It’s the end of 2015 as we know it, and I feel fine…
Somewhat unbelievably we, your close personal friends at Sub Pop Records, seem to have survived another year mostly intact. Between new, full-length albums, reissues, singles, and box sets, we are fairly certain that we managed to put out a total of something like 42 releases this year (one of which was a 7-LP box set, a robe and also a chair…). It’s been busy, strange and great.
Thanks for what we assume to be your sustained attention to these efforts. We’re incredibly fortunate to work with a roster of such obvious and varied talent. In an effort to commemorate the year that we’ll soon only dimly recall, we’ve put together a collection of wholly subjective lists of things deemed great by the folks we invited to participate (and who got back to us…).
Here’s hoping you find something great here yourself!
We here at Sub Pop Records love few things more than Record Store Day. On Saturday, April 18th, 2015
aka Record Store Day, we will release two very limited (and
potentially, for you) anticipated efforts: The self-titled LP from the
Alan Bishop-led Koes Barat and a heart-shaped single from Father John
Misty.
Father John Misty’s “I Loved You, Honeybee” 7” Single:
Father John Misty presents a lovely, alternate version of the title track of his latest album, I Love You, Honeybear,
along with a new, exclusive B-side, truthfully-entitled “I’ve Never
Been a Woman,” on a red-colored, heart-shaped 7” in a 10” sleeve. This
release is exclusive to Record Store Day, and it is limited to 5,700
copies worldwide.
Koes Barat Koes Barat LP:
In 2010, Sun City Girls legend Alan Bishop asserted his fandom of
Indonesian ‘60s/’70s pop legends Koes Bersaudara (aka Koes Plus) with
two archival releases on his and Hisham Mayet’s Sublime Frequencies
label. But that wasn’t enough. Feeling an overwhelming urge to interpret
Koes tunes, Bishop recorded Koes Barat in less than a week of
sessions with some of his favorite musicians and producer Randall Dunn
(Sunn O))), Marisa Nadler). The result is the most immediate, fun collection that the prolific Bishop has ever led. This album is a Record Store Day exclusive, limited to 3,800 worldwide.
Father John Misty “I Loved You, Honeybee” 7” (includes download code) Tracklisting:
A. “I Loved You, Honeybee”
B. “I’ve Never Been a Woman”
Koes Barat Koes Barat LP (includes download code) Tracklisting:
1. Kelelewar
2. Kisah Sedih di Hari Minggu
3. Pent Juri Hati
4. Mister Time
5. Hidup Yang Sepi
6. And to the so-called “The Guilties”
7. Tjintamu Telah Berlalu
8. Poor Clown
9. Land of Evergreen
10. Rahasia Hatiku
11. Tiba Tiba Ku Menangis
More About Record Store Day:
This is a day for the people who make up the world of the record
store—the staff, the customers, and the artists—to come together and
celebrate the unique culture of a record store and the special role
these independently owned stores play in their communities. Special
vinyl and CD releases and various promotional products are made
exclusively for the day and hundreds of artists in the United States and
in various countries across the globe make special appearances and
performances. Festivities include performances, cook-outs, body
painting, meet & greets with artists, parades, djs spinning records
and on and on. Metallica officially kicked off Record Store Day at
Rasputin Music in San Francisco on April 19, 2008 and Record Store Day
is now celebrated the third Saturday every April. http://www.recordstoreday.com/Home
Rose
Windows, the self-titled, final album from the beloved Seattle sextet,
is available now on CD/LP/DL worldwide via Sub Pop. The album, featuring
the highlights “Glory, Glory,” and “Strip Mall Babylon,” was recorded
in the fall of 2014 at Studio in the Country in Bogalusa, LA, and
produced & mixed by Randall Dunn (Earth, Akron Family, Cave
Singers).
You can now watch Rose Windows “In The Studio,” a documentary on the
making of the album, filmed by Deep Dasgupta and on location in Bogulusa
[http://u.subpop.com/1FLF4CQ].
Rose Windows is available now from Sub Pop Mega Mart, iTunes, Amazon and Bandcamp. All customers who pre-order the LP version of the album from megamart.subpop.com
will receive the “Loser Edition” on red & black marbled vinyl, and a
limited edition 7” which features the songs “Never Did Me Wrong” and a
cover of Led Zeppelin’s “The Wanton Song” [listen here]
while supplies last. Additionally, there will be a new T-shirt design
available in two colors, both individually and as part of a bundle with
purchases of the new record.
Rose Windows recently shared the news of their dissolution through their Facebook page (read more here / March 30th)
and have canceled all scheduled live dates. With that said, we feel
lucky and very proud to have released two albums with Rose Windows and
wish them well in all of their future pursuits.
