I find myself completely surrounded by large wooden bins packed full of vinyl LPs. Flipping through a bin of jazz records, I notice iconic album covers by artists ranging from Miles Davis and Dave Brubeck to Bud Powell and Jean Luc Ponty.

Record shops on Milwaukee’s East Side are a wellspring of new, used, and rare LPs for both the avid collector and the kid who just bought a used turntable.

Atomic Records (1813 E Locust St, 414-332-3663) is undoubtedly the best source for new indie vinyl in Milwaukee. Fitted with a knowledgeable staff of music geeks, Atomic Records consistently delivers the right stuff.

If they don’t have it in stock, odds are that they will be able to order even the most obscure goods. They also have a bargain bin where unique albums are always very reasonably priced.

Holding steady to their Riverwest roots, LotusLand Records has relocated to 832 E Clarke St, 414-372-8317. LotusLand specializes in jazz, funk, soul and disco records.

Standing in the lower level of Flipville Records, 1936 N. Farewell Ave, 414-272-1131), I find myself completely surrounded by large wooden bins packed full of vinyl LPs. Flipping through a bin of jazz records, I notice iconic album covers by artists ranging from Miles Davis and Dave Brubeck to Bud Powell and Jean Luc Ponty.

Positioned against the walls of the room, bins swell with records of a variety of genres such as new wave, punk, surf, rock and blues. I get the overwhelming feeling that I have stumbled into the heart of a precious record collection.

Flipville’s owner, Geoff Worman, thumbs through a bin of records handling each one with a delicate and paternal heir. Seizing my opportunity, I inquire about the availability of records by The Band. He asks me if there is a particular record that I want. “Music from Big Pink,” I say. To which he replies, “Yeah, that’s the one everyone is looking for.”

The following day I had the pleasure of talking with Worman about his fine establishment and quickly learn that being surrounded by records is nothing new for him. “This store has been open about 15 years,” he says. “Before that I worked at a different record shop.”

There is an indistinguishable history within the endless bins that fill Flipville’s floor space. Both the upper and lower rooms are stuffed full of used LPs, 45’s, and an incredible assortment of retro memorabilia such as toys and action figures.

“I just started collecting and haven’t really been able to quit,” Worman says with a satisfied grin. The look of the place is vaguely reminiscent of someone’s psychedelic nightmare. But, to Worman’s credit, the nostalgia of the place is intoxicating.

Just across the street the folks at Bullsye Records, 1627 East Irving Place, 414-223-3177, have captured the attention of Milwaukee record collectors with an unmistakably massive red and white target painted on the store’s front. Well-organized bins line the walls. Bullseye features a vast assortment of LPs, 45’s, and even a bin of 78’s.

There is a tangible power to the physical media of an LP that captivates enthusiasts around the globe. Some say that album artwork was meant to be printed in this large format.

“There’s something about watching a record spin,” says Bullseye clerk Ken Crisien. He goes on to talk about the strange chirping sounds and bird-like calls that occur on certain vinyl when a record ends and the needle hits the dead wax. Chirp, chirp.

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