You can’t talk about the boom of folk music in the 2000s without touching on Iron & Wine. The project helmed by singer-songwriter Sam Beam became a standard bearer for the modern incarnation of the genre. On his first album under the moniker, The Creek Drank The Cradle, he exemplifies the scant and tender craftsmanship that would define much of his early work. The recordings were initially intended to be demos, recorded on a four-track recorder in Beam’s home. His intention was to pass them along to his friends in the band Calexico in hopes that they would perform as his rhythm section, but the demos proved to be an engrossing work in themselves and found their way into the Sub Pop catalog. - DH
Date Played: May 21 on The Afternoon Show with Troy Nelson
Propelled by the success and jangly charisma of their single “Bandages,” Hot Hot Heat finally made their full-length debut with Make Up The Breakdown. Though it’d be a stretch to connect the Victoria act with the dance-punk scene brewing in New York, Hot Hot Heat’s music was undeniable in its flashy grooves and dance influences. It’s a far cry from their early hardcore days, but helped propel a new wave of indie rock that openly embraced pop aesthetics. Pitchfork included the debut on their Top Albums of 2002, with writer Rob Mitchum saying, “It might not have been fitting source material for DJs mixing at velvet-rope clubs, but it fit nicely into the playlist at every repression-shedding indie sock-hop this year.” - DH
Date Played: May 21 on The Midday Show with Cheryl Waters
Well, welcome to Sub Pop, Iron and Wine! With this Sub Pop Singles Club release (Volume Two, #48, only 1300 copies), Sam Beam began his now-long-running relationship with the label. Like many unions, he eventually strayed to Warner Bros. and then Nonesuch, but let’s get back to the halcyon days of 2002. Back then, it was “Professor Beam” to you, as songwriting was something he did as a hobby when he wasn’t teaching film and cinematography at the University of Miami and Miami International University of Art & Design. He had been writing songs for over seven years and recording them at home on a four-track (like these two songs here). He gave one of these demos to his friend Michael Bridwell, and — yes, you guessed it — he gave it to his brother Ben, who also happened to be in the Sub Pop band, the auto-correct-hatin’ Carissa’s Wierd (#SP0582). It wasn’t long before Poneman was making the call, and here we are. — JH
Date Played: May 21 on The Midday Show with Cheryl Waters
Pictures Of Me is another of those UK-only EPs (see #SP0596, #SP0591, and too many others to list). The title track comes direct from their freshly-released Sub Pop sophomore LP Find Your Home (#SP0551), with the next three tracks previously unreleased at the time. Track 2 — (coincidentally?) titled "Take Two Kisses — was re-released for the band’s third LP, Down for Whatever, released in 2003 on RCA. — JH
Date Played: May 21 on The Midday Show with Cheryl Waters
The 3000 Ways EP was a UK only release, highlighting two tracks from their just-recently-released LP Static Delusions and Stone-Still Days: “Nothing” and, well, “3000 Ways,” natch. The track “On the Outside” appears to be exclusive to this release, but I didn’t dig too far into Google’ing “the catheters” and “on the outside,” for obvious reasons. The fourth and final track is a cover of a Gardener song (see #SP0454). — JH
Date Played: May 21 on The Morning Show with John Richards
The Postal Service are a band without a hometown. A collaborative effort between Death Cab For Cutie’s Ben Gibbard and Dntel producer Jimmy Tamborello, the duo’s first and only album Give Up was a runaway success. It was the first Sub Pop album since Nirvana’s Bleach to go platinum and their single “Such Great Heights” became a phenomenon all of its own. Gibbard and Tamborello didn’t do it alone either, bringing in Rilo Kiley’s Jenny Lewis and Tattle Tale’s Jen Wood to contribute vocals to numerous songs on the record. Gibbard’s Death Cab bandmate Chris Walla also plays piano on “Nothing Better.” The band briefly toured behind the record before putting the project on hiatus. The band reunited in 2013 to tour behind Give Up’s 10th anniversary. The band still has not announced any plans for a follow-up LP. - DH
Date Played: May 21 on The Morning Show with John Richards
Formed in 1999 in Victoria, British Columbia, Hot Hot Heat began as a hardcore band, but by the time they got to Sub Pop, they’d morphed into a dance-punk thing, as was de rigueur at the time. They had released a single on the label earlier this year (see the confusingly catalog’ed #SP0410 and #SP0430), and continued to baby step towards a full-length with this 5-song EP. Half the tracks here were recorded by Death Cab for Cutie’s Chris Walla at Seattle’s own Hall of Justice. — JH
Date Played: May 21 by DJ Miss Ashley
Make the Cowboy Robots Cry was actually a moment of celebration: the 6-song EP marked the return of founding member, drummer Jimi Hey. Jimmy Tamborello (DNTEL/Figurine/The Postal Service) was behind the board, giving the band’s dreamy country sound a bleep-bloop touch. To top it all off, the artwork is by Seattle’s own Jim Woodring, world-renowned cartoonist and The Stranger genius award alumni. — JH
Date Played: May 21 by DJ Miss Ashley
Damon & Naomi's 2002 album Song of the Siren captures a live performance from the duo in San Sebastian, Spain, during a period of collaboration with the venerable Japanese band Ghost. Song of the Siren acts as a fitting introduction to the band's world, mixing favorite tracks from past records with a few choice covers, including a rendition of the titular "Song of the Siren," originally by Tim Buckley. Ghost's Michio Kurihara accompanies the duo on guitar, adding additional layers to their breathtakingly spare arrangements. - MH
Date Played: May 21 by DJ Miss Ashley
The Know Your Onion CD EP features the album version of the title track and "Sphagnum Esplanade" along with two live versions of “My Seventh Rib” and “New Slang,” recorded at Graceland on October 26, 2001, and I just remembered I was at that show, and holy crap, I am old. — JH
Date Played: May 20 by Evie
Shut Up, You Fucking Baby features the comedy routine David Cross was working on during the filming of the Lance Bangs’ documentary Let America Laugh (#SP0556). (The bulk of the audio was taken from shows in Portland, Oregon, and in Atlanta, Georgia, Cross's hometown.) The 2xCD set was even nominated for a Grammy for Best Comedy Album in 2004. (He lost to Weird Al Yankovic.) Also, in classic 2000’s style, there’s a hidden track on disc 1 — start playing track one, and then use the rewind button to go back -1:40. — JH
Date Played: May 20 by Evie
The Eagle Is The Most Popular Bird was a UK-only promo CD, curated to showcase some of their most recent releases. Each of the 17 tracks appears on an album; no cool comp-only tracks here. Which just leaves us to wonder... is the eagle the most popular bird? Because according to a website called cuteness.com, it’s actually a parakeet. And who wouldn’t trust a website called "cuteness.com", amiright? — JH
Date Played: May 20 by Evie
The Philadelphia psych outfit's only release on Sub Pop was the first Sub Pop Singles Club release of 2002. The 7 inch contained singles the good Mazarin hadn't included on any other releases yet, once again reasserting the Sup Pop Singles Club's necessity as the paramount staple service for collectors. The 45 came in a clear blood red that matched the poinsettia on the cover. — MF
