ISC Presents: Gems from the Dollar Bin

Written By: 
ISC Team
Tags: 
Share:
  •  

Introducing a new series where we highlight the hidden gems, one trackers, and undervalued full listens found in your local record store’s dollar bin.

In the record collecting community, there’s this idea that to build a great collection you must dig deep for expensive, rare, first press, private press, exclusively international, etc. records. But there’s a ton of cheap (we mean $3-or-less cheap), amazing records sitting in the so-called dollar bins.

The dollar bin: It stands neglected in a corner of most record stores, yet it will always hold many LPs dear to us. We’ve got an affinity for the beloved titles that have been relegated to the cheap section. Perhaps because of their availability or stealthiness, the fact that there’s this inexpensive record right in front of everyone, a record with a huge tune on it that you can’t believe has been continuously overlooked, can lead to a different kind of epiphany.

Whether it be a one-tracker, multi-tracker or a solid full listen, below are nine records you can likely find for under $3 anywhere, with just a bit of patience.

Lani Hall – Sun Down Lady (1972)

The debut album from Lani Hall, Herb Alpert’s wife and lead vocalist of Sérgio Mendes & Brasil ’66, includes a gorgeous, laid back cover of Lesley Duncan’s classic “Love Song”. There are probably hundreds of renditions of this song out there but Hall’s is absolutely one of our favorites.

Here We'll Stay [feat. Phil Collins] by Frida on Amazon Music - Amazon.com

Frida – Something’s Going On (1982)

Recorded during the final months of ABBA, Something’s Going On is Frida’s first solo record entirely in English and was also produced by Phil Collins. His massive playing and patented gated reverb drums can be heard throughout, but the one tune you need to hear is the balearic pop classic “I See Red”, the second track on the album. YouTube sends everyone to the Velly Joonas cover, which is great in it’s own right, but the original is huge!

Chaz Jankel – Chazablanca (1983)

Chaz Jenkel was an 80’s underground dance hero and the jazzy right hand man to Ian Dury. As a solo act produced many cult club hits like “3,000,000 Million Synths” and “Glad to Know You”. He has the resumé built for cult status: club and dj favorite, under-appreciated by the masses and an overall sense of playful goofiness. But Chaz still seems to hang under the radar.

Although all of his records can be found in clearance, they all contain a hit or two. Chazablanca is his third release and includes favorites like the acidy disco “Pretty Thing”, the lover’s rock / almost G-funk “I Can Get Over It” and the anthemic single “Without You”.

The Bernie Leadon-Michael Georgiades Band ‎- Natural Progressions (1977)

Featured in the “Mellow” section of Chee Shimizu’s excellent vinyl guide Obscure Sound, Bernie Leadon’s first post-Eagles effort is really a laid back album jam with friend and musician Michael Georgiades. The record’s a mixed bag of sunny California acoustic rock but the gem here is the almost 7 minute album closer “Glass Off”. A perfect beachside sunset tune.

Laid Back - ...Keep Smiling (1983, Vinyl) | Discogs

Laid Back – Keep Smiling (1983)

The 80’s danish duo are best known for the album’s singles (the somewhat problematic electro drug anthem “White Horse” and the steel drum synth pop hit “Sunshine Reggae”) but our personal favorite from this fun, beloved — and quite all over the place, genre-wise — record is the breezy loungy synth jam “Fly Away / Walking in the Sunshine”.

Did She Mention My Name von Gordon Lightfoot bei Amazon Music - Amazon.de

Gordon Lightfoot – Did She Mention My Name? (1968)

Gordon Lightfoot’s third studio album is notable in that it was the artist’s first album to use orchestration. Most of the songs are typical of Lightfoot’s bright, uplifting style, but there’s a special cut here — the mysterious, nostalgia-laced “Something Very Special”, which starts with an unexpected delay effect on the guitar that perfectly sets the mood for the entire track.

Herb Alpert - Rise - Amazon.com Music

Herb Alpert – Rise (1979)

Famously sampled on Notorious B.I.G.’s 1997 single “Hypnotize”, Herb Alpert’s 1979 hit album was originally conceived from an idea to remake Tijuana Brass songs as disco instrumentals. The title track “Rise” was actually meant to be an uptempo disco song until drummer Steve Schaefer suggested a more slowed down groove-strut tempo. The suggestion obviously worked – the single reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and has since become a perennial favorite of DJs around the world.

