The third Father John Misty album from LA-based artist Josh Tillman is his finest to date, combining an orchestral folk-pop sound with self-aware, often-cutting and sometimes hilarious lyrics aimed at narcissism, hypocrisy, instant gratification, modern ADD culture, and other ills of the modern world, leavened with some hope for love and community. — DY
Date Played: August 7 on The Morning Show with John Richards
This Toronto trio's third album is another impressive set of aggressive post-hardcore with loud, angular guitars, pummeling rhythms and angst-fueled lyrics. — DY
Date Played: August 7 on The Morning Show with John Richards
Shortly after releasing her first album under the Kristin Kontrol alias, X-Communicate, former Dum Dum Girls songwriter Dee Dee (aka Kristin Welchez) returned with the single release of “Baby Are You In?”. The song is a surging, dance floor ballad. As Kristin Kontrol, Welchez carries a different kind of fierceness than she did with Dum Dum Girls – embracing an icy, piercing aesthetic that’s materialized exceptionally with this one off track. Kristin Kontrol would release another song in 2017, the buoyant “Concrete Love,” but we’ll still have to wait patiently for another album to materialize. - DH
Date Played: August 7 on The Morning Show with John Richards
Low must really love Christmas. They released the aptly titled Christmas EP in 1999 and had the “Santa’s Coming Over” / “The Coming of Jah” 7-inch in 2008. The slowcore legends appear to have more mistletoe in the gas tank with their 2016 festive single “Some Hearts (at Christmas Time).” It’s maybe one of the most spacious, elegant Christmas songs you’ll here, embracing hints of Low’s avant garde tendencies but also not scaring away your mom when you put it on during Christmas dinner.
The song came with a note from the band: “To friends who have moved away and friends who have passed on this year. To one and all, especially those who are alone, we wish you a Merry Christmas and new hope for the new year. May we all find ways to lift each other. With love, Mimi, Alan and Steve.” - DH
Date Played: August 6 by DJ Alex
This Melbourne, Australia band follows up last year's debut mini-album Talk Tight with a strong 6-song EP of jangly, surf-inflected post-punk. — DY
Date Played: August 6 on The Afternoon Show with Troy Nelson
Australian rockers Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever make their recorded debut with Talk Tight. The EP was originally released on Ivy League Records and garnered critical praise before catching the ears of Sub Pop, who would re-release the collection and making it available to U.S. audiences. - DH
Date Played: August 6 on The Afternoon Show with Troy Nelson
Walt Wagner is an one of the most accomplished pianist in Seattle and was one of the house musicians for the Canlis restaurant for 20 decades before announcing his retirement. Before he left, he recorded this sensational live performance of covers featuring artists from DJ Shadow and My Bloody Valentine to Prince and Phoenix. It’s an intimate set of recordings, showcasing Wagner brilliance at reinterpretation and documenting a profound legacy of musicianship. - DH
Date Played: August 6 on The Afternoon Show with Troy Nelson
The latest release from this Olympia-bred trio is their first-ever live album, recorded at La Cigale in Paris on March 20, 2015, during their world tour in support of that year's excellent comeback album No Cities To Love. Four of the album's 13 songs come from that album, while four more are from 2005's The Woods, and the rest are from a variety of earlier albums. It adds up to a fierce, tight set ranging from driving punk and heavy sludge-rock to propulsive dance-rock and dreamy pop. — DY
Date Played: August 6 on The Midday Show with Stevie Zoom
Father John Misty's romantic swagger serves well for the city of lights, as exemplified in this live recording of Sub Pop's resident crooner performing a set live in Paris. This digital release was made with extremely limited availability and is remarkably hard to track down, except through Deezer. If you don't have that streaming service, you might be better off buying a flight abroad and seeing him in person yourself the next time he stops through France. - DH
Date Played: August 6 on The Midday Show with Stevie Zoom
The latest release from this Olympia-bred trio is their first-ever live album, recorded at La Cigale in Paris on March 20, 2015, during their world tour in support of that year's excellent comeback album No Cities To Love. Four of the album's 13 songs come from that album, while four more are from 2005's The Woods, and the rest are from a variety of earlier albums. It adds up to a fierce, tight set ranging from driving punk and heavy sludge-rock to propulsive dance-rock and dreamy pop. — DY
Date Played: August 6 on The Morning Show with John Richards
This Allentown, PA band's fifth album is another bracing set of heavy sludge-punk with bludgeoning guitars, pummeling rhythms, growling vocals and biting, misanthropic lyrics revolving around dysfunctional males. — DY
Date Played: August 6 on The Midday Show with Stevie Zoom
This Seattle rapper follows up a string of promising mixtapes with his official debut album, and it's a powerful set of atmospheric, narrative-driven hip hop with warm, jazz-tinged production featuring spacy synths, dreamy organ and a variety of imaginative beats accompanying his supple delivery and gritty, detail-rich rhymes expressing a poignant blend of clear-eyed honesty and heart-on-sleeve vulnerability. — DY
Date Played: August 6 on The Morning Show with John Richards
This rousing single was originally recorded as part of the 30 Days, 30 Songs project, an initiative led by author Dave Eggers (founder of literary magazine, McSweeney’s) where 30 musicians released an anti-Trump song for every of the last 30 days leading to the 2016 election. (It has since been expanded to 1,000 Days, 1,000 Songs because, sadly, there is still a shit-ton to sing.)
For "Before the Wall”, Craft released the statement: "This song was not written for any politician or agenda. It was written for people and the country I live in. I'm not some unduly political loudmouth and I'm certainly not saying you have to swallow this pill, but for a moment, just think about that wall and what it means to you... Then think about what it means to the people on the other side. The world is not out to get you and, for the most part, people are very kind. As for me, I refuse to be afraid and I will continue to believe that love, understanding, and compassion have the ability to trump fear and evil, which often times go hand in hand, any day. Smile at people you don't have to, love each other. I'll do the same.”
