Just recently my teen daughter dragged out a plastic tote full of my old vinyl. It's a combo of my vinyl and my parents. So I decided to pull out the turntable that my hubby bought me a few years back that converts to mp3. I have been too lazy to learn how to do this, but it also is a lovely turntable. Take daughter's inquisitiveness about the vinyl plus the turntable I've never used and now you've got a retro party. The kid had a soccer game at El Cerrito HS yesterday late afternoon and we decided with friends (daughter on the same team) to have dinner out and found Elevation 66. It took a few to park and when we did my daughter called me over and said "Look! There's a record store down here!" It was only 4:45pm and a bit too early for dinner just, we noticed the open door and walked on down the alley and into Mod Lang. WOW! What a great store! The shop manager was really nice and helpful. She instructed us on the layout of the store after a while. I immediately stopped poking around the middle section and went to the green wall for the promise of 80's music. :) The prices were reasonable and there was a great selection. I picked up a new Echo and the Bunnymen album. Of course I immediately thought of the scene in High Fidelity with Jack Black. I probably should have looked for a Jesus and Mary Chain album to go with it, but I was risking being cliche already. My daughter found an Ella Fitzgerald she had to have and we both reveled over finding a Louis Armstrong and His Hot Five. SO happy we stumbled upon this by chance and plan to go back as soon as we can. read more

I had some classical records to donate. I emailed the owner and we agreed that she would come and pick them up from my home. She came at the agreed time and took the records. Very smooth transaction. read more

Not open for browsing. Sign on door says you can do curbside pick up, but of what? No idea what you have and the website doesn't list or show what's available. Rather pay extra for the big name shops since customer service isn't a priority here. read more

Nice record shop tucked away in an alley just off San Pablo Ave in El Cerrito. The shop owner was cordial and helpful. I tend to shop for jazz records and there offerings were average. I was lucky to find a Joe Henderson Blue Note Music Matters reissue pressing at a very good price so thumbs up there ! Records are sectioned off by genre to make things easier to find. Overall a decent shop to frequent from time to time as you never know what you may find. read more

It's too bad this place is a bit of a trek from SF. The selection is great and the staff are really helpful and nice. Checking through the vinyl section, it's easy to find a good mix of older and newer stuff. However, it can be a bit daunting to look through all the records on the floor. If this place was a little more organized, they could probably sell through a lot more. Last time I was there, the woman at the counter talked forever to a customer about some special orders. You could tell he was a regular and you could tell Mod Lang is totally willing to go out of their way to get their customers what they want. Oh, and when I checked out, they had some free pins up front - I scored an Orange Juice one! read more

Awesome place. I love digging here. Found a lot of gems! The girl at the register is incredibly nice and explained the pricing. They have unprocessed records and I'm sure you can haggle. Then again, you can haggle even in department stores so why not. Hours are completely random, but I work down the street so this is a lunch time or after work stop for me. Happy digging! read more

Closed during your already limited hours. Fail. Stopped by on Saturday at 2:45 pm. No sign saying, be back in 5, 10, 15 minutes. Just lights out and door locked. Ran into another customer, who said, "They're never open". No way to run a business. read more

Third time I've come by in a year, after 1pm on a weekend and the store is still not open. Hours on the door state noonish-7pm. I used to shop here a lot until about 2 years ago when I noticed most of the vinyl was not priced. Kind of makes it hard for me to figure out what I want. Used CDs are now in little stacked boxes in back of store and DVD selection is small, and mostly priced 10-20% higher than Amoeba or Rasputin's. I really don't know what happened to this store. This store is also rarely open at noon. 2-6pm are more realistic hours. read more

Okay, so Mod Lang's website says they are open every day from 11-7, except for Thursday and Sunday, on which they're open 12-6. The "store hours" sign on their door says more or less the same thing. I went there on a Monday, a few minutes shy of 1:00, and they were closed. Neither the website nor the sign on the door mention anything about being closed Mondays. Since they moved from downtown Berkeley to El Cerrito, I rarely go to Mod Lang because I'm never in El Cerrito. If I go to Mod Lang, I'm going out of my way, for the sole purpose of going to Mod Lang. Otherwise, I never have any reason to be in that part of the world. I understand things happen, unexpected emergencies arise, etc., but if you're going to close your store at a time not specified on your website or shop front, it would be nice to leave a sign that says you're sorry you're away and you'll be back around such-and-such time. It's not nice to your customers to just not be open without any explanation. If I get the hankering to go to Mod Lang again in the future, I will call first to make sure they are open. As for Mod Lang's collection - on occasion I find some nice, hard-to-find, 80s, post-punk UK imports there. read more

