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I used to visit this place on my way to and from my hometown.
EarX is in a great standalone building in a nice neighborhood. I was definitely in the mood to make some good finds, and I was not disappointed here. It's got a nice wide/spacious feel with different genres located in different rooms downstairs. They have a nice selection of books and mags revolving around music downstairs. What is also cool is that they have a couple of listening stations as well.
I spent some time leafing through their used collection and managed to pickup a used copy of the Cowboy Junkies Open Road CD/DVD. Sweet. Next I wandered over to the jazz section. They had a diverse selection of jazz artists, though I did notice they didn't have much Coltrane or Miles Davis at that time. Also they had less jazz than Plan 9 or some other stores I've been. Nonetheless, the quality of what they had was excellent. Picked up a couple more CD's.
Next I went over to the rock section. They had a crapload of rock. I ended up picking a couple of discs I didn't have before, including some Explosions in the Sky CD's.
upstairs they had vinyl and some rock wear/ etc. If I'd had more time and money I would have probably walked away with some good vinyl as well.
All in all a great trip. My subsequent trip here was also very fruitful. Highly Recommended.
This place doesn't impress me. Maybe no record store can live up to the hype of Ear X-Tacy, but that doesn't excuse a large, impersonal store with more novelty junk and crappy t-shirts than actual vinyl selection.
I realize that record stores may be harder to come by in the South than in Chicago, New York or San Francisco, but that is also no excuse. When you've built up an empire and enjoy the reputation that Ear X-Tacy enjoys, you have to be willing to take the occasional hit.
The selection was fair, but the layout was a mess. I don't think it compares to Amoeba in San Francisco, or Grimey's in Nashville, or Reckless Records or Dave's in Chicago. Also, the likelihood of bumping into obnoxious high school skater punkz is greatly reduced by patronizing those other stores.
Worth it to visit once but I was not overwhelmed by the selection, and didn't find anything worth adding to the collection (though I tried, oh how I tried).
I really think that Record stores went the way of the Dinosaur, but I am happy to be proven wrong when a friend suggested going here.
SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL RECORD STORE and not just I-Tunes!
I'm from the SF Bay Area and we still have a few around, but I won't compare this to the one's I go to because they aren't comparable. Each record store has what's popular nationally but to find that regional flavor only Ear X-tacy knows it.
I bought a CD from here that I know I can't buy online nor could you download it online, trust me I tried...
So once again...
SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL RECORD STORE!
Repeat it with me, make it your mantra, and it will come to be your reality!
SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL RECORD STORE! SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL RECORD STORE!SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL RECORD STORE!SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL RECORD STORE!SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL RECORD STORE!SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL RECORD STORE!SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL RECORD STORE!SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL RECORD STORE!SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL RECORD STORE!
Best independently owned music store in the country hands down. They've been around for years and I hope they stay around. I can find anything here. They are also great supporters of local artists. Ear X-Tacy rocks!
Suppose you just heard the taunting, haunting resonance of some undiscovered siren in the back room of a blues club in a nameless little town in Georgia.
Suppose you drank so many shots of cheap tequila that you can't remember your own name, much less hers.
Put on your pants and stroll into Ear-X-Tacy. Not only will the staff likely know the name of the vocal ghost who haunts you, but will have a copy her one and only EP and get you the tour schedule of your tormentor.
If there's anywhere in the country - other than Permanent Records in Chicago or Apop in St. Louis - where I can find - on vinyl - a drone metal record with electric bass, flute, oboe, and trombone, and lyrics that sound like they're being read right out of the Dungeon Master's Guide at a high school black mass, Ear X-Tacy is it.
And that's a very, very good thing.
Ear X-Tacy is a wonderful example of how a independent business can be a successful enterprise. If you open a store that has a great atmosphere, a friendly staff and merchandise that people actually want to buy, you can thrive.
If I had more time, I could have spent hours in this store. I went in looking for one thing and ended up spending 45 minutes in the store.
Ear X-Tacy brought back memories of the small record stores that I used to shop at when I was a kid. It reminded me of a time before the Virgin mega-stores and Coconuts of the world put most of the small-indy record stores out of business. I can't wait to spend more time here on my next trip to Louisville.
Huge indie record shop in Louisville. Being an out of towner and DJ everyone told me this was the spot to go to. The shop has that attitude that they know I heard that, but are still friendly and unpretentious.
Decent vinyl selection. While rock leaning, they had a lot of good funk, soul and even a little house. It's not a place to dig for someone's grandma's copy of a break you heard of (the swap meet in Louisville is great for that!), but rather a spot where you can pick up all the new stuff and reissues.
I heard a rumor that you're not legally an adult in Louisville till you cut up one of their stickers to say something crazy and/or nasty.
This is the only place i go to buy CDs, and I only get to go a few times a year, since I don't live in Louisville anymore. They have more listening stations than your local chain store, and they actually allow you to listen to full albums, if you have the time to spare. They have a great selection of used CDs, but I never have the time nor patience to flip through them all! They have every artist you've never heard of, and genres you didn't even know existed. They have actual records too, but that's never been my bag; i don't have a record player, but I did frame two of my mom's albums (Beach Boys' Pet Sounds and Meet the Beatles) to up my street cred. Make sure you pick up a Keep Louisville Weird sticker for your car, and a t-shirt too, if you wear a lot of t-shirts. They have cute little gifts too, if you're in the quirky gift buying mood.