He adds: "P.S. I know it sounds like Bob Dylan, get over it.” — JH
Date Played: August 6 on The Morning Show with John Richards
Released as a digital album by Sub Pop, but available in physical form via German-based label Alien Transistor, Superheroes, Ghostvillains + Stuff is a live album from The Notwist, recorded on December 16, 2015 during a sold-out three-night stand at UT Connewitz in Leipzig, Germany. The set list mostly touches on their more recent releases — Neon Golden, The Devil, You + Me, and Close To The Glass [#SP1074] — but they surprise the audience with a track from their 1992 LP Nook. — JH
Date Played: August 5 by DJ Evie
The second Quazarz record from Shabazz Palaces, titled Quazarz Vs. The Jealous Machines, navigates similar sonic territory to Quazarz: Born Under a Gangster Star, although it offers its own distinct pleasures. Taken together, the albums further solidify the Shabazz universe — an extended Black Constellation, if you will — that was visible in glimpses on each of the duo's previous records. This universe is at once extraterrestrial and thoroughly rooted in aspects of everyday life: there are glimpses of daily routine, images from pop culture recontextualized by Ishmael Butler and Tendai Maraire. As the artists unfailingly remind the listener, the journey to space is but a realignment. One cannot leave behind entirely the memories and traumas spanning generations, though space certainly provides necessary perspective. - MH
Date Played: August 5 by DJ Evie
A few months after Noel Heroux released his Sub Pop LP debut as Mass Gothic (see #SP1140), the expansively guitar-driven Massachusetts pop rocker teamed up with partner and bandmate Jessica Zambri to release this 5-track digital EP. In a Sub Pop press release, Heroux says, “I followed my previously usually-ignored instinct to allow the noise and color in my head to inform a specific, intentional sound… It’s lyrically loose and conversational, informed by sonic landscape and stream of conscience”. Sup Goth is undoubtedly a contrast to Heroux’s solo work on Mass Gothic — the ability to compare Mass Gothic’s transformation of sound in the short time between their Sub Pop debut and this follow up EP is a testament to the new sonic energy Jessica Zambri brought to the party. — SW
Date Played: August 5 by DJ Evie
In anticipation of their European tour in support of their collaborative album Love Letter for Fire [#SP1165], Sam Beam (of Iron and Wine) and Jesca Hoop released a digital-only single featuring a new track recorded during sessions for Love Letter..., “Milky Way,” and a cover of the Eurythimics classic, “Love Is A Stranger”. — SW
Date Played: August 5 by Stevie Zoom
This exclusive Sub Pop sampler 12" with a title serving as a sign of the political times was made for Rough Trade stores by Sub Pop as part of their 'Label of the Month' promotion. The sampler featured tracks by a variety of Sub Pop artists, bookended by two quasi-prophetic tracks given what would transpire in the impending 2016 presidential election: the hazy, reverbing “I Don’t Want to See What’s Happening Outside” by L.A psych-rock artist Morgan Delt and Arbor Labor Union’s anthemic, soul stirring “Belief’d”. The sampler also includes tracks by Cullen Omori, Kyle Craft, LVL UP, and others. — SW
Date Played: August 5 by Stevie Zoom
This Father John Misty single was initially released on Soundcloud in May 2016, followed by a formal release on Sub Pop in July. Lyrics like “I’m a flower/you’re my bee” deliver to us a tender, tame Misty full of nostalgic summer fancy. Of the many faces Josh Tillman has devised for the ever-conceptual Father John Misty, this one here is relatively laidback. — SW
Date Played: August 5 by Stevie Zoom
Sub Pop released The Bob’s Burgers Music Album six years after the hit animated series premiered on Fox in January 2011. Featuring 107 songs from the first 107 episodes of the Emmy-winning animated comedy, in addition to five special “Bob’s Buskers” covers of songs from the show performed by St. Vincent, The National, Lapsley, and Stephen Merritt of The Magnetic Fields, the album is a rich celebration of the series’ inherent sense of collaborative playfulness. The album also features many of the show’s reoccuring and special guest stars, from comedians like Sarah Silverman, Kevin Kline, Zack Galifianakas, and Fred Armisen, to musicians Cyndi Lauper and Carly Simon. — SW
Date NOT Played: August 5
The last of Sub Pop’s TAD reissue series for the long out-of-print early albums: the reissue of 8-Way Santa includes tracks from the “Jinx” single, a 1990 EP, and a handful of unreleased album demos recorded by Jack Endino. It was, as Sub Pop reports, "the last record with the original TAD lineup, and their last album for Sub Pop before jumping to a major label.”
Date Played: August 4 on Sonic Reducer
Another release in Sub Pop’s TAD reissue series for the long out-of-print early albums: the reissue of Salt Lick includes tracks from the “Wood Goblins” single (whose video was banned from MTV because their programmers declared it “too ugly”), a split 7” with Pussy Galore, and the “Loser” 7”. Originally recorded by Steve Albini, the album was remastered by the great Jack Endino.
Date Played: August 4 on Audioasis with DJ Sharlese
Part of Sub Pop’s TAD reissue series for the long out-of-print early albums: the deluxe edition of God’s Balls [#SP0027] (there’s a phrase I never thought I’d type) features bonus tracks from TAD’s 1988 debut 7”, plus the previously unreleased “Tuna Car” from the 7” session. Producer and engineer Jack Endino — who originally helmed the album at its 1989 debut — lovingly remastered God’s Balls (snerk) from the original tapes. — JH
Date Played: August 4 by Troy Nelson
This LA trio follows up their 2014 debut album with this fine six-song EP of experimental hip hop, combining dark, noise-addled beats with equally dark raps from Daveed Diggs (who recently won a Tony award for Best Actor for his role in the acclaimed musical Hamilton). — DY
Date Played: August 4 by Troy Nelson
Memories are Now may have been Jessica Hoop’s fourth studio album, but it also served as a debut of sorts. Having written and recorded her past three projects under the guidance of industry guru Tony Berg, Jessica Hoop recorded Memories are Now outside of the comforts of Berg’s Zeitgeist Studios. The result was a sparse record full of a confident Hoop, where her voice and lyricism were given extra room to wander along her often infectious melodies. The project made for an exciting start to a new phase of Hoop’s career, and arguably her strongest record to date. — GL
Date Played: August 4 by DJ Morgan
For being such an iconic PNW band, it was extremely hard to find/purchase the discography of Seattle band Tad in the early 21st century. An oddity, since their three releases (God’s Balls, Salt Lick, and 8-Way Santa) established the band as masters of crafting gritty, in your face, noise-drenched music that was a vital component in establishing Seattle’s grunge scene. In 2016 Sub Pop sought to correct the shortage of purchasable Tad records, by releasing deluxe editions of all three albums. Purchased in a bundle, buyers also received the Bonus LP, which was chock full of 7” singles, demos and unreleased songs. Needless to say, the Bonus LP was a much needed influx of new Tad material, further cementing their legendary status. — GL
Date Played: August 4 by DJ Morgan
