On September 27th, Sub Pop will release White Roses, My God, the debut solo effort from Alan Sparhawk. Though he’s obviously (and justifiably) best known for his thirty years in the legendary band Low, a look at Sparhawk’s many side projects across that same span of time shows him experimenting with everything from punk and funk to production work and improvisation. Low itself never settled for a set sound or approach. The band was always a collaboration—a conversation, a romance—between Sparhawk and his wife, Mimi Parker, who was the band’s co-founder, drummer, co-lead vocalist, and its blazing irreplaceable heart. Parker passed away in 2022 after a long battle with cancer.
There is no question that White Roses, My God is a record borne of grief. However, it would be reductive, even foolish, to see grief as the sole source or the final limit of this taut, brilliant, provocative, thrilling album, whose bold experimentation is powered by profound lyrics and propulsive beats. White Roses, My God is an exorcism whose purpose is not to banish the spirit but to set it free.
Recorded at 20 Below Studios in Duluth, MN, White Roses, My God was co-produced and engineered by Alan Sparhawk and Nat Harvie, mixed by Nat Harvie, and mastered by Heba Kadry. The album features standout singles “Get Still” and “Heaven,” alongside today’s release for the album’s pulsating debut offering, “Can U Hear,” the video for which was directed by Rick Alverson.
Alan Sparhawk’s tour schedule in support of White Roses, My God begins November 2nd, 2024, in Dublin, IE, at Opium and currently ends January 25th, 2025, in Denver at the Bluebird.
This announcement features a new, eight-date headlining run in the US (Jan. 13th-25th), which includes a stop at Brooklyn’s Elsewhere on April 5th. These shows will follow his previously announced 2024 dates— UK/EU headline dates (Nov. 2nd-5th), an appearance at Pitchfork Music Festival London at The Barbican with Jessica Pratt (Nov. 6th), and support dates with Godspeed You! Black Emperor (Nov. 8th-24th).
Additional live dates will be announced soon. Please find a current list of dates below.
Europe, Fall 2024 Sat. Nov. 02 - Dublin, IE- Opium Mon. Nov. 04 - Leeds, UK - Brudenell Social Club Tue. Nov. 05 - Wales, UK - Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff Wed. Nov. 06 - London, UK - the Barbican Centre, Pitchfork Music Festival $ Fri. Nov. 08 - Chicago, IL - Salt Shed # Sat. Nov. 09 - Saint Paul, MN - Palace Theatre # Mon. Nov. 11 - Lawrence, KS # Tue. Nov. 12 - Fayetteville, AR - George’s Majestic Lounge # Wed. Nov. 13 - Nashville, TN - Basement East (TN) # Thu. Nov. 14 - Knoxville, TN - Bijou Theater # Fri. Nov. 15 - Atlanta, GA - The Masquerade # Sat. Nov. 16 - Charleston, SC - Music Farm # Sun. Nov. 17 - Saxapahaw, NC - The Haw River Ballroom # Tue. Nov. 19 - Washington, DC - 930 Club # Fri. Nov. 22 - Norwalk, CT - District Music Hall # Sat. Nov. 23 - Boston, MA - Roadrunner # Sun. Nov. 24 - Philadelphia, PA - Union Transfer #
North America, January 2025 Mon. Jan. 13 - Fargo, ND - The Aquarium Wed. Jan. 15 - Bozeman, MT - The Rialto Fri. Jan. 17 - Seattle, WA - The Crocodile Sat. Jan. 18 - Portland, OR - Mississippi Studios Mon. Jan. 20 - San Francisco, CA - Great American Music Hall Fri. Jan. 24 - Salt Lake City, UT - Urban Lounge Sat. Jan. 25 - Denver, CO - Bluebird Fri. Apr. 02 - Brooklyn, NY - Elsewhere
$ Jessica Pratt # Godspeed You! Black Emperor
White Roses, My God is available to preorder now from Sub Pop. LP preorders from megamart.subpop.com (North America), Mega Mart 2 (UK/EU), and independent retailers worldwide will receive the limited Loser edition on Clear vinyl (while stock lasts!).
Alan Sparhawk White Roses, My God
Tracklisting: 1. Get Still 2. I Made This Beat 3. Not the 1 4. Can U Hear 5. Heaven 6. Brother 7. Black Water 8. Feel Something 9. Station 10. Somebody Else’s Room 11. Project 4 Ever
Sub Pop Publishing is seeking a full-time Music Licensing Manager based in Los Angeles. We are looking for an individual who has great interpersonal skills, is a self-starter, is detail-oriented, and has the ability to work in an open group environment.