What people are saying about Rose Windows:
“With production supremo and Master Musicians Of Bukkake man Randall
Dunn taking up desk duties, the band recorded the follow-up to their
2013 debut The Sun Dogs in Bogalusa, Louisiana, with the Deep
South’s delta blues tradition feeding into the album. It moves from
opener ‘Bodhi Song’, which finds the band concerning themselves with
Buddhist enlightenment, shifting through ‘Glory Glory’, where evocative
flute lines collide with fuzzy, gnarled bass, and the captivating groove
of ‘Strip Mall Babylon’, before closing with a two-part coda, the
cathartic, exquisite ‘A Pleasure To Burn’ and ‘Hirami’.” - The Quietus
“Rose Windows have the power to lift listeners far out of the everyday…” – Mojo
“Together, they’ve produced a nine-song set mining various vintage rock
textures. “Blind” features a laid-back, funk-and-country appeal similar
to Seed of Memory-period Terry Reid. “A Pleasure to Burn” is
particularly desert-fried and is full of spacious wails, campfire guitar
and rattlesnake percussion. “The Old Crow,” meanwhile, is a guns-raised
anthem with bluesy, Wild Turkey-drenched vocals and a few Dr.
Who-styled synth lines.” - Exclaim!
“Sumptuous” - Uncut
“Strip Mall Babylon” suggests the album is well worth hearing. The song
starts deceptively with a slinky groove, before Qazi’s Joplin-esque roar
explodes over thick, fuzzy guitars and searing organs. It’s a
victorious sign-off for a band with a brief but impressive run.” - Stereogum
“Marked by a smashing rhythm section and gnarly, over-sized guitar
riffs, the track finds the band operating in the the proto-metal
tradition of a slightly grimier Black Sabbath.” [Glory, Glory] - Consequence of Sound
“‘Glory, Glory’ is at once the psych-rockers’ heaviest, most extroverted, and catchiest song to date.” - The Stranger
Sub Pop Records is currently
looking to fill a newly opened position as the label’s Sales Director,
working here in our Seattle headquarters. This is a leadership role
within the company with responsibility for our physical, digital and
streaming business. This person will work closely with our main
distribution partner, the Alternative Distribution Alliance (or ADA),
and all aspects of our internal sales department. Our ideal candidate
will have significant music sales as well as managerial experience. The
closing date to apply for this position is May 17, 2015.
Summary Sales department management. Management of relationships with distribution partners and key retailers. Communication and reporting.
Responsibilities Sales department management -
Manage a sales team within Sub Pop Records, members of which handle
direct retails sales, direct-to-consumer sales (via
megamart.subpop.com), and international sales and distribution. -
Work with the sales team to create and implement cohesive retail
strategies for all Sub Pop and Hardly Art releases and related
merchandise across all sales channels, globally (through ADA, direct
digital accounts, direct physical retail accounts, direct-to-consumer
sales, and international distribution partners) - Lead weekly sales meeting to ensure the sales team is on track with all projects, covering current priorities and tours. - Conduct annual performance evaluations for each member of sales team. - Participate in the hiring and training of new employees in the sales department. - Work with the sales team to explore new sales opportunities.
Management of relationships with distribution partners and key retailers. -
Manage relationships with ADA as well as relationships with key
physical and digital retailers, both those who are direct accounts and
those who come through ADA. - Personally responsible for the management of direct digital account relationships. - Establish Initial Order Goals and advertising budgets with the General Manager and ADA. - Provide all necessary marketing and sales information and direction to ADA for new releases and ongoing priorities. - Attend necessary sales conferences and meet regularly in person with distribution partners.
Communication and reporting - Work in partnership with the Marketing Director and the International Sales and Distribution Manager. - Attend weekly managers’ meetings and provide detailed information on upcoming sales programs, promotions and operations. - Disseminate internally all pertinent information from stores, distributors and customers. - Provide sales, streaming and other sales data to the company weekly, and at biannual meetings. -
Provide production input and guidance using sales-based estimates for
manufacturing needs, and attend weekly production meetings.
Skills Necessary -
Must be motivated, organized, have the ability to multitask and
communicate clearly and effectively to large and small groups, problem
solve and provide conflict resolution when needed. Proficiency with data
analysis and manipulation, plus experience with the usual suite of
current office software and tools are all expected as well.
Supervisor: General Manager
Please send all resumes and cover letters to Mary Wood at maryw@subpop.com.
You can now sooth your ears and eyes as you watch the video for THEESatisfaction’s “EarthEE”,
the title track from the group’s stellar 2nd album, premiering via I-D
Magazine.
The new video, which director Maikoiyo Alley-Barnes calls a “A
short visual meditation on the textile traditions of home, sacred Geo Metrics,
theta based communication and the whirling dervish. A sonically driven
work of ancient Afro continuum…” stars the group alongside label mates Porter
Ray and Ishmael Butler of Shabazz Palaces.
I-D says of “EarthEE”: “Utterly mesmerizing, this four minute video
employs compelling graphics that helps propel the song even further into the
light fantastic.”