.clipping got their start chopping up mainstream rap a capellas into chaotic remixes before self-releasing their debut album and signing to Sub Pop 5 months later. The L.A. trio is made up of William Hutson (who has a Ph.D. Theater and Performance Studies), Jonathan Snipes (who has a “day job” as a Hollywood sound designer), and Daveed Digs (who has a Tony Award for his performance in the Broadway musical Hamilton). That’s a lot of theatrical experience and an incredible resume, even before you consider that their album Splendor & Misery is a conceptual hip-hop space opera. .clipping has the personnel and talent to pull off such an ambitious feat, and the album is a sonic and thematic adventure from start to finish. Critics seemed to agree, as it became only the second music album to be nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form. Just another achievement in the ever increasing pile for .clipping. — GL
Date Played: August 4 by Gabriel Teodros
Soundgarden sought to ride the wave of momentum that their two previous EP’s had generated with their debut studio album Ultramega OK. The 1988 record, which was originally released on legendary label SST, showed the band hitting a cleaner more precise sound (as recording in a studio is ought to do) while exploring darker tones and flirting with heavy metal. The band was ultimately unhappy with the production of the original, with the title of the album alluding to a product that was “absolutely, unbelievably not bad.” In 2017 Sub Pop released a reissue of the album, with producer Jack Endino bringing an eye for detail to the record that the band felt the initial mix was lacking. — GL
Date Played: August 3 on Friday Night with Michele Myers
Goat’s music had always drawn largely from world folk music, a genre which is rooted in acoustic stylings. So it seemed like a natural progression for the band to do an acoustic project, more in line with their folk roots. Third album Requiem was exactly that, and while the absence of fuzz and distortion is noticeable, the project is bustling with a raw energy and an aura of psychedelia, ensuring it is still undeniably a Goat album. Requiem is a crucial piece to the Goat anthology, and one that makes perfect sense for the mysterious collective. — GL
Date Played: August 3 on The Afternoon Show with Stevie Zoom
“I have been and always will be fascinated by the way time asserts itself on our bodies and our hearts. The ferris wheel keeps spinning and we’re constantly approaching, leaving or returning to something totally unexpected or startlingly familiar.” Sam Beam said this about his sixth album —his fourth for Sub Pop. Recorded live with acoustic instrumentation and minimal overdubbing, this album finds Beam coming full circle in style and content to some of his earlier work: “Where the older songs painted a picture of youth moving wide-eyed into adulthood’s violent pleasures and disappointments, this collection speaks to the beauty and pain of growing up after you’ve already grown up. For me, that experience has been more generous in its gifts and darker in its tragedies.” — KF
Date Played: August 3 on The Afternoon Show with Stevie Zoom
Their second full-length — and first for Sub Pop — this album finds the post-punk Pittsburgh loyalists tenacious and raucous, while lyrically more self-aware. Lead singer Eli Kasan’s vocals are provocatively detached, and when Protomartyr front man Joe Casey joins on vocals on “Why’d You,” it’s a match made in post-punk heaven. The Detroit band loves them some Gotobeds; the two bands have toured together and rumor has it Casey penned the band’s bio on Sub Pop’s website. — KF
Date Played: August 3 on The Afternoon Show with Stevie Zoom
The mysterious Gothenburg, Sweden-based experimental fusion group released this single in advance of their fourth full-length “Requiem,” also on Sub Pop. The A-side is a lesson in sun-bleached positivity you can groove to while walking, featuring pan flutes and the affirmative mantra “Brother, I am your sister/ You are my brother/ We have each other.” The b-side, “The Snake of Addis Ababa,” on the other hand, is a sultry, trance-inducing instrumental track with a hypnotic bass line and fluttering piano meanderings. — KF
Date Played: August 3 on The Midday Show with Troy Nelson
A 2016 Record Store Day release, this 10” single was pressed on translucent white vinyl and limited to 4,000 copies. The idea for this collaboration was born with producer BJ Burton, who worked with the slowcore Sub Pop veterans to complete the unfinished S. Carey song “I Won’t Let You Fall,” and with Jagjaguwar artist Sean Carey, to complete the unfinished Low track “Not a Word.” — KF
Date Played: August 3 on The Midday Show with Troy Nelson
Known for consistently being on the verge of breaking up, this was the New York band’s third full length before announcing the project’s retirement (although if you’re lucky you’ll see them on their farewell tour this summer, including August 11 at SPF 30)! The band’s three songwriter lineup lends an mercurial energy to the release, with influences like Neutral Milk Hotel and Mount Eerie evident throughout. At its heart, “Return to Love” is everything indie rock should be: heavy on guitar, bass, and drums; playfully experimental; and eternally bummed out. — KF
Date Played: August 3 on The Midday Show with Troy Nelson
Love Letter For Fire strikes a perfect balance between Iron and Wine’s understated softness and Hoops’ larger vocal capabilities. The vocal harmonies and diverse instrumentation of the record adds numinousness to the typically sparse artists. The record was recorded and produced by NW folk visionary producer Tucker Martine. — NS
Date Played: August 3 on The Morning Show with John Richards
After a collection of jump starts and different contectualizations of his musicality, Kyle Craft found a home for his music as a solo artist, Dolls of Highland was his debut record as such. The record is an homage to Bowie and Dylan equally, and would be the first of two record releases through Sub Pop. — NS
Date Played: August 3 on The Morning Show with John Richards
This angry slap of noise punk came as the third installment of the 2013 Adult Swim Summer Singles collection. 2016 was an especially eclectic year for the series, featuring first time releases from artists as diverse as Mykki Blanco, Lightning Bolt, Freddie Gibbs, and Pig Destroyer. The song is hooky without sacrificing any of METZ natural teeth. — NS
Date Played: August 3 on The Midday Show with Atticus
Two of the most gutter-infused bands ever to be signed to Sub Pop, covering each other's songs on one seven inch. 4,000 copies of the split were pushed for Record Store Day 2016, and to this day have not been out on any other release. METZ cover seems to only push the volume of the MOB classic, and both songs are tributes to the DIY punk-adjacent aesthetic staple of guitars sounding like pitch-shifted airplanes. — NS
Date Played: August 2 on The Afternoon Show with Kevin Cole
The Sleater-Kinney Cassingle was a limited edition release only available on the band's 2015 tour. Side A features live versions of No Cities To Love's "Price Tag" and The Woods' "What's Mine Is Yours." Side B has the two songs previously only featured on a bonus 12" issued with No Cities To Love. - MH
Date Played: August 2 on The Afternoon Show with Kevin Cole
This was the debut solo album from Dum Dum Girls’ singer Kristen “Dee Dee” Welchez. The record has an aggressive synth pop spice that Welchez stated in interviews was closer to the sound she is drawn to, rather than what was meeting fan expectations and project qualifiers in the music she released with Dum Dum Girls. She paraphrased her project ideal for Sub Pop: “I’m Kate Bush covering Mariah.” — NS
Date Played: August 2 on The Afternoon Show with Kevin Cole