Sub Pop Publishing was founded in 2011 and is the publishing division of Sub Pop Records, an independent record company founded in 1988. We work with Sub Pop Records artists such as Bully, Shabazz Palaces, clipping., Guerilla Toss, Mudhoney, La Luz and Frankie Cosmos, and our writers have contributed to songs by A$AP Rocky, Joey Bada$$, Christine and the Queens, SYML, Olafur Arnalds, SZA, KayCyy and others.
Specific responsibilities include:
Working to place the Sub Pop Publishing catalog in advertisements, TV, film, video games, web-videos, social media, podcasts and more by soliciting and responding to music searches and licensing requests
Actively pitching our catalog in a manner tailored to the taste and project requirements of individual music supervisors, editors, filmmakers, and producers
Listening to and quickly learning a large catalog of material and applying that knowledge to searches/requests for material
Ingesting, organizing and maintaining the audio storage system
Managing outstanding invoices and licenses
Logging all licensing activity and preparing reports on such activity as requested
Seeking out, developing and maintaining relationships directly with music supervisors, ad agencies, filmmakers and other potential licensing contacts
Organizing and attending artist functions for music supervisors, ad agencies and others when appropriate
Sending out email blasts, playlists, show invites and other forms of promotion
Quoting, clearing, negotiating and preparing synchronization licenses
Some travel may be necessary
Qualifications include:
Minimum 3 years experience working in a similar role within a label, publisher or licensing company
Knowledge and passion for music in general is a must, as is familiarity with the Sub Pop Publishing catalog
Interest in music licensing, film and advertising
Competent computer skills
Ability to work independently and take initiative
Ability to juggle and prioritize multiple projects
Positive attitude, great communication skills and an enthusiastic team spirit
Supervisor: Director of Publishing
Salary Range: $55,000 - $65,000
To apply, please send a cover letter and resume to jobapplicants@subpop.com.
We are accepting resumes through the position closing date of July 29th, 2024.
Description of Benefits: PTO (Paid time off including sick time) beginning at 15 days per year, 14 paid holiday days, 401k plan with partial employer match, medical/dental/vision insurance paid for employees and partially paid for their family, transportation benefits, discounted merchandise. Sub Pop Records is an equal-opportunity employer. All employment decisions are based on business needs, job requirements and individual qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, family or parental status, national origin, veteran or disability status. Sub Pop Records will not tolerate discrimination or harassment based on any of these characteristics.
Sub Pop is currently accepting resumes from energetic, responsible, detail-oriented, and dependable candidates for a Part-time sales clerk, nights and weekends (temp) at our terribly impressive store at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. This guy.
Responsibilities include:
• Greeting and assisting customers in a friendly manner. • Full compliance with Sea-Tac operation rules and strict TSA regulations and restrictions. • Efficient handling of cash and credit card transactions. • Ability to work collaboratively and communicate effectively. • Availability to work nights, weekends, and holidays. • Assisting in organizing and restocking the store. • Maintaining the general appearance of the store. • Contributing to the team retail effort by accomplishing related tasks as needed.
Qualified candidates will have:
• Previous experience in the retail environment. • Knowledge of the Sub Pop catalog, Pacific Northwest music, the Seattle music community, and the City of Seattle. • A friendly and enthusiastic disposition with customers and staff. • Strong and clear communication skills. • A general understanding of retail Point of Sale systems. • Flexibility in schedule and willingness to work early or late hours.
Store hours 7am-9 pm everyday / 6 am-9 pm
Salary: $20.00 an hour
Benefits: Competitive pay, flexible scheduling, paid time off, holiday pay, store discount, growth opportunities, and more!
Following The Bug Club’s signing announcement last month, Sub Pop can now share the full details for On the Intricate Inner Workings of the System, the band’s full-length label debut, which will be released worldwide on Friday, August 30th, 2024. The album features the previously released highlight “Quality Pints,” along with other feel-good ditties like “War Movies,” “A Bit Like James Bond,” “We Don’t Care About That” and today’s offering, “Lonsdale Slipons.”
On the Intricate Inner Workings of the System sees the band serve up a beefy slab of their signature Modern-Lovers-meets-Nuggets garage rock, featuring B-52’s call-and-response fun mixed with AC/DC power chord grunt. Leaning towards fast-paced punk, opening double salvo “War Movies” and the previously released “Quality Pints” sets the scene: duel vocal piss taking, surreal takes on everyday topics that go full circle and become profound, riffs all day long and then all the next day too. “Quality Pints” deals with the pressing concerns of any conscientious touring outfit, taking to heart the rule of the three R’s as penned by renowned fellow pints fan Mark E Smith of The Fall. Repetition, repetition, repetition. If it’s that important, which it is, it’s worth saying again. “War Movies” dresses distorted chugging with a comprehensive ‘best of’ list for the genre, with Sam Willmett offering a solo casually chucked out in a way that will make your dad promptly give up any resurgent guitar-playing ambitions.
