Sunday Records – 125 Roanoke Ave, Riverhead, NY 11901 – Open only on Sundays

First opened in 2017, Sunday Records has much in common with its indie record store brethren. Its got record bins. Its got used vinyl. Its got new vinyl. Its got records in many genres including new wave, indie, alternative, metal, classic rock, jazz and rockabilly. Its also got music emphemera on the walls, try before you buy, and an owner who loves running a record store. Records are reasonably priced, cleaned and in good condition. Like its indie store brethren, it’s one of a kind, with no other locations, and relatively small, as indie record stores are wont to be.

But its got one thing the others don’t. Its only open on Sundays. When he opened the store in 2017, Brian Volkman had a day job as a banking attorney in Manhattan. With his wife’s encouragement, they decided to open a record store. But it could only be open on Sundays. Quite the dream gig for a number of us record store denizens.

I read about the store awhile ago. I was intrigued, but could never time my travels so that I was in Riverhead when it was open. Things finally worked out in February. The store had plenty of traffic, and I was quite pleased with its offerings.

I flipped thru, and found a stack of 45s to try out at their listening station. They were mostly from the ’90s and ’00s, punk, goth, industrial and garage. I happily purchased a number of them, discovering a lot of new music along the way. How did I do? See below to find out.

Oh, and don’t go if you’re looking for cds. Its vinyl only.

Wanna go? You can find Sunday Records on our Record Stores Map.

Records are organized by old Long Island radio stations – the long gone WLIR for alternative/new wave, WEHM for mainstream rock and new releases, and WBAB for classic rock and metal. If you’re from here, you know. I was a big WLIR fan growing up, particularly their live offerings.
Sunday Records merchandise.
I was a big fan of WLIR growing up. I loved their in-studio live concerts. They had a great one by Little Feat’s Lowell George with Bonnie Raitt in 1973. Big Star, the Doors Ray Manzarek and Billy Joel also made appearances. Think NPR’s Little Desk concert series long before that show first went live. They also played the King Biscuit Flower Hour, a syndicated radio program of live music that had much better sound than the bootleg concert LPs available at the time. And they had annual top 100 songs lists. I still have the tapes of one from 1994 (stayed up all night to record it).
New offerings.

This digger’s rear end reminded me of a great old Geico commercial featuring Honest Abe Lincoln and his wife ….

 

 

and yes, it does make your bum look big.

Try before you buy.
The co-owner of Sunday Records, Brian Volkman.
What the store looks like on a Saturday …. or a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday for that matter. The lights are out. No one is home.

What the Press is Saying

Riverhead News-Review wrote this August 30, 2017 piece on the store’s opening, Vinyl Record store called Sunday Records to Open in Riverhead.

And here’s another Vinyl Comes Alive At Sunday Records in Riverhead, from the Patch, announcing the store’s opening from December 2017. Love a good politician at a ribbon cutting.

This article, published in the North Forker on April 27, 2021 Hidden North Fork: The Record Store thats Only Open on Sundays tells the story behind the store in pictures and their captions. It includes a photo of the store’s other owner Deborah Volkman.

Here’s a video of the store, and interview with Brian Volkman, from the Times Review Media Group. Brian discusses the store, and what led him to open it, and pick Riverhead for its location. The video was shot shortly after the store opened

Cool Vinyl Bought There

On this trip, was looking for the new and, to me, unknown. Selections were plentiful and cheap. After giving a listen, took home a bunch, including 45s by The Mutts, Die Monster Die, Noonday Underground and Tristess. Hadn’t heard of any of them, but was quite pleased with all, and a number of other 45s I purchased.

Noonday Underground – London (1999)
The Mutts – The Mutts (2004).
Tristess – Bara Rock n’ Roll (2006).

How did I do? Listen for yourself and decide.

Up first is Noonday Underground’s London. From 1999, this was the group’s 2d 45. London subsequently appeared on their first full length album 2000’s Self Assembly. Featuring the soulful vocals of Daisy Martey, this is trip hop, combining elements of 60s psych and lounge music in a swinging dance number. The video below captures perfectly what the group was going for, the look of Swinging London circa 1960s. It was shot in London’s Lordy Lord club in 2001.

Next up is Brighton’s own the Mutts – Missing My Devil (2004). To me, sounds like the Door’s Jim Morrison, singing over a brooding incessent riff and Robbie Krieger’s guitar – kinda like Road House. The Mutts were a short lived rock group, putting out a handful of records and two albums between 2001 and 2006. If you like this one, try Blasted next – more straight ahead fast paced guitar driven indie rock.

Last and certainly not least is Sweden’s Tristess – Passar Inte In (doesn’t fit in?) (2006). Hardcore punk. Pretty standard until the last minute when the second vocal comes in. Then its well worth your $6. Pensionar is pretty good too, and on the same e.p.

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