Vinyl Vault Entry #14: Canadian Brilliance on City and Colour's 'A Pill for Loneliness'

For Red Spade Records founder Robyn Raymond, vinyl is all about the community. "I love how vinyl crisscrosses the world so effortlessly, and brings a whole bunch of people together [that] I wouldn't have had the occasion to meet otherwise." Through her lathe cutting work and co-hosting the Women in Vinyl podcast, Robyn's mission has been to engage with the community to create a more inclusive space for women and non-binary record lovers. For this entry in the Vinyl Vault, we talked with Robyn about the her lathe work and a favorite record in her collection from a fellow Canadian, City in Colour.

Album: A Pill for Loneliness (2019)
Artist City and Colour 
Label: Dine Alone / Still Records
Genre(s): Rock/folk
Favorite song: “Young Lovers”
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​Why did you choose this record? 
 
This is the hardest decision of my life haha. But I love this record so much, and it has so many beautiful variations that it has become one of the most prevalent in my collection. 

Give us some background on this record. What does the album sound like? 
 
This record is by one of my favorite artists and humans in Canadian music - Dallas Green. I think he’s brilliant, (as does most of Canada), and this record was just a perfect evolution in his catalogue. It’s emotional and thought provoking. Soaky reverby guitars and this otherworldly quality to it. His voice is just so perfect. 

Do you own other pressings of this same record? 
 
I have 4 other copies of this album. I’ve been collecting all of the variants. 

What’s the story behind you purchasing this album? 
 
I bought the first copy the weekend that it came out, but I was in Hollywood at the Making Vinyl conference. So I was able to go to the historic and amazing Amoeba Records to get it. It was a day I’ll never forget.  

When would you normally listen to this record?
 
I listen to this record weekly. It’s always a solid play!
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Tell us more about your record collection in general. What does record collecting mean to you? 
 
Records were what my grandfather and I did together. He was my introduction to this whole world, and he shaped my acceptance and appreciation of all genres. I inherited his collection when he passed away in 2013. I had accumulated a substantial collection of my own by then too, but they fit together seamlessly. Now, I feel like it’s my duty and privilege to find records, celebrate them and showcase the ones that maybe don’t have enough of a spotlight. 
 
What do you love about the vinyl community? 
 
How it crisscrosses the world so effortlessly, and brings a whole bunch of people together. I’ve made some incredible friends across the world, that I never would have had the occasion to run across otherwise. 

Tell us about Red Spade Records. How did you get started? What made you want to get involved in the lathe community?

I did a professional 180 a few years ago, and was super geeked to find my lathe passion - because I really wanted to be the person to fill the gap between not having vinyl and having super small run/accessible quantities. 
 
What are some of your favorite records you’ve cut, both musically and on actual lathe cutting end (i.e. special editions)?  
 
I love all of them. In so many ways. In many instances, I’m making people’s first vinyl releases ever and that always is a special moment. 

I got to make 125 x 7” - for City and Colour, which was huge for me. It was very early on in my cutting career, so that was validating on a massive scale, but also for one of my most favorite artists of all time. 

The Deluxe edition of Witch Prophet’s DNA Activation is really close to my heart as well. She’s such a special artist, with an important view point. It’s been incredible working with her, and being able to create physical copies for her. She’s going to do so many groundbreaking things, she’s working in multiple formats and across genres. Truly a renaissance artist.  
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Tell us more about the Women in Vinyl podcast. What is your overall mission with the website and podcast?
 
Women in Vinyl was created by my great friend and co-host Jenn D’Eugenio in 2018. She asked me to join the board, and then after thinking about creating my own podcast, I approached her with the idea of approaching the idea from the WiV viewpoint. We’re releasing a new episode every two weeks (give or take). Our mission is to start a not-for-profit to further the demystification, education and infiltration of more Women and Non-Binary identifying humans into the vinyl making space! We want to help every day people  understand records, the process behind making them, the people that make them and why they’re so important to all of us. 
 

The vinyl community can be very male-dominated, both on the production and the collectors end, so it’s really amazing to see you all make a clear space for women to be seen in the community. What are some specific places, people or overall experiences that you’ve had that have empowered you as a woman in this subculture?

I’ve been fortunate enough to have had a very inclusive experience, both in collecting and professionally. My local record stores back home in Calgary, Recordland and Sloth Records, were two of my haunts, and I can’t speak highly enough about the staff at each. I truly always felt like I belonged there, and that I was welcome. The mastering/vinyl cutting community has been even more welcoming and encouraging. The group of people that devote themselves to cutting records are such an incredible bunch of personalities, I’m humbled and honored to be counted as one of them. I feel like it’s my distinct privilege to be able to shine a light on how talented and special these people are. I’ve developed such valuable global friendships by joining this industry. I constantly feel propped up, valued and excited by my peers. 
 

​What are you working on currently? What’s the best way for people to follow your work?
 
Things are CRAZY right now, unfortunately the industry is experiencing some global shortages of things and turnaround times at pressing plants are getting longer and longer, so more artists are enlisting my help. I’ve got so many exciting projects in the queue. I’m working with Priyanka, Canada’s Inaugural Drag Race Superstar, to bring her EP into the physical realm. My heart is doing backflips. I’m such a huge fan of hers, and the record is so fun, dancefloor ready, sassy and a total trip for me to work on. She’s ICONIC! 
 
The best way to follow me is on the ‘Gram. haha. 

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Stay updated with Robyn and Red Spade Records:
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https://womeninvinyl.com/podcast
www.instagram.com/red.spade.records