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Category: Music & DVD's [Edit]
Neighborhood: MissionMon-Wed. 10:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Thu-Sun. 10:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
"I don't really know how to explain this without sounding like a poser but half the reason I read comics (ONLY HALF, OKAY?) is because I'm…" read more »
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I really enjoy this place and can't wait to explore it further. Aquarius is on the small side, which you might think dwarfs its quality, especially compared to other larger record stores in SF, but I was pleasantly surprised!
The store is colorful and welcoming, complete with responsive-looking employees (always a plus in a record store). Shelves of CDs are set in the middle of the store with a separate vinyl section towards the back.
Maybe even more thunderously amazing than the store is the store's website, which has TONS of different sections, perhaps best of all is the "New Releases" page, that offers a plethora of reviews that cover oldies, goodies and newbies.
If you've ever read a record review written by Julian Cope, then this is the place for you.
Its got all the really pretentious, arty stuff - from tepid, acoustic dance pop to thundering, primal doom metal - that none of your friends have ever heard of.
I know, right?
Alternately, maybe you and your friends HAVE heard all this stuff before and know the underground rock scene like the back of your hand, and you don't need me to tell you about this place.
Its right across the street from Ritual Coffee, pretty much, so you can get, like, a double whammy of Mission trendyness in one little maneuver.
I'm from the Sunset, so for me that's like, twenty times the amount of stylish urban affectation as I'm used to on a daily basis. Therefore I can get away with being somewhat parsimonious about my hipstering these days.
But despite all the amputations, you know, I could just go out and dance to a rock and roll station.
That'd be alright...I guess.
Ya know what one of the pleasures of Record Store Day is? It's going to a new store you've never heard of and being treated with a smile, being completely taken back by their selection that your giddy and finding a new place to pick up a CD.
All this more and took place when the "Lady K" and I hit our second record of the day for RSD 2009!
I love the fact that they have hand written reviews taped to the CDs. I love that I asked about something and was given a real opinion and an answer to my question.
Aquarius Records, you had me from hello! Go buy some CDs! Enjoy!
Aquarius may not be a behemoth of Amoeboid proportions, and I've really only set foot in the place a couple of times, but boy am I glad it's there. There is so much crazy, obscure, and awesome music there that I might never have even heard of if it weren't for these people, who must do nothing but listen to records in an endless search for the coolest stuff to sell. Their website alone is an invaluable resource that can easily keep you up all night.
They mostly only sell music they like, so you won't find everything in the world there, but it also means that you can usually grab something blindly off the shelf and it'll be something that at least one person there thinks you should have. If you're an adventurous listener, or you're hungry for something weird and different, Aquarius is the place for you.
I love this store and I wish there were more like it.
After walking past the homemade-looking sign a few times I finally found the Musical Mecca. Given the amount and variety of music Mecca contained, I thought it would be much, much bigger in size. But it's not. It's small and cozy and intimate and the selection was amazing.
I think this place is good for die hard music fans and neophytes alike. Many of the CDs (maybe a quarter?) come with extremely thorough reviews of the music, all positive, of course, but in my experience pretty accurate. The selection is huge, and you can order and reserve music through the people at the front counter. Amazingly, I can't exclude the possibility that the workers are actually familiar with every CD in the store. How????
I don't usually buy music - I'm more of an internet radio person - but I do here.
Aquarius isn't the largest store, but it's still any musical explorer's dream. Aquarius is a curated record store, which only stocks releases which the owners and employees have actually reviewed (and like - the reviews are taped on to CD cases). And if you're looking for some music, new or old, you haven't heard before - this is the place to go. It's located near Dolores Park.
This is not JUST a record store but a museum of sorts...they don't just sell but are fine curators of music. The staff is deep and they're stocked with just what the (spin)-doctor ordered.
They rock.