Like others here, finding the 11am opening time not to be observed - arrived outside at 11:30am and still waiting at noon. Thru the window I can see bins full of tasty vinyl but no one's here. WTF Wondering if this place is still in business. Perhaps caught in the sad cycle of "business failing so not open," which turns into "not open so business failing." Three stars for traditionally having amazing stuff (tho not cheap), two stars off for wasting (would-be) customers' time. read more

Amazing selection of vintage vinyl, new vinyl, all sorts of genres - I came to the shop looking for something in particular and left with several things that were even better. Five stars for the actual record selection and customer service. Three stars overall because for some reason that completely escapes me, the people running the shop put price stickers directly on the sleeves of records. You might be thinking that I'm OCD, and maybe I am, but in several cases there were up to six different price stickers on some of the LP's I purchased, and there's really not a foolproof way to remove them without risking damaging the sleeve. You can try lighter fluid and goo off and isopropyl alcohol but all of these methods risk damaging the sleeve. Why not put the price stickers on the jacket? WHY???? You have to remove the jacket to get to the sleeve... 3 stars overall. read more

Hands down the best record store I've ever been to. If you are looking for rare, hard to find albums, this is the place to go. They have an extensive import and vinyl section, too. When I had my radio show I was here almost every weekend loading up on new UK imports and hot new indie artist cds. You will not find a more knowledgeable staff anywhere. I wish Mod Lang the best of luck in their new location! Cheers! read more

I'm a vinyl head and they fulfill my fetish every time I go. Nice people, nice music overhead and in the bins ... you really can't go wrong ... well, unless you want to pick up some classic hip-hop on vinyl. But, I won't knock it. Word. read more

I sure spent a lot of my college money when they were still in Berkeley. Stocked up on 12" and import CDs. Probably one of the main sources of fueling my development in musical interest. read more

Much like the "Down Home Music Store" which is a few block away, "Mod Lang" is pandering to a specific demographic: rock and indie. This would be understood by seeing that those two demographics take up nearly 75% of the store. This store carries both CDs and vinyl and they both seem to share equal shelf space in the store. The jazz section consisted of three row of records and most of the records in there were your run of the mill dollar bin items from Amoeba and Rasputin. With that being said; their rock and indie selection were quite good. Their stock of new and used seemed very full and diverse. I was concerned to see the most recent CD by Paul Flaherty filed under Thurston Moore because his was the only name the store clerks knew. read more

If you are a UK music lover of any ilk (except for mainstream pop) you will likely find it at Mod Lang. Have not been to the EC store yet, but always trekked into the Berkeley store whenever I was in the area. Good place to see the product in person, versus mailing ordering and not usually having a clue as to what a release looks/feels/sounds like. The only problem in the past was having to buy UK CD singles as 2 parters bundled together, rather than separately. Prices are a little high but this is an elusive hobby to most, and it isn't cheap in the UK either. read more

This place is a great little nook in the crany. It has a selection that might not be large compared to larger places but it has music that is great. The staff are knowlegable about music and store offers a particular vibe that make feel welcoming and more personal. Note if they do not have it in the store they can find it for you, this is true more obscure bands you might be looking for. read more

Can I just say how much I love this place??? Let me first say that they don't get 5 stars fir one reason, and one reason only. Their hours. They have set hours, and I know they are closed on Thursdays, but I have gone over there a couple times during operating hours, and they have been closed. Not sure why. Anyway, this is a REAL record shop. When I walk in here, I am transported back to my high school days when I used to spend literally hours going through the racks of industrial and new wave at Trax on Wax in Huntington, New York. Indies? Mod Land has them Hard to find imports? Mod Lang has them and if they don't have whatever rare thing you are looking for, they will find it. Yesterday was Record Store Day, I unfortunately spent most of my afternoon at Rasputin and Amoeba in Berkeley. I got a couple of the RSD releases I wanted, but wanted a few more. I managed to get to Mod Lang somewhere around 5. They hardly had anything left either, but did have a small selection, and I walked away with a couple from it. I also picked up some 80s Echo and the Bunnymen, Psychaedelic Furs and Talking Heads for cheap cheap cheap!! I spent a decent amount in here, and that was after I spent a decent amount in Amoeba earlier. So, unfortunately I couldn't get the rare import of Primal Scream that I ran across in one of the bins. $50 for it, would have pushed me over my budget for the day. That's OK. I was drooling so much all over that find, that no one else will probably want it with the drool puddle I left. read more

