Feel Like I’m Turning Into a Werewolf

Posted on September 3, 2025 by blacksheepspringfield

We had a lot of fun at the Sabrina Carpenter release party last Saturday at the Mall! Many people came out to get the free stickers, posters, and buy the album.

This week we have a rock ‘n roll show happening Friday night downtown, followed by the Twenty One Pilots album listening party on Saturday at the mall. One note on that party, the new Twenty One Pilots is not released yet however we will be taking preorders on exclusive versions of the album, plus there will be other trinkets to get!

Here are all the new vinyl releases coming out this Friday!

– This time, BIG THIEF have their new album “Double Infinity” coming out for real! (we had things mixed up and showed it a few weeks ago). Out on exclusive green and also black vinyl.
– You can expect re-issues of MF DOOM’s “Special Herbs” series! There are five different records covering volumes one through ten (two volumes per record, sold separately!) Out on colored vinyl!
– LA DISPUTE’s fifth studio album and their first in six years – “No One Was Driving The Car” – out on black and also “green smoke” vinyl.
– DAVID BYRNE of Talking Heads fame has a new solo album coming out “Who Is The Sky” and we will have copies on different colorways!
– Norwegian black metal band MAYHEM have a reissue of their 90’s album “Wolf’s Lair Abyss” on black vinyl.
– Last up some SPINAL TAP reissues with a new movie coming out – reissues for “Break Like The Wind” and “This Is Spinal Tap”!

This week Pepperoni picked Dr Teeth and the Electric Mayhem!

I bet you all didn’t think I would be coming through in my first pick of September with a MUPPETS pick! That’s right, it’s DR. TEETH and THE ELECTRIC MAYHEM BAND. This one actually came out two years ago along with the band’s new series they had on Disney plus. But really it features their long time standing hit “Can You Picture That?” which was first heard in THE 1979 perfect film: The Muppet Movie (starring Kermit the Frog). The Electric Mayhem bring the heat throughout this one – we’ve got eight original songs and seven covers. Ringo Starr actually plays drums on one of the songs. Can you dig it?

I’m A Truck

Posted on August 27, 2025 by blacksheepspringfield

We continue on with a busy event schedule, tonight downtown we have this big loud hardcore show! Then on Friday we have a Metal show and then Saturday the Sabrina Carpenter Album Release Party at the mall.

This Friday we have the latest hot new vinyls itchin’ to plop onto our shelves

– SABRINA CARPENTER with her new album “Man’s Best Friend” the follow up to last year’s top selling album “Short N’ Sweet”. Can she pull off another top seller? We will have that exclusive green variant. Also release party 6pm at Dumber Records in the mall on Saturday! *Small note, these records aren’t showing up until our shipment arrives at some point during the day on Friday!
– THE BETHS New Zealand indie rock band with their fourth album “Straight Line Was A Lie”, we will have the indie exclusive blue and also black vinyl.
– MARGO PRICE American country artist with her 6th album “Hard Headed Woman” – we will have copies on exclusive red and also black vinyl.
– THE HIVES FOREVER FOREVER THE HIVES is the name of the new album from Swedish rock band THE HIVES, we will have the exclusive gold vinyl and also black.
– ZACH TOP has a new album and he AIN’T DOIN’ IT FOR HIS HEALTH, black vinyl.

This week Pepperoni picked Cherry Bomb

“Hello daddy, HELLO mom, I’m a ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-CHERRY BOMB.”

One fun thing we’ve done lately is somehow we got our hands on Tyler’s latest Don’t Tap The Glass album and did a giveaway at both of our stores and were able to give away 2 copies to 2 lucky winners. What a fun time.

Also recently we had one of these banana records but someone has bought it already.

Wow, He was on Fire This Whole Time??

Posted on August 20, 2025 by blacksheepspringfield

Boy do we have a packed week! Hardcore show tonight (Wednesday). Then Thursday we have the Laufey Midnight Release Party, and on Friday we have a rock ‘n roll show booked by Lovelorn. All of these events happening at our downtown location.

Here are the new releases coming out this Friday!
– LAUFEY (pronounced “Lay-vay”) with her third studio album “A Matter Of Time”. We are having a midnight release party for this one the night before!
– TYLER THE CREATOR with a long awaited re-issue of his 2015 album “Cherry Bomb” – two different front cover variants for this one!
– DEFTONES here with their tenth studio album “Private Music!” There are two different variants for this one as well – one with a pink cover and one with green.
– MAC DEMARCO has a new album out just called “Guitar” and we will have copies! Indie exclusive orange vinyl variant.
– JON BATISTE with his sixth studio album “Big Money”
– THE SMASHING PUMPKINS with a re-issue of their 2000 album “Machina” out on double black 180g vinyl.
(also being released but not pictured):
– TEYANA TAYLOR “Escape Room”
– a re-issue of BILLY JOEL “Greatest Hits Volume I & II”

This week Pepperoni picked the Doors

“It’s back to school season. The weather is getting a tad cooler, tourist season is ending downtown and things are slowing down a little bit. So why not I pick a record that has a track “Summer’s Almost Gone” for us all to cry to. That’s The Doors 1968 album “Waiting For The Sun.” Can you believe I haven’t picked a Doors album yet? This one kicks off with the pulsating hit, “Hello, I Love You.” This was also the band’s only album to hit the top of the billboard charts! Enjoy!”