Aquarius Records is a pretty amazing record shop that has been around since 1970! Although their listening station is based from their web site and on an older Mac computer next to the cashier, you would be pretty impressed by the site itself! It definitely makes listening to staff recommended tunes a lot easier. The album reviews on the site are well written and pretty accurate and as objective as they can be.
The extremely eclectic selection (i.e., American Doomsday Cult, Thai Elephant Orchestra, etc.) will have you wondering and asking yourself, "What is considered music? What's not? Am I really listening to what I'm listening to?" This place has got something for everyone if you look hard enough. You definitely have to have an open mind and be inherently curious about all things music and sounds that you never thought would be music. It's a rare treat to find a place that can open up your mind and Aquarius definitely does that and more! Definitely worth a visit!
Perhaps it's a reflection on my age, but I can't hardly stomach the place any more. After Windy left, it's been going downhill and I think I've been in denial this whole time.
My last visit there, however, shattered my rose-tinted glasses. I don't need attitude from some 23 year old wispy-mustachioed-ass-crack-showing-tight-ironic-s hirt-70's-glasses-wearing wannabe hipster for buying a nine-month-old album. It's like Pitchfork in the flesh here, now.
Back to Amoeba and Soulseek for me.
Enough reviews of AQ on here already that I really don't need to add much other than another voice… Read more »
I hate Aquarius Records. They have ruined me financially. There's always some expensive new release that, against my better judgement, I won't be able to resist picking up.
A quiet store where I can browse in peace! It is small, but full of unique choices for your music collection. The staff I interacted with were friendly, and the location is perfect, right on Valencia in the Mission, surrounded by plenty of other cool stores, bars, and restaurants.
The Owners were awesome to let KFJC, the radio station I DJ for, do a fundraiser right outside their front window!!! I will be back to browse through their wide variety of music :)
Who is buying all of the doom metal vinyl?
Seriously.
I've found this place to be quite lacking if you are looking for records with a beat.
Come to see the people who write the ridiculously long newsletter, stay for the great obscure records and the free poster box.
This is the best record store in San Francisco, without a doubt. Its also one of the best record stores in the world, and that is thanks to their exceptional webstore/mail order business.
You somehow feel as if you got personal attention, even if you are just clicking a mouse from thousands of miles away. That is mostly thanks for their insanely comprehensive in-house reviews...they have something to say about almost anything, and not just canned info...its actual, useful info. Heck, one time I ordered a few CD's and one was not in stock...they were apologetic and said they hoped to get more in one day, but that it was also sold out at the distributor and they had no idea when/if that day would ever happen. Hey, it happens, no biggie. Months go by, I forget about the CD entirely, when outta nowhere I get an e-mail basically saying "hey, that CD you wanted finally came in...do you still want it? Sorry about the wait". These folks are on the ball, let me tell you (and yes, I still wanted the CD).
While their focus is mostly on the pysch/space/weird portion of the spectrum, you can find a lot of different things here from all over the globe. This is not the place for more mainstream tastes, so keep that in mind.
Yea, the general lack of vinyl is a bummer, but they make up for that by having things nobody else will ever have. In addition, their support of local artists is exemplary. I salute you.
This place is authentically cool. I like walking over here when I have no plans and just spend time sifting through the records to see what's new in stock. The staff here know music and don't pass judgment on your taste or lack of music knowledge. Of course, this doesn't apply to me whatsoever.
Pretentious beyond belief! Which would be OK if the stuff was good, but it isn't. Now I'm a music snob, but this stuff is just noise for wankers, sold by wankers.
I would expect more VINYL selection from a store with "Records" in the name.
Just sayin'.
What can I say? I mean, Aquarius is the best. I wish they published a volume of their record reviews so that I could read them and make notes on what I want to pick up next. If you dig deeply enough, it's like entering another layer of the musical universe, operating like it's 1985 and shit. The staff is top-notch as well.
Thanks for doing your thing, aQ!
