In 2006, we thought we had seen the last of Sleater-Kinney. Following a long, brutal tour in support of The Woods (#SP0670), the band declared they were going on an "indefinite hiatus" with no plans for "future tours or recordings." Years passed. Drummer Janet Weiss went on to join Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks, appearing on two of his albums. Frontwoman Corin Tucker released a solo album. Co-frontwoman Carrie Brownstein re-teamed with Weiss for the short-lived supergroup Wild Flag, and in 2011, she launched her Peabody Award-winning IFC TV show Portlandia.
But, then... surprise! The band returned with No Cities to Love. "I always considered Corin and Carrie to be musical soulmates in the tradition of the greats," Weiss said in a press release. "Something about taking a break brought them closer, desperate to reach together again for their true expression." — JH
Date Played: July 27 on The Morning Show with John Richards
Expect nothing less from Sarah Silverman than a thoroughly uncomfortable comedy special. The acclaimed comedian released the We Are Miracles record on Sub Pop. It had previously aired on HBO, for which she was given an Emmy Award. While it is not for the faint of heart, We Are Miracles succeeds as an extremely dissident set of stand-up comedy, taking on topics like systematic racism, Jewish stereotypes, and rape culture. - MH
Date Played: July 27 on The Morning Show with John Richards
This limited edition 7” single was a pre-order incentive for their LP Lese Majesty (#SP1044). It features a non-album track, and the instrumental rendition of it on the B-Side.
Date Played: July 27 by Atticus
A limited edition bonus 7” given away to those who pre-ordered her full-length When the Cellar Children See the Light of Day (#SP1075). The Finnish signer-songwriter was a recent signing for Sub Pop, and in a 2014 interview with Nordic music site Ja Ja Ja Music she expressed her enthusiasm about the relationship. "I am very excited about it, mainly because they have that long history and experience. They have the right kind of attitude and resources. I am very happy, especially now when it is clear that nobody is trying to influence me. I had this silly stereotype of a big American company coming and telling me how to became a star. But I’m glad I was wrong. It is a good match for me. They love what I do.” — JH
Date Played: July 27 by Atticus
"I paged my sponsor,
I paged my dealer, then I
waited; heads or tails"
Is this the first book to appear in the Sub Pop discography? (Not counting the stapled, Xerox’ed zines that made up their very first releases.) Well, they couldn’t have chosen a better debut. Seattle’s Danny Bland has been on the label for decades, as a member of Cat Butt, the Best Kissers in the World, and Dwarves. He returns to Sub Pop with a collection of haiku poetry, with calligraphy by Exene Cervenka of L.A. punk legends X and photography by Greg Dulli (The Afghan Whigs, The Gutter Twins, and The Twilight Singers). “What Danny does to dainty haiku would land a lesser man in the hoosegow,” claims Jonathan Poneman. "Perfect for my attention span.” — JH
Date NOT Played: July 27
With the 2014 signing of GOAT, Sub Pop’s publicity department had their work cut-out for them. The band is shrouded in mystery and elaborate costumes: feather headdresses adorned with peacock feathers, long robes, beaded masks. It’s uncertain how many people are in the band. They don’t reveal their names. Their bio declares the band hails from the Swedish town of Korpilombolo, Norrbotten County, population 529, and 100 of those people are said to be in GOAT. Then again, they told UK publication The Guardian that there are 2,500 band members, so who knows.
What we do know is the band combines influences from Krautrock to desert blues to ‘60s psych-rock to Afropop and beyond. While Commune is their second album overall, it’s their first for Sub Pop. "We listen to a lot of music from all over the world and we are really into rhythms,” someone said to The Quietus in 2014. "We don't think so much about it, we just do what we feel like. So if we want to do a song sounding like a jam from somewhere, we try to do that, because it's fun, because it feels right. There's not much thinking, not much planning or anything. Everything sounds like something else at the end; but just do what you feel like and have a good time doing it, if it comes out okay then great.” — JH
Date Played: July 27 by Atticus
A year after their stunning debut The Sun Dogs (#SP1053), Seattle’s Rose Windows released this 2-song 7” single to hold us over ’til their sophomore album. Both songs are non-album tracks, exclusive to this release. Side A, titled "There is a Light”, was recorded towards the end of The Sun Dogs sessions, and matches the album’s rootsy, psych-rock. A press release reveals that "Fix Me," the B-side, was inspired by Curtis Mayfield, an artist who was in heavy rotation on the tour bus during The Sun Dogs tour. — JH
Date Played: July 27 by Atticus
The “Ends” 7” single was a pre-order incentive for the full-length CLPPNG LP (#SP1071), spotlighting the second to last track on the album. “...it comes at the end of the album because I think it feels like a wrap up of the things we’ve been through by the time we reach that point,” Daveed Diggs explained to Spectrum Culture. "It is also a rhythmic nod to Schoolboy Q.” Side B features the non-album track “Brian.” — JH
Date Played: July 26 by DJ Abbie
This three song 7” single was a bonus with the reissue of The Constantines 2003 album Shine a Light. Side A features their cover of the Talking Heads song "Thank You for Sending Me an Angel” and a cover of “Raw Youth” by fellow Canuck band Royal City. Side B is the non-album track "Hotline Operator.”
Date Played: July 26 on The Afternoon Show with Kevin Cole
Within 48 hours of hearing the master recordings, Sub Pop co-founder Jonathan Poneman offered Melbourne-via-Brooklyn duo Luluc a contract. The band already had fans vouching for them: their 2008 debut Dear Hamlyn attracted the attention of Nick Drake producer Joe Boyd, and Aaron Dessner of The National was so impressed he invited the band to his Ditmas Park, Brooklyn studio and co-produced this follow-up LP. Together, bandmates Zoë Randell and Steve Hassett weave some of the loveliest songs on the label, described by Poneman as “bracing, subtle, tender and magnificent.” Dessner’s bandmate Matt Berninger said at the time, "I’ve played Passerby on repeat, for months it was the only album I wanted to listen to." — JH
Date Played: July 26 on The Midday Show with Troy Nelson
A year before their debut studio album CLPPNG (#SP1071) came out, the L.A. trio self-released this mix tape via Bandcamp. A mere three months later, Sub Pop signed them up, reissuing this release in 2014. In an interview with Impose Magazine, the band describe how they got signed to the label.
"As far as I know, Garrett Kelly, who works in IT (I believe) at Sub Pop, played midcity for Tony Kiewel, who does A&R there,” stated Jonathan Snipes. "He sent us a really nice email telling us how much he liked the record. We kept in touch, he came to a show of ours in LA, and eventually he asked if we'd want to work together.”
His co-composer William Hutson added, "Yeah. Tony dropped us an email a couple weeks after our project came out telling us he dug it. He also asked us if we wanted him to send us any records on Sub Pop. It took a lot of restraint not to immediately write back: “We’ll each take first edition Bleach LPs — the ones on white vinyl, with the posters. Thanks!” We really didn’t think anything would come of it, though. But when we went to Seattle to play a show, Tony invited us to hang out at the offices and then a bunch of Sub Pop people came to our show that night. Even Jonathan Poneman, the label’s founder, came out to see us play, which really blew us away. I mean, that’s the dude that signed Nirvana.” — JH
Date Played: July 26 on The Midday Show with Troy Nelson
This was another Record Store Day 2014 release, limited edition of 1,770 copies. Both sides of the record feature a special double groove, with each parallel groove containing a different song. In addition to the title track — a single from their recent full-length Close to the Glass (#SP1074) — the EP offers three unreleased tracks: one new song, and two exclusive remixes.