Deniece Williams – Free Lyrics | Genius Lyrics

Deniece Williams – This is Niecy (1976)

Deniece Williams’s transformation from background vocalist into solo artist landed in the form of 1976’s This Is Niecy. An introduction to the singers powerful soprano voice assisted by the smooth playing of Earth Wind & Fire instrumentalists, it’s a solid soul record all around with many beautiful moments and one of the most distinguished record sleeves found in the ground bins. With its atmospheric build up intro to the blissed out and heavenly drop, it’d be hard to not call the semi-hit single “Free” the real highlight of the record.

Patrice Rushen - Now (1984, Vinyl) | Discogs

Patrice Rushen – Now (1984)

The emergence and popularity of the drum machine in the early 80’s shines bright in Patrice Rushen’s third record of the decade. Produced and engineered by Rushen herself with a cast of session players, Now encapsulates that signature boogie sound Patrice would come to be known for. A DJ-bag staple with many peak-time and warm-up dance floor ready cuts, our favorite is the intimate and stripped down last track. The reflective, end-of-the-night anthem finds Rushen playing the lead on a Fender Rhodes over an entrancing 4/4 808 beat.

Listen to a playlist featuring selections from the albums above along with more of our favorite bargain classics:

Cover Photograph by Chris Mayes-Wright.