In other news, Pitchfork recently included THEESatisfaction’s EarthEE in
it’s “Overlooked Records 2015”, and said: “You could imagine
THEESatisfaction—the Seattle boho rap duo of Cat Harris-White and Stasia
Irons—recording in accordance with the phases of the moon. Their second album, EarthEE,
is alluringly cosmic, no doubt, but their neo-soul has more resonance given its
powerful sociopolitical critique…Unbound by genre or modes of thinking, EarthEE keeps
tugging at the shapes of music and minds to come (see Pitchfork July
2nd).
THEESatisfaction’s current summer tour schedule in support of EarthEE resumes
Tuesday, July 21st in Madrid, ES at Sala Siroco and ends August 29th in
Seattle, WA with a Black Weirdo DJ Set at Northwest African American History
Museum. Additionally, THEESatisfaction’s SassyBlack has a few DJ sets and
individual performances coming up as well.
Jul. 21 - Madrid, ES - Sala Siroco
Jul. 23 - Lisbon, PT - Galeria Ze dos Bois
Jul. 24 - Barcelos, PT - Milhoes de Festa
Jul. 29 - Madeira, PT - Estalagem da Ponta do Sol
Jul. 30 - Azores, PT - Walk & Talk Fest
Aug. 07 - Seattle, WA - South Lake Union Block Party
Aug. 27 - Victoria, BC - Eventide Music Series @ Continental Square
Aug. 28 - Vancouver, BC - Fortune Sound Club
Aug. 29 - Seattle, WA - Black Weirdo DJ Set @ Northwest African American
History Museum*
*w/ Chocolate Chuck, Topspin
DJ SETS / SOLO PERFORMANCES :: SASSY BLACK
Aug. 01 - Sitka, AK - Homeskillet Fest
Aug. 06 - Seattle, WA - Neumo’s
Aug. 21 - Seattle, WA - KEXP
1. Get an early jump on resolutions for 2015. I can do this.
2. Listen to Mudhoney. Yes, their records and live performances, but here I mean to include their suggestions, opinions and endorsements as well. The performance of the reunited Flesh Eaters which Mudhoney opened on Tuesday, January 13th was just phenomenally good, even for a somewhat casual fan. Other examples include: the 2004 MC5/DKT tour (Mark sang), feedtime’s Seattle performance in 2012 (also a Mudhoney bill), the 2014 Sub Pop South America tour with Obits and METZ they helped to make happen, and… Though I could go on (ask anyone who suffers through working here with me) no doubt you get the picture. Even though I don’t think they had anything to do with the just-fucking-incredibly-good Scratch Acid reunion show at the Showbox a few years back, their track record is so good that I’m going to go ahead and make the association in my own memory. And, I am already looking forward to the shows they will play with Strange Wilds in the future that I am willing into existence (note to Mudhonies: please play some shows with Strange Wilds).
3. Make less of a big deal out of things like the bumper sticker, one of maybe 15, on the back of the red Chevy Genero-Sedan, which cut me off on this morning’snear- interminable crawl up the viaduct which read: “My other ride is YOUR MOM.” Maybe this person’s own mom was unavailable for riding? Perhaps this is, after all, okay with MY MOM? Accept what you can’t change, etc…
4. With the recent transition of the talented Mr. Frere-Jones from the New Yorker to Rap Genius or now Genius Just (RIP M. Hedberg) pin hopes for NY’er coverage of the brilliant new METZ album (details still TBA) elsewhere. That or shoot for annotation of same. Also: figure out what “annotation” means in this context.
5. W/R/T Sleater-Kinney, their new album No Cities to Love, and the towering, enduring talent it flaunts, admit and embrace that “surface envy” is an understatement. This is deep, abiding and well-earned envy. (And, while we’re on the subject of getting comfy with radioactive levels of well-justified envy, look at the big brain on this guy, mere weeks after his band’s debut album was certified gold.)
6. Investigate synonyms for “share.” This or give up reading music press releases, music-related news items, and the like. Alternate solution: substitute “crap out” for “share” every time it’s encountered in these materials. Laugh derisively to self, without the jovial camaraderie of friends and co-workers, maybe, for a moment, feel superior-ish. Repeat as necessary, with diminishing returns, die friendless and afraid. Wait, DON’T do this!
7. Sign up for innovative and largely fictional new streaming service SAP! Pitch to relevant parties new SAP/ASAP ad campaign and imagine, in embarrassing, florid detail, resulting wealth, how it will be spent, used to destroy entirety of enemies list, etc.
9. Recognize that most of what people are listening to through streaming services comes through playlists. And the most popular of these playlists, the ones that are really, I am led to believe, WORKING, are those with names like “Coffee Shop Indie Workout Mix,” “Sunday Morning Sex Jams,” or “It’s Friday Night and I Like Alternative Music.” And then, surrender to the idea of lowest common denominator playlist titling as PROMOTIONAL BEST PRACTICE with Sub Pop playlists bearing names like “Happy Top Songs Best,” “100 Great Music Things,” “Today’s Massive Hit Time,” etc. (consider repurposing spam subject lines for this use?). Nobody’s interest is going to be piqued by “Flatulent Mid-Morning,” so just knock that shit off.