Mod Lang is my first stop when I'm out looking for vinyl. It's a small, local shop in an unassuming location but it embodies everything a record store should be. The woman who runs the shop is the only employee so you know everytime you shop with her you're going to get the same great level of service. She is kind, genuinely interested in what you're listening to and she's honest. I remember bringing a record to the counter and she pointed out the large scratch and wanted to make sure I still wanted it. Her prices are very reasonable and she's willing to order anything for you so unless you're shopping with the need to listen to a new record that day (which, unfortunately, I am usually), you should place an order with her rather than pay more at Amoeba or Rasputin. Great selection of music new and used. The only reason I left this at a 4 and not a 5 is because the hours can be a bit off. She doesn't keep normal business hours which is ok with me but there have been a few times I went when it was scheduled to be open and it was closed. read more

Does anyone else remember when Mod Lang was a mail order store? It was the 80s, and my little gothy self (plus a myriad of other dirge kittens) used to randomly call in and order import EPs in every color and they were sent to us with the quickness. Ah, but that was long ago and my how the world has changed. Well, not really. If they don't have it, they will order it- same as the old days I suppose. Mod lang has the best selection of imports, hands down-psych, Brit Pop, noise, blah blah, all your typical hipster fare readily available. Obscure singles abound here. Sometimes the staff can get a little cocky, which is funny bc really they aren't as cool as they think they are- you know, 27 yr old kids living in moms basement in the burbs spinning Spacemen 3 all night until the phone finally rings for them. But I digress . . . So yeah, if your looking for good hard to find imports and don't want to pay S&H fees, just head in here bc chances are its at ML. Oh, or you can just download it like everyone else nowadays. read more

Nice, old-school record shop selling vinyl and CDs. The used alblums are at awesome, bargain prices. The lady who owns this shop is friendly and has knowledge of a lot of different music genres as well. The shop has alot of items and it can take some time to browse through them, but it's worth it. I was surprised to find decent and hard-to-find indie records. The hours are odd, so I recommend calling if you're traveling out of the way to get there. read more

This is only a review for the old shop in Berkeley - haven't been to the new one in El Cerrito yet. I have many happy memories of trekking over to the other side of campus to go to this place. I am a huge fan of Brit-pop and am a general Anglo-phile, so this place was like Mecca. The fact that it was so tiny just made it cuter. I also saw Gorky's Zygotic Mynci and Idlewild in-store here, which was awesome, and once got wristbands to meet Travis at their SF show by driving here and waiting out front in the rain in line for them (this was after I had left college). Good times. Paul and Naomi, I still read your email newsletter and I hope to make it to the new place sometime soon. I hope there's more room and better parking there! :) read more

I'm a big britpop person & Amoeba is great and all, but if i reeeally need something like a rare Space or Stone Roses or even Verve album, THIS is the place i'd go to. read more

Randomly deciding to walk down some random alley in El Cerrito and finding Mod Lang was like finding a $20 dollar bill in some old pair of jeans. Love that this sort of shop can exist still. First step into Mod Lang is like slipping into a vinyl covered dream. They've got both a nice selection of new and reprinted vinyl records, as well as all those original oldies. Everything is organized pretty nicely over here, but there's still enough random inventory to go on the hunt. The hunt is searching through stacks and stacks of records looking for anything akin to buried treasure. They do have CD's here as well, but those aren't as fun and I figure that if you're still listening to CD's you might as well have it digitally. Nothing's gonna ever replace vinyl's sound. So glad I decided to randomly check this place out. Gonna be my home base for music now! read more