Goth night last friday was a huge success! Lots of people dressed up, came out, danced, and we all had a good time.

Just a gentle, soothing reminder to keep an eye on our Upcoming Shows for all the shows, release parties and other events we have coming up! Besides 1 million hardcore shows, we have some cool stuff coming up like the Twenty One Pilots and Sabrina Carpenter release parties and our next Illinois Vintage Fair.

I Dropped My Cookie

Posted on August 13, 2025 by blacksheepspringfield

Our line outside last week waiting for the midnight Ethel Cain listening party. These are fun, looking forward to the next one!

Speaking of parties, this Friday we’re hosting our very first GOTH DJ NIGHT

Here are the hot new record releases this Friday!

– Indie rock band BIG THIEF are here with their sixth studio album “Double Infinity” and we’ll have the indie exclusive green vinyl!
– We’ll have a reissue from THE CRANBERRIES 1994 studio album “No Need To Argue” – (yes, this is the one that has “Zombie” on it.)
– 20th anniversary red vinyl edition of AVENGED SEVENFOLD’s 2005 album “City Of Evil”!?!?
– It’s also not every day you get a 30th anniversary re-issue of VAN HALEN’s album “Balance”!
– A special re-issue of SLEEP’s “Holy Mountain”. We ordered 20 copies and have been told we are getting 2

This week Pepperoni Picked Kiss’ Hotter Than Hell

“Everyone sit down. Who remembers when KISS played our state fair? The mayor and the governor came out and everyone booed the governor and they gave KISS the key to the city and then they sang the pledge of allegiance. I had previously picked KISS’s disco album “Dynsasty” as my pick of the week and that was it. Well, it’s finally time I pick a NON-DISCO KISS and today that is going to have to be their second studio album, “Hotter Than Hell” from 1974. You see the thing about KISS is that they have 20 studio albums and when people come in asking for KISS they don’t really care which KISS albums we have, they’ll take anything. Anything before Dynasty is going to be some solid hard rock though. I was playing this on the outdoor speakers earlier and everyone from Good Heart Tattoo poked their head in while the song “Goin’ Blind” was playing and that’s when we realized that the band MELVINS cover that song on their album “Houdini” Pretty cool!”

We also just recently added Independence Day Pinball to our pinball lineup downtown. Hit the alien head for multiball. Keep playing and see if you can start Area 51 multiball. Designed by Rob Hurtado and our first SEGA pinball machine.

Teenagers in Groups of 4 or More

Posted on August 6, 2025 by blacksheepspringfield

Don’t forget this Thursday we have the midnight release of Ethel Cain’s latest album, downtown!

Here are you new Friday release records this week!

– ETHEL CAIN with her sophomore album “Willoghby Tucker, I’ll Always Love You” – and we should have the indie exclusive copies with the extra insert! We are holding a MIDNIGHT release for this late Thursday night at our downtown store!
– THE BLACK KEYS are here with their thirteenth studio album “NO RAIN, NO FLOWER” and we’ll have copies on exclusive red!
– BABYMETAL – are a Japanese “Kawaii metal” band? And this is their fifth studio album “Metal Forth”!
– MACHINE GUN KELLY actually just goes by MGK now and it’s HIS turn to do a country album I guess, called “Lost Americana”! And out Friday!
– Oh yes it’s time for a reissue of LIL WAYNE’s 2005 album “THA CARTER 2”
– CHARLEY CROCKETT is back with his 14th studio album and second this year, “Dollar A Day”!

This week Pepperoni picked Texas Sun

“Both Khruangbin (three-piece psychedelic rock group) and Leon Bridges (modern R&B soul singer) are two artists that I have been contemplating picking a pick for… why not knock them both out with their 2020 collaborative effort – “Texas Sun?” I do believe this is a good summertime pick as well. A total of four songs clocking in a little over twenty minutes, featuring these great musicians doing what they do best for the perfect combo. Pair this up with the sequel, “Texas Moon” and you basically have yourself a perfect album.”

We have another loud show happening this Saturday downtown

Recently this record came in. It looked pretty weird and the cover was pretty beat up so we threw it on the roof.