Date Played: July 26 on The Morning Show with John Richards
Sub Pop was really feeling generous for the 2014 edition of Record Store Day. In addition to SP1085 and SP1086, they issued this four song EP of live in-studio tracks from our friends at the BBC, limited edition to 3000 copies.
Date Played: July 26 by Sean
First off, this is not a cover of The Jackson 5’s 1969 hit. For Record Store Day 2014, Calgary's Chad VanGaalen dug into his vault, sharing four previously unreleased tracks. And VanGaalen himself drew the cover art — is there anything this guy can’t do? — JH
Date Played: July 25 on The Afternoon Show with Kevin Cole
I can’t remember who came up with this idea, but in 2013, Sub Pop was celebrating their 25th anniversary, and we wanted to do something huge. And what could be bigger than sending one of the label's anchor artists to the top of a Seattle landmark? So, on July 11th, two local icons collided as Mudhoney performed on the top of the Space Needle. And for the Record Store Day 2014, Sub Pop released the session on to vinyl, limited edition of 2700. While the 12” is long out of print, you can still watch the session on KEXP’s YouTube channel here. — JH
Date Played: July 25 on The Afternoon Show with Kevin Cole
The second album from the Seattle duo may sound a little spacier than its predecessor, awE naturalE (#SP0960), but lyrically, EarthEE is a grounded sweep through terrestrial concerns such as the appropriation and subsequent watering down of historically black music ("Blandland"), black identity ("Post Black, Anyway"), how capitalism plays into the slow decay of this sphere we live on ("Planet for Sale"), and the sugar rush of kicking some game ("Nature's Candy"). An astral sweep carries the album's thirteen songs to otherworldly territory, siphoning African rhythms ("Recognition"), lurching neo-soul ("Universal Perspective," "No GMO"), and minimalist bounce (closer "I Read You"), rounded out by an all-star cast which includes the members of Shabazz Palaces (naturally), future Sub Pop signee Porter Ray, and Meshell Ngodeocello(!). As history played itself out, the two members of TheeSatisfaction forged separate paths not too long after the release of this album, but remain at the forefront of creativity in Seattle's music scene as Stas THEE Boss (who also hosts KEXP's Street Sounds, in case you didn't know) and SassyBlack. — MD
Date Played: July 25 on The Midday Show with Troy Nelson
If you didn’t know that J. Mascis was the howling guitar player behind Dinosaur Jr., his solo records would seem like a natural fit for his whispery, soothing voice. It’s an aesthetic that fits him remarkably well. Building off the blissful tones of his solo debut, Several Shades of Why, Tied To A Star once again finds Mascis picking up the acoustic guitar to channel some of his most tender moments on record. He gets some help from a few friends as well, including Cat Power’s Chan Marshall, Miracle Legion/Polaris’ Mark Mulcahy, Black Heart Procession’s Pall Jenkins, and Ken Mauri (who has occasionally performed with Mulcahy, Pedro The Lion, and The B-52s). - DH
Date Played: July 25 on The Midday Show with Troy Nelson
While Sub Pop has delved into country more than a few times in its 30 year history, it’s hardly ever ventured into true “southern rock” territory. In 2014, Lee Bains III & The Glory Fires came in swinging to break that streak. The Alabama outfit indulges in fiery, twangy riffs with blue collar hooks. Their sophomore album Dereconstructed grooves like a crowded bar just before close, the bartender screaming somewhere in the background to try and get everyone out to no avail. Truly, there’s no other Sub Pop record that sounds quite like this. It’s an enthusiastic blurt of noise without any pretense, the ideal soundtrack for your next night of rowdy antics. - DH
Date Played: July 25 on The Morning Show with John Richards
There’s four previous albums of evidence to prove that Chad VanGaalen is one of the foremost active genre-benders in the music industry, but his fifth album Shrink Dust finds him seeking out even further territory to cover: this time it’s plaintive sounds of country. Or, at least, a VanGaalen version of “country.” The songs were originally conceived as the soundtrack to a science fiction film called TARBOZ (translated log of inhabitants). The short film wouldn’t come out until 2017, but the 2014 album still gives us plenty of astounding VanGaalen weirdness to get lost in. He mixes acoustic guitars and the longing sounds of the steel guitar to create his most nostalgic album yet, even with his minds inching toward the mysteries of the cosmos. - DH
Date Played: July 25 on The Morning Show with John Richards
King Tuff aka Kyle Thomas had already bewitched audiences with his 2012 self-titled sophomore record on Sub Pop, but the follow-up Black Moon Spell only ups the ante. A devilish blend of garage rock and glam, Thomas recorded the album in hot winter in Los Angeles. The juxtaposition to the Sunset Strip and fiery heat must have had an impression on Thomas as Black Moon Spell twists and contorts more furiously than he had before. The opening title track also features drumming from the one and only Ty Segall, meaning we get two modern garage rock titans on the same record. - DH
Date Played: July 25 by Abbie
As far as box sets go, it’s hard to find many quite as robust as the one Mogwai released for their 2014 album Rave Tapes. The massive deluxe edition set includes copies of the album on vinyl, CD, and cassette, a 7-inch with a new track, a 12-inch with two new tracks, art prints, a hardcover book full of photos from the creation of the album, and *gasp* a download code. Only 500 copies were made of this incredibly thorough set. - DH
Date Played: July 25 by Abbie
Following with the dreamy sound established on the “Easy” 7” single (#SP1072), London artist Lyla Foy continues to create lush, romantic soundscapes on her debut LP Mirrors the Sky. Foy’s soaring, sometimes-throaty voice calls to mind Laura Burhenn of The Mynabirds, and the music is a cozy combination of synth percussion and organic instrumentation. "“When I first started writing for the project, I wanted everything to be really focused on the melodies, but also really simple and minimal,” Foy explained in her press release. “Just using a lot of bass and simple drum patterns. So it was completely different to anything I was doing at the time.” Sharp-eared listeners will catch the album track “Impossible” in the closing credits of an episode of Netflix’s Bojack Horseman (Season 1, Episode 7). — JH
Date Played: July 24 on The Afternoon Show with Kevin Cole
A limited edition bonus 7” that was given as an incentive for pre-ordering Rave Tapes and was also included in the Rave Tapes box set. This single only features one new song, exclusive to this release, titled "Tell Everybody That I Love Them." The B-side is an exquisite art carving of the album artwork into the vinyl.
