Melissa Kacar

Have I known you twenty seconds or twenty years? To celebrate the massive anniversary milestone of Taylor Swift's self-titled debut album being released, I wanted to highlight some of my favorite vinyl in my collection alongside the full album review I also shared. This is such a special album in Taylor's catalog, as it really is the foundation that all of it is built upon. It is such an underrated gem of her earliest work and showcases some of the earliest sparks of the generational talent she would go onto shape and refine with each subsequent release.  My vinyl copy of Taylor Swift  is the rarest and most valuable record in my collection, which I somehow managed to get not only for face value, but also completely by chance one day while randomly browsing online. I purchased it online sometime in late 2018 or early 2019 from Turntable Lab in New York City , alongside the gold Fearless Record Store Day pressing, which is another cherished piece in my collection. This editio...

"Relationships" served as the lead single off of HAIM 's 2025 album I quit and in many ways embodies the ethos of what the entire project represents. The song basks in the rush of leaving behind what - and who - no longer serves you or benefits your life - finally having the ability to fully live in the independence and freedom that comes with letting go of everything you once felt was holding you back.  As this song progresses, it feels like all of the baggage starts to fall to the wayside and the realization sets in that you're the one in control of your own life, the people that you allow to take space in it, and the energy you give to it. Throughout this song, Danielle continuously circles back to the blunt and necessary question that shapes it all - "Why am I in this relationship?" It largely feels aligned with the new version of yourself you're becoming in that process of self-discovery, with the all-encompassing and often bittersweet feelings o...

Happy Record Store Day ! To celebrate the semi-annual event in support of indie record stores, Taylor Swift released a stunning 7" vinyl pressing of her song "Elizabeth Taylor". It served as the third single off of her 2025 album The Life of a Showgirl and absolutely stands a one of the best songs on that album. It really embodies the entire Showgirl theme, especially with it being an homage to such an iconic actress and fixture in Hollywood history. The glamorous, luxurious and showy aspects of what it takes to be the kind of larger than life entertainer that Elizabeth Taylor and Taylor Swift are is so well represented on this song. The song was produced by Max Martin and Shellback , as was the rest of the album. It's reminiscent of some of the glittering darkness that defined Reputation nearly a decade ago, the last time the three of them worked together, but here that edge is filtered through a more cinematic lens. She takes an Old Hollywood approach, with spe...

Happy Record Store Day! To celebrate the semi-annual independent record store event, Billie Eilish released a special 10" vinyl commemorating her acoustic performance apart of Amazon's Songline series.  She performed four songs off of HIT ME HARD AND SOFT ; "SKINNY", "L'AMOUR DE MA VIE", "WILDFLOWER" and "BIRDS OF A FEATHER". It's just Billie, her brother Finneas , her band, and three backing singers in an empty studio space performing them live in one take. These versions aren't available on streaming, other than this rendition of "BIRDS OF A FEATHER" , which is exclusively on Amazon Music. The videos of these performances are available to watch on YouTube though, and they are really incredible. I love that she chose to perform "SKINNY" first, as it is such an emotional and vulnerable introduction into this album. It sounded so beautiful in a stripped down format like this and reminded me of the way sh...

Happy Record Store Day! To celebrate the semi-annual independent record store event, Icona Pop released a special limited edition glow-in-the-dark vinyl pressing of their iconic breakthrough hit, "I Love It". Originally released in 2012 as the lead single from their self-titled debut album, the track quickly became a defining anthem for the Swedish pop duo. Not only did it launch their career, but it also marked the first major hit for Charli XCX , who at the time was just 21 years old and an emerging songwriter carving her place in pop music. Charli had signed with Asylum Records in 2010 while still in school, spending her early years experimenting with different sounds and resisting the idea of mainstream pop, which didn't initially align with her vision as an artist. Her breakthrough came when she began collaborating with producer Patrik Berger, who was then best known for his work with Lana Del Rey and Robyn , and later worked with artists like Carly Rae Jepsen , ...