hangings and multiple inhalation devices might have something to do with this. The store has a nice array of Rock/Pop music, but is spotty on rarer bands and Folk, Jazz, Local, Country, Rap/ Hip Hop and Blues music. However, Know Name is fun and has clever markers for bands in the CD bins. The other great thing about Know Name is that they sell First Ave concert tickets at face value (no Ticketmaster rip-offs), and the vinyl section is decent with new and used records. Know Name Records is an excellent stop-off when in Dinkytown.