I need to find an out of print cd

October 24, 2005 3:16 PM

I need help finding a rare/out of print album.

The album is Okkervil River's "Stars too Small To Use" (2000, The Orchard Records). I've searched Amazon, Ebay, the band's website, and googled the hell out of it. I signed up for the "maybe someone will sell it used" section of Amazon. I learned from the message board that it used to be on iTunes Music Store, but they recently (within the last six months) took it off. I don't know what else to do. What I'm looking for is either a website where I can buy or (legally, preferably) download a copy. As for brick and mortar, I'm in Washington DC-- so if you can think of any stores that *might* carry this, that would be good to know.

--thanks in advance

posted by Flamingo to media & arts (14 comments total)

You can download the album from MusicNow.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 3:40 PM on October 24, 2005

Try the audio search at yahoo
posted by Lanark at 3:42 PM on October 24, 2005

It's a good record (although it's got nothing on ...Everyone You See). I could have sworn that it was reissued, but Jagjag seems out of stock. Huh. Sorry, though; this doesn't seem very helpful.
posted by Marquis at 3:45 PM on October 24, 2005

Have you tried contacting the label?
posted by ludwig_van at 3:48 PM on October 24, 2005

Hmm, I could have sworn Emusic had this record, but now I don't see it listed. In fact I know they had it, because I'm pretty sure that's where I got it.

You could try contacting the band, offer them some money, and maybe they'll send you a copy or tell you it's cool to burn it (or let someone send it to you).
posted by statolith at 3:59 PM on October 24, 2005

Tried Gemm?
posted by coach_mcguirk at 4:27 PM on October 24, 2005

emusic did have it but some of their Jagjag stuff has been removed.
posted by dobbs at 4:33 PM on October 24, 2005

Thanks for the replies. I haven't tried contacting the label (I was saving that for a last ditch effort). Gemm doesn't seem to have that particular Okkervil album, but looks like a great resource for future searches (thanks coach!). The Yahoo search only has results for two songs off the album annnd music now isnt compatible with itunes/osx (which i didn't specify before, so that's my fault.) I'll probably wait to see if it comes up on Gemm as I'd really prefer to have a hard copy.


Does anyone know of record stores in DC* that handle used, lesser known bands like this?


*this is perhaps a longshot.
posted by Flamingo at 6:50 PM on October 24, 2005

Thanks for the replies. I haven't tried contacting the label (I was saving that for a last ditch effort).

I'm not sure why; that's what I would have done first. People at indie labels tend to be cool and happy to help sell you stuff if they can.
posted by ludwig_van at 7:57 PM on October 24, 2005

Gemm is hot
posted by rxrfrx at 8:24 PM on October 24, 2005

nth for gemm. Several times I've found stuff there that refused to be found anywhere else.
posted by baphomet at 9:07 PM on October 24, 2005

the album in question was made available very briefly in fall of 2003 when someone in the band found an unopened box of CDs in storage. it was never actually reissued and there are/were no plans to do so.

as i understand it, from emailing with one of the members, they weren't really happy with the way stars too small to use turned out. and the singer/main songwriter thinks their following efforts are much, much better. (the album was on itunes music store and emusic for a while but they didn't want to publicize it; particularly because they keep re-recording and rewriting the songs from that album and putting them on new releases.) i guess that now they're getting a lot more attention they'd rather not draw attention to that first record.

good luck to you waiting for a hard copy to turn up! if you change your mind, i can probably help you out. my email's in my profile.
posted by kathryn at 11:59 PM on October 24, 2005

Similarly, anyone know where to download "the world in your eyes" by Loop? Kazaa, Soulseek, Allofmp3 aren't helping ..
posted by Pericles at 5:21 AM on October 25, 2005

Um, what kathryn said. A friend is in the band and I might be able to put you in touch...but as kathryn points out, Will much prefers their later albums.
posted by Vidiot at 9:21 PM on October 27, 2005