Actually a vinyl collectors dream- I've found so many gems here, and they have lots of original issues at amazing prices. Example: public image limited's original silver box for about 40-60, if I remember correctly. People behind the cashier are incredibly friendly and will go through all the (unorganized) boxes for you. I usually talk with them about concerts and what not. This is probably my favorite record store in the east bay, and I'm so glad it exists and thrives. read more

At what other record store could you ask what they were playing on the stereo and have them, rather than sneer at you, actually try to figure out your taste and suggest other things for you to buy? Or have ridiculously hard to find import CDs by French indie-pop bands? And obscure psych-folk reissues from the '60s? Just another reason it's good not to live in Massachusetts anymore. read more

I've been coming to Mod Lang since my college days at Cal. I remember when they were off University Avenue, but now they are located in a nondescript building in El Cerrito due to the rising cost of rent in Berkeley. Mod Lang has been my source of getting Import CD Singles from my favorite Indie and Britpop bands. Also, they have an awesome selection of used vinyl along with new releases too. The staff has always been helpful and I really appreciate any questions I have about a particular release on vinyl or the condition of a recommend. Mod Lang might be a bit out of the way, but you'll be rewarded with the treasure trove of great music waiting to be discovered. read more

I finally got into this place when it was open, and I'm glad I persisted. It's one of those record stores where you start in one corner and work your way up and down the aisles...for hours. It's a small store, but crammed with stuff with two levels of bins; the bottom one you have to scoot around on your butt but it's fine. It's the kind of place where you find prizes. They know what they have but prices are reasonable. When I asked about something, the proprietor said, "Oh, I have a bunch of those in the back, you're welcome to go back there and dig around." It was the "back room" where customers ostensibly aren't allowed, so that was pretty cool. And I did find what I was looking for back there--stuff you never ever see at, say, Amoeba because it would disappear too fast there, for example, Echo & the Bunnymen's Shine So Hard EP (they had two versions of it). The weakest genres here would be metal and classical, but I still managed to find a couple of things from those sections, anyway. read more

Great store for rare UK imports, singles and vinyl. It's a great place to browse if you want to find out about what the next new thing will be. I've also seen some pretty fun in-store performances there over the years. read more

This one of the last great independent record stores. They have a little something for everyone (both cd and vinyl). If you can't find it, ask Naomi. She knows a ton about music by the way. I have been going to Mod Lang for over 15 years and it is worth checking out. It is tucked away between the post office and violin store so don't miss it. If you are a crate digger they have stacks of vinyl to check out. If you can't wait for the domestic releases of your favorite British and overseas releases they often have them available. If you are a music lover make sure to go see Naomi at Mod Lang ASAP. read more

This is by far my favorite record store in the East Bay. It seems like since they've moved to El Cerrito from Berkeley, their selection of Psych, Prog, oldies has grown and their Indie section has gotten a bit smaller. Maybe it's the new clientel or sellers? Either way, it's kind of refreshing, even if I am an indie girl at heart. They're kind of tucked away now behind the El Cerrito Plaza, but it's totally worth the trip. Whenever I go in there, I'm usually greeted with a hello from the single person working there who, of course, has selected an impecible record to play seemingly just for me. I can get lost in here for hours. I love it and recommend it to anyone looking for moderately priced vinyl that would cost twice as much at places like Saturn. The staff is helpful and knowledgeable, and is always willing to help you find your new favorite record by picking things out for you they think you might like. So great. read more

Got many great records here. A great place with friendly and helpful owner. So many records, new and used. Found stuff here that the big stores never got. Go in and talk to them, you'll be glad you did. read more

Oh what can I say about Mod Lang? Got some great memories with this place. Picked up some hard to find UK imports here over the years. It feeds my musical obsession! :) read more

Will writing this review actually prevent people from buying CDs elsewhere? Or just go to the shop, talk and extract information from their all-powerful staff--then bolt to Amoeba Records? Since they`re in EC now, at least you`re more likely to buy a case of Pringles than find anything `crisp` to listen to. The English shopkeeper, if I recall, loved The Flaming Groovies and West Coast music so much he fucking left England to live here! Half of the staff control the music industry now, thankfully, and are devoted to still buy from Mod Lang. And the Japanese girl is nicer and even more witty, the place should have a tip jar for every musical gem they recommend, the courses of history they change everytime they make a rocknroll lifer outta of someone who just needs a little nudge. Take them seriously. What you get is a little style everytime you walk through the aisles, it`s sorta like a place that`s indicative of the Bay Area: for the rest of the country it`s already pretty liberal, but compared to this shop places like Rasputin`s and Amoeba are digital detergent. They might as well be selling shoes, compared to what this place did, does and are doing. Even from thousands of miles away I keep tabs on this place, you gotta, you know? Let me add that you can park even the crappiest of musical tastes, and have the most handicapped of dubious audio choices--you can still show up to move up several notches on the besht shounds. read more

