So there was this record shop in Sacramento called The Beat. And when the CD music revolution happened (around 84-85) for us ordinary middle class folks, The Beat had a deal where you could “buy” a used CD, but only for a nominal fee up front and the rest later, and if you returned it within two business days (or maybe a week, it was a long time ago) you didn’t owe the remainder. It was a great deal that was helpful during the hey dey of Maxell high quality recording cassettes.
I would go to The Beat at least once a week while this policy stayed in effect (maybe a year or two?) and load up. One such CD I picked up was Red Box’s The Circle and the Square. Never heard them on radio. But loved this album. I did return it to The Beat, but eventually I bought it on Amazon. It’s great, especially the vocals. Billy’s Lane is a good listen.
Sadly, The Beat is no more. https://sactoday.6amcity.com/remembering-the-beat-record-store-that-spun-sac-31-years