Related Articles

Sort By
12th Isle
2020
2022
33rpm
45rpm
4AD
5 Selects
7"
99 Records
A&M
Abbey Lincoln
Aboriginal
Abstract
Ace Tone
Acid
Acid Archives
Acid Folk
Acid House
Acid Punk
Acid rock
Acoustic
Adrian Sherwood
Africa
African
Afro
Afro-Cuban
Afrobeat
Alan Ginsberg
Alan Greenberg
Alan Thicke
Albert Ayler
Alice Coltrane
All Genre
Altec
Amazon Music
Ambient
Ambient Jazz
Amoeba Music
Amplifier
Analog
Anatolian Rock
Andy Warhol
Animal
Animation
AOR
Aquarium Drunkard
Archie Shepp
Archival
Art
Art & Design
Art Dudley
Art Film
Art Pop
Art Rock
Artform Radio
Arthur Russell
Article
Arvo Part
Ash Ra Temple
Audiogon
Audiophile
Audiovisual
avant
Avant-Garde
Avant-pop
Avant-Rock
Avent-Garde
Balearic
Bali
Ballad
Bargain Bin
Baroque
Baroque Pop
Basquiat
Bass
Bauhaus
Bayou Funk
BBC
BBC Radiophonic
Beats
Beats in Space
Bebop
Belgium
Bennie Maupin
Berlin-school
Best of 2020
Beverly Glenn​-​Copeland
Bhutan Stamps
Big Band
Bill Laswell
Black Ark Studios
Black Jazz
Blaxsploitation
Blue Note
Blues
Blues Rock
Bob Marley
Bola Sete
Bollywood
Boogie
Book
books
Boredoms
Bossa
Bossa Nova
Brazil
Brazilian Folk
Breakbeat
Breezy
Brian Eno
Bruce Weber
Bruton Music
Buddhism
Budget Audiophiler
Cabaret
Calypso
Cambridge Audio
CAN
Canterbury
Cape Verde
Caribbean
Cartridges
Casio
Cassette
Cats
CD
Chamber Music
Channel One Studios
Chanson
Charles Lloyd
Charles Mingus
Chee Shimizu
Chet Baker
Chicago
Chillout
Choral
Christmas
City Pop
Classic Album Sundays
Classical
Classics
Clothing
Coctueau Twins
Coffee
Commercial
Community
Compass
Compass Point
Compilation
Concept Album
Condesa Electronics
Conny Plank
Contemporary Jazz
Cornelius
Cosmic
Cosmic Disco
Cosmic Folk
Country
Country-Rock
Covers
Cult Classic
Cumbia
DAC
Daft Punk
Dance
Dancehall
Dark
Dark Entries
David Bowie
David Byrne
Davida
Deep Dive
Deep House
Deep Listen
Deep Listening
Delia Derbyshire
Demo
Dennis Bovell
Denon
Detroit
Devotional
Diasporic Disco
Dick Verdult
Diggin in the Mags
Disco
Discogs
DIY
DIY / Amateur
DJ
Documentary
Don Buchla
Don Cherry
Donald Byrd
Doom Metal
Downtempo
Dowtempo
Dr. John
Dream House
Dream Pop
Dreamy
Drone
Drum Break
Drum Machine
Drum n Bass
Drums
Dual
Dub
Dub Poetry
Dub Techno
dublab
Dubwise
Durutti Column
Düsseldorf School
Eames
Earl King
Early Electronic
East African
Easy Listening
EBM
ECM
ecoustic
ecoustics
Electric Lady
Electro
Electronic
Electronica
Elegant Pop
Emahoy Tsegué-Maryam
Enossified
Environmental Music
EOY
Eric Dolphy
ESG
Esoteric
ESP Institute
Essential Listen
Essential Listening
Essential Listenning
Ethereal
Ethiopian Jazz
Ethnic
Event
Events
Exotica
Experimental
Factory Records
Fela Kuti
Festival
Field recording
Films
Fingertracks
Fingetracks
Fishing with John
Fleetwood Sound Company
Floating
Floating Points
Folk
Folk Funk
Folk-Rock
Fonts
Footwork
Fourth World
France
Free Improvisation
Free Jazz
Friends of ISC
Frippertronics
Fundraiser
Funk
Fusion
G.S. Schray
Gal Costa
Gamelan
Garage Rock
Garrard
Gems from the Dollar Bin
George Martin
Gifts
Gilberto Gil
Glam Rock
Glitch
Gogo
Gospel
Grado
Graphic Novel
Grateful Dead
Group Sounds
Guide
Guitar
Hard Bop
Harold Budd
Harp
Harry Nilsson
Haruomi Hosono
Heavy Metal
Henry Lewy
Herbie Hancock
hi-fi
hi-NRG
Hidden Gem
Highlife
Hip Hop
Hiroshi Yoshimura
history
Holger Czukay
Holiday
Hollywood
Holy Grail
Home Listening
House
Hypnotic
Iasos
Ibiza
IDM
Illustration
Improvisation
Impulse!
In Conversation
In Stock
India
Indian
Indian Classical
Indie
Indie Rock
Industrial
Ingmar Bergman
Installation
Instrumental
International
Interview
ISC Classic
ISC Collection
isc guide
ISC Record Store
ISC Selects
Island Records
Isolation
Italo Disco
Italy
Jackie McLean
Jamaica
James Baldwin
Japan
Japananese
Japanese
Jazz
jazz kissa
Jazz-funk
Jazz-rock
JBL
John Fahey
John Martyn
Jon Hassell
Joni Mitchell
Judee Sill
Jungle
K-pop
K. Leimer
Kankyo Ongaku
Keith Haring
Keith Jarrett
Kid-Friendly
Kitty Records
Klaus Schulze
Klipsch
Kompakt
Kosmiche
Kosmische