Date Played: July 24 on The Afternoon Show with Kevin Cole
After the release of their eight album, Rave Tapes (#SP1076), Scottish post-rock legends Mogwai released a sprawling boxset version of the record packed with bonus tracks and singles. One of which is this 12-inch single featuring “Bad Magician 3” and “Die 1 Dislike!” Both tracks are remarkably self-contained for a band known for sprawling opuses. Aside from the lack of vocals, it feels like either song could be a pop-rock radio hit in the making. But that’s part of what makes Mogwai so great – their willingness to create and leave something be without pushing it to an intentional accessibility. You can still fawn over the the riffs on “Bag Magician 3” even without a hook to speak of, beckoning the immersive tones to repeat again and again. - DH
Date Played: July 24 on The Midday Show with Hans
From a general vibe perspective, Mirel Wagner's second album (and first for Sub Pop) sounds more like a lost album from a century ago than something that could have possibly been released in this decade. The haunting blues and folk of the Finnish singer/songwriter is stark and spare, near-obsessed with death, and filled with imagery — creaky cellar doors, big oak trees — that immediately conjures up dirt roads and cabins with wood-burning stoves. Even when Wagner sings "I climbed a thousand stairs to give you a kiss" on "Taller Than Tall Trees," the tone is more reminiscent of the prelude to a murder ballad than starry-eyed romance. — MD
Date Played: July 24 on The Midday Show with Hans
The Notwist were by no means a new act when they emerged in the Sub Pop catalog in 2014. The German outfit has traversed a wealth of music territory since their inception in 1989, from hardcore and heavy metal to experimental electronic musings. It’s the latter that occupies the majority of their Sub Pop debut, Close to the Glass, yet you can feel hints of their history popping in and out between the obtuse beats and wavering synthesizer drones. There’s the pop-rock inclinations of “Kong” sandwiched between the avant garde title track and glitch-fest “Into Another Tune.” Just a few songs later, the band picks up the acoustic guitar for the tender “Casino” and again on “Steppin In,” sounding more like The Microphones than Squarepusher. A review in A.V. Club describes the album as the band “anxiously reaching out through the morass of modern technology, one listening device at a time.” - DH
Date Played: July 24 on The Morning Show with John RIchards
This 7-inch was made available with pre-orders of Dum Dum Girls’ final album Too True (#SP1040), featuring the album smokey, new wave single “Rimbaud Eyes.” The single also features the b-side cut “Girls Intuition,” which would also be featured on the b-side of the band’s “Coming Down” single. You know what they say, always a b-side, never an… a-side. - DH
Date Played: July 24 by Reeves
After briefly performing under the moniker WALL, London songwriter Lyla Foy returns to her birth name with this 7-inch featuring the languid and dreamy “Easy” and “Head Down.” It was a surprising path for Foy to end up on the label under her name. She’d performed in groups and collaborations prior, but didn’t begin making solo material until 2012. One year later she’d release this single, a pre-cursor to her debut solo album Mirrors The Sky - DH
Date Played: July 24 by Reeves
Years before Daveed Diggs would earn himself a Tony for his performance in the Broadway hit musical Hamilton, he served (and still serves) as the MC for Los Angeles hip-hop trio clipping. If you’ve done any sort of music recording or production, you’ll know “clipping” as the phenomenon when a sound is overdriven beyond a normal volume and begins to distort. And that’s about what clipping. sounds like as well. They group embraces these harsh aesthetics, allowing the drums to clip in the mix. After releasing their debut mixtape Midcity in 2013, the band was quickly swiped up by Sub Pop and released their first proper LP in 2014 with CLPPNG. Diggs’ flow is electric over William Huston Jonathan Snipes’ beats, trading bars with the likes of Gangsta Boo, King T, and Cocc Pistol Cree. - DH
Date Played: July 23 by DJ Riz
Nearly 20 years into their career, Scottish band Mogwai continue to evolve, as demonstrated on their eighth full-length Rave Tapes. Long-time fans won’t feel alienated as the group stay true to their post-rock beginnings, but on this release, they begin to incorporate more electronics than ever before — hence the cheeky album title. Yet even as they move forward, they nod to the past with their first spoken-word sample in ages: a sample of a 1981 broadcast by evangelist Michael Mills where he discusses Satanic messages hidden on Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven.”
"It’s not my favorite Led Zeppelin song, but I remember learning to play it as a teenager,” guitarist Stuart Braithwaite reflected to Consequence of Sound. "For people learning guitar, it’s kind of a stage two song, after maybe 'House of the Rising Sun'. I remember learning to play it and being quite pleased with myself.” — JH
Date Played: July 23 on The Afternoon Show with Troy Nelson
Continuing with their theme of covers that began with Fellow Travelers (#SP1050) and extended to their Record Store Day split 7” single with Low (#SP1068) and their split 7" with Sharon Van Etten (#SP1049), Shearwater presented this single as an album pre-order incentive in 2013, but by next year, it was available for purchase on its own. Side A features their cover of the Mountain Goats’ beloved track “This Year,” while Side B is their version of "Black River Song” by Angels of Light (Michael Gira’s band after he disbanded his influential group Swans). — JH
Date Played: July 23 on The Afternoon Show with Troy Nelson
For 2013’s Record Store Day Black Friday, Low and Shearwater teamed up for this limited edition split 7” single of covers. On the A-Side, the Duluth, MN-trio committed their cover of Rihanna’s “Stay" to vinyl. Earlier that year, they wow’ed the crowd with their rendition at the Pitchfork Music Festival. On the B-Side, Shearwater unleashed their version of Frank Ocean’s "Novacane.” The project was right up their alley, as just a week before, they released Fellow Travelers (#SP1050), an LP featuring nothing but covers. While it’s now out-of-print, at the time sales went to two separate charities: Rock for Kids on Low’s behalf, and the Southern Poverty Law Center from Shearwater. — JH
Date Played: July 23 on The Midday Show with Stevie Zoom
Father John Misty himself, Josh Tillman, pulls back from his typical flamboyant folk rock to provide the score for the indie film The History Of Caves. Directed by Emma Tillman (Josh’s wife and the titular muse from Father John Misty’s I Love You, Honeybear), the score dives into more spacious elements than any of the Misty material. The record sounds more akin to some of the most open moments in his J. Tillman solo era. We hardly ever hear his voice aside from one a capella track, making this LP our best view into his instrumental prowess. - DH
Date Played: July 22 on The Midday Show with Stevie Zoom
Let’s look back, all the way to #SP0017 and #SP0025. For #SP1065, Sub Pop has combined them into one remastered reissue and even threw in some extra tracks from the Sub Pop 200 (#SP0025) compilation. This marks the first time these tracks were available digitally and the first time in decades they were on vinyl. And the whole shebang was remastered by the great (and original producer) Jack Endino.
Date Played: July 23 on The Morning Show with John Richards
This limited edition 7” single was a pre-order incentive for Bed & Bugs (#SP1058). Recorded live at Red 7 in Austin, TX by Dutch Worthington on August 3, 2012. “Refund” originally appeared on a 7” single from La Castanya, “Talking to the Dog” is from I Blame You (#SP0785), and “New August” is on Moody, Standard and Poor (#SP0857).
Date Played: July 22 by DJ Evie
The album art here says it all: a gleeful leap of youth, capturing a carefree moment under the sun. You won’t be surprised at all to learn that the band members of UK duo Thumpers have been childhood friends since age 11.