Coming in here with Maiko H. (yes, she is a pink bunny) was probably the coolest thing ever, since she gets personalized service because she is a music industry maven/VIP. Seriously, she snapped her fingers and the stuff she was looking for was bought out to her on a silver platter. It was awesome. You already know everything about this place so I won't bore you with it but I was very upset that they did not carry the R. Kelly "Feelin' on Yo Booty" remixes or the very rare N'Sync "Tearin' Up My Heart" limited edition 7 inch that was going to finally make my collection complete. But I will not hold that against them.
(ps - the last sentence of the above review is what I would use my imaginary THAT NEVER HAPPENED compliment for imaginary/made up situations described in reviews. )
If you are looking for a more intimate local record store experience that's in the know Aquarius still satisfies. Reviews of new releases are written in obsesively small text on some of the CD jackets and people behind the desk play something fun. If you don't know about something you can read about it without having to go online.
Worth your time if you are a music collector or just curious about such things.
One word of caution though. A couple times I went there was one cashier who overcharged me for things. The second time I had to itemize my purchase with him so check your receipts on your way out.
When describing your favorite bands do the words "Noise", "Drone" or "experimental" consistently come up? Do you dig labels like Kranky, Constellation, or Southern? Do you subscribe to Wire magazine? Then Aquarius should be on your radar.
This spot is definitely for a specific type of music fan. I'm more of vinyl head, myself so this spot isn't on my regular record store rounds but if you're in the vicinity you might stop in. (Not much in the way of vinyl) An old friend (and music snob in his own right) nailed this place down with the quote "Aquarius is just about shit I never heard of". Of course that isn't a bad thing. Aquarius is definitely a good spot for broadening your musical horizons. The last time I stopped in was for a Jack Rose in-store. They have dope magazine section (does anyone say dope anymore), intriguing listening stations and the used CD section is always worth your perusal.
Ask about the Budda Box?
Are you a music nerd? Do you obsess about obscure psychedelic garage groups from 1963? Do you know more about Nordic ambient drone bands who've only sold 167 copies of their homemade CDs than you do about your own mother? Do you have arguments about the merits of Indonesian gamelan versus ritualistic chants from Northern Africa? Do you worship Joe Meek?
If you answered "No" to any of the above questions, stop reading. Put down the mouse. Go into the other room and watch an episode of "The King of Queens" or something.
If you answered "Yes," however, this is the store for you. They carry hand-wrapped and home-burned CD-Rs from artists you've not only never heard of, you probably wouldn't even understand their music, seeing as it's composed primarily of random vacuum cleaner noises. Ask a clerk for a recommendation and you'll be inundated with so many inventive band names and make-believe music genres that you'll swear you've left the planet and landed on Rigel-9. This isn't your average indie rock shop. No, sir! Aquarius Records transcends all that is earthly and banal. Sure, it's pretentious! It has to be! How else could they sell CDs and DVDs from bands with names like Haznarroth, the 68 Levitating Testicles, or Tweeky and the Slurping Gastropods?
I always have really good luck with the used bins at this shop. Once found some Kim Gordon records and old metal for way cheap, which is totally exciting. Amoeba often overwhelms me, thereby making my shopping trip more of a chore than a pleasure. Aquarius, however, is entirely conducive to browsing and offers a really diverse and exciting selection of (some) vinyl and (mainly) cds. They tend to cater to noise, experiemental, metal and drone fans, so keep that in mind if you're looking for the latest Paris Hilton single. On the other hand, they stock stuff like U.K. grime, so I don't reccommend writing the store off as merely the "black metal place" either. The staff is knowledgeable in a way that doesn't turn me off and they're extremely helpful when necessary. Prices are also very fair.
Additionally, Aquarius has been around since the 70s so I always feel good by supporting a local, indepedent institution of the Mission; which, in turn, justifies my spending of money that I really don't have.
