Melodiya Records

Music collectors rejoice at the return of vinyl, and Melodiya Records carries both new and used records as well as the turntables. While the music industry has gone through upheavals that obliterated many music stores, Melodiya has remained a mainstay for Calgary music fans for over 20 years. Be it the latest in underground punk, metal, hip hop, dark electronic, classic rock, classic jazz or big names like Mumford and Sons and the Black Keys, Melodiya sells it.

Through the doors of its parent store, Phoenix Comics, one walks through two rooms filled with graphic novels and actions figures before getting to Melodiya’s bins of vinyl and the shiny 12-inch record sleeves displayed on the shop’s walls. Melodiya has long been known for carrying underground rock, but manager Eddie Dalrymple has diversified its inventory and clientele.

“I attacked a lot of jazz. I pumped up the classic indie rock,” an ever-smiling Eddie says as box sets of records by musical gods such as Led Zeppelin and Fela Kuti look down on him favourably from behind the counter. “I made a hip-hop section along with selections that reflect where that stuff comes from: Blue Note Records artists, old funk and soul. There are so many great labels that are putting that kind of music back into print.” His encyclopedic knowledge of music is a resource for customers seeking listening recommendations or hard-to-find discs.

Eddie says the shop’s patrons are enthusiastic about a wide range of musical styles. While Taylor Swift records sell out quickly, Melodiya’s extreme metal section is also very popular. “For the first couple of months it was there, there was a huge blitz,” he says with a grin. “It was really, really exciting. So many kids seemed unaware that they could find these records in Calgary.”