Date Played: May 20 by Evie
Three live dates in Oslo, Goteborg, and Stockholm supplied the 12 (secretly 13) tracks on White Christmas Live. The final track contained a hidden number, an acoustic version of the song that would become the Sun Kil Moon track "Lily and Parrots," which took studio-recorded life the following year. The version of "Admiral Fell Promises" was also a precursor offering, an exclusive to the CD that did not have an official studio recording until its release on a Sun Kil Moon record in 2008. — MF
Date Played: May 20 by Stevie Zoom
This sweet li'l EP contained two song from her first EP, a B-side version of the single from When We Were Small and a cover of Stevie Wonder's "Feeding Off the Love of the Land." The record served as a go-between from her debut (her voice was previously heard alongside Damian Jurado's on a Sub Pop release, credited, but not her own) In Between, and her first full length record. — MF
Date Played: May 20 by Stevie Zoom
When The Makers jumped over to Sub Pop to put out Rock Star God, they marked the occasion with a major change in their aesthetics. Once known for their degenerate surf anthems, now the band putting on sequined shirts and embracing full blown glam rock. Strangest Parade feels like a spiritual sequel to Rock Star God and once again sees the band making a more mature concept album. The Ramones-esque presentation of the "Maker" family moniker was scrapped on the Sub Pop re-brand in favor of new glamorous stage names like Jamie Jack Frost and Michael Machine. — MF
Date Played: May 20 by Stevie Zoom
Arlo's second record with Sub Pop saw a change from at-home DIY production that followed Greely and Spillane from L.A. The chops the group picked up touring the songs on the first release Up High In the Night fused with professional studio recording to create a much cleaner sound, even more than the last 7" the band had released through Sub Pop, "Sittin on the Aces / Skyscraper." — MF
Date Played: May 20 by Gabriel Teodros
Rosie Thomas released this EP the same year she would release her Sub Pop debut album When We Were Small. Thomas was recording vocals for Damien Jurado’s Ghost of David (See #SP0507) and Badlands: A Tribute to Bruce Springsteen’s Nebraska (See #SP0546) when Sub Pop was first introduced to the lilting, yet robust voice of Thomas and they signed her in 2001. Rosie Thomas would go on to record three LPs with Sub Pop between 2001 – 2005 before she would go on to start her own record label Sing-A-Long Records. — SW
Date Played: May 19 by Troy Nelson
Yes, it’s not a typo, Carissa Wierd spelt “weird”… well, weirdly. Country-tinged and wistful, Carissa’s Wierd stepped into the Seattle indie rock scene in the mid-90s and would stay there through the early 2000s. After the band broke up in 2005, Mat Brooke, the band’s guitarist and vocalist, went on to form Band of Horses alongside Ben Bridwell. Carissa’s Wierd recorded primarily with Brown Records and Sad Robot Records — this Singles Club 7” release would be the only time Sub Pop and Carissa Wierd would pair up. The group takes on Morrissey in a sparse, gentle cover “Suedehead” on the B-side of this release. — SW
Date Played: May 19 by Troy Nelson
"Life is too short to refrain from eating jam out of the jar" goes the opening refrain of this Sub Pop Singles Club entry — courtesy of eternally beloved songwriter John Darnielle — a relatively quiet (at least by Mountain Goats standards in this period), somewhat lovelorn ballad about the life not lived when you're wasting time spreading toast, living in Tampa, and waiting for an old lover to come back home. On the flipside is "Straight Six," which references the same Jenny character from the immortal All Hail West Texas, preceeded the classic "Store," a song about a vision of seeing a departed friend while being concussed or dead (depending on who you ask) in the middle of a grocery, fingertips wet with blood from touching their head wound. — MD
Date Played: May 19 by Troy Nelson
It’s hard to consider lo-fi pioneers Sebadoh without singer songwriter Jason Loewenstein, who proves his prowess as a musician and producer in his 2002 Sub Pop release At Sixes and Sevens. Loewenstein epitomizes the essence of D.I.Y at its finest on this album: writing, performing, and producing everything on the album and recording it in three different cities on an analog reel-to-reel 8-track. At Sixes and Sevens was technically Loewenstein’s second release as a solo artist, but it would quickly become the album that would solidify his status as an artist who can do it all. — SW
Date Played: May 19 by DJ Morgan
Tired of hauling heavy equipment around to venues, Scud Mountain Boys pivoted from their initial experimentation with electric rock when they formed in 1991 playing under the moniker Scuds to the unmistakable alt-country sound this Northampton, MA band would become known for. Scud Mountain Boys had almost a half-decade to master their sound, releasing their debut album Pine Box and their second album Dance the Night Away, both in 1995. The band signed with Sub Pop in 1996 and released the sparse, melancholic Massachusetts later that year. While Scud Mountain Boys ascended quickly, they would ultimately define their Sub Pop legacy with this album alone — the only other project the band worked on with the label before a 16 year long hiatus was the unreleased Spanish Comp. — SW
Date Played: May 19 by DJ Morgan
Even after the local Bellevue punk outfit The Catheters departed from their hardcore roots, turning instead to a dirtier, down-and-out glam rock sound, they never lost their bite or brawn — a Sub Pop press release accurately describes them as “a festering wound in the ear of all things delicate, a hot razor blade slashing through tight knots of control”. This release, the third of seven releases the band would make on Sub Pop, captures the group’s brawly, venomous sound that catapulted them to success — and a sold out show at the Electric Ballroom in London playing alongside Mudhoney during their 2002 UK tour. — SW
Date Played: May 19 by DJ Sean
Beachwood Sparks was formed of bassist Brent Rademaker (who grew up on Beachwood Street) and guitarist Brent Rademaker (from Sparks Street) while they were both in the LA indie-band Further. In 2001, they released a single on Sub Pop covering Sade’s — yes, that Sade — “By Your Side.” It also found its way on their first Sub Pop release Once We Were Trees. With its shimmering melodies and beautify harmonies, the song was a Laurel Canyon-esque (read country rock), mellow psychedelic tune that was later featured in the sountrack to the cult comedy Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World. Really nice. — AL
Date Played: May 19 by DJ Sean
Sub Pop 576 is a 7” from Love As Laughter featuring “Temptation Island” backed with “Live”. This 7” was 45 RPM on side A and 33 RPM on Side B. Not sure why! Love as Laughter was a solo project formed in 1994 by Lync vocalist and guitarist Sam Jayne. The music is pure glam-punk with over the top guitars. The music cranks along – imagine Led Zeppelin if they never left their parent’s garage. The band went on to release 3 LPs on Sub Pop before signing with a major label, Epic, in 2008. — AL
Date Played: May 18 on The Afternoon Show with Troy Nelson