I'm glad they exist also, Maryam... (http://www.yelp.com/us...) They have a limited range, but they pursue it. So if you know and like, or have heard and don't like, the bands on their dry-erase board, then go in, because unlike larger and more diffuse music shops, their recommendations, will resonate. Positively or Negatively. Otherwise there's no point.
Look at it this way. There are two things a DJ does. They seamlessly (to better or worse degree) intertwine music. Fine. But more importantly, its about their taste. If you like their taste, i.e., what they spin, you'll like them, even if they aren't so good at beat matching.
Aquarius is similar. If you are in their astethic range, then you'll understand how to read reviews of the things they love, and know that you won't like it. Alternatively, you'll know how to decode whether you too will like something they like.
And as for the music snob thing. If you don't trust your judgment, and, most importantly, don't trust and know what you like, then yeah, don't shop there. Go to Virgin.
'Cause they've turned me on to new sounds and different artists because they have an opinion. And I trust myself to judge it, and decide. I've often don't like something they recommended.
But I know why I didn't like it, and so when I go back, I can now stay away from the bad and winnow-down towards the good. You can't do that at that warehouse on Haight where you're on your own, and you only buy the music you already knew you wanted to own.
You know what the weird thing is? They actually don't often have what I want! I often find the shop lacking due to its small size. I can't remember how many times I've gone in asking for [random experimental/independent/noisy record] and they say "sorry, sold out yesterday, we'll have it next week." Hells to the no!
Anyway, I do recommend making the trip out the Mission to check out the store, as it's got quite a cute interior and often I'll find something new and mind-expanding in the CD listening station they have in back. These days, however, I prefer to visit their online store at http://www.aquariusrec..., which gives a much fuller selection and very descriptive write-ups of every record in stock, to get what I need.
If you've never been before, make sure you have the actual address on hand, because I bicycled past it once before getting directions and u-turning. (It might also have been the large dumpster out front obscuring my view of the place?)
Not my favorite record store of all time, but I'm damned glad they exist. I went in looking for a few particular things and a recommendation. They didn't have the things I was looking for, but I did walk out with some excellent CDs, recommended by the staff on hand. That a record store gets what I'm interested in hearing counts for a lot!
The best record store in the bay area, the west coast even.
Yes it is a little bit pretentious, but they KNOW their shit.
You want some obscure noise CDr from somewhere in Scandinavia? They have it.
Also, they are incredibly supportive. I run a small record label, and they buy upfront, in LARGE quantities. Amazing for all the bedroom operations out there. Thanks for being so cool.
Any store run by two unabashed metal fans can't be a drag.
Aquarius has been a favorite stop for music since the days they occupied their even tinier outpost on 24th Street in Noe Valley, when the vinyl still competed for space with the plastic. (On a material science level I realize those two are more alike than I seem to be indicating here.)
Excellent New Wave of Finish Heavy Metal section. Ditto black metal, doom, krautrock and outsider folk selections. But everyone else can still get their Belle and Sebastian, Postal Service, Shins and other soft rock here, as well. Ditto their electronic, garage rock, early Bee Gees reissues, field recordings, etc. etc.
When they don't have in stock what I'm looking for they order it in for me fast -- within a week (usually) -- and call promptly.
They ship.
They host the occasional in-store performance.
Their biweekly new arrivals list, chockfull with reviews, is a beautiful labor of love, and an incomparable resource.
The boyfriend drags me in here every time we go by.
It's well-lit and well-organized, and really laid back inside. It's one of only two record stores I've ever been to that regularly carries Current 93's albums, and I got this totally cool "reconstruction" of ancient Greek music there one time. Their bluegrass, experimental, and oddities sections are pretty awesome. I would rate them 5 stars but I think they're a little pricey, and I wish they had a bigger used section. I also think, despite the unusually-detailed categorization of SOME kindsof music, that they could use a little better organizing. A lot of different genres get tossed into the Rock section just for convenience's sake. Basically, I come in here all the time but I think I've only bought something twice.