Melody is still ever-present, with the hilariously meta “Pop Single” channeling Ray Davies at his most self-aware. You ask for a pop single, that’s what you get - The Bug Club don’t mess about. And it’s this confidently silly strain that gives us “Lonsdale Slipons,” which finally sees the UK’s worst-ever shoes paid tribute to in song form, and “We Don’t Care About That,” which tells us all to stop talking about lots of things. Considering attempting a tentative review of what you’re listening to? Well stop. “Better Than Good” has you covered there, too. You’re getting what you’re given, and thankfully everybody seems happy with that - especially this track’s lo-fi production, Violent Femmes bass, and Sterling Morrison solo. Best to leave the hot takes to The Bug Club, we reckon. This record backs us up.
Initially comprising the songwriting core of Sam Willmett (vocals/guitar) and Tilly Harris (vocals/bass) with Dan Matthew (drums), The Bug Club started plying their trade in 2016. They were signed by UK label Bingo Records in Autumn 2020 and first single “We Don’t Need Room For Lovin” was released in February 2021. It quickly established The Bug Club as the tongue-in-cheek and live-focused antidote to the previous year’s penned-in pandemic drudgery. BBC 6 Music’s Marc Riley was an early champion, hammering the single, booking the band in for a session as soon as it was allowed and rightfully praising songwriters capable of singing the whole alphabet in a two-minute song and making it work (read more at Sub Pop).
The Bug Club will support On the Intricate Inner Workings of the System with their previously announced UK tour dates, which resume Saturday, 6th July, in Usk, UK, at The Weekend Rumble and end Saturday, 16th November, in Norwich, UK, at Norwich Arts Centre. International dates will be announced soon.
Sat. Jul. 06 - Usk, UK - The Weekend Rumble Fri. Jul. 26 - Rock, UK - Rock Oyster Festival Thu. Aug. 01 - London, UK - Shacklewell Arms (SOLD OUT) Fri. Aug. 02 - Pikehall, UK - Y Not Festival Thu. Aug. 29 - Brighton, Resident Records (instore) Fri. Aug. 30 - Brighton, UK - Brighton Psych Fest Sat. Aug 31 - Hull, UK - The Adelphi Sun. Sep. 01 - Edinburgh, UK - Edinburgh Psych Fest Mon. Sep. 02 - Riley & Coe Session, BBC Radio 6 Music Tue. Sep. 03 - Liverpool, UK - Rough Trade (instore) Wed. Sep. 04 - Nottingham, UK - Rough Trade (instore) Thu. Sep. 05 - London, UK - Rough Trade East, (instore) Thu. Nov. 07 - Bournemouth, UK - Bear Cave Fri. Nov. 08 - Margate, UK - Lido Sat. Nov. 09 - Bedford, UK - Esquires Wed. Nov. 13 - Newcastle, UK - The Cluny Thu. Nov. 14 - Hebden Bridge, UK - The Trades Club Fri. Nov. 15 - Leicester, UK - The SoundHouse Sat. Nov. 16 - Norwich, UK - Norwich Arts Centre
The Bug Club’s On the Intricate Inner Workings of the System is available to preorder on CD/LP/DSPs from Sub Pop. LP preorders from megamart.subpop.com (North America), Mega Mart 2 (UK/EU), and independent retailers worldwide will receive the limited Loser edition vinyl on Transparent Grey Smoke (US) and Orange/Red Marble (UK/EU) (whilst stock lasts!). On the Intricate Inner Workings of the System’s album cover artwork is from UK illustrator and comic book artist Willem Hampson.