Swing Extra Hard and Make the Zap Noises

Posted on July 30, 2025 by blacksheepspringfield

Boy have we been busy lately. We just picked up a bunch of record shelving and fixtures last week and have been busy getting all that situated at our mall store. It’s looking so good! More pics of that at the bottom here.

Next week we’ll be having a Ethel Cain midnight listening party at our downtown store, so be watching out for that.

Here are all the hot new vinyls coming out this Friday:

– New Orleans hip hop duo $UICIDEBOY$ with their 5th studio album “Thy Kingdom Come” on exclusive maroon vinyl. Everyone at the mall always asks if we have them.
– BILLY STRINGS and BRYAN SUTTON have a live album, “Live At The Legion” out on red, white and blue split viny.
– Country artist SHABOOZEY who played the fair last year is out with a deluxe edition of his last album “Where I’ve Been” – double black LP.
– a couple of Blue Note Tone Poet jazz re-issues: The Horace Silver Quintet “The Tokyo Blues” and Jackie McLean “Jacknife”.

This week Pepperoni picked In Rainbows

“Good morning Peppy fan’s! I am back with another pick this week. An album cover you have all seen – Radiohead’s 2007 “In Rainbows” probably takes the cake for being their most iconic album cover. This very colorful album art looked so great on our new 2007 ipod nano screens back when this was released, I am pretty sure it was the default album shown in all ipod advertisements. Is it the best Radiohead album? Some people might think so. Contains hit songs “Jigsaw Falling Into Place” and “Nude.”

Teen Boys Playing Volleyball in the Middle of the Mall

Posted on July 18, 2025 by blacksheepspringfield

Recently Jeff, the more attractive of the two owners of this store is now working the store full time, he had to be real dramatic about it and wrote a speech:

“Big Announcement here. After 17 years in IT at Horace Mann I have very recently changed careers to full time retail.

This is certainly a big change for me. It feels my whole life has been a progression of, “5 years ago I sure wouldn’t believe I’d be doing this now!” From getting my masters in computer science, to becoming a PMP certified project manager, to managing my own team of software developers, learning how to operate and maintain vintage pinball and arcade machines, running a music venue for 8 years out of my basement, becoming partner in a record store. Every time it’s been a big leap. Opening a public arcade 5 years ago, working with an architect to have an official above-board all ages music venue, and learning the ins ‘n outs of record farming.

Thanks to my very intelligent and pretty wife, 2 amazing boys, parents who told me I could do big things, a business partner who agrees calling two stores Dumb and Dumber is a good idea, many people who have helped along the way, and an amazing community who comes out and supports our silly record store everyday. This is certainly big for me that I can give more attention to making Dumb Records a fun experience for our community.”

As soon as he did all that he slacked off and didn’t even post the new Friday releases on time to this site. Here is what was released new today!

– ALEX WARREN, I’ve been told this guy is a pro youtuber gone musician or something. His album “You’ll Be Alright Kid” available on white vinyl.
– Americana indie band LORD HURON have their fifth album “The Cosmic Selector” available on red swirl vinyl.
– Another indie artist ALEX G, with a new album “Headlights”.
– LAURA JANE GRACE has a new album out on Polyvinyl records called “Adventure Club”! We will also have a limited amount of exclusive patches to hand out with purchase of this one!
– Last but not least a silver re-pressing of FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH’s greatest hits.

Next Friday at the mall, we will be hosting a release party for the new Tyler Childers album!

And so far this week we’ve hosted 2 shows already and this one is happening on Saturday. Looks like another loud ol hardcore bash.

1 If In Woods, 2 If There’s a Sink Nearby

Posted on July 9, 2025 by blacksheepspringfield

This Thursday downtown we have a kinda death metal, kinda hardcore show going on.

And then this Friday we got some Big new vinyl releases coming out!

-MAC MILLER – “I Love Life, Thank You” is getting pressed to vinyl for the first time, the 2011 mixtape that was originally released to celebrate 1 million Twitter followers (boy those were the days)
-The new album from WET LEG, “Moisturizer” hits shelves including the indie Clear variant
YOU’RE A GOOD SPORT, CHARLIE BROWN adds even more unreleased Vince Guaraldi jazz tracks to the Charlie Brown pile in the form of 45rpm Zoetrope vinyl! It looks good, sounds good, great!
-We got the much anticipated debut of GIGI PEREZ, self produced album “At The Beach, In Every Life”
-And a reissue of BILLY JOEL “Glass Houses”

This week Pepperoni chose the Black Album

“Today I picked METALLICA s/t, also known as the Black Album (I assume because it’s very dark and hard to read). This album from 1991 contains so many hits. Like everyone else learning how to play guitar, they learned how to play Enter Sandman and put it on this record! The producer of this album was Bob Rock who also produced Motley Crue’s “Dr Feelgood”. I can just imagine them having such a great time together, inserting “Sad But True” and “Nothing Else Matters” into their daily conversations and giggling about it. This was the first Metallica album to include bass guitar and also orchestral instruments, perhaps forshadowing their magnum opus S&M2.”