In 2001, Sub Pop released a tribute album to the music of The Kinks by various Northwest artists. Give the People What They Want featured a "who’s who" of Northwest punk and indie bands including Murder City Devils (see Pretty Girls Make Graves), Jon Auer of The Posies, Mark Lanegan (performing with Chris Cornell), and Mudhoney. Young Fresh Fellows performed "Gotta Get The First Plane Home" while The Fastbacks recorded an irreverent version of “Waterloo Sunset”. Most tribute albums are fairly rehashed originals but, in typical Sub Pop fashion, not this. This ain’t your grandma’s Kinks! — AL
Date Played: May 18 on The Afternoon Show with Troy Nelson
On October 23, 2001, Sub Pop released a 7” single by Pretty Girls Make Graves featuring “More Sweet Soul” along with the B-side “If You Hate Your Friends” as part of their Sub Pop Singles Club. This was the second club release and was pressed on split black and blue vinyl. Named after The Smiths' song by the same name, this was Seattle’s Pretty Girls Make Graves only Sub Pop release as they went on to sign to Matador Records, releasing two full length LPs. “More Sweet Soul” is a melodic, swirl of guitar energy with post-punk vocals from Andrea Zollo. “If You Hate Your Friends” sears with self-destructive angst and later appeared on their first album Good Health which was not on Sub Pop. — AL
Date Played: May 18 on The Afternoon Show with Troy Nelson
John Denver’s “Leaving On A Jet Plane” has been covered by many artists including My Morning Jacket, Brandi Carlile, and Peter, Paul & Mary. In 2001, J Mascis absolutely killed it on a Sub Pop 7” single backed with “Too Hard”. And I mean he killed it in a good way. Released exclusively for the Sub Pop Singles Club, there are only 1300 copies pressed on yellow vinyl. This will set your hair on fire as Mascis performs the song with his usual wall of guitar sound. The B-Side “Too Hard” is outstanding, as well. It’s an acoustic workout with his band The Fog that just sounds great. — AL
Date Played: May 18 on The Midday Show with Cheryl Waters
Damien Jurado and David Bazan frequently come up together. If you mention one songwriter, odds are the conversation will eventually lead to the other. It’s not without reason either – Jurado even named Ghost of David after Bazan and the two have played on each other’s work. With I Break Chairs we hear one of their most extensive collaborations in their entire careers. Bazan stepped behind the boards for the record, helping guide Jurado away from the whispery folk of his previous records and helps him find him embrace the fiery tantrums of rock and roll. Sonically, the record feels akin to Bazan’s Control, which he released the same year with Pedro The Lion (even bringing Control producer Aaron Sprinkle to help mix Jurado’s album). Jurado has never sounded so brash and furious, shouting over blown out guitars and brilliantly loud drums. - DH
Date Played: May 18 on The Midday Show with Cheryl Waters
While I’m delighted to see Destroyer make it on to the Sub Pop discography — thanks to the Sub Pop Singles Club Vol 2 #41 — I gotta say, I’m a little dismayed to see the glorious mane of its founder Dan Bejar trapped beneath a trucker cap on the front cover. (Don’t worry; his hair gets top billing in the video for "Myriad Harbour”, a track he wrote for his other project The New Pornographers.) Speaking of TNP, the Side B track on this single was re-released on the supergroup’s 2007 album Challengers, while the A Side was completely re-worked for Destroyer’s MIDI-orchestrated 2004 album Your Blues. — JH
Date Played: May 18 on The Midday Show with Cheryl Waters
New Jersey post-hardcore act dips their toes into the classics with this Singles Club 7-inch. The band puts their own spin on Grand Funk Railroad’s "Got This Thing On The Move” and AC/DC’s “Whole Lotta Rosie.” Recorded with Steve Albini, the tracks are an appropriately noisy and brash homage to the originals. “Whole Lotta Rosie” in particular captures the rowdy charm that made AC/DC so iconic, reinterpreted with modern rock sneer. - DH
Date Played: May 18 by Atticus
Just on the heels of an EP, Constantines released the Shine a Light full-length, which remains the band's most musically cohesive and powerful statement. Recorded on the heels of a successful tour, which led to the band being signed by Sub Pop, Constantines were at the height of their strength as a live band. In fact, most of the album was recorded live on tape, to capture the energy of the band's live set. Upon its release, Shine a Light garnered considerable critical acclaim, and was eventually named among Pitchfork's Top 200 Albums of the Decade. However, all the acclaim aside, Shine a Light remains a quite good album, demonstrating Constantines's ability to balance guitar power, emotional sentiment, and musical dynamics. - MH
Date Played: May 18 by Atticus
The third Sub Pop release from Bellevue, WA's The Catheters was their first full-length for the label, titled Static Delusions and Stone-Still Days. The LP finds the band continuing to mix elements of punk/glam/garage rock in a manner that could accompany a fight between two unpopular, Converse-clad youth. It exists as a fitting, if unsurprising addition to the early 2000s Sub Pop catalog. - MH
Date Played: May 18 by Atticus
Rosie Thomas was signed by Sub Pop following her appearance on Damien Jurado's Ghost of David, where she provided lead vocals on "Parking Lot." Her solo debut, 2001's When We Were Small, marks the beginning of a run of successful albums from Thomas. The musician's direct, intimate vocals are at the forefront of the album, joined by acoustic guitar and distant keyboards. Its themes of childhood and personal connection are matched by the relative sparsity of production and sense of naive wonder expressed throughout. Thomas has gone on to collaborate frequently with Sufjan Stevens, a fitting match for their shared preoccupation with small triumphs and experiences of daily life. - MH
Date Played: May 17 by DJ Tim
Rosie Thomas was signed by Sub Pop following her appearance on Damien Jurado's Ghost of David, where she provided lead vocals on "Parking Lot." Her solo debut, 2001's When We Were Small, marks the beginning of a run of successful albums from Thomas. The musician's direct, intimate vocals are at the forefront of the album, joined by acoustic guitar and distant keyboards. Its themes of childhood and personal connection are matched by the relative sparsity of production and sense of naive wonder expressed throughout. Thomas has gone on to collaborate frequently with Sufjan Stevens, a fitting match for their shared preoccupation with small triumphs and experiences of daily life. - MH
Date Played: May 17 by DJ Tim
After years in purgatory, Red House Painters were given the proper end they deserved with Old Ramon. The project fronted by Sun Kil Moon’s Mark Kozelek had a remarkable run throughout the 90s with their enchanting blend of slowcore and modern folk music. As the band readied to follow-up their classic LP Songs for a Blue Guitar, the band left their original label of 4AD and moved to Island subsidiary Supreme. The record that would become Old Ramon was completed in 1998, Island records was included in a historic merger that saw them absorbed into Def Jam Recordings– leaving Red House Painters without a label. The record went unreleased for three years before Kozelek bought back the album from Island/Def Jam and released it through Sub Pop.