After two full length records and a seemingly endless amount of touring, METZ returned with their first recording since the release of their second album II. The Toronto noise punks don’t disappoint on “Eraser,” a blistering blast of guitars and very few words other than chanting the name of the track. “Pure Auto” is the B-side, and is just as fuzz-laden and energetic as the A-side. — AK
Date Played: August 2 on The Midday Show with Troy Nelson
I Hear You is Arbor Labor Union’s first formal release under their current name, inspired by a peach tree in their hometown. The Georgia-based group released their debut record under their former alias, Pinecones, before signing to Sub Pop for their sophomore effort. I Hear You is a post-punk haven, fueled by layered guitars and a strong southern spiritual influence on tracks like “Belief’d” and “IHU.” Arbor Labor Union’s lyrics can seem a bit straightforward at first glance, but there’s a bit of religious inklings under further inspection, making vocalist Bo Orr’s initial howl much more hymn-like on later listens. — AK
Date Played: August 2 on The Midday Show with Troy Nelson
While most seven inches from two bands are split with one track from each artist, Merchandise and Dum Dum Girls collaborate on both tracks to create a mystifying fusion of dark rock. Merchandise’s baritone Carson Cox and Dum Dum Girls’ soprano Dee Dee create an unlikely match for two beautiful duets, but “Red Sun” and “Echo” are just that. “Red Sun” is a play on 80s alternative with wavering synths, and “Echo” is the product of both singers testing their lower amplifications, alternating between the two’s hushed vocals. — AK
Date Played: August 2 on The Midday Show with Troy Nelson
Canadian dubstep DJ Excision is probably the last person one would expect to hop on a Band of Horses tune, but here we are with an Excision remix of their hit “The Funeral.” While the original is perhaps everyone’s go-to track to sob to, Excision speeds up the tempo, replaces the drums with dancier blasts, and of course, adds not only one of his signature bass drops, but two throughout the four minute track. — AK
Date Played: August 2 on The Morning Show with John Richards
On this massive 3xLP, 25-track deluxe edition of Wolf Parade’s 2005 debut Apologies to the Queen Mary, listeners will be treated to the original record along with some versions from their previous self-titled EP, plus quite a few bonus tracks. Recorded by Modest Mouse’s Issac Brock in their hometown of Montreal, this is a prime retrospective at Wolf Parade’s initial flurrying, anxious rock. — AK
Date Played: August 2 on The Morning Show with John Richards
The debut solo album from the former Smith Westerns frontman is an impressive set of dreamy, glam-tinged pop-rock with atmospheric, reverbed guitars, twinkling synths, dark psychedelic textures and sparkling pop hooks. — DY
Date Played: August 2 on The Morning Show with John Richards
One has to appreciate the bravery of Sub Pop signing So Pitted, one of the most brazenly uncommercial acts on the label's roster. Blending elements of kitsch, glam, punk, and metal, So Pitted have terrorized Seattle audiences since their 2012 S O release. 2016's neo finds the band re-recording some highlights from past EPs, in addition to a number of new cuts. neo acts as both an introduction for unfamiliar listeners, but also an indication that So Pitted won't be leaving listeners alone anytime soon. - MH
Date Played: August 2 by Sean
No, it’s not deja vu — this is the third time this single has appeared on the Sub Pop Count-Up. The radio edit of the title track b/w "Girls Intuition" were both originally only available on #SP0979, a limited edition 7” single released as a pre-order incentive for the 2011 album Only In Dreams (##SP0950). But it also appears as a digital single at #SP0983. KEXP has never claimed to understand the Sub Pop catalog system; we’re just reporting on it. — JH
Date Played: August 1 by DJ Hans
Comedian Jon Benjamin may be best known as the voice of Bob Belcher in the FOX TV show Bob’s Burgers, or maybe you recognize him as Sterling Archer, the namesake of the show Archer. But, you most likely don’t know him as the "Jazz Daredevil” he proclaims himself on this crazy concept album.
On an episode of NPR’s Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me, Benjamin almost sheepishly explains, "It was just sort of a — (laughter) it was just an idea I had, a concept I had. And I hired a bunch of professional jazz musicians who — and then met them at a recording studio, who then proceeded to find out that I can't play piano… I sat at the piano, and I — when they kind of nodded over to me, I, like, just hit some keys a lot.”
Yep, that’s the entirety of the album. It’s currently out of print, with no plans to repress, and it goes for ridiculous amounts of money online. Are people really that fanatical about Bob’s Burgers? Are they Jon Benjamin collector fans?
In his press release, Jon reflects: "Some tell me, “Hey, Jon, tone it down.” Some even say, “Really, Jon?” A few have said, “Get the fuck away from me or I’ll fucking punch you in the face.” I know the risks in making this album. I know what it is like to do something that no one else would think to do. Most would call this reckless. I call it jazz. What you are about to experience is an aural auto-de-fe. I am the ‘jazz daredevil.’” — JH
Date NOT Played: August 1
The eighth studio album (and the second since reuniting in 2012) from this veteran Cincinnati-bred band led by Greg Dulli is another potent set of brooding, soul-inflected rock with churning guitars, soaring horns, haunting strings and muscular rhythms accompanying Dulli's husky vocals and often-dark lyrics. — DY
Date Played: August 1 on The Afternoon Show with Kevin Cole
The debut album from this San Francisco band featuring members of Comets On Fire, Espers, and Assemble Head in Sunburst Sound is a promising set of expansive psych-rock ranging from fiery, distortion-drenched ragers to hypnotic acid-folk dirges. — DY
Date Played: August 1 on The Afternoon Show with Kevin Cole
I’m Sorry (You’re Welcome) is a a 9-volume, 7-LP comedy album from Eugene Mirman (also known as “Gene Belcher”, the music-loving son on FOX TV’s Bob’s Burgers or the landlord on Flight of the Conchords). It’s available on vinyl, digitally, and in the form of an embroidered bathrobe. (Initially, you could even get this as a midcentury-modern-inspired chair or a puppy, but those are both currently sold out.) (We would like to hear from you if you ordered the puppy.)
In addition to a comedy performance recorded at Seattle’s Columbia City Theater in June 2014, this collection includes more than 500 additional tracks including: 45 uninterrupted minutes of crying, a guided meditation, 195 orgasms, Russian language lessons, ringtones and outgoing voicemail messages for your personal use, and, if you can believe it, much more. — JH
Date NOT Played: August 1
A collaboration between godheadSilo bassist and vocalist Mike Kunka and Northwest punk faves The Melvins, Three Men and a Baby was mostly finished in 1999, but didn’t get finished ’til 2015. Why, you may ask? Well, the guys jokingly blame everything from whooping cough, surgery, and stolen gear in their press release, and the truth isn’t far off. Frontman Buzz Osborne explained the situation with Mike to Rolling Stone: "We got as far as we could get with that, and then it was time for him [Mike] to do a bunch of vocals, and he just couldn’t figure out what he was going to do, so he said, “I’ll just take them home with me and then I’ll finish them.” And we never heard from him again. Just disappeared. Literally disappeared. Like phones disconnected. We heard that he moved out into the woods, then we heard some wild story about him getting whooping cough, which I was like, what is it, 1930?”