Did you know our downtown arcade has existed for 5 years now???

It’s Pronounced Loyd

Posted on June 25, 2025 by blacksheepspringfield

I’m finally back posting again. Sorry a lot has happened lately and it’s all over now, including this Lorde listening party that was earlier today.

Oh yeah and we had this Benson Boone listening party last week

But don’t you worry, there are still more records to come, including these that are out this Friday!
– Yes there’s a new LORDE album, “Virgin” – we are holding an advance listening party for this at Dumber Records tomorrow (Wednesday) at 6pm, but the actual vinyl comes out on Friday!! We will be taking pre-orders at the listening event!
– CHAPPELL ROAN with “The Giver 7” (yes it’s just her new song) – FIVE different covers and colored vinyl pressings for this!! We should have some of each at both stores!
– BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN “Lost And Found” a collection of unreleased tracks from throughout Bruce’s career – yes there is a big boxset release for this but we are stocking up on the double LP version!
– CRYSTAL CASTLES with a reissue of “III”, originally released in 2012.
– PLAYBOI CARTI with both a reissue and a new album! The new album is just called “Music” and then the re-issue is of his 2018 debut album “Die Lit”!

This week Pepperoni picked Fleetwood Mac

“Alright, I’ll admit it this is a lazy pick on my end this week. Fleetwood Mac’s “Rumours” is and has always been the #1 selling album of all time here at Dumb Records (and it was actually my first ever pick when we started doing this weekly pick thing over three years ago now). Since we sell so many copies of Rumours it just makes sense that Fleetwood Mac gets another pick – and it just HAS to be their greatest hits even though half of their greatest hits are tracks off of Rumours!! (Okay, 4 out of the 14 tracks). Fleetwood Mac are an interesting band that evolved many times since their formation in 1967. This isn’t even their first greatest hits album – they had one released in 1971 featuring songs before Christine McVie and Stevie Nicks had even joined the group. THIS greatest hits was originally released in 1988 and features songs from the band’s career mid 70’s through the 80’s, including a couple of non-album singles. Enjoy!”

Speaking of Pep, he has a new shirt out too!

And lastly we’ve also picked up a couple new employees lately, here is Scott holding one of my favorite Neil Young albums.

And here’s Jamie holding a Green Day album, which is weird as they only ever want to talk about Ghost.

Hundreds of FFA Students Sneaking into the Arcade

Posted on June 11, 2025 by blacksheepspringfield

This Friday we have a mixed bill show, sure to surprise and amaze!

Also this Friday we got a fresh batch of new vinyl releases!
– KING GIZZARD & THE LIZARD WIZARD are onto their 27th studio album with “Phantom Island”. We’ll have some copies on “recycled black wax”
– OZZY OSBOURNE, no this is not a new album it is a re-issue of his 2014 album “Scream” on black vinyl!
– BUDOS BAND the instrumental afro-cuban jazz / funk band with their album “VII”! We should have copies on purple vinyl.
– THE CURE “Mixes Of A Lost World” will be out featuring re-mixes from their latest album.
– GRATEFUL DEAD “Greatest Hits” compilation LP out on teal blue vinyl.
– METALLICA with a re-issue of their 1996 album, “Load” on black vinyl.
– A re-issue of the 1968 psych pop classic BILLY NICHOLS “Would You Believe” (only the real ones know)

This week Pepperoni picked Cowboy Bebop!

“I wish upon my nine lives that I knew what this is. I’ve never watched Cowboy Bebop as my parents blocked Adult Swim on TV with a device they got from church. This is my first time hearing the Seatbelts and they are very good. For some reason they stuck Faye Valentine on the cover as some sort of fan service which really doesn’t represent the show very well. People freak out about this and Jeff keeps telling me I need to watch it. As always Jeff is right. Jeff is right about everything. I should be watching this more than stupid scary movies where people’s heads fall off and goop comes out. I did listen to this in the store today and I can say for sure it’s a bop. A lot of good jazz actually?? Not that I am surprised since Jeff already told me 100 times that it is good.”

We had a great time at the Turnstile album release party at the mall last Friday!

Jeff is going out to see the biggest hole in the ground out west for the next 12 days so there may not be an update here next week, just keep your eyes peeled for shows happening here next Monday and Friday, and an album release party announcement for a HUGE HOT ARTIST