Having never written any sort of Yelp-ism before, I found myself unable to resist the urge to gush all over Aquarius Records in reaction to Aaron K's so-called review (Three stars? C'mon!). I may not be "hip" or "cool," but I sure as hell have weird taste in music, and Aquarius is the only store in the city that can give me what I am itching for every single time I visit.
The staff-written reviews of almost every cd in the store really help when looking for something new and exciting to listen to. I can pick up any random album, and know if I want to buy it after only a cursory reading of the review. On top of that, the selection itself is beyond reproach. As long as you aren't coming here looking for a killer selection of hip-hop, then you will most certainly be surprised by how many hard-to-find, off-the-radar albums they can stock in such a small space.
I find it hard to talk about Aquarius without going off on long rants about how much I dislike most music stores, but suffice it to say, Aquarius is different. Aquarius is the type of place you bring your corn-fed, middle American, out-of-towner friends to in order to not-so-subtly mock their terrible taste in music. This is a store run by elitists, for elitists; nay-sayers need not apply.
Still, there is little to no snobbery to be found at Aquarius Records, something which is fairly surprising considering the penchant for condescension among the hipster crowd. Highly recommended to anyone who has a hard time finding decent music anywhere besides Soulseek.
I've been ordering from Aquarius via their website since I was in 10th grade. Their mail order service is the best. Ever.
In August, '08, I went on a pilgrimage to San Francisco and visited aQ. The store is pretty small, but the shelves are packed with so much amazing music and a big, epic, grim Metal section. They have little cute, helpful review cards taped to a lot of the CDs too. If you're into vinyls, you won't find much at aQ, they have a pretty limited LP section. The staff were mostly in the backroom, writing reviews, but the guy that rung up my purchases was cool and friendly. Like I said, aQuarius is the best.
(We tried getting over to Amoeba, but the homeless man singing about anal sex on Haight Street, kinda scared everyone off...)
This is the place for sounds from the outer-limits, the deep underground, the we-got-no-U.S.-distribution or to find music that was reviewed in The Wire! haha!
I was in love with this store when I saw a whole Harry Partch section!! He's one of my favourite composers and he had his own tabby thing, right next to some noise music CDs with naked middle-aged japanese couples on the front. It brought a tear to my eye ...*sniff*
On the other hand they don't have much of a vinyl section, so vinyl junkies this prolly isn't your place. The staff are super knowledgable and cool and the prices are reasonable.
Go here to tickle your auditory nerve in a new direction!!
I am not a cool music person (yes, I like the Thong Song), but I think everyone in here absolutely is. They have a great selection of music that you wouldn't find at Virgin or places like that, and apparently a good selection of records. I know this hipster guy who owns a record label in NYC and this is where he comes for the most elusive titles whenever he's in SF.
They have a pretty strict no-cellphone policy, which I guess makes sense in a music store. It also allows you to really hear the music that they play, which when I visited was some track of faint telephone ringing - just like you'd hear at MOMA or something. Given my state of hungoverness, I lasted about 5 minutes, but that was enough time to get my gift certificate (which comes with a cool rock star sticker) and get out.
Aquarius is a light that never goes out. I've only been a few times, probably because they've always got something really awesome & really rare, & I just can't say no. For example, last time I was there I bought an album I already own (the first album by an Athens, GA band named Macha, who I was obsessed with in college) because it had a limited edition second disc, which was awesome by the way. I don't feel bad about it -- my copy has been sitting in a bin in my parents basement in NY for 3 years -- but for someone who should be watching his wallet, Aquarius is poison.
Enter at your own risk.
This isn't the store that sells "I Just Called to Say I Love You". You're looking for the mall. That's right... Aquarius Records doesn't sell sentimental tacky crap. Go here to discover new music. I bet you that this store will have more music that you've never heard of than any other record store in the area. Indie, experimental, electronica, some jazz. An as an added bonus, many CD's have employee reviews taped on them... great idea.