John Hamson Jr. (drums, vocals, bass) had been playing with Noah and the Whale and was a touring member for Friendly Fires. In 2012, he reconnected with Marcus Pepperell (vocals, guitar, keys) and the two rekindled a songwriting partnership they began as teens. Their rose-colored (literally) vinyl debut 7” single and a couple of EPs caught the attention of Sub Pop, and you can just hear that summertime jump in this debut LP. "We got sent the record and it was really emotional to see that logo from the back of Bleach (#SP0034) on the back of our record. Sub Pop was the first label I'd really heard of, so to be with that list of bands is just insane,” Hamson told Gigwise in a 2014 interview.
"We wanted to make an escapist record,” Hamson explained to Under the Radar. "It's called Galore because it's about a three-dimensional, Technicolor, overwhelming experience and nostalgia of firsts...the noise and heat and darkness of going to a gig for the first time; a sensory overload.” — JH
Date Played: July 22 by DJ Evie
It had been 16 years since we’d heard from The Afghan Whigs. After a 2001 press release declaring they’d disbanded, frontman Greg Dulli redirected his attention to what had been side projects: The Twilight Singers and The Gutter Twins with Mark Lanegan (see #SP0761). But a 2011 invitation to perform at All Tomorrow's Parties kicked off a revitalization that led to Do to the Beast.
And it feels like they never left: their seventh studio album retains the same dark gritty sound that made 1992’s Congregation (#SP0130) such a breakthrough success. “A lot of records I’ve done stemmed from epochal experiences in my life – and this time I’ve used them all,” Dulli said in a press release. “These new songs are very visual to me. They come from the neighborhoods of my mind. It’s like Rashomon, with the story told from different points of memory.” — JH
Date Played: July 22 by Stevie Zoom
“The first record was written and recorded with a lot of limitations. It’s almost easier that way,” bassist Chris Zasche says in a press release of the Seattle band’s acclaimed self-titled debut (#SP0915, one of the label’s best-selling debut releases to date). "This time around, with more time and resources, there were few limitations, so we had to be in charge of keeping a focus and not getting distracted but at the same time exploring the options available. It wasn’t easy, but from this I think a clearer, more focused record has been made.”
Let’s Be Still was recorded at Seattle’s Studio Litho but mixed in Bridgeport, CT with Grammy-award-winning audio engineer Peter Katis (known for his work with The National, Interpol, and the Swell Season). “When I think about the two records together, the first one feels like we all wanted to fulfill this dream we’d had about playing music, meeting people and traveling around,” drummer Tyler Williams adds in the press release. “This one feels like the consequences of doing that — what relationships did you ruin? What other things did you miss? You always think it will all be perfect once you just do ‘this.’ And that’s not always the case.” — JH
Date Played: July 2 by Stevie Zoom
A limited edition 7” single available as a pre-order incentive for Paracosm (#SP1055) featuring two non-album tracks.
Date Played: July 2
Around this time period, the New York metropolitan area was in the throes of a bed bug epidemic. After being dormant for nearly 40 years, a growing infestation of the blood-sucking insects returned with a vengeance. And after two full-lengths on Sub Pop (2011’s Moody, Standard and Poor and the 2009 debut I Blame You), Brooklyn band Obits returned with their third album Bed & Bugs. (Yeah, I just did that.)
When guitarist/vocalist Rick Froberg (Drive Like Jehu, Hot Snakes) and guitarist Sohrab Habibion (Edsel) first formed the band in 2006, they were almost haunted by their indie rock pedigree. By Bed & Bugs, they had refined their own distinctive sound — sure, a meld of their past, but also an infestation (yep, sorry) of ‘60s and ‘70s garage rock. Sadly, at the height of their career, the band called it quits in 2015, leaving us all itching for more. (I’m stopping now.) — JH
Date Played: July 21 by Troy Nelson
This limited edition 7” single featured two non-album tracks from Daughn; offered as a pre-order incentive for his Sub Pop debut, Me Moan (#SP1010).
Date Played: July 21 by Troy Nelson
For those who don't remember, Swedish collective Goat arrived to Sub Pop under a shroud of mystery, following the masterful album World Music. Their debut single for Sub Pop was a double a-side 7" that featured "Dreambuilding" and "StoneGoat," both of which remain highlights of the Goat catalog. With luck, more albums soon came from the band, and several US tours. - MH
Date Played: July 21 by DJ Morgan
“I’ve grown as a songwriter to the point where I want to have more involved arrangements, and that’s really hard to do with sampling,” says Ernest Greene, aka Washed Out, via the album’s press release. On this sophomore album, he stretched out from his critically-acclaimed debut Within And Without, utilizing 50 different instruments including Mellotron, Chamberlin, Novatron, and Optigan. “These machines were kind of a happy medium: The sounds have a very worn, distressed quality about them, much like an old sample,” he continued. "But they also offer much more flexibility because they’re playable.” — JH
Date Played: July 21 by DJ Morgan
Making their first (and last!) appearance in the Sub Pop catalog is Italian trio His Electro Blue Voice. (To be fair, they did have a track on the Sub Pop 1000 compilation.) With a sound self-described as “kraut-noise-punk”, it’s easy to see what attracted the label in the first place, and maybe easy to hear how their unique hybrid sound may have been difficult to market. But there’s no bad blood; in an interview with Noisey, frontman/main songwriter Francesco Mariani graciously notes, "Everyone has ambitions and the right to pursue them. Both us and them. We simply fell out of touch during the years. Thanks to Sub Pop we had more attention to that usually given to punk noise bands, without having to promote a lot the LP. We had never played live before, nevertheless they decided to work with us. This is crazy.” — JH
Date Played: July 20 on The Afternoon Show with Stevie Zoom
While folk rock was reaching a fever pitch in Seattle during 2013, Rose Windows offered a much different “trip” for listeners. While many of their peers embraced sounds of the 1970s, primarily the lush arrangements of vocal harmonies and acoustic guitars, Rose Windows dared to embrace the era’s psychedelic maximalism. Produced by local legend Randall Dunn (known for working with vivacious experimental acts like SunnO))) and Earth), The Sun Dogs sizzles and contorts like one of their Seattle peers. There’s a classicism to the band’s approach, erupting in fits of fury as guitars and drums clamor against one another. It’s the air guitar record of the early 2010s in the Northwest without losing a sense of heady artistic approach. - DH
Date Played: July 20 on The Afternoon Show with Stevie Zoom
Mogwai scoring a French vampire television show is maybe the most Mogwai thing to ever happen. And it’s glorious. Les Revenants provides the soundtrack for the series of the same name. The band had cut their teach in the film score world, contributing to Darren Aronofsky’s The Fountain as well as the football documentary Zindane: A 21st Century Portrait, but Les Revenants allowed the Scottish post-rock outfit to really stretch their soundtrack muscles. The score is appropriately eerie and sprawling, a devilish simmer to match the show’s tone. The music holds up as a fine Mogwai album outside of the context of the show as well, showcasing the band’s brilliant knack for gargantuan, tasteful instrumental arrangements. - DH
Date Played: July 20 on The Midday Show with Cheryl Waters
Based in St. Paul, Minnesota, experimental hardcore trio Condominium put out this sole single on Sub Pop. The "Carl" single was Condominium's sixth vinyl release overall, the majority released on their own Condominium Records. The band has ties to a number of DIY Minneapolis/St. Paul fixtures, including the remarkable Extreme Noise Records, a volunteer run co-op that specializes in punk and outre sounds. Although Condominium went on hiatus after their drummer moved in 2015, they still play shows sporadically around the Twin Cities area. This single is an brief, exhilarating reminder of Condominium's strength and artistic fury. - MH
Date Played: July 20 on The Midday Show with Cheryl Waters
“Fellow Travelers wasn’t supposed to be a full-length record,” Shearwater’s Jonathan Meiburg says in a Sub Pop press release. “So I’m a little surprised to admit that it’s my favorite Shearwater album so far.”