But then out of nowhere, Kunka reached out to Melvins drummer Dale Crover and the band agreed to revisit the sessions with producer Toshi Kasai. Crover told Paste Magazine, "I’m happy that this record has even come out, considering it was made 17 years ago and never finished. So finally when Mike said he wanted to finish it, we asked them [Sub Pop] if they were even interested in putting it out, because we had some sort of contract with them on account of Mike being signed with them as a member of godheadSilo. They had forgotten all about it and went back to see what the deal was, and they seemed really into it. Mark Arm was telling me they listen to it in the warehouse all the time [laughs].” — JH
Date Played: August 1 on The Midday Show with Troy Nelson
Nothing quite gets my endorphins rushing than someone saying, “It’s time for fun.” Okay, that was a bit of sarcasm but Swedish band GOAT somehow finds a way of taking the monotone nature of that title and turn it into something that’s…actually fun. The phrase repeats in a monotone in the chorus over a slinky bass line and programmed beats, merging psychedelia with the aesthetics of a fried Commodore 64. B-side “Relax” also captures the band’s frenzied, experimental nature. The instrumental glides and contorts itself, the rhythm operating on a continuous loop while a distorted accordion howls overtop. It’s time for fun, indeed. - DH
Date Played: August 1 on The Midday Show with Troy Nelson
One of Sub Pop’s early definitive artists gets the boxset treatment with One Way Street. The set collects Lanegan’s first five solo albums – from The Winding Street through Field Songs. Sub Pop noted that three of the albums had been previously out of print, plus I’ll Take Care of You was only pressed in Europe while Field Songs was only ever released on CD. So if you love Mark Lanegan and vinyl completionist, this is definitely for you. - DH
Date Played: August 1 on The Morning Show with John Richards
Released in 2015, Ones and Sixes is another departure for Low. Recorded with producer BJ Burton in Justin Vernon's Eau Claire studio, Ones and Sixes uses distorted electronic textures and synthesized drums in combination with Alan Sparhawk and Mimi Parker's ever lovely dual vocals. The record's first two tracks, the excellent one-two punch of "Gentle" into "No Comprende," sets up the dynamic of Ones and Sixes, jumping between bursts of guitar and ominous open space. This has long been a tactic of Low, who are masters of tension and dynamics, but it feels additionally invigorated by the introduction of electronic texture. In contrast with the staid The Invisible Way, produced by Jeff Tweedy, Ones and Sixes breaks Low's mold in subtle but rewarding ways. In spite of its length and experimentation, it is a record well worth returning to and among the most interesting in Low's catalog. - MH
Date Played: August 1 on The Morning Show with John Richards
Sub Pop deserves credit for returning to their roots on SP1143, which collects the disaffected, difficult catalog of the legendary U-Men, among the most influential of early Seattle punks. Though during their initial tenure U-Men famously rejected Sub Pop's offers to join their roster (drummer Charlie Ryan offers "it was just more fun saying no"), long after the U-Men's demise comes a career spanning boxset. Named after a Pere Ubu bootleg, U-Men offer punk that incorporates elements of derelict rockabilly, glam, and garage. Their influence on anything resembling a Seattle sound should not be understated, especially the maniac vocals of John Bigley. While perhaps fans of Father John Misty are better off staying away, U-Men clearly earn their place in the Seattle rock history, as demonstrated by these thirty jolts of energy. - MH
Date Played: August 1 by Sean
In the age of surprise album drops, Beach House really wanted to make sure we all knew that this was not a surprise album – even if it was announced just nine days before its release. The record was recorded during the same sessions as Depression Cherry, which was released on Sub Pop just two months prior and had the phrase “Thank Your Lucky Stars” etched in the vinyl, but the band maintains that the albums are two separate entities. While there is the temptation to look at these two albums as companion pieces, there’s truth to the band’s disclaimers. Whereas Depression Cherry floats in a lovely, punch drunk blur, Thank Your Lucky Stars finds the band reveling in their darker and more expansive tendencies. As we noted with Cherry, Stars continues the band’s mastery of their signature sound. That these two albums feel different doesn’t undercut that idea, but in fact proves it. That they can find an array of new tonal ideas and inspiration within their range within the same sessions is nothing short of remarkable. - DH
Date Played: August 1 by Sean
At first blush, it's dreadfully easy to lump these Melbourne-based noise/art-rockers in with the long, long score of bands who could be favorably compared to Sonic Youth, but doing so would limit the gifts found on their first full-length under the Sub Pop banner. Though similarly stationed with members who all contribute to the songwriting process (guitarists Sarah Hardiman and Jensen Tjhung, bassist Nick Pratt, and drummer Daniel Twomey), though similarly armed with feedback and punch and dissonance, the quartet explores a host of diverse songs fused together by a love for alternate tunings and squall. At a mercilessly brief 1:11, "Newness Again" is as hardcore as it gets, and "Sunset's Fool" oddly sounds like a noise-rock reimagining of Silver Jews circa The Natural Bridge. But then, the band closes out with "Calypso," the best :Sonic Nurse track not recorded for the 2004 album. — MD
Date Played: July 31 on Larry's Lounge with Larry Rose
Mass Gothic is the New York-based project of former Hooray For Earth frontman Noel Heroux. His debut album under that name is a fine if somewhat inconsistent set of densely produced, '80s-tinged pop-rock. — DY
Date Played: July 31 on Larry's Lounge with Larry Rose
A pre-order incentive for their self-titled full-length (#SP1134), this limited-edition 7” single features the non-album track “Never Did Me Wrong” and a cover of Led Zeppelin’s “The Wanton Song” on the B-Side.
Date Played: July 31 on Larry's Lounge with Larry Rose
Lee Bains III & the Glory Fires may have left the label after 2014’s Dereconstructed, but they’re not the type of band to bow out without a parting shot. “Sweet Disorder!” appears first on this single before it would show up on their 2017 album Youth Detention on Don Giovanni Records. It’s blistering way to make an exit – a fired up, rowdy anthem that speaks to the ethos of the southern rockers before they head for Giovannier pastures. Yee haw. - DH
Date Played: July 31 on The Afternoon Show with Kevin Cole
Finally, a song with a sentiment I think we can all identify with. Released as a promotional single and with pre-orders of Doldrums’ The Air Conditioned Nightmare, this 7-inch single features two new tracks: “IDONTWANNABEDELETED” and “Market Signals.” The A-side finds Doldrums’ Airick Woodhead at his most confrontational, production-wise, mixing in stabs of synthesizers with assertive, booming beats. Samantha Urbani (formerly of the band Friends) lends vocals to the track, cementing the post-modern, post-apocalyptic grandeur of the song. - DH
Date Played: July 31 on The Afternoon Show with Kevin Cole
This Southern California artist's second album is fine set of hazy, experimental psych-pop with druggy textures, gauzy vocals and dreamy melodies. — DY
Date Played: July 31 on The Afternoon Show with Kevin Cole
Just as Rose Windows were on the rise, they decided to bow out. After recording their self-titled sophomore album in Louisiana with producer Randall Dunn (Charms, Earth), the band announced their album in February of 2015. A month later, they’d announce their break-up. About a month after that, their album would hit stores. The band was coy about their split, saying in a statement on Facebook that “for the health of the band and the health of each individual member we have to let go.” Whatever the reasons may be, their final album remains a testament to the power the group had when they were together. It’s full of psychic dirges, mystical ballads, and bewitching musical arrangements. Of the many Seattle bands to have graced the Sub Pop catalog, Rose Windows poses one of the greatest “What if?” scenarios of them all. - DH
Date Played: July 31 on The Midday Show with Troy Nelson
Throughout their career, Portland duo The Helio Sequence have pushed themselves to experiment and shapeshifter their sound. It’s a tradition they keep up with their 2015 self-titled album, embracing characteristics of dream-pop and chillwave into their fold. Last year vocalist/guitarist Brandon Summers discussed the album with KEXP: “Our recent self-titled was in a way a reconnection with some of our early shoegaze influences. But the main point is that we've never stopped and decided ‘this is the type of band Helio Sequence is’ just as we would never stop our listening and inspiration and say ‘I only listen to such-and-such band’ or ‘I’m only inspired by this type of music.’ Inspiration is endless if you pursue it.” - DH
Date Played: July 31 on The Midday Show with Troy Nelson
Released as a pre-order exclusive with copies of the duo’s sophomore album EarthEE, this 7-inch finds THEESatisfaction at their most poised for the dance floor. Aside from the sneering title of “I Don’t Like You,” the group creates a total jam with the disco-tinged rhythms of “Supa Dupa (Love Affair)” – crafting an mesmerizing rhythm that could lock you into an endless dance party. - DH
Date Played: July 31 on The Midday Show with Troy Nelson
A Record Store Day 2015 release, limited to 5700 copies and press in red vinyl cut into a heart-shape. Side A is an acoustic version of the title track of his most recent LP (#SP1115) and Side B is exclusive to this release. Bella Union released a companion version in the UK, but the only differences are the heart is shaped a little bit different and it’s limited to 500 copies.