By the time the album hit stores, the band was ready to call it quits. In those interim years between recordings Old Ramon and its release, Kozelek had kicked off his solo career with his AC/DC covers album What’s Next To The Moon and Sun Kil Moon was just around the corner. Still, it’s remarkable that Old Ramon saw a release at all and the music is befitting of a final album. While still hitting the hallmarks of previous Red House Painters work with its sprawling arrangements and introspective lyricism, there’s a brightness infused in this record unlike its predecessors. Kozelek opens the record with an ode to his cat (“Wop-A-Din-Din”) and delves into romantic reflections like “Cruiser.” It may have been the end of Red House Painters, but it was just the beginning of a new chapter in Kozelek’s career that’s continuing through today. - DH
Date Played: May 17 by DJ Tim
This single spotlights the opening track on their self-titled debut (see #SP05610), paired with four non-album tracks, including the re-titled closing track “Goodnite.” Buddyhead.com described their debut LP as “songs about drugs and orgies made with only guitar, piano, and drums,” which is maybe more direct than the band would like. In an interview with the Phoenix New Times, drummer David Clifford said, "We're not too concerned with people really getting it. That’s up to people's decisions. We certainly wouldn't want to be pretentious, or overanalyzing. We like having different layers that people can read into — not giving everything away and having a little mystery involved.” — JH
Date Played: May 17 on The Afternoon Show with Troy Nelson
Seattle's The Briefs made their sole appearance on Sub Pop with this 7" single, "Squash Me Like a Bug/ Benny's Got A Cigarette." Formed in 1999, the Briefs released their debut LP, Hit After Hit, in 2001, on which they displayed their overt love for jittery UK punk. While the band were briefly signed to Interscope, the deal fell through before any material was recorded. The final Briefs record came out in 2005, and guitarist Steve E. Nix went on to form The Cute Lepers. - MH
Date Played: May 17 on The Afternoon Show with Troy Nelson
Released just preceding their Sub Pop debut Shine a Light, Constantines's Nighttime Anytime EP collects two tracks from Shine a Light, along with a Talking Heads cover and a b-side. Although the group had previously released a self-titled album in Canada, the LP was never distributed in the US, making the Nighttime Anytime EP many listeners' introduction to the group. The titular "Nighttime/Anytime" remains a highlight, as does "Tank Commander," both of which appeared on Shine a Light later that year. - MH
Date Played: May 17 on The Afternoon Show with Troy Nelson
Pleasure Forever existed in several incarnations before the eventual release of their 2001 self-titled debut. Drawing equally from tropes of glam and shock rock (think: Marilyn Manson), the music on Pleasure Forever sounds both theatrical and funereal, not entirely unlike the emo revivalists that populated the early and mid-2000s. The band would receive more critical acclaim for their sophomore release Alter, also out on Sub Pop, but their debut does capture the group's spirit and dark intentions. - MH
Date Played: May 17 on The Midday Show with Cheryl Waters
Just after releasing the Thelema EP, the Murder City Devils abruptly broke up, ending a string of successful releases dating back to 1998. However, in spite of the band's subsequent end, Thelema finds Murder City Devils in strong form. The six-song EP is relatively melodic and quite focused for the group, who had spent previous releases thriving on musical chaos. This focus does not detract from the power of the band's music, but instead hints at a musical progression to come. Murder City Devils reunited in 2006 and continue to perform today, releasing a new, self-released record in 2014. - MH
Date Played: May 17 on The Midday Show with Cheryl Waters
When we last left Trembling Blue Stars (on the 2000 LP Broken by Whispers, #SP0504), singer/songwriter Bob Wratten was still grieving his break-up with Northern Picture Library/Field Mice bandmate Annemari Davies. But on this fourth album, things seem to be looking up for ol’ Bob. Even the album title: Alive? To Every Smile? Smiling? The newfound joy could have plenty to do with his recruited bandmates on this release: guitarist/keyboardist Harvey Williams of Another Sunny Day, vocalist Beth Arzy of Aberdeen, bassist Keris Howard of Brighter, and drummer Jonathan Akerman. While Davies does return to lend backing vocals to two tracks on the album (why, Bob, why?!), it’s clear a tide has turned for Trembling Blue Stars. — JH
Date Played: May 17 on The Midday Show with Cheryl Waters
Inspired equally by Karl Marx and garage rock of the 1960s, Swedish group The (International) Noise Conspiracy made their Sub Pop debut with the Reproduction of Death 7" single, which remains their only release for the label. Although their second EP, Reproduction of Death finds the group's sound and rhetoric fully formed. The title track, which was originally featured on their Survival Sickness LP, sounds akin to many garage revivalists of the early 2000s, with a humming keyboard line and sneering vocals. - MH
Date Played: May 16 by Sean
The Yo-Yos released yet another single in promotion of their debut (and only) album Uppers and Downers, this time highlighting their foray into power pop with "Sunshine Girl." And while "Sunshine Girl" is an excellent example of the band's keen ability to fuse melodic hooks with punk side-eye, it's the b-side that's the real treasure here. The band mashes up The Ramones classic "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend" with The Devil Dogs' "Get On Your Knees" for a New York punk twofer. The Yo-Yos clearly respect the classics, paying homage to the bands who helped create the foundation for them to flourish. - DH
Date Played: May 16 by Sean
With the DVD Let America Laugh, Sub Pop began its first foray into stand-up comedy. The documentary — directed and produced by famed film and music video maker Lance Bangs — follows actor/comedian David Cross on a nationwide tour. Verbicide Magazine asked how it all came to be on Sub Pop and Cross replied, "They called me. Out of the blue. They wanted to put out an album; it was pretty cool.” While Cross’s routine would eventually emerge on the Grammy-nominated 2xCD set Shut Up You Fucking Baby (#SP590), this film is more of a “making of” experience, following him as he performed in small “alternative clubs” across the country. Years later, the owner of one of those clubs ended up suing Cross for taping him without permission. In April 2006, the case against Cross was dismissed, leaving Sub Pop, Warner Music, WEA Corporation, and the Alternative Distribution Alliance to take care of it. In June of that year, they combined forces to make an “offer of judgment” of $30,000. Instead of accepting it, the club owner attempted to acquire $30,000 from each outlet. In the end, he received nothing, and the case was dismissed by July 2006. I feel like there’s a lesson in there somewhere. — JH
Date Played: May 16 by Hans
As the golden age of grunge sunsetted, Seattle's hometown juggernauts found their footing in alternative rock with albums like Since We’ve Become Translucent. Sub Pop themselves stated that their sixth studio album “is the sound of a band rebuilt and revived.” With cameos like The Flaming Lips’ Wayne Coyne on tracks like “Inside Job,” Mudhoney was back with a vengeance. Even though their first two albums were on Sub Pop, they went over eleven years, three albums worth, before returning to Sub Pop for one of their most mercurial music instincts.
Date Played: May 16 by Hans
With bands like The Ramones, The Stooges, and MC5 as their contemporaries, Deniz Tek and Robert Younger, founders of Radio Birdman, were hybridizing the spirit of 70s rock ‘n’ roll and the brio of punk rock. Until Sub Pop released their The Essential Radio Birdman (1976-1978), the Australian blokes’ music was pretty hard to trace and track down. Having had many sonic renaissances and years dormant, they’re currently back together and were on tour just last year, which makes sense as they’re lauded as one of Australia’s staples in rock music. - ZF
Date Played: May 16 on The Afternoon Show with Kevin Cole
Modest Mouse’s mad scientist Isaac Brock was the Dr. Frankenstein of Ugly Casanova. He constructed his Portland music studio – which he called Glacier Place – with the advance money he received for this project’s only, yet highly successful, release Sharpen Your Teeth. For context, Sharpen Your Teeth came out a year after Modest Mouse’s The Moon & Antarctica and three years before Good News For People Who Love Bad News. With some Waitsian textures and wrench-kept timekeeping on tracks like “Spillled Milk Factory,” Ugly Casanova was Brock’s laboratory for new ideas that didn’t necessarily nestle well in the accolade-ascending Modest Mouse. - ZF
Date Played: May 16 on The Afternoon Show with Kevin Cole
2001’s Find Your Home was Vue’s sophomore album on Sub Pop. Before signing with Sub Pop for their debut album (see #SP0465), the San Francisco outfit went by The Audience then changed their name due to sharing the same name with a UK band. With their title track humming with harmonica, rock ‘n’ roll hedonism, and Rex John Shelverton’s steamy vocals, the group had officially evolved themselves from their pioneering screamo sound in the late 90s as the project Portraits of the Past. However, it was time for Shelverton, Jeremy Bringetto, and Matthew Bajda to blaze a new trail of raucous endeavors, which unfortunately only lasted from 2000 to 2004 until the trio formed Bellavista a few years later in 2007. - ZF
Date Played: May 16 on The Afternoon Show with Kevin Cole
In 2001, Sub Pop released The Shins’ debut album Oh, Inverted World. It’s hard to imagine that ‘New Slang” (featured in several commercials and Garden State) and “Caring is Creepy” – their two indelible crowdpleasers from this opus – are seventeen years old. Originally formed in Albuquerque, New Mexico, after Oh, Inverted World was an overnight watershed, frontman James Mercer relocated to Portland. The Shins, and this album, played a pivotal role in sound of turn-of-the-century indie rock. It’s #61 on Rolling Stone’s 100 best albums of the 2000s and #115 on Pitchfork’s 200 best albums of the 2000s. - ZF
Date Played: May 16 on The Afternoon Show with Kevin Cole
“You gotta hear this one song, it’ll change your life – I swear.”