KPM
Kraftwerk
Krautrock
Kruatrock
kwaito
L.Shankar
La Monte Young
Labels We Love
Lafawndah
Lagniappe Sessions
Laraaji
Larry Levan
Last Resort
Laswell
Latin
Latin Jazz
Laurel Canyon
Laurie Spiegel
Leaving Records
Lebanese
Lee Scratch Perry
Left-field
Leftfield
Lena Horne
Les Baxter
Lester Bowie
Library
Library Music
Liquid Liquid
Listening bar
Live Performance
Live Recording
Los Angeles
Lost & Sound
lost and sound
Louisiana Blues
Lounge
Lounge Lizards
Love Songs
Lovefingers
Lovely Music Ltd.
Lovers Rock
Luaka Bop
Mad Professor
Magazine
Mandopop
Marantz
Marcel Duchamp
Marcos Valle
mbaqanga
McIntosh
Meditation
Meditative
Melancholic
Mellow
Melody As Truth
Meredith Monk
Metal
Michael Franks
Microhouse
Mid-Century
Miles Davis
Milford Graves
Mills College
Minako Yoshida
Minimal
Minimal Techno
Minimal Wave
Minneapolis Sound
Mixes
Mixtape
Mizell Brothers
Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs
Modal
Modern Classical
Modern Soul
Modular Synthesis
Moki Cherry
Mono
Mort Garson
Motown
MPB
MTV
Munich
Music Blog
Music from Memory
Music Interior
Music Therapy
Music Video
Mwandishi
Narrative
Neo Soul
Neptunes
New Age
New Music
New Orleans
New Wave
New York
News
Nico
Nina Simone
No Wave
Noise
Non-Profit
Northern Soul
Now Sound
NTS
Nubian Pop
Nubian Soul
Numero Group
NYC
OBI
Obscure
Obscure Sound
On Screen
On-U Sound
online radio
Opera
Organic
Organic Music
Ornette Coleman
Ortofon
Oswalds Mill Audio
Outsider Pop
Overtone Singing
Painting
Painting with John
Pandit Pran Nath
Paradise Garage
Pastoral
Patrick Cowley
Paul Horn
Paul McCartney
Pauline Oliveros
PBS
Penguin Cafe Orchestra
Pensive
Percussion
Pharoah Sanders
Phillip Glass
Piano
Pioneer
Plantasia
Plants
playlist
Playlists
Plinth
Podcast
Poetry
Political
Pop
Pop not Slop
Pop Rock
Popul Vuh
Post Bop
Post Rock
Post-Punk
Post-Rock
Power Pop
Premiere
Prince
Private Press
Producer
Productions
Professor Longhair
Prog Rock
Progressive
Progressive Rock
Prophet-5
Proto-techno
Psychedelic
Psychedelic Rock
Psyhedelic
Punk
Qobuz
Quadraphonic
QUARK
Quiet Storm
R&B
Radio
Raga
Rare Groove
rca victor
Receivers
Record Fair
Record Label
Record Stores
Record Stories
Reggae
Reggaeton
Reissue
Reissues
Releases
Religious
Remix
Retrospective
Rock
Rocksteady
Roland
Roland Kirk
Roller Skate
Room Recordings
Room Treatment
Roots Reggae
Rotary Mixers
Rough Trade
Rudy Van Gelder
Russia
Ryuichi Sakamoto
Ryuichi Sakmoto
Sacred
Sade
Sam Gendel
Samba
Sample
Samples
Sci-fi
Séance Centre
Seefeel
Sensual
Shamisen
share
Shibuya-kei
Shoegaze
Singer-Songwriter
Sisters with Transistors
Ska
Sly & Robbie
Smooth Jazz
Soft Rock
Solid State
Songwriting
Sonny Sharrock
Soul
Soul-jazz
Sound Art
Sound Collage
Sound Installation
Soundsystems
Soundtrack
South Africa
South African
South America
Space Rock
Speaker
speakers
Spiritual
Spiritual Jazz
Spoken Word
Staff Picks
Steely Dan
Stereolab
Stereophile
Steven Halpern
Stevie Wonder
Stoner Rock
stores we love
Stories
Streaming
Street Soul
Studio One
Sun Ra
Sunn O)))
Surround Sound
Susumu Yokota
Suzanne Cianni
Suzanne Kraft
Swamp Rock
SYNG
Synth
Synth Pop
Synth-pop
Synthesizer
Synthwave
Taarab
Takoma Records
Tangerine Dream
Tape
Tapes
TD-160
Techno
Techno Pop
Tel Aviv
Television
Terry Callier
Terry Riley
The Beatles
The Broad
The Loft
The Meters
The Mizell Brothers
The Music Center
The World Stage
Theater
Thelonious Monk
Third Side Music
Third Stream
This Mortal Coil
Thorens
Tim Sweeney
Too Pure Records
Total Luxury Spa
Traditional
Tribal
Trip-hop
Tropical
Tropicalia
Tuareg
Tube
Turntable
TV
UK
Underrated
Val Wilmer
Vandersteen
Vanity Fair
Velvet Underground
Vice
Video
Video Art
Vince Guaraldi
Vintage
Vintage Gear
vinyl
Virginia Astley
Visible Cloaks
Visual Art
Vocal
Vocoder
Wackies
Walearic
Wally Badarou
Water
Website
Werner Herzog
West Africa
West African
Windham Hill
World
Wrecking Crew
Yacht Rock
Yamaha
Yann Tomita
Yasuaki Shimizu
Yellow Magic Orchestra
Yma Sumac
YouTube
Zamrock
Zither