Date Played: July 31 on The Morning Show with John Richards
The limited edition deluxe version of No Cities to Love (#SP1100) delivers the album in 180-gram white vinyl with a bonus LP that features two exclusive tracks on one side and an etching on the other. It’s all wrapped up in a triple gatefold cover with a two-sided poster, a lyric sheet, and a download code, natch.
Date Played: July 31 on The Morning Show with John Richards
Throughout his career, Daughn Gibson is routinely noted for his country and western influences in his music. It’s a genre he’s skirted the lines on throughout records like 2013’s Me Moan and 2012’s All Hell, embellishing his low drawl with splashes of steel guitar. This makes his third LP, Carnation, feel like a carnation. Whatever hints of those tones that were in his music prior are drowned in a mix of string arrangements, low barreling bass notes, and minimalist drums. But what does remain is the tumultuous spirit of the modern cowboy, seeking out an ailment for his internal pain. Gibson weaves tales of mental illness, heartbreak, and death in his murky new sound. Carnation gives us a look at Gibson expanding his sonic horizons while still reckoning with the tortured spirit at the core of his songwriting. - DH
Date Played: July 31 by DJ Reeves
Their actual debut Sub Pop release, even though the full-length has an earlier catalog number, “Standing” was a perfect intro to Strange Wilds, a new trio formed from former members of Negative Press, Outlook, Wreck, and a bunch of other punk/hardcore bands. The 3-songs on this single were recorded in 2014 at High Command Studios in Olympia, WA by Captain Tripps Ballsington (alias of Dave Harvey, formerly of Sex Vid and Behead the Prophet NLSL). — JH
Date Played: July 31 by DJ Reeves
Doldrums is the project of Canadian musician Airick Woodhead, whose sole full-length on Sub Pop remains 2015's The Air Conditioned Nightmare. Following an acclaimed remix of Portishead's "Catch the Tear" and collaborations with Grimes, the first Doldrums record, the undervalued Lesser Evil was released in 2013. Calling to mind other projects (HEALTH, TR/ST, Black Dice) that mix industrial, noise, and pop, The Air Conditioned Nightmare is a singular experiment in glitched out pop that is regrettably hidden amidst the Sub Pop catalog. The subsequent Doldrums record, 2017's Esc, lacked the Sub Pop bump, and received significantly less attention than its predecessors. Let us hope Woodhead continues to experiment as a musician and performer into the coming future. - MH
Date Played: July 31 by DJ Reeves
Olympia, WA-bred power trio Strange Wilds were made to be on Sub Pop Records. The roots of Northwest music are strong in their raucous debut LP, Subjective Concepts.
“We’re very aware of that sound, and when you grow up in the Northwest, the whole Olympia/Seattle/Sub Pop sound is everywhere,” their drummer Allen (no last name) says in a press release. “People still love it, it’s in your face all the time; that’s the sound that is very integral to the way people play and what they are a part of. I don’t think we want to carry the torch or emulate that stuff; this is where that music didn’t stop, it’s been going on through all these different punk and hardcore bands and alternative and weird rock bands and this is kind of where it is right now. Northwest hardcore is very different; because it’s so isolated, it’s easy for that petri dish to stay there. You still have that grunge influence in that petri dish, but there’s just a lot more stuff in it now. And I guess we’re in there now, too.”
Date Played: July 30 on The Afternoon Show with Troy Nelson
One of the unknown gems of the Sub Pop catalog is this Record Store Day release by Koes Barat. Spearheaded by legendary Sun City Girls frontman Alan Bishop, Koes Barat pays tribute to Indonesian pop stars Koes Plus, who enjoyed fame and notoreity in their native country, loathed by government officials for their perceived dissidence. Originally the project of all five Koeswoyo brothers, Koes Plus enjoyed a decades long career in Indonesia, and remain among the nation's most influential groups. Bishop, who also runs the much vaunted Seattle label Sublime Frequencies, joined with three members of Seattle experimental stalwarts Master Musicians Of Bukkake on eleven interpretations of Koes Plus tracks. Recorded in a week with master producer Randall Dunn, Bishop subsequently brought the tapes to Jakarta to play them for the surviving Koeswoyo brothers. Although Bishop has estimated that dozens upon dozens of Koes Plus cover bands still perform on the island of Java, Koes Barat remains Seattle's best introduction to the influential group, mixing the spirit and energy of Dead Moon with tropes of 60's pop. Released in a limited edition of 3,800 copies worldwide on Record Store Day 2015. - MH
Date Played: July 30 on The Afternoon Show with Troy Nelson
Three years after releasing their masterful fourth album, Bloom, Beach House returned to their familiar haze with the romantic longing of Depression Cherry. While it’s a stretch to call the album a departure from the band’s previous work, Depression Cherry continues the band’s trend of mastery over what they do best. There are moments like the lead single “Sparks” that find the band stretching beyond their usual palette, honing in the spirit of My Bloody Valentine with fiendish guitar fuzz and copious reverb buzzing in all channels. But it’s the languid longing of moments like “Space Song” and “10:37” that best showcase Beach House’s affection for luscious arrangements that go down like sweet, sad candy. The band moved way from the use of live drums after the Bloom tour, refocusing themselves on simplicity. It’s an intentional step back, thinking smaller and in the process finding even bigger and darker ideas. It’s a testament to the band’s ever growing maturity and set the stage for them to continue to reveal themselves as one of the early 21st Century’s most reliably brilliant acts. - DH
Date Played: July 30 on The Midday Show with Stevie Zoom
Released in 2015, the sophomore Metz album, II, doubles down on the approach of their much lauded debut, managing to sound even more caustic than their 2012 achievement. Metz have also further stripped away at any hint of verse-chorus-verse song structure, which adds to the record's sense of claustrophobia. Lead-off track "Acetate" is an antisocial burst of energy that also succeeds as an unrelentingly catchy opener. Though one could characterize II as rather grey in tone, there are plenty of moments that add diversity to the band's constant dirge. - MH
Date Played: July 30 on The Midday Show with Stevie Zoom
It was exciting enough when Sub Pop announced they were remastering seven of the early Sleater-Kinney albums for the box set Start Together (#SP1110). What made it even more exciting was that in each of the 3,000-copy, limited-edition deluxe vinyl sets was a plain, white one-sided 7” with "1/20/15” marked on the wax. And that was our first listen to Sleater-Kinney's first new song in a decade. — JH
Date Played: July 30 on The Morning Show with John Richards
This is actually the second time J Mascis’s “Fade Into You” appears in the Sub Pop catalog, but the first time around, it was very, very limited edition as a wedding favor for CEO Megan Jasper (#SP1037).