Even if Garden State came out three years after The Shins released “New Slang,” the iconic scene of Natalie Portman’s character Sam making Zach Braff’s Andrew Largeman listen to the song in a waiting room simultaneously introduced moviegoers across the world to the band. While the film’s become something of a meme itself these days, mocking a bygone burgeoning “indie era,” the soundtrack was an undeniable pop culture moment (and even managed to snag a Grammy). “New Slang” feels central to that. The Shins’ James Mercer has described the song as a “middle finger” to his own hometown of Albuquerque and the hyper masculinity he observed growing up – serendipitously paralleling the theme’s of Braff’s directorial debut. Upon hearing a cassette with the song years before the movie’s release, Sub Pop’s Jonathan Poneman agreed to release “New Slang” as a part of their Singles Club. The response was so positive that the label signed the band on for their first record, Oh, Inverted World. One song really changed James Mercer’s life. - DH
Date Played: May 16 on The Midday Show with Cheryl Waters
Released only in Europe, this single featuring "My Case" gave a glimpse to fans abroad of what they could expect with Love and Laughter's sophomore album Sea To Shining Sea. Self-produced by the band, the song is even hazier and grittier than the tracks on their previous LP Destination 2000. The version on this 7-inch is decidedly more lo-fi than what would end up on the album, but the recording aptly captures the furious energy the band was working to capture in the studio. - DH
Date Played: May 16 on The Midday Show with Cheryl Waters
Sub Pop began to embrace the information age with their first digital single in 2001, featuring two songs from their recently released Badlands tribute compilation to Bruce Springsteen. The label picked a pretty killer way to storm their way into the Internet, showcasing two standout duets from Aimee Mann with Michael Penn and Damien Jurado with Rosie Thomas. Penn and Mann embrace the sparseness that defined The Boss' original "Reason To Believe," adding in the drone of an accordion and jangles of a mandolin to evoke a newfound dreaminess in the song. Seattle locals Jurado and Thomas team up for "Wages of Sin," with Thomas' refined, pristine vocals complementing Jurado's gruff drawl. The two sound so good together, in fact, that they'd collaborate numerous times over the years, performing backing vocals on each other's records. - DH
Date Played: May 16 on The Midday Show with Cheryl Waters
Beachwood Sparks return with their sophomore effort Once We Were Trees. While not intially as well received as their self-titled debut, time has been gracious to the cloudy, serene production of the LP. The album is a departure from its predecessor, heading off further into space without losing the roots influences at the foundation of the band. They even manage to squeeze in a cover of Sade's "By Your Side," transforming the smoothness of the original with a haunting, harmonica laden ballad complete with ethemereal steel guitars. - DH
Date Played: May 16 on The Midday Show with Cheryl Waters
The fact that Spokane garage rock outfit The Makers shares their name with a brand of whiskey can't be incidental. But even if it is, it's too appropriate. The band sounds like a night with too many drinks and bad choices, slithering down the streets prowling for more mistakes to make. The band even traveled to gets in a Pontiac hearse, so you know they really weren't messing around. That darkness overflows on their single for "Tiger Of The Night," itself an anthem of those late evening street stalkings with plenty of smolder to go around. B-side "Miss Fay Regrets" sees the band rising from the depths to stop skulking and start partying. Whichever side of the coin you get with The Makers, you were sure to end up in some sort of sinister situation. - DH
Date Played: May 16 by DJ Abbie
While Beachwood Sparks were steadily building their prestige in the alt. country realm, the band's bassist Brent Rademaker and guitarist Christopher Gunst were stretching their indie rock muscles with their other band The Tyde. Brent's brother Darren Rademaker fronted the project, helping define it as more than just a "side-project" from Beachwood Sparks. On their 7-inch single for Sub Pop's Singles Club, the band shares two different covers from cult favorites from bygone eras. The Tyde puts an appropriately cinematic take on Scott Walker's "The World's Strongest Man," infusing it with a newfound gentleness courtesy of Darren Rademaker's wistful vocals. You can hear hints of the Beachwood Sparks' country leanings on The Tyde's cover of The Sea Urchins' "Sullen Eyes," with hints of slide guitar weaving in and out of the dreamy arrangement. - DH
Date Played: May 16 by DJ Abbie
Johnny Dowd began releasing dark gothic country music just before the age of 50 -- his debut album, Wrong Side of Memphis, was released in 1998. His latest album, Twinkle, Twinkle, came out earlier this year. The musician's sole release on Sub Pop was this Singles Club 7". Both tracks are notably disorienting, oddly mechanical female backing vocals mixing with Dowd's menacing rasp. "Daddy's Girl" sounds like an outtake from the soundtrack to David Lynch's Lost Highway, blues motifs mixed with a surreal soundscape and Dowd's singular voice. - MH
Date Played: May 16 by DJ Abbie
Long-running Seattle band Kinski's first appearance on Sub Pop was this 7", released as part of the Sub Pop Singles Club. The single finds Kinski in relatively minimal form, albeit characteristically noisy. "Penthouse Suite" creates a discordant wall of noise, not unlike a rather musical dishwasher or construction site. "Please Remain Seated" is more melodic and quite texturally satisfying, gently whirring guitars placed against a tapped out drum beat. - MH
Date Played: May 15
Don't think for a second that Sub Pop was getting "soft" on us. The label always finds a way to bounce back to the gritty, gnarled sounds that they founded themselves on. That said, their 2001 compilation Is It Dead? is one of the loudest, most brash, and villanous releases in their discography. The 11 tracks give a birds eye view of Pacifc Northwest hardcore and metal, featuring songs from acts like Akimbo, Botch, Homo-Eradicus, Bloodhag, and more. - DH
Date Played: May 15
There might not have been an indie rock band this side of Grandaddy adapting to the 21st century better than New York's Enon. Founder John Schmersal had previously been in the eclectic, groundbreaking group Brainiac before the group abruptly ended after their lead vocalist Tim Taylor was killed in a car accident. Schmersal began recording solo material before bringing in former Skeleton Key members Rick Lee and Steve Calhoon into the fold and dubbed themselves Enon. The group would really hit their stride with the addition of Toko Yasuda on bass and Matt Schultz replacing Calhoon on drums. Though rooted in indie rock, their sound readily embraced experimental electronic music and bubbled up into the sugar rush taht you hear on their Sub Pop Singles Club 7-inch. The band carried on through 2011, before calling it quits after a tour with Caribou. Afterwards Schmersal would join Caribou as a touring member and Yasuda would go on to perform with St. Vincent on the Digital Witness tour. - DH
Date Played: May 15 on The Afternoon Show with Stevie Zoom
Sub Pop brings another second wave emo act into their fold with this single from Lawrence, Kansas' The Anniversary for the label's Singles Club. Although, we see a little bit different version of The Anniversary here. While the band was always known for traversing genres, both a-side "What's My Name? My Name Is... What!? What!?" and b-side "Tu-Whit To-Whoo" posit the band as a pop-punk act embracing jazzy tones and acoustic flairs. The songs are a farcry from the fastidious, furious anthems they were penning on their debut Designing a Nervous Breakdown, yet still exemplify the band's keen ability to turn any song into an emotional wreck regardless of the dynamics they're playing with. - DH
Date Played: May 15 on The Afternoon Show with Stevie Zoom