What began as an EP of covers quickly grew and grew into a full-length project. Meiburg didn’t want to just cover any bands, but specifically artists Shearwater had toured with. It results in an eclectic mix of artists, featuring renditions of songs by St. Vincent, Coldplay, Clinic, Sharon Van Etten, Xiu Xiu, and more. But if you didn’t know the originals, Fellow Travelers would be unmistakable from a “normal” Shearwater album. Meiburg’s throaty croons and pensive arrangements flourish, as confident and brooding as any of his original material. - DH
Date Played: July 20 on The Morning Show with John Richards
Media site The A.V. Club has a pretty great, long-running series called "Undercover," where they invite musicians to their offices to play a song selected from a list provided by A.V. Club readers. The series is an embarrassment of riches, including such amazing and unexpected entries as Low covering "Africa" and Dum Dum Girls taking on Big Star's "September Gurls." (Jumping outside of the Sub Pop bubble for just a second, GWAR does a version of Kansas' "Carry on Wayward Son" that has to be seen and heard to be believed.) While on tour together, Shearwater and Sharon Van Etten (under the name Sharon Van Ettenwater) offer a faithful rendition of the Stevie Nicks/Tom Petty duet (and eternal karaoke staple) "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around" for A.V. Undercover and then put it on a single for Record Store Day. It's not surprising Van Etten and Shearwater frontman Jonathan Meiburg deliver pitch-perfect harmonies here. — MD
Date Played: July 19 by DJ Shannon
In advance of Sub Pop's Silver Jubilee in the Georgetown neighborhood in Seattle (if you missed it, it was a very good time where there was a guy drinking out of a bag of Franzia wine during Pissed Jeans' set), the label released this compilation for Record Store Day. A collection of album cuts (Still Corners' "Berlin Lovers," Pissed Jeans' "Bathroom Laughter"), singles (Total Control's "Scene from a Marriage," King Tuff's "Screaming Skull"), and a Helio Sequence remix of Shabazz Palaces' "Recollections of the Wraith," it is a very good document of where the label was at on the doorstep of their 25th anniversary celebration. — MD
Date Played: July 19 by DJ Shannon
Avigdor Zahner-Isenberg was all of nineteen years old when his self-titled debut album under the Avi Buffalo name (SP0865) was released, exhibiting a self-evident youthful energy in his brand of sunkissed, winsome indie-pop. A little more measured and nostalgic (but no less infused with melody or expletives), At Best Cuckold is bolstered by its arrangements (flourishing with strings and piano) and heart-scraping lyrics about obliterated friendships ("Two Cherished Understandings" is a good example of both coming together in a big way). In an interview with Noisey, Zahner-Isenberg says about the album: "It’s probably more so than the last one. Maybe because I was going through a different patch of life? This record has a lot more piano and orchestral and arranged things. It gets away from typical guitar rock. I taught myself keys when I was 16, and I played mostly all the keys on this record. This one’s different because I am a little bit older and I have been listening to different music than when I first wrote." The passage of time is an underlying theme which runs throughout the course of the album, and you can hear the years being played out on At Best Cuckold with an indelible sway. — MD
Date Played: July 19 on The Afternoon Show with Troy Nelson
Before “Fireflies” would appear as a standout track on Still Corners’ sophomore LP Creatures of Horror, the song was self-released as a 7-inch before being absorbed in the Sub Pop canon. The rushing synths and swooning vocals make the song appropriate for late night reminiscing, maybe with some actual fireflies floating about? Why not! In Pitchfork’s review, which awarded the song the coveted “Best New Track” honor, called the song the band’s “most immediate and starry-eyed song to date, with Tessa Murray's multi-tracked vocals navigating their way through gorgeously empty terrain dotted with cymbal washes and gently pulsing synth tones.” - DH
Date Played: July 19 on The Afternoon Show with Troy Nelson
Despite how long fans have been crossing their fingers, the chance of a second Postal Service album actually happening appear to get slimmer and slimmer with each passing year (although, as we saw with SP0740, the label does have a slot reserved for such an album should it materialize). But with the 10th anniversary of Give Up, the band not only shared a remastered version of the record but also a second disc of b-sides, rarities, and unreleased tracks. New tracks like “Turn Around,” “A Tattered Line of String,” and “Be Still My Heart” paired with previously released covers like “Against All Odds” can tantalize the imagination of what a second Postal Service record may have sounded like. There’s also a number of remixes as well as live versions of songs, including a performance of “Recycled Air” live on KEXP (hey, that’s us!). - DH
Date Played: July 19 on The Midday Show with Cheryl Waters
With 18 tracks spread across seven suites (with such titles as Federal Bureau Boys and Long Climb to the Gallows), Lese Majesty, the monumental follow-up to 2011's Black Up (#SP0900) is just as sonically fractured as its predecessor but covers even more musical ground, spreading its wings through genres like skittish house and brightly acidic ambient music while still exploring the past half-century of black music in their very singular way. Intellectually interstellar but emotionally grounded, Ishmael Butler and Tendai Maraire have established a world of their own in the music of Shabazz Palaces. As far, far away as that world may seem, earthly reality courses throughout, with the former dropping jewels for the streets in a way that often gets overshadowed by the group's adventurous music. Butler, speaking in an interview with NPR, said, "I'm always most satisfied with my listening experience when I'm surprised, and there's some sense of wonderment and even confusion that I can live with over the course of however many years. Living with these recordings and finding something new and different: Trying to recreate that for a listener is kind of a goal of ours." Mission accomplished. — MD
(For a more in-depth look at Lese Majesty, be sure to check out our Rewind feature on the album coming July 29th.)
Date Played: July 19 on The Midday Show with Cheryl Waters
The Ruby Suns flirted with elements of electronic production with “In Real Life” on their third album, Christopher but this 7-inch of remixes really unearths those laden influences. Both producers Signer’s Oil and Boycrush flip the song on its head, erupting into the buoyant pop song into a full blown dance anthem. Only 850 copies of the single were made, 200 of which were delivered with the first 200 pre-orders of Christopher. - DH
Date Played: July 19 on The Morning Show with John Richards
It’s hard to make Pissed Jeans sound even more gnarly than they do on their canon records. But the 2003 Demo 7-inch finds a way. Packed with five songs in 11-minutes, the mangled records cut to the core of the band’s ethos. Three of the tracks would end up on their debut album, Shallow, including twisted mantras like “Ashamed Of My Cum” and “Throbbing Organ.” The 7-inch was packaged with pre-orders of the band’s fourth album, Honeys. - DH
Date Played: July 19 by Sean
No Age's third (and final) album for Sub Pop was regarded more as an experiment in being a band than a traditional album. Dean Sput and Randy Randall's ideas about packaging (hence the album's title) led them to self-manufacture 10,000 themselves — even including beach ball's with the typeface on the album cover for those of us lucky enough to receive one — which ended up being more the album's hook than its songs. But as its stands, the phenomenally good An Object stand as the least-loved child of No Age's outstanding full-lengths, lacking the ecstatic noise of Nouns or the icy cool textures of Everything in Between. It's their most subtle work, brimming with recording techniques even more experimental than those on their preceding albums and tightly-structured songwriting (as always, though utilized in a different way). An Object is a quietly powerful album that's far greater than the strength of its packaging method. — MD
Date Played: July 18 by DJ Hans
"So much of my life has been defined, aided, and even saved by music," Dum Dum Girls’ Dee Dee says in a press release accompanying Too True. "Here is my best attempt at joining the rock’n’roll ranks, of chasing pop into the dark, and I am as ever, humbled that you listen."