What people are saying about The Bug Club: “‘Quality Pints’ is a wild two-minute rager that reminds me of the Buzzcocks and the Vaselines. It’s all about something the band has surely experienced during all that touring: the search for a decent beer in various cities around the world. In addition to the explosive punk-rock energy, the song has a hip-shaking rock ‘n’ roll element, manifested in a rattling tambourine and occasional outbursts of electric-shock lead guitar” - STEREOGUM
“…the kind of indie punk ripper that feels custom built to send audiences into a shout-along, beer-fueled frenzy.” [“Quality Pints”] BROOKLYN VEGAN
“The amped-up punk track is a blast of shout-along energy, and vicious guitar solos following the pair’s journey to secure a solid pint of beer… It’s as ridiculous as it is fun, and Harris and Willmett are bringing their particular flavor of absurdity to Sub Pop’s legendary roster. Cheers, indeed.” [“Quality Pints”] “Best New Songs” - PASTE
The Bug Club On The Intricate Inner Workings of the System
Tracklisting: 1. War Movies 2. Quality Pints 3. Pop Single 4. Best Looking Strangers in the Cemetery 5. A Bit Like James Bond 6. We Don’t Care About That 7. Lonsdale Slipons 8. Better Than Good 9. Actual Pain 10. Cold. Hard. Love. 11. The Intricate Inner Workings of the System
Washed Out - the group’s creative force, Ernest Greene - has released their fifth and most audacious album to date, Notes From a Quiet Life, worldwide from Sub Pop. The music of Washed Out has always levitated over a timeless frontier. You can sense it in his immersive, amorphous vocals, expansive soundscapes, and wistful storytelling.
Today, Washed Out has shared a one-take, live performance of “Wait on You,” which was filmed on location in Bandera, Texas, and directed by Jonah Haber, who captured the inimitable footage of Greene performing “Waking Up (Solar Eclipse Performance.)”
In 2021, Greene left Atlanta to return to the countryside he knew growing up. Where escapism once flooded his thoughts, today, he is preoccupied with the universe of wonder in the reality around him.
He named the former horse farm he moved to “Endymion” (after the pastoral John Keats poem about a lovesick shepherd — its opening line: “A thing of beauty is a joy for ever”). It has shaped all that he’s created there, from his music to his albums’ creative direction to his planned large-scale visual-art experiments. That purity of vision is what makes Notes From a Quiet Life so potent. It’s the first album Greene wholly self-produced, with mixing assistance from Nathan Boddy (James Blake, Mura Masa) and David Wrench (Caribou, Florence + the Machine.)
Additionally, Washed Out has expanded its North American run, with newly announced dates in October & November. See below for a full list of shows.
Sun. Jul. 14 - Seattle, WA - Day In Day Out Festival Thu. Aug. 01 - Atlanta, GA - The Eastern Fri. Aug. 02 - Columbia, SC - The Senate Sat. Aug. 03 - Asheville, NC - AVLFest Mon. Aug. 05 - Nashville, TN - Brooklyn Bowl Tue. Aug. 06 - St. Louis, MO, Delmar Hall Thu. Aug. 08 - Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue Fri. Aug. 09 - Chicago, IL - Metro Sat. Aug. 10 - Madison, WI - Majestic Sun. Aug. 11 - Columbus, OH - Kemba Tue. Aug. 13 - Detroit, MI - Majestic Wed. Aug.14 - Toronto, ON - Danforth Fri. Aug. 16 - Norwalk, CT - District Music Hall Sat. Aug. 17 - Boston, MA - Paradise Sun. Aug. 18 - Brooklyn, NY - Paramount Tue. Aug. 20 - Philadelphia, PA - Union Transfer Wed. Aug. 21 - Washington, DC - 930 Club Fri. Aug. 23 - Carrboro, NC - Cat’s Cradle Sat. Aug. 24 - Birmingham, AL - Iron City Thu. Oct. 31 - Houston, TX - Warehouse Live Fri. Nov. 01 - Dallas, TX - Longhorn Ballroom Sat. Nov. 02 - Austin, TX - Levitation (Far Out Lounge) Mon. Nov. 04 - Denver, CO - Ogden Theatre Tue. Nov. 05 - Salt Lake City, UT - Metro Music Hall Thu. Nov. 07 - Portland, OR - Revolution Hall Sat. Nov. 09 - Vancouver, BC - Hollywood Theater Mon. Nov. 11 - Sacramento, CA - Ace of Spades Tues. Nov. 12 - San Francisco, CA - Regency Ballroom Thu. Nov. 13 - Los Angeles, CA - The Bellwether Fri. Nov. 15 - San Diego, CA - The Observatory Sat. Nov. 16 - Phoenix, AZ - The Van Buren Sun. Nov. 17 - El Paso, TX - Lowbrow Palace Tues. Nov. 19 - Oklahoma City, OK - Tower Theater Wed. Nov. 20 - Memphis, TN - Minglewood Hall Fri. Nov. 22 - New Orleans, LA - Joy Theater
Washed Out Notes From a Quiet Life
Track Listing: 1. Waking Up 2. Say Goodbye 3. Got Your Back 4. The Hardest Part 5. A Sign 6. Second Sight 7. Running Away 8. Wait on You 9. Wondrous Life 10. Letting Go