Page from my personal journal: a review of Soho record store Sister Ray, from my trip to London, August 1995.
Back in November, I shared my review of the Covent Garden Rough Trade shop (RIP), as written in my UK trip journal the summer of 1995. This is my review of Sister Ray on Berwick Street:
Sister Ray (Berwick) The place to go for the best prices (and good selection of) new UK vinyl by the not-too-obscure. When I was here last year I picked up the Sebadoh LP w/7″, Stereolab LP w/7″, Pram LP, etc. Where other stores charged £8-9 for the Long Fin Killie LP, Sister Ray charges £7.50. Small difference, but it adds up if this is your bag. Unspectacular but solid bunch of new and used 7″es, mostly Brit (little U.S. stuff). New + used mixed together (LPs, CDs). Fair selection, but useful for price shoppers.
I believe the Sebadoh album I was referencing was Bakesale, and the Stereolab one was Mars Audiac Quintet. And while getting limited editions with free singles a real treat, I was honestly excited to just get these on vinyl at all, since at that time U.S. labels were only issuing these releases on cassette and CD.
Not only do I still have those records in my collection, Sister Ray is (I believe) still in business. I visited the shop on my last trip to London in May 2019 and yes, bough another limited LP: the 2019 pressing of Sorry For Laughing by Josef K, edition of 500 with bonus CD of TV Art (pre-Josef K) demos.