Her words ring – ahem – too true once you’ve heard the record. Too True is a marked departure from the hazy heartbreak of their previous release, the End Of Daze EP. After relentless touring that tore apart her voice, writing sessions in New York and Los Angeles, and time in solitude – the album poised Dee Dee in the lineage of legendary rockers making legendary rock albums. She admittedly indulges herself in the sounds of The Cure and Siouxsie and the Banshees, becoming the goth-pop songwriter she was always destined to be. - DH
Date Played: July 18 by DJ Hans
In 2012, as Spotify continued to assert streaming dominance on a global scale, Spoon drummer and producer Jim Eno seized to moment to curate his own “Spotify Sessions” series. The first set of recordings were made during the 2012 Austin City Limits music festival, with Eno holing up Public Hi-Fi with a rotating cast of bands stopping through to quickly record live sessions. Father John Misty made their way through the studio to record feverish renditions of Fear Fun cuts “I’m Writing A Novel,” “Nancy From Now On,” and “Fun Times In Babylon.” - DH
Date Played: July 18 on The Afternoon Show with Troy Nelson
Survival Knife is the project of former Unwound members Justin Trosper and original drummer Brandt Sandeno. Apart from a bootlegged live set that echoed around the internet in 2012, this 7" is the band's first recorded output. Far from an Unwound retread, Survival Knife uses different elements of post-hardcore, including an increased emphasis on melody. While this approach would continue to develop on further releases, including full-length Loose Power, this single captures the band at an early, exciting stage in their tenure. - MH
Date Played: July 18 on The Afternoon Show with Troy Nelson
Sub Pop catalog no. 1037 is in honor of the wedding of Sub Pop VP Megan Jasper, who married landscape architect Brian Kimmell in 2012. There seems no better way to celebrate a marriage than to be given a ceremonial Sub Pop catalog number. Few individuals could be as deserving as Ms. Jasper, who currently serves as the label's Executive Vice President. - MH
Date Played: July 18 on The Midday Show with Cheryl Waters
On the eve of an extensive coast-to-coast tour together, Twin Shadow (aka L.A.-based artist George Lewis Jr.) transformed the Swedish duo’s track "DJ, Ease My Mind" from party anthem to late night introspection. Seems there’s more than one reason why you’d need a DJ to ease your mind. The original electropop piece appears on their debut full-length, Instinct (SP0930). — JH
Date Played: July 18 on The Midday Show with Cheryl Waters
London-based dream-pop duo Still Corners return with their sophomore full-length, another atmospheric collection of swoon-inducing songs. Songwriter/producer Greg Hughes tells Clash Music, "This is a collection of songs written directly after Creatures Of An Hour (SP0940), we didn't think about any of it, Tessa [Murray, vocalist] and I just sat down and recorded. That's why it's called Strange Pleasures, because these songs were a little different for us but we loved them just the same. We wanted to create magic, let it all come out and not think about it too much. This is a record for the summer, for heat, for exploration, for love and rolling the windows down…” — JH
Date Played: July 18 on The Morning Show with John Richards
The catalog number #SP1034 is held for a special wedding card from the label's co-founder Jonathan Poneman and his wife, Magdalena Lenka Panak (who goes by "Lenka"). (That's a shot from their wedding to the right.) According to this Seattle Times article, the two met ages ago at a Mudhoney show at the (now defunct) Sit-n-Spin. “We were good buddies for a long time,” he said. “And then we fell in love.”
Date NOT Played: July 17
Mogwai's A Wrenched Virile Lore contains remixes of the material featured on their Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will LP. However, contrary to many remix albums, these reinterpretations match the beauty and intensity of the initial work. Noted ambient producer Tim Hecker offers a gorgeous, fragmented rendition of "Rano Pano" that manages to capture the initial essence of the track. Another highlight comes from Jesu/Godflesh mastermind Justin Broadrick, who offers a reshape of the massive "George Square Thatcher Death Party." - MH
Date Played: July 17 on Larry's Lounge with Larry Rose
Originally released as a bonus 7” given away with pre-orders of their self-titled debut (#SP1015), the Toronto-based punk band share these two non-album tracks. — JH
Date Played: July 17 on The Afternoon Show with Troy Nelson
This bonus 7” single was given away with pre-orders of Deer Creek Canyon (#SP1005), with leftovers sold at shows. This limited edition release features two non-album tracks: “Dog Song” on Side A and the FCC-unfriendly “I Like to Fuck” by Toby & Skeeter, aka Sera Cahoone and (KEXP’s own) Jason Kardong. — JH
Date Played: July 17 on The Afternoon Show with Troy Nelson
Cranking out 10 albums across 20 years is no easy feat. It’s part of what makes Low’s The Invisible Way such a landmark for the band. Not just that they made it this far, but that they continue to execute excellence and mature with each new release. Produced by Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy at the storied Wilco loft studio in Chicago, The Invisible Way is one of Low’s most decadent albums to date. Stacked with ballads, the band finds a multitude of emotional range within the hushed tones of acoustic guitars and warm vocals. - DH
Date Played: July 17 on The Midday Show with Cheryl Waters
With their fourth album Honeys, Pissed Jeans continue to cement their spot as the scuzziest, gnarliest, and freakiest band in the Sub Pop canon (somewhere Dwarves is giving me a mean side-eye). Despite the title, there’s nothing sweet about the band’s blown out punk and noise rock. Given that lead vocalist Matt Korvette sings primarily about the pains of adulthood and being force-fed a certain idea of maturity, the twisted against of the album feels appropriate. He grapples with the inanity of having to keep a day job with brutal snarls and heavy guitar riffs – like Jim Halpert giving it all up to tour with Fugazi. - DH
Date Played: July 17 on The Midday Show with Cheryl Waters
Seattle hip-hop artists Macklemore & Ryan Lewis teamed up with Sub Pop in 2012 to release a 7” of their track “Same Love.” The song was released in sync with Music 4 Marriage Equality’s push to get Washington state’s Ref 74 (which would go on to pave the way for same sex-marriage not only in Washington but across the country) approved. The track, which was inspired by Macklemore’s gay uncles, features delicate keys, a moving feature from Mary Lambert, and a well-crafted and genuine appeal for same-sex marriage rights. - GL
Date Played: July 17 on The Morning Show with John Richards
Poor Moon began to take shape as a band at the same time Fleet Foxes began their rise to fame. So it is no surprise that much of Poor Moon’s debut album was born in the Fleet Foxes rehearsal studio, as band members Christian Wargo and Casey Wescott contributed to Poor Moon as they toured in Fleet Foxes. Brothers Ian and Peter Murray rounded out the group, which successfully composed beautiful hushed indie folk, often with members at opposite ends of the country. The group released the 2012 7” Fortune Divineas a pre-order bonus for their debut self-titled album. The 7” features the frustratingly hard to find track “Fortune Divine,” a beautifully sparse song that highlights Wargo’s reverb-kissed vocals. The b-side is a demo of album highlight “Holiday,” offering fans another rarity that serves as an excellent album supplement. - GL
Date Played: July 17 by DJ Reeves
Hailing from from New Zealand, Ruby Sons is the synth-pop project of Ryan McPhun. Christopher, the projects third release on Sub Pop, captures teenage angst through sun-drenched synthesizers, taking listeners on a rollercoaster of emotions. It is a fun ride throughout, but highlights like astral “Kingfisher Call Me,” and funky “Starlight” can’t be missed. - GL
Date Played: July 17 by DJ Reeves
A band that certainly doesn’t need an introduction in the Pacific Northwest, Seattle group Mudhoney rose from the ashes of beloved Green River and dominated the underground rock-scene for decades. Time did nothing to diminish their output or proficiency and in 2013 they released their excellent 9th studio album, Vanishing Point. They quickly followed the album with 7” New World Charm. The A-side and title track of the release, “New World Charm,” was actually recorded during the studio sessions for the album, and while it certainly is on the same level of quality as the album cuts, was deemed not to fit into the final package. It did find a home on the New World Charm 7”, which it shares with two cuts of a theme song Mudhoney wrote for the Discovery Channel show Brew Masters. The two b-sides, which are just variations of the same theme in different tempos, probably aren’t in most people’s list of top 40 Mudhoney tracks, but offer a fun bit of trivia alongside a quality single in “New World Charm.” - GL