The first time I walked into Mod Lang, I almost tripped over a giant cat. I took that as a sign - stores with cats (especially big fat ones) are usually friendly. Stepping into Mod Lang is like opening Pandora's box. You think you'll just pop in for that obscure UK import you can't get out of your head but end up walking out with a cool old school punk album that reminds you of your best friend from summer camp or that folk album your dad used to play for you when you were a kid. Last time I visited, I was able to replace a decaying cassette tape of Boston bands - taped off the radio and held together with duct tape - with a CD reissued on a tiny boutique label. Never in a million years would I have been able to find that as a download off the Internet. Oh happy day! There is no poseur attitude here. You shop at Mod Lang because you love the type of music they offer (alternative, indie, punk, British Invasion, psychedelic, folk....) not because you have a cool new haircut the world needs to see. If you're having a little trouble finding what you're looking for, they probably know where it is. If they don't have it, they'll special order for you. If you time your purchase right, they may even throw in promotional material that came with release. What's not to like? read more

I'd gone in there a couple times in the past. Good selection of imports and rare stuff. However, I recently requested a hard to find CD from them. They said it would take a week to order (took more like two and a half). When they called, I told them I'd come by the next day around mid day to pick it up. So I got there the nest day around noon. The store was closed. Hmm guess the 11 am - 7 pm hours listed both on their web site and store front don't mean anything. Clearly, they're open when they feel like showing up. Sure would be nice if they would post the hours someone is actually there. I waited 45 minutes and no sign of anyone. Finally left. Guess the CD I ordered will gather dust since I'm not going back there again. Mod Lang = massive Fail. read more

Update: They've moved so the set up is most likely different. Attention all scensters and wanna-be scensters outfitted in your favorite tight trousers and A-symmetrical hair cuts...This tiny, English style shop (i.e. shloads of obscure singles) is the place you wanna be! Mod Lang is the place for all things NME (Britpop and Indie). On the left, you'll find the "rock side" including local and international indie and your bigger rock titles. On the right you'll find obscure dance from almost all genres and a minimal amount of Hip-hop and Reggae. For the over 40 set, smack dab in the middle you will find an insane collection of PSYCH, FOLK, PROG and other equally out there longhair ish. You might get a little sticker shock because they carry imports for the most part and the exchange rate sucks but there is lots of used stuff. If you're Post Punk, Post Rock, No Wave, Electroclash or still staring at your shoes like it was 1991 you'll probably make the same face you made when you stepped into the SF Amoeba for the first time. Sign up for the mailing list. Getting fired from this dope little record spot was the best/worst thing that's ever happened to me! P.S. Of course they carry vinyl. read more

This is by far one of the best independently owned record stores in the Bay Area. I used to visit this place every time I hopped off the Downtown Berkeley Bart exit. There's more free parking now in its El Cerrito location which is the main reason why they moved. They have a great selection of indie, imports and Britpop (their specialty), so even if they don't have what you're looking for when you visit, you can always special order it. They also offer freebies with your purchase which other places don't do, so it might be worth paying those extra three bucks for your favourite band's newest record if they throw in a free t-shirt right? It's a tiny place, but I was always felt welcome whenever I visited. The owner is really helpful and you can tell it's something she loves. I used to be on their weekly music mailing list but I no longer get it for some reason. Support it and keep indie music shops alive. read more

Mod Lang is what a music store should be like, excellent select, helpful staff and special orders are no problem.

What a small music store should be: specialized, run by interesting and interested people. Their music bins are very close, as the crow flies, to those in the Barnes and Noble, but the experience is radically different. Yes, it can be a little intimidating to not know a huge percentage of the music they carry, but just ask and they will help. Kudos for lots and lots of support of local bands, and relative unknowns - witness the thank you note from Coldplay thanking Mod Lang for their support. read more