Railroad Jerk had a monopoly on "junkyard punk" in the 90s. Okay, so maybe there weren't too many bands gunning for that distinction, but the band carved out cult success with their mix of ramshackle blues a decidedly punk scoff. The band stayed on Matador Records throughout their career, but their final release coming out in 2001 with this Sub Pop single (although the band had already broken up after touring behind their 1996 LP The Third Rail). The mixture of hip-hop rhythms and vocal sampling showcase the adventurous spirit of the group, rattling in between acoustic guitar strums and Marcellus Hall’s warbling vocals. - DH
Date Played: May 15 on The Morning Show with John Richards
Gathered from the leftovers of the Sound of Water sessions (see: #SP0509), Saint Etienne's aptly-named Interlude is a largely engaging collection of tracks from the long-running UK band. The album highlights find Saint Etiennein top-notch form, an impressive feat for an odds-and-ends collection from a band a decade into their career. Among the best songs are the lilting, mororse "Northwestern," and comparatively upbeat "Shoot out the Lights," both of which hint at the progressions to come for Saint Etienne, while not straying far from their area of success. -MH
Date Played: May 15 on The Morning Show with John Richards
Nebula's second full-length LP, Charged, managed to maintain the same level of quality as their debut, 1999's To The Center. Where their debut built upon the foundation of past musical project Fu Manchu, this record contains additional layers of sonic experimentation, including use of background effects and acoustic guitar. The songwriting on Charged also seems to be better focused, lead singer Eddie Glass carving out a further defined musical identity for the band. This album proved to be the group's final full-length on Sub Pop, although they reunited in 2017 with intention to record new music. - MH
Date Played: May 15
The Yo-Yos had already previously released "Time Of Your Life" on a 7-inch single with Sub Pop and the track also appeared on their Uppers and Downers LP. But for fans craving even more of the British punks, these versions of the 7-inch and CD singles offer up even more rarities to sink your teeth into. The vinyl includes "Back To The Feeling," while the CD offers up a double-helping with the party anthems "Got It Good Got It Bad" and "Rock City." Much like a yo-yo, these songs will have you bobbing your head in a constant loop until the song stops. - DH
Date Played: May 15
L.A. band Arlo share a 7” single spotlighting "Sittin' On The Aces,” a track from their just-released (at the time) full-length Up High in the Night. It’s a good pick of all the album tracks, really highlighting their arena rawk tendencies. — JH
Date Played: May 15
Like a monster crafted in a darkened laboratory by a mad scientist, Electric Frankenstein emerges as the ultimate punk alchemy, fusing their influences into something uniquely them. "Dead Boys meet AC/DC or Sex Pistols meet Led Zeppelin,” as guitarist Sal Canzonieri defined in an interview with Ink 19. “We worked hard to listen to our songs and make sure that they were at a level comparable to our roots and that fans of these bands would love as well. As a fan of this style of music, if I felt I would buy the song myself, then the song was recorded. If not, out it went.” — JH
Date Played: May 15
Sea to Shining Sea, the fourth full-length from Olympia’s Love as Laughter, opens with the track “Coast to Coast,” a song meant for arena rock, with frontman Sam Jayne doing windmills on stage and audience members pumping fists or doing the finger-figuration meant to represent “rock n’ roll.” In an interview with Scaruffi.com, Jayne declares the track “could become our manifesto.” He described the album (which had yet to come out when the interview happened) as "even more aggressive, anthemic… It will be a more focused album. Destination (#SP0490) is an eclectic album at its best, the next will be more homogeneous.” — JH
Date Played: May 14 on The Afternoon Show
Delaware's Zen Guerilla might be the hardest rocking band to include a harmonica this side of Aerosmith. To poorly paraphrase a sketchy by David Wain's comedy trio Stella, Zen Guerilla is less blues rock and more blues rock. Their explosive sound of their fourth album Shadows of the Sun feels like it can be barely contained on the disc. With Sub Pop resident producer Jack Endino behind the boards, it's not really a surprise. Shadows would be the band's last album on Sub Pop and second to last release as a band before breaking up. - DH
Date Played: May 14 on The Midday Show with Troy Nelson
Sub Pop -- well, Northwest music in general -- is full of intertwined music projects like this. Back on her debut full-length Post to Wire (#SP0486), Duby collaborated with local musician Reggie Watts (yes, THAT Reggie Watts) and producer Steve Fisk. Heather and Reggie were previously in the band Clementine together, and when that ended, he formed the techno-soul project Maktub. Reggie and his Maktub bandmate Davis Martin then formed the improvisational, experimental project Elemental, along with fellow local luminaries Josh Warren (of FCS North), Skerik, and turntablist Skyler Gilmore (aka Diskyze). The whole thing circles back to Heather, Reggie, and Steve on this EP which takes the electro-pop hinted at on Post to Wire to new heights. — JH
Date Played: May 14 on The Morning Show with John Richards
Don't let the industrial, glitch production of this single's a-side fool your – this really is the same Bright Eyes who penned stripped-down classics like "First Day of My Life." Diehard fans of Bright Eyes aka Conor Oberst will know that he's long experimented with different styles throughout his different projects. The Nebraska songwriter is something of a genre chameleon and we get to see some of the first hints of that with Bright Eyes' Singles Club contribution. The long-winded "I Will Be Grateful For This Day. I Will Be Grateful for Each Day To Come" features drums programmed by Cursive and The Faint's Mike Mogis, giving Oberst the foundation for this surprisingly aggressive turn. B-side "When The Curious Girl Realizes She Is Under Glass Again" also appears on Bright Eyes' Fevers and Mirrors and highlights some of the tenderness that permeated Oberst's early work. - DH
Date Played: May 13
The White Stripes were already gaining popularity in 2000, but they were just on the cusp of the fame and accolades that would have them being hailed as one of the biggest rock bands in the world. Between the releases of their seminal albums De Stilj and White Blood Cells, the iconic duo released a 7-inch for Sub Pop's Singles Club series taking on a hero of their own: Captain Beefhear. Jack and Meg White put their minimalist garage rock to the test and find success, reforming Beefhearts freakout classics into blown-out, sizzling modern rock scorchers. In retrospect, we should've known Jack White would become a guitar god with tone like this. - DH
Date Played: May 13
The emo-rock brainchild Strictly Ballroom was formed by a few Los Angeles DJ from KXLU radio. This release showcased their signature angst and catharsis with the backdrop of delicate and airy guitarwork. The remix version of this song on side B has a disruptive depth that, of course, warps the original song, but brings it into a different sonic dimension. And fun fact, Jimmy Tamborello (DJ Dntel) went on to be one of the lead members of The Postal Service. - ZF
Date Played: May 13
Tribute albums can be a daunting endeavor, especially when taking on The Boss. However, in 2000, bigwigs like Johnny Cash, Los Lobos, and Hank Williams III – along with folk heroes Ben Harper, Damien Jurado, and Aimee Mann – all came together to successfully honor the Jersey raconteur’s folknik Nebraska – one of his many magnum opuses. - ZF
Date Played: May 13