Date Played: July 17 by DJ Reeves
Following the self-titled 2012 album that put Kyle Thomas’ garage rock/power-pop project King Tuff on the map, this 7” offered a duo of infectious love songs that arguably should have found a place on the album. A-side “Screaming Skull” gives Thomas’ vocals room to swim in a dance-inducing track that is tinged with nostalgia. The b-side offers some balance in the form of a classic King Tuff guitar riff that rolls through the song, catering equally to glam-rock aficionados and garage dwelling fuzz-addicts a like. The two songs are an excellent summary of King Tuff’s range and addictiveness, packaged in fun 7”. — GL
Date Played: July 16 on The Afternoon Show with Troy Nelson
When Total Control first stormed they Australian punk scene, they were a supergroup of sorts, formed by Eddy Current Suppression Ring's Mikey Young and UV Race's Dan Stewart. With the release of 2011's Henge Beat, however, the band solidly became its own thing, an unholy mix of post-punk, garage-rock, and new wave. "Scenes From a Marriage," their Sub Pop seven-inch, shows two different sides of the band's dark aura. The A-side starts with acoustic guitars (kind of a left-turn if you're only familiar with their work on Henge Beat) and a more dramatic energy than displayed before, while B-side "Contract" is the type of dance track the band had been flirting with on their full-length (a side of them that is sort of underrated). — MD
Date Played: July 16 on The Afternoon Show with Troy Nelson
Sub Pop spotlights a track from the Australian band’s most recent full-length Forever So (#SP0999), and this track was the ultimate choice as it was their very first, self-released single as a band. In an interview with BRAG, songwriter (and band namesake) Husky Gawenda remembers: "The song got added to triple j rotation, and then the labels and the managers came knocking. It was pretty strange. We’d been very much alone, doing it on our own, everything – including the production and the engineering and the management, booking our own tours, booking our own gear… It was strange to suddenly have a lot of people calling. We weren’t expecting it." — JH
Date Played: July 16 on The Midday Show with Cheryl Waters
What happens when grunge guys grow up? The answer can be found in Mudhoney’s 2013 album Vanishing Point, their ninth overall and sixth for Sub Pop. Yes, they still have angst. The song "Chardonnay" finds then 51-year-old frontman Mark Arm bellowing: "I hate you Chardonnay / ...Get the fuck out of my backstage." And, yes, they still have the distinctive heavy, dirge-y sound that helped define the genre. But 25 years later, the four guys who were drenched in literal mud on the cover of their 1989 7” single (#SP0033) were cleaned up and wearing blazers and collared shirts in their 2013 promo photos. Despite the duds, they’re still our Mudhoney; if you need further evidence, look no further than this album’s closing track: titled "Douchebags on Parade." — JH
Date Played: July 16 on The Midday Show with Cheryl Waters
A coveted collector item for Jaill fans: this 7” was a bonus for those who pre-ordered the album Traps (SP0994) with leftover copies being sold on tour. Both sides feature previously unreleased tracks. — JH
Date Played: July 16 on The Morning Show with John Richards
A digital sneak peek at SP0976.
Date Played: July 16 by DJ Ashley
Before Father John Misty would fully emerge with Fear Fun, Sub Pop released a pair of singles labeled as an album “preview.” The preview was only available on digital streaming services, but enticed listeners with the thunderous, funeral crashing romp “Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings” and the breezy self deprecation of “Nancy From Now On,” in which Josh Tillman compares himself to Howard Hughes and insists on being punched in the face. As far a preview goes, you could tell Tillman was going to delve into something really weird here. But, as we’ve said before, he was really just getting started. - DH
Date Played: July 16 by DJ Ashley
METZ's debut album slams. The Toronto-based group spent years in the punk underground, releasing a string of 7" singles while honing their craft. Their debut record is a triumph of distillation. Not unlike No Age's Weirdo Rippers, METZ collects highlights of the band's live show, stripped down into momentary blasts of sound and energy. However, far from a best-of comp, METZ succeeds as a sequence of songs. The band has a clarity of intention that recalls Jesus Lizard, and have continued to succeed in both their live and recorded output, releasing two subsequent LPs on Sub Pop. -MH
Date Played: July 15 by DJ Evie
There’s something quintessentially ‘Beach House’ about Myth. The opening track to their fourth album, Bloom, starts the record with metallic clanks – like wrenches banging against pipes in an empty warehouse. But suddenly the clanking is over powered by the blissful tones of an arpeggiating guitar, drenched in more reverb than most other bands could handle. The music slowly begins to build, next with the thud of drums and then with a whirl of bass drones. Victoria Legrand’s voice enters the frame in a low monotone. She almost intentionally fades into the instrumentation, before she raises her voice to say, “Help me to name it.” Beach House are masters at finding a mood and extrapolating everything they can from it. “Myth” is steady, but the band finds a current within the music to flow along with and twist around to shape their vision. It’s one of the finest moments in one of the finest bands of their era. - DH
Date Played: July 15 by Stevie Zoom
The forever moody and beautiful Memoryhouse embraced the nostalgic nature of film with their debut album The Slideshow Effect and you can feel that tenfold on the single “Walk With Me.” Not only does the music itself feel like a celluloid daydream, but the lyrics feel like they could be pulled right out of the blocking from a movie script. Vocalist Denise Nouvion sets the scene of walking alongside a skyline in the beauty of a burgeoning romance. As she sings about resting her head on a lovers shoulder and the pulse of the water, you can already imagine the credits begin to roll and the sleepy drones of “Walk With me” provide the perfect soundtrack for the moment. - DH
Date Played: July 15 by Stevie Zoom
The intro track to Spoek Mathambo’s (aka South African musician Nthato Mokgata) sophomore album Father Creeper sets the stage for the explosive musical journey listeners are about to embark upon. Starting with a drone of bass synthesizers, the song slowly crawls into a sudden surge of glitched out beats and fiery rhymes. He seamlessly weaves in and out of singing and rapping, propelling himself on the frantic energy of the beats. It’s baptism by fire to get into the record, but Mokgata’s talent is so undeniable that you can’t help but be curious of what else he has in store. - DH
Date Played: July 15 by Mike Ramos
Daughn Gibson's remarkable voice connects him to a lineage of gothic country vocalists. On Me Moan, which was Gibson's Sub Pop debut, he places aside the collaged approach of 2012's Ah Hell, teaming with members of Baroness and Brokeback. The resulting album has its missteps, but is anchored by Gibson's aforementioned voice, a glorious, expressive instrument. Visions of noir and velvet come throughout Me Moan, an ideal soundtrack to a dive bar descent. - MH
Date Played: July 15 by Mike Ramos
A month before Beach House would bestow onto the world their wondrous fourth album Bloom, the band offered up a small sample of what was to come with this limited 7-inch for the track “Lazuli.” The vinyl is blue, like its namesake gemstone. But the song is not just simply named after the rock. In an interview with Pitchfork, lead vocalist Victoria Legrand shares some insight on the title’s genesis:
“I fall in love with words. I felt like it had a real imagination to it. I had written it down a while ago and always thought I'd love for this word to be in the Beach House world. It was only a matter of time before the music of "Lazuli" was erupting. That word and the feeling completely merged and became one. It's not about the meaning, or the actual stone.”
