Above: Hi-Phy Records in Albuquerque. Photograph by John McCauley.

Jenny and Joe Phy own Hi-Phy Records, in Albuquerque, with two spaces for digging: a room at Spur Line Supply Co., in the Sawmill District, and a rack at Little Bear Coffee, in the Northeast Heights, where they sell used and new vinyl, with a focus on the latter. “The best-quality sound is on a record,” says Jenny, who describes the experience of listening to records as “a romance with the music.” A record’s visuals are appealing, too, precisely because of the album art. At either location, you’ll find a plethora of current indie rock coming from Los Angeles and San Francisco alongside the classic rock albums that first inspired them.

Dick Rosemont’s Santa Fe shop, Guy in the Groove, features shelves of new and used albums organized by genres ranging from reggae to blues. He’s been in the business of collecting and selling vinyl for 43 years, and his musical knowledge is prolific. “Records are fun. It’s in your hands,” he says. “I am a hard-copy guy.” His obscure shop is for those in the know. Call him to set up an appointment; he’s not always there during business hours.

George Casey opened Lost Padre Records in a cozy adobe in downtown Santa Fe last May. He fell in love with vinyl in college, when CDs were the future, so records were cheap. “When you get to know an album on vinyl first, it’s hard to like the way a CD sounds,” he says. “You handle it in a way you never handle a CD.” Lose track of time thumbing through Casey’s diverse trove, which includes a ton of 45s, new releases, and vintage greats. An aural vacation awaits.

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OUR FAVORITE SHOPS
Hi-Phy Records Spur Line Supply Co.
800 20th St. NW, Albuquerque AND Little Bear Coffee, 2632 Pennsylvania St. NE, Albuquerque; (505) 369-2265, @hiphyrecords

Guy in the Groove
502 Cerrillos Road, Santa Fe; (505) 699-3332

Lost Padre Records
304 Catron St., Santa Fe; (505) 310-6389, @lostpadrerecords

 

TURN UP THE VOLUME
Here are a few faves from our personal archives.

  • Island Life, by Grace Jones (1985)
  • London Calling, by the Clash (1979)
  • Ones, by Selena (2002)
  • Dirty Computer, by Janelle Monae (2018)