For the second consecutive year, Philadelphia public radio station WXPN-FM 88.5 will support local musicians and local record stores by offering a new 12-inch vinyl LP it has curated and produced just for Record Store Day. Featuring XPN-exclusive performances of original songs by ten Philly-area artists, the limited-edition WXPN Homegrown Originals Volume 2 album will be available exclusively as a gift with purchase at 11 area independent record stores only on Record Store Day, Saturday, April 20.
Every April, Record Store Day celebrates record stores and the special role they play in their communities with special promotions and releases made exclusively for the day. WXPN produced its first vinyl Homegrown Originals LP for Record Store Day 2023, which featured six local artists and was available in five area independent record stores. This year, the station has amped up the offering.
WXPN Local program host John Vettese, who wrote the new collection’s liner notes, said, “Homegrown Originals was so well-received by the music community last year that we’re able to do even more this year: More artists featured, more copies pressed, and more stores carrying the album. With a variety of genres from R&B to folk to rock to pop, Homegrown Originals Volume 2 is a unique snapshot of the Southeastern PA music community from the past year.”
All ten songs on WXPN Homegrown Originals Volume 2 were recorded and produced during 2023 by WXPN staff, either at WXPN studios for the station’s Key Studio Sessions and XPN Free At Noon concert series, or at WXPN’s XPoNential Music Festival:
SIDE A
1. Low Cut Connie - Are You Gonna Run?
2. Gladie - Born Yesterday
3. Greg Mendez - Maria
4. Julia Pratt - Odyssey
5. Hurry - Something More
SIDE B
1. Slaughter Beach, Dog - Float Away
2. Karlia - I Feel It
3. Speedy Ortiz - Ghostwriter
4. Caring Less - I Think He Knows
5. Moustapha Noumbissi - Gold
These record stores will have the limited-edition WXPN Homegrown Originals Volume 2 available as a free-with-purchase item (while supplies last) on Record Store Day, Saturday, April 20th:
Philadelphia
Main Street Music, 4444 Main St., Philadelphia, PA 19127
Repo Records, 506 South St., Philadelphia, PA 19147
Hideaway Music, 8232 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19118
Pennsylvania
Siren Records, 25 E. State St., Doylestown, PA 18901
Newtown Book & Record Exchange, 102 S. State St., Newtown, PA 18940
Forever Changes, 28 S. Main St., Phoenixville, PA 19460
Iko’s Music Trade, 2300 E. Market St., York, PA 17402
A Day in the Life, 24-A Walnut St., Lancaster, PA 17603
Compact Disc Center, 1365 Easton Ave., Bethlehem, PA 18018
New Jersey
Tunes, 910 Haddonfield-Berlin Rd., Voorhees Twp., NJ 08043
Sound Effects, 229 Main St. #6, Hackettstown, NJ 07840
Dogfish Head Craft Brewery is the promotional partner for WXPN Homegrown Originals Volume 2. For more information about WXPN, visit xpn.org