The single also features the b-side “Equal Mind,” which would stay a vinyl exclusive until it found new life on the band’s 2017 release appropriately titled B-Sides and Rarities. - DH
Date Played: July 14 by Troy Nelson
Suction was the final feedtime album before their first hiatus, and was produced by Butch Vig. However, anyone expecting the band to suddenly sound traditional should look elsewhere. There are melodies on Suction, but the feedtime din remains largely intact. For every "Motorbike Girl," a track that could almost be confused for pop, there is the unhinged "Highway," which is a pure adrenaline descent. "Arse" finished up the album on a bleak note, a pained cry to finish up feedtime's intiial stretch of four singular albums. - MH
Date Played: July 14 by Troy Nelson
In a catalog of thoroughly unorthodox albums, feedtime's Cooper S remains an outlier. Cooper S is a covers album, fifteen tracks of noise and drone. There are four Rolling Stones songs attempted, alongside interpretations of Beach Boys, poet e.e. cummings, Ramones, Stooges, and the Easybeats, among others. In some sense, Cooper S is an ideal entry point into the feedtime back catalog: one can easily appreciate feedtime's act of deconstruction when they take on ubiquitous rock songs, chipping away at their structures until flat lines remain. It may not be the band's best album, but listening to it feels like returning home. - MH
Date Played: July 14 by DJ Evie
"Deer Creek Canyon is a beautiful canyon in Littleton, Colorado,” Sera Cahoone tells KEXP. “I grew up there and my mom lives on the top of the mountain with an amazing view of the canyon. I have a lot of memories from that place — some of them heartfelt and some of them ridiculous like the first time I got stoned (it was terrible and I'm pretty sure I was stoned for days.) This song is basically about the pull of home — and the landscape of home — even though I've lived in Seattle for so many years."
It's a very appropriate title for an album that is perfect for a canyon drive; Cahoone's gorgeous folk-pop is vaguely nostalgic and carries a melancholy aura with its scenic views. Arguably the most celebrated of her impressive catalog, Packed with still, solitary moments, Deer Creek Canyon surveys heartbreak, longing, and and shitty hotel rooms with blankets on the floor, guided by the timbre of Cahoone's aching, emotive vocals. There's also a song called "Rumpshaker," which is (spoiler alert) not the kind of party you think it is. — MD
Date Played: July 14 by DJ Evie
An AllMusic review of feedtime's Shovel LP ends with the following superlative: "Give it a try; your life will never be the same." This is quite a statement for an album intent on being inaccesible, bordering on unlistenable. The droning, repetitive rhythms of feedtime are enthralling for listeners willing to enter the band's world. Somewhat reminiscent of Big Black and The Dead C, Shovel was feedtime's second full-length record, co-released on Aberrant Records and Rough Trade. If anything, Shovel feels more intense than the band's self-titled debut, and just as antisocial. - MH
Date Played: July 13 on The Afternoon Show with Troy Nelson
feedtime's sound could best be described as sludge: churned, echoing sludge. The Australian band self-released this self-titled album, before it was soon picked up by Aberrant Records. feedtime's sound appears mostly fully-formed at this point, with hidden flecks of country or blues. Admittedly the band's stated inspiration for some tracks, such as the music of Willie and Kate McTell, or Mississippi Fred McDowell, can easily be overlooked, and is somewhat inaudible underneath the drone. However, there is enough variance in feedtime's sound to make them an exciting listen, and a valuable reference point in the cultural development of grunge. Issued digitally as part of the Aberrant Years boxset. - MH
Date Played: July 13 on The Midday Show with Hans
"Sub Pop is enamored with the Melbourne quartet, Husky,” said Sub Pop president Jonathan Poneman. “The band’s strength rests in its infectious, evocative songs and stirring live performances.”
As for this particular release, not even KEXP’s crack research team could track down its existence. But we imagine it contains the same mellifluous lit-rock sound found on their debut LP, Forever So (SP0999). — JH
Date Played: July 13 on The Midday Show with Hans
It may seem odd to call an EP an artist’s definitive work, but Dum Dum Girls’ End Of Daze might be the exception to the rule. In just five songs, the band distills what makes them work the best. When you’re writing a book, it’s said that the first line is most important to capture the reader. Dee Dee opens the record singing in monotone: “Satan on my lips, paralyzed by his wicked kiss.” And if that doesn’t stop you in your tracks, I don’t know what to tell you. “Daze” is the perfect way to describe this record, each song slowly crawling into the next like a heavy fog. The record is at its haziest with “Trees and Flowers,” and sublime cover of Strawberry Switchblade. But then the clouds break and the downpour of drums comes with “Lord Knows.” “Lord Knows” may just be the band’s finest moment. Dee Dee sounds lost, seeking a “pure life” and trying to find answers for whatever ambiguous sins she contains. Then her voice crescendos into the wondrous chorus – “Oh boy, I can’t hurt your anymore. Lord knows, I hurt my love.” Dee Dee very well might write better songs one day and maybe this isn’t even your favorite, but nevertheless it feels like a watershed moment where Dum Dum Girls was fully realized and let their lovesick punk hearts pour out in front of us. - DH
Date Played: July 13 on The Morning Show with DJ Evie