Hailing from Madrid, Spain, these experimental post-rockers created cinematic soundscapes using moody and suave mannerisms. They spanned about ten years as a band (from 1996-2005) releasing a handful of quality studio albums that reinterpreted the sonic terrain of folk, rock, and Spanish traditional-tinged compositions. This release was another offering as part of Sub Pop’s Singles Club. Limited to 1300 copies on red vinyl, we get the campfire-crackley and mysteriously pretty “The North of Fire” on side A, but even more mysterious is trying to find a place to hear “Sad Corner Song” of side B anywhere on the internets. Gotta love a good obscure goose chase. - ZF
Date Played: May 13
In 2000, Seattle’s Zeke was the Motörhead of hardcore punk with bleeding guitar solos, mosh-pit drums, and 80’s hardcore song lengths. After they released Death Alley – one of their most distinguished albums – Sub Pop pressed their songs “Jack Torrance,” “Let’s Go,” and “Evil Dead” on 7” records as part of Volume 2 of their subscription-based Singles Club. You may have also recognized Zeke from being on several of the famous Punk-o-Rama compilations in the golden years of Warp Tour punk. The one minute and nine second track “Evil Dead” was featured on Punk-o-Rama 5. After laying dormant for eleven years the veterans have also just released their 2018 album called Hellbender. - ZF
Date Played: May 13 on Sonic Reducer
Formed in Auburn, Alabama and fronted by the charismatic Chetley “Cheetah” Weise, The Quadrajets took punk blues to a raucous level. Sometimes called “Southern trash rockers,” the outfit got their start in 1995 and called it quits in 2001 after their last studio album When The World’s On Fire and live album If The Good Lord’s Willing. Cheetah later went on to fuel his punk blues addiction with his new project The Immortal Lee County Killers – that’s one hell of a name. -- Zach Frimmel
Date Played: May 13 on Sonic Reducer
Louisville, Kentucky hardcore punks The Hookers emerged on the scene in 1994 with their debut EP Kiss My Fucking Ass. Aside from clearly having a penchant for naming things, the group was notorious for churning out bombastic riffs with allusions to sex, Satan, and surreal fantasies – you know, family stuff. One their 7-inch single for Sub Pop, the group pays homage to some of the hard rock legends that came before them with covers of Deep Purple's "Highway Star" and Swedish heavy metal act Krokus' "Ready to Burn." - DH
Date Played: May 13 on Sonic Reducer
Vancouver, B.C. punk revivalists The Black Halos weren’t lying when they named their sophomore album, The Violent Years. The blitzkrieg of the 12 tracks encapsulates what made the leather-clad Canadians such a vital part of PNW punk. Even as the world entered the new millennium, The Black Halos channeled a riotous spirit akin to the 1970s with larger than life guitar riffs and just a dash of glam rock to really make the music spark through your speakers. The Violent Years was the only album the band released on Sub Pop, but they would carry on and bounced between labels before calling it quits in 2008 after the release of their final album We Are Not Alone. - DH
Date Played: May 12 by DJ Troy Nelson
If you have artists like Thurston Moore and Cat Power wanting to work with you, you must be doing something right. Portland-via-San Diego indie rock outfit Truman’s Water definitely had that special spark about them that had icons clamoring to cosign the act. Even legendary DJ John Peel opting to play their debut LP, Of Thick Turn, in its entirety on one of his BBC broadcasts. On their contribution to the Sub Pop Singles Club in 2000, we get a taste of the delightfully obtuse and magnetic art rock they were brewing up with a-side “Miss Spaceship.” On the b-side, they pay homage to another under appreciated art-rock act, covering Seattle’s own Sun City Girls’ “Radar 1941.” - DH
Date Played: May 11 on The Afternoon Show with Kevin Cole
Well, who was expecting Siouxsie Sioux to show up on the Sub Pop Count-Up? Certainly not me, but here she is with The Creatures, a side project she formed with her spouse (and Banshees bandmate) at the time, Budgie, back in 1981. While Siouxsie & the Banshees helped pioneer the post-punk goth sound, The Creatures experimented with tribal percussion, tropicália, jazz, and, well, there even seems to be a “show tunes” influence. Sadly, this was one of their few last releases. In 2007, Siouxsie revealed she and Budgie had divorced, ending not only their marriage, but their musical partnership. This single was part of the Sub Pop Singles Club V2 #27, 1300 copies pressed, all on black vinyl, obviously. We’ll just assume Stevie played Side A. — JH
Date Played: May 11 by Stevie Zoom
In a way, this marks To Rococo Rot’s second appearance on the Sub Pop Count-Up having arranged some tracks on Saint Etienne’s Sound of Water (#SP509) and allowing them to record in their personal studio, Amber Sound, in Berlin, Germany. Formed by siblings Robert Lippok and Ronald Lippok in 1995 with then-Kreidler bassist Stefan Schneider, To Rococo Rot obviously find influence in their hometown genre of Krautrock, but, sound somehow, less cold and robotic. Sadly, the group disbanded in 2014. Robert Lippock graciously spoke of the break-up to Boiler Room: "We never want our reason to make music to be the economic situation: we never did that through all the years, and now of course we could have played the festivals and made remixes for people, but making money shouldn’t be the reason to be together if we didn’t all feel as we should about the music.” This was #25 in volume 2 of the Sub Pop Singles Club, limited edition 1300 copies pressed on purple marbled vinyl in an op-art embossed sleeve. — JH
Date Played: May 11 by Stevie Zoom
Formed in the mid-‘90s under the name Otto, the band changed it to Arlo in 2000, in honor of their favorite club soundman. The L.A. band debuted with a full-length album of catchy power-pop in the vein of The Posies, with vocalists Nate Greely and Sean Spillane delivering some ‘60s-style harmonies. The album title is said to be borrowed from an e.e. cummings poem, and as Sub Pop hilariously reported: "Early contender for most frequently misheard album title of 2001 (i.e. A Pie in the Night).” — JH
Date Played: May 11 on The Morning Show with John Richards
Dean Whitmore as had many rolls at Sub Pop, including working in direct sales and playing in bands like Kinski and Unnatural Helpers. But maybe one of his greatest contributions comes with SP0515 – the birth of his daughter Cassidy! Cassidy entered the Sub Pop family in 2002. No word on her early influences or any reunion tours in the works. (Fun fact: Cassidy provided the artwork for #SP0788; you'll hear more about that single later.) - DH
Date Played: May 11 by Atticus
Love As Laughter may sound like they hail from a different sonic world than chart toppers Hall & Oates, but their affinity for the mustached duo persists – effectively saying that they cango for that (yes can do). The track "Hall and Oates Have Disappeared" sounds more Exploding Hearts than heartthrob, but the pop melody feels like it's cut from the same thematic thread as the duo. - DH
Date Played: May 10 by DJ Tim
Somewhere between The Stooges and Skid Row lies Vancouver’s The Black Halos. Formed in 1994 with a mission to keep rock n’ roll alive, their self-released self-titled debut album caught Sub Pop’s attention, and this 7” single was soon to follow. In an interview with Exclaim.ca, vocalist Billy Hopeless looks back on how they persevered in the early days. "It's like going to war. You have to survive with the band, and with your mental state. It's about the survival of everything. Like heritage buildings and heritage people, there's heritage music. We're just trying to keep what we believe in alive and that's pretty hard in this day and age. I look at our band after we play and I think, That was pretty crazy, we're beaten and bloody, and we've gone to war. The danger has always been there, but now it's just rearing its ugly head again. It's more of a punk thing than a rock 'n' roll thing because there are no boundaries." — JH
Date Played: May 10 by DJ Tim
Zen Guerrilla take on The Who’s 1971 single "The Seeker” here, delivering a slightly more punk rock version — helped by Jack Endino's iconic production work, no doubt. Though the song itself is already pretty bad-ass blues-rock in its original form as belted out by Pete Townshend. The single was a smart marketing move to try and introduce the band to a new audience who would appreciate them. Side B is a non-album track for all you collectors out there. — JH