On the downside, there still isn't a great way to preview a CD before buying it. They had a Mac hooked up with rhapsody or something a while ago, and then they switched to a 40-CD listening station with a remote that often doesn't work. Maybe one day it'll all come together. Or maybe I should start working there and fix their ish. Hmm... otherwise, still a great store.
I am not very cool...or hip. I don't wear a lot of tight, old clothes, I shaved off my beard years ago, I don't rock the big plastic sunglasses, and I'm closer to 40 than I am to 30. I do ride a fixie, but it doesn't have colorful velocity rims...it does have a brake, I use it on occasion and I wear a helmet. So, yeah, I'm just not. However, I do tend to like a lot of fringe/experimental music and while that doesn't make me cool, it does make me go to Aquarius and Aquarius is the Sh*t. Why? Let me count the ways:
- Their monthly email list? I mean, come on! Man, oh man, it takes a lot of willpower to not blow a paycheck every time based on their prosaic reviews.
- I almost always find music that I assumed I'd have to special order.
- Staff who are knowledgeable and excited about the stuff their selling.
- Incredible in-stores like last night's Circle set. Luckily for my bank account it was too crowded for me to really go in and buy anything.
- Andee's phenomenal alter ego tUMULt records.
- Last but not least, their love of the small D.I.Y. artist and their enthusiasm for each CD-R and hand-printed slip case.
So, yeah, go there, read their great employee recommendations, dig what they're playing, branch out, try something new that sounds cool. And don't be afraid to pick up the new Death Cab CD if that's what you really want. If the counter person gives you any attitude about it, tell 'em you once ran a bake sale with Stephen O'Malley, that'll teach 'em.
how can i forget!
they have an effin TRON arcade unit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
got so excited and asked a friend for a quarter, put it in and was finished like in less than a minute. damn. this game gave me a standing O at like record pace!
staff rocks. u can spend hours in the store picking up cds and reading their hilarious and insightful revs.
don't forget to hit up shoe biz down the street then pick up some joe at ritual!
yeah, so i have been here many a time...you know, checking out whats about to pop and well just do a… Read more »
Aquarius Records has been around since I was a teenage metalmerchant back in the mid 80's . Back when they were located on Noe St., they carried a ton of vinyl. The "Rock" and "Alternative" sections were always impressive.
Fast forward to today, the vinyl selection is almost non-existent, but that's OK. The selection for non-pop music is still great. Yes, this isn't the place to buy a Sheryl Crow CD. This is a store for people who like their music fucked up. I really appreciate the mini reviews on their inventory.
There really isn't more to say. If your looking for the latest Deathspell Omega, Leviathan, or Candlemass, this is the place to come.
AQR is my favorite record store that I've never been to.
These guys seek out the most obscure music, sounds you've never dreamed of.
Once a week, they post the new stuff they've found on their website and rave about their favorites, usually around fifty or so. The best part is, they have clips of 95 percent of the music they're talking about. The things that aren't available are vinyl only and cassette tapes. Who even knew that cassette tapes were still being used? Evidently there are labels entirely dedicated to the cassette format, as well as cdr.
I've found some of my favorite music through these guys and I usually try to get it from local record stores, but if I can't, I order it from them and they're very prompt shippers.
Holy shit.
Fucking genius.
I love Aquarius.
This place is great for experimental and music off the beaten track. I can tell these guys take pride in their music selection and it's the kind of store that SF needs more of. Much better atmosphere than amoeba (obviously not the expanse and range of it) but great for getting those rare CD's and records.
I definitely lay down lots of cash here.
Neighborhood: Haight-Ashbury
Category: Music & DVD's
Neighborhood: Mission
Category: Music & DVD's
Neighborhood: Mission
Category: Music & DVD's
Neighborhood: Lower Haight
Category: Music & DVD's
Neighborhood: Lower Haight
Category: Vinyl Records
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