Originally released as a Record Store Day Black Friday 7” at 4000 copies worldwide, Sub Pop now offers it for sale all year long. (Take that, collector scum!) Side B is a previously unreleased song from the recordings sessions for his latest solo record, Tied To A Star (#SP1083). — JH
Date Played: July 30 on The Morning Show with John Richards
It’s the release no one had expected: when Australian noise rock band Feedtime (often stylized as “feedtime”) called it quits in 1989, frontman Rick Johnson declared, "I got to the point where I would either kill myself or commit murder.” He clarified in a 2012 interview for The Stranger, "Feedtime broke up because I was having a breakdown. That’s all. There was a lot of anger and darkness that underlaid a lot of feedtime's makeup. I had to remake myself or die.” He added, "Some stuff about feedtime involves very hard stuff and needs to be left alone.”
All this to say, it was a surprise for Sub Pop to release two new tracks from the band, their first new music in almost two decades. After reforming and touring in support of their 2012 box-set The Aberrant Years (#SP0980), they actually felt inspired enough to write new music. This 7” was just a hint of the full-length album that came out last year on In the Red Records. Welcome back, boys! We’re happy to see you healthy again. — JH
Date Played: July 30 by DJ Miss Ashley
Though Melbourne, Australia’s Deaf Wish had been killing it in their homeland since 2007, this 7” was their first ever US release, available in limited edition blue colored vinyl for the first 200 pre-orders of their full-length Pain (#SP1141). Guitarist Jensen Tjhung explained the signing to Weirdo Wasteland: "They sent me an email out of the blue and asked me if we had been working on anything and I sent them the songs and from the 7”.” (ED. NOTE: This almost never happens.) "We recorded in a really bad sounding room upstairs at The Tote, we went in and had a session with Jack Farley and we came out of it, got some mixes done and we sent them to Sub Pop and they put it out.” — JH
Date Played: July 29 by DJ Evie
After reintroducing himself to the world as more than just the “Fleet Foxes drummer” on Fear Fun, Josh Tillman fully comes into his own with Father John Misty’s astounding sophomore album I Love You, Honeybear. Appropriately released just a few days before Valentine’s Day, the album is a wondrous, symphonic ode to love in all its messiness and debauchery. He’d found a muse in his wife Emma and the album’s title comes from Tillman’s nickname for her: “Honeybear.” In typical Father John Misty fashion, there’s plenty of excess and bewitching scenarios scattered throughout Honeybear. Even on conventionally doting song like “Chateau Lobby #4 (in C For Two Virgins)” cruxes with the line “I haven’t hated all the games thing as somebody else since I remember.” He sings of disdain for annoying lovers on “The Night Josh Tillman Came To Our Apt.” and his own brimming jealousy on “Nothing Good Ever Happens At The Goddman Thirsty Crow” and “The Ideal Husband.” Tillman runs the gamut of the highs and lows of love, but when he closes with the sparse and emotionally candid “I Went To The Store One Day,” not even his sense of humor can get away from the “true affection” and completeness he feels from his honeybear. - DH
Date Played: July 29 by DJ Evie
This 7-inch single was made available exclusively with pre-orders of GOAT’s sophomore album, Commune, and features only one track: “Dig My Grave.” The song itself as feverish, psychedelic, mostly-instrumental romp. Guitars layer on top of each other, sounding like an acid trip having its own acid trip (acid tripception?). - DH
Date Played: July 29 by DJ Stevie Zoom
This reissue of Pissed Jeans’ debut Shallow also came with a reissue of one of the band’s first ever singles – a 7-inch featuring “Throbbing Organ” and “Night Minutes.” The a-side is about as gruesome and unsavory as you’d expect from the title, but it’s quintessential Pissed Jeans. Snarling, muddy vocals clamoring against squalls of guitar. Which… also basically describes “Night Minutes.” On this single alone, Pissed Jeans cement themselves as the heaviest band out there named after a bodily fluid. - DH
Date NOT Played: July 29
"There’s always been a cinematic feeling to Shearwater’s work. Maybe it’s the longing bellow of Jonathan Meiburg’s voice or the drones of piano keys pounding an a spacious room. Whatever it is, it’s completely heightened on the band’s eighth album, Jet Plane and Oxbow. The band brought in composer Brian Reitzell (who has provided the scores for 30 Days of Night, Friday Night Lights, The Bling Ring, among others) into the fold, bringing out a new type of atmosphere to the band’s sound. Synthesizers and programmed beats align with the band’s thoughtful arrangements, sounding bigger and more vivid than ever.