Date Played: May 10 on The Afternoon Show with Kevin Cole
Gotta say, that is a clever-as-fuck album title. You get the whole yo-yo aspect, as a toy, natch; a possible drug reference, maybe — but it also expressed the infighting going on within the group that eventually led to its implosion shortly after this got released. Which was a shame, since this debut full-length landed the UK punks some flattering comparisons to The Clash and The Ramones. In an interview with The Soul of a Clown, guitarist/co-founder Tom Spencer looks back at how they landed on Sub Pop in the first place: "I can’t remember the exact chain of events. They got to hear of us through various people. I do remember the gig they flew over to see us though. The Barfly in Camden (the old one) I got off the tube and met touts selling tickets for the gig, a good sign. The gig was a blinder, squashed down the front were the Subpop main men head banging away. They saw us at our best. We saved the worst for later.” — JH
Date Played: May 10 on The Afternoon Show with Kevin Cole
By the time they reached their fifth full-length Sound of Water, UK trio Saint Etienne were a decade deep into their career. They had already begun experimenting with a more electronic sound on their EP Places to Visit (see #SP0466), and they continued down that atmospheric path on this release. It’s noteworthy that it’s one of the few albums where they didn’t work with producer Ian Catt, who had been a longtime collaborator. (Catt also works with another Sub Pop band, Trembling Blue Stars.) Instead the album was co-produced by touring keyboardist/producer Gerard Johnson, and included arrangements by Berlin-based ambient trio To Rococo Rot and Sean O’Hagan, frontman for the High Llamas. The result is something a bit more avant-garde than we’d come to expect from the band, while still retaining the retro-chic sophisticated-pop that made us fall in love all those years ago. — JH
Date Played: May 10 on The Afternoon Show with Kevin Cole
Michael Yonkers is something of a Minneapolis musical myth. The experimental guitarist and songwriter was a groundbreaker in effects technique, reveling in noise and drone tones decades before we’d get to bands like Earth – though his preferred was the classic rock and garage of the 70s, the same era he released his first three albums. Yonkers recorded his seminal Microminiature Love prior to any of his other work in 1968 but the project was shelved by Sire Records. Eventually De Stilj Records found the album and put it out on a limited vinyl release, eventually leading to Sub Pop distributing the record as well. — DH
Date Played: May 10 on The Midday Show with Troy Nelson
Damien Jurado finds a major artistic breakthrough with Ghost of David. The album maintains the sparseness of his previous releases, but Jurado's mastery over mood and atmosphere are at an all time best here. Quiet organs waver in the background of opener "Medication" like a downtrodden church processional. It sets the tone for a harrowing, bleak record coping with the tragedies of life, whether they be death or depression. The ghost in question from the title is David Bazan of Pedro The Lion, a close friend of Jurado's who briefly played in the band Coolidge together. Bazan also plays drums and piano on the song "Tonight I Will Retire." - DH
Date Played: May 10 on The Midday Show with Troy Nelson
Gluecifer's Get The Horn EP doesn't tread any new ground – literally, all of these songs were available on previously releases from the band. Instead, think of it as a short and sweet sampler of everything the band does best. It can be hard to define a band in just a few songs, but the six tracks here paint the band as a hard partying, hard rocking, and hard as nail band who drink Whiskey in the morning. And, you know, that's a pretty good summation of everything this rockers from Norway were about. - DH
Date Played: May 10 on The Morning Show with John Richards
With the emergence of The Rapture, the dance punk era of indie rock was iminent. The New York-based group emerged in 1998, flipping post-punk on its head and embracing the grooves of dance music without losing the edge of the former. It didn't take long for The Rapture to become one of the faces of this growing movement. Their Out of the Races and Onto The Tracks leans a bit more on their punkier influences, but it helped establish the framework that they'd embelish on in the 2000s. LCD Soundsystem's James Murphy and Tim Goldsworth co-produced the album and would later sign The Rapture to their own label DFA Records, which would be instrumental in bringing dance punk to the forefront of the music industry – at least in the underground. - DH
Date Played: May 10 on The Morning Show with John Richards
Back in 1987, Trembling Blue Stars singer/songwriter Robert Wratten fronted The Field Mice, one of the cornerstones of the celebrated Sarah Records label, which itself is one of the paramount indie-pop labels of our time. He began dating his bandmate Annemari Davies... aaaand, the band broke up shortly thereafter. Wratten and Davies (along with Field Mice drummer Mark Dobson) went on to form the group Northern Picture Library... aaaand Wratten and Davies broke up. Enter Trembling Blue Stars, which began as a solo project for him to work out his heartache. A look at the track listing for this third full-length, Broken By Whispers, shows he still had some healing to do. (It probably didn’t help that his ex Annemari sang backup on the second TBS album and is even on the album cover.) Songs like "Sometimes I Still Feel the Bruise,” "I No Longer Know Anything,” and "She Just Couldn't Stay” reveal his inner torment. It’s important to note Davies does not lend her vocals to this release, so perhaps that bruise began to heal here. — JH
Date Played: May 9 by Sean
Country music has never sounded so freaky and colorful than in the hands of Beachwood Sparks. Maybe it's the fact that they were from sunny Los Angeles or a romanticized love of a bygone era. Whatever it is, the band's self-titled debut was a watershed moment for the act and was a payoff for Sub Pop's years of courting country acts in the late 90s. A Pitchfork review of the album by Judson Picco digs deep into the band's similarities to the works of Rob Schneider, a member of the Elephant 6 collective that also included Neutral Milk Hotel. And you can see why. The album is packed with obtuse, weird, pretty, and peculiar stories and vignettes that was beginning to find their way into the "quirky" new era of indie music in the early '00s. - DH
Date Played: May 9 by DJ Hans
A review in No Depression characterizing Mark Lanegan's voice on Field Songs as, "sounding not only like he smokes cigarettes by the truckload, but eats the ashtrays too." And that's pretty spot on. Lanegan had demonstrated on his last four solo albums how much power his low, gravely voice contains, but Field Songs opens it up into new sonic territory with newly adopted influences from Middle Eastern music. He has some help building up this robust sound, including contributions from Guns N' Roses' Duff McKagan, Queens of the Stoneage's Chris Goss, Soundgarden bassist Ben Shepherd, as well as a slew of other PNW legends. - DH
Date Played: May 9 on The Afternoon Show with Kevin Cole
Damon & Naomi had previously recorded a song written by Ghost's Masaki Batoh on Playback Singers, now they found themselves in full on collaboration with the experimental Japanese outfit with their appropriately titled album With Ghost. Despite bringing in more collaborators than any other of the duo's releases, With Ghost surprisingly sticks to the minimalism of Playback Singers. Batoh worked dutily behind the boards, as well as adding acoustic guitar alongside his Ghost bandmates on electric guitar and keys. It's as seamless of a collaboration as you could hope for from any artist with Ghost fitting in perfectly into the Damon & Naomi's haunting ballads. - DH
Date Played: May 9 on The Afternoon Show with Kevin Cole