What I love most about this place is it has allowed me to discover new favorite artists. Which artists, you may ask, did I discover here? Well, I'll tell you: Rilo Kiley, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, Lenka, and Leona Naess, to name a few. Bon Iver is on that list too, but I have yet to buy his music. I digress, this isn't about the music, but the music STORE. Drop a few extra dollars than you would at Target, and support an amazing local business. You'll go to heaven for it.
Hey, they had a Scritti Politti album for sale and that's good enough for me!
Before Nashville got Grimey's and a couple of newer cool, hip, vinyl sellin' record shops, you used to see stickers everywhere on people's cars for Louisville's Ear X-tacy Records. You were the coolest of the cool if you'd been up there and checked it out, and brought evidence of it back to Nashville.
The first time I went to Louisville, I had to go and check it out. I remember being in awe of going to a "real" record shop that wasn't Tower, Camelot, or Sam Goody's. This store actually had vinyl, and I hadn't really seen that in Nashville in years.
I still like this store, although I think it holds more sentimental value for me now. I love how it wears its Louisville pride on its sleeves and sells the "Keep Louisville Weird" shirts. The upstairs collection of vinyl is pretty decent, and they have a better selection of new than used. I didn't find anything that really blew me away this time, but it's always worth a look.
I live about an hour from ear x-tacy but many times I will make the drive just to peruse through this wonderful store.
It was really great to visit Louisville and be overwhelmed by the multiple independent music and media stores. This one was my favorite. I actually bought a cd, something I haven't done in a long time!
a louisville institution.
i say this in all seriousness: i wouldn't be who i am today without this store.
probably the best curated music store in the country.
i've spent thousands of dollars here from back when it was down near the great escape to when it was over by blockbuster and great harvest to its palatial digs it's been in now for a while.
in the itunes age it's so important to keep places like this afloat. shop here!! do it. now.
Do you still buy CDs? If you do, do it here.
This place defined so much of my childhood, it's hard to even entirely comprehend. It will always hold a special place in my heart.
When I was growing up this place was the height of cool.
Now I live far away where there are dozens of indie record stores...but they still seem noble and magic and light-filled and totally awesome. And I can say I first had that feeling in Ear-X-Tacy. I look now at the cheesy shirts and posters and incense...well I can't help but feel that as cool as Louisville can be it still has a way to go.
Godspeed, Louisville, godspeed.
Yeah, I went to the Ear the other day for a X-Mas gift for my boss (my wife). That there salesmanguy was very helpful. I got me one of them there Feist CDs (Special Edition). I paid my dinero and supported a local Louavull bizness all in 10 minutes. I wuz impressed like a new starched shirt!
Also, the Ear supports local charities with their profits. Some of the well-known charities are: Hemp Research To Really Free Ourselves From Imported Oil, Food, Clothing and Herbal Therapy (HRTRFOFIOFCHT), Job Bank for HRTRFOFIOFCHT, and Saint Alfonzo's Pancake Parlor and Homeless Shelter.
If you are an audio/video-phile run, don't walk to this place.
Although occasionally I find their methods of organization perplexing, ear X-tacy always manages to have what I am looking for, and then some (for which my budget is often remorseful.) They have a decent bluegrass, folk, and heavy metal sections and a comprehensive collection of local releases. (Although they have an expansive section devoted to dance, as well as a DJ-oriented nook upstairs, I am not versed in that scene, so I can't offer a fair judgment.) They have an impressive selection of DVDs and most of the music magazines. Other places have better used CD selections--often, you get the impression that they refill their coffers through some connection wherein scorned lovers from New Albany come in and pawn their exes' copies of Def Leppard, Foreigner, and Journey. One of the biggest perks is the numerous listening stations around the store that encourage you to sample a variety of new albums--that usually boosts my purchases by a disc or two.
The biggest detriment is the hit-or-miss staff: some are very helpful, but others need to leave their hipster disdain at the door--I'm really not interested in your eye-rolling sneer at the platinum artist/recent major-label signee/newly popular indie act/critical darling yet unknown/any artist that has sold more than 10 copies and is now too-mainstream-for-you album that I'm picking up.
On the plus side, ear X-tacy is very supportive of local acts. CD release parties and afternoon acoustic sets by touring acts are great reasons to stop by--even if the music doesn't meet your expectations, you can pick up something to make up for it. They also stock plenty of ephemera (t-shirts, books, posters, and, upon last visit, gummi meats) that make this a great place to gift shop.
It was my second favorite record store. Now that Tower Records has filed for bankruptcy it's numero uno! I like the shirts.
This is as good an independent record store as you're going to find anywhere, the total package in "cool record store" experience. I'd much rather be in this place than any Virgin Records mega-store in Chicago or San Francisco. If you're in the market for new stuff you have a good chance of finding it here. A fairly deep catalog in stock for bluegrass, country, R&B, jazz, and classical music as well. Their used holdings are pretty weak honestly, but that's my only beef with Ear X-Tacy.
This place keeps Louisville weird! Great selection, knowledgeable staff, a bit high on DVD prices, but still one of the best record stores I've ever visited.
Louisville, KY
Category: Music & DVD's
Louisville, KY
Category: Hotels
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