In an interview with journalist Michael Azerrad that was released alongside the record, Meiburg describes his concept for the album: “My idea for Jet Plane and Oxbow was to try to make a protest record that wasn’t dumb or preachy. Which was sometimes hard to reconcile with how much fun it was to do! But the more grand or triumphant the songs sounded, the more conflicted the lyrics became, which I really liked. I listened to it the other day for the first time since we mastered it and it reminded me of a breakup letter—the kind that’s furious and tender at the same time, because it’s written with love.” - DH
Date Played: July 29 by DJ Stevie Zoom
Before they were The Shins, they were Flake Music. 17 years after the release of When You Land Here, It’s Time to Return (the only album released under the Flake Music moniker), songwriter James Mercer sought to not just reissue the album, but to “reimagine it.” Beyond just remastering the record, Mercer worked with engineer Kennie Takahashi to breath new life into the recordings with an entirely new mix. The artwork is also updated with a new version from Seattle artist Keith Negley. It’s not often that you get to have a proper “do-over” with your debut record, but Mercer does exactly that with this LP. The new sheen on the recordings makes it feel more akin to the sonic wizardry of the later Shins records, but Mercer’s poppy songwriting remains a constant and it’s a genuine thrill to here the genesis on this record. - DH
Date Played: July 29 by Sean
After Sub Pop remastered each of the Sleater-Kinney albums – minus The Woods – in 2014 (see SP1103-1108), the label collected all of the trio’s work into a glamorous box set dubbed Star Together. Not only does it include every Sleater-Kinney album through The Woods, but it also contains a 44-page hardcover book and an art print of the band. - DH
Date Played: July 28 on Audioasis with DJ Sharlese
In 2014, Sub Pop resurfaced Pissed Jeans’ noisy and debauchery-riddled 2006 debut Shallow. While the album is remastered, our favorite Losers didn’t clean up Pissed Jeans’ act too much. This is still the crunchy, vicious, and crude record that the band intended it to be. With songs like “Ashamed of My Cum” and “Ugly Twin (I’ve Got),” there’s no way it could be any other way. The Loser edition of the record was pressed on translucent yellow – the color of piss. Cute! - DH
Date Played: July 28 by DJ Troy Nelson
One Beat is another great demonstration of Sleater-Kinney's balancing act, mixing strident political commentary, alienation, and unhinged punk with an unrivaled precision. Released in 2002, One Beat shows Sleater-Kinney grappling with the aftermath of 9/11, and its impact on Tucker's experience as a mother, cultural production, foreign policy, and a culture of paranoia. There are a number of highlights on the LP including pounding opener "One Beat," another excellent titular lead-off track in the band's discography. The grinding "Light Rail Coyote" into "Step Aside" is a delightful transition, "Step Aside" mixing bursts of brass, an amazing Brownstein guitar part, and a perfect song structure to boot. While One Beat is filled with anger and strife, there are a number of joyous pockets for listeners to hide in amidst the turmoil. - MH
Date Played: July 28 by Troy Nelson
Sleater-Kinney's All Hands on the Bad One seems a polarizing record for dedicated fans, either a towering maturation, or possible sell-out. The album certainly has its strident defenders, including the great critic Sasha Frere-Jones, who has written that it is his favorite of the band's albums. Like on The Hot Rock, All Hands mixes a great number of tones, subject matters, and song structures to sometimes dizzying effect. However, once the listeners has grappled with the album's length, its many immense pleasures clearly emerge. These include the great "#1 Must Have," an exploration of assault and the mainstream infiltration of 'riot grrrl' inspired by Tucker speaking at the EMP Pop Conference. "Milkshake 'n' Honey" is a send-up of macho rock traditions that also succeeds as a great pop song (not unlike Hot Rock highlight "Don't Talk Like"). Perhaps more straight ahead than other records, All Hands on the Bad One is still well worth hours of dissection and engagement. Any record that has a closing track as beautiful as "The Swimmer" could not be anything but great. Originally released on Kill Rock Stars, but reissued on Sub Pop in 2014. - MH
Date Played: July 28 by DJ Evie
The Hot Rock occupies a difficult place in the Sleater-Kinny hierarchy for some fans. It is a transitional album following the canonical Dig Me Out and the dark horse All Hands on the Bad One. It offers more diversity in sound and a comparatively sleek blend of melancholic, mature pop and punk. However, the band's musicianship is absolutely remarkable, perfectly balanced dual guitars, dual vocals, and the constantly changing, evocative drums of Janet Weiss. "Don't Talk Like" sounds like a warped jukebox classic, Weiss's droning drums matching a lovely guitar duet from Brownstein and Tucker. This is joined by the gorgeous "Size of Our Love," a lost hit from a fabricated history of late 70's-mid 80's post-punk. These tracks are in contrast with the glorious "Get Up," perhaps the best Sleater-Kinney single. The song is an absolute master class in syncopated energy. Tucker's lyrics achieve a level of ecstatic poetry, "and when the body finally starts to go// let it all go at once// not piece by piece// but like a whole bucket of stars." Some days, The Hot Rock feels like the perfect Sleater-Kinney album. Each band member's energy and voice comes through in clear, invigorating glimpses. - MH
Date Played: July 28 by Gabriel Teodros
Enter Ms. Janet Weiss. The epitome of a power trio, a listener can spend every listen of Dig Me Out listening individually to the parts of Brownstein, Tucker, or Weiss, and have a wonderful experience. The titular "Dig Me Out" perfectly sets up the album with its lyrics and piercing guitar, encapsulating the multi-level head rush of listening to the band's music. This heads straight into the awe-inspiring "One More Hour," one of the greatest tracks in the band's catalog, and all time great break-up song. Dig Me Out does not let up, each subsequent track bringing an additional thematic and musical element. Many critics have labeled Dig Me Out as the best Sleater-Kinney album, which almost dares listeners to love other S-K records more. However, though it is perhaps the band's most loved album, Dig Me Out a thrilling, varied, and delightful work that is worthy of the legend that surrounds it. Originally released on Kill Rock Stars, but reissued on Sub Pop in 2014. - MH
Date Played: July 27 on The Afternoon Show with Kevin Cole
In its own way, Call the Doctor still sounds like a revelation. The title track kicks off the album with the perfectly balanced twin vocals of Carrie Brownstein and Corin Tucker, building to a massive conclusion (and Carrie Brownstein scream) that stands with any of their later work. Call the Doctor is punk in an alienated vacuum. Even the album's most famous song, "I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone," on which Brownstein and Tucker inahbit the roles of famous male rock pin-ups, is prickly and disaffected. It is a punk anthem in the truest sense, equal parts tension, unease, and unhinged energy. Call the Doctor is a glorious piece of work in its knowing imperfection, jagged lines, and malice. Originally released on Kill Rock Stars, but reissued on Sub Pop in 2014. - MH
Date Played: July 27 on The Afternoon Show with Kevin Cole
The debut Sleater-Kinney album is the most ignored album in the band's catalog. Sleater-Kinney certainly show the band in a relatively early stage of their development, later to be mastered on their subsequent albums. However, it is a very undervalued LP that captures the immediacy and joy of their later recordings while drawing more heavily from a tradition of 'riot grrrl.' Sleater-Kinney formed following the break-ups of Excuse 17 (the former project of Carrie Brownstein) and Heavens to Betsy (Corin Tucker's former project). Later records blended 'riot grrrl' politics and spirit with a different set of cultural references, but Sleater-Kinney captures the band at their most darkly humorous, brimming with creative energy. Originally released on Kill Rock Stars, but reissued on Sub Pop in 2014. - MH
Date Played: July 27 on The Afternoon Show with Kevin Cole
In early 2014, Seattle’s own The Head & the Heart stopped by the Spotify offices for a stripped-down performance of songs from their latest, Let’s Be Still (#SP1060).
Date Played: July 27 on The Midday Show with Troy Nelson
As part of the 10th anniversary commemoration of their one and only full-length Give Up (#SP1045), Sub Pop released this feature-length documentary concert film, capturing their summer 2013 performance at the Greek Theater in Berkeley, CA.
Everything Will Change features never-before-seen live recordings, intimate interviews and backstage footage of the band, and a bunch of music videos, including some clips directed by Tom Scharpling, then-host of The Best Show on WFMU.
Date Played: July 27 on The Midday Show with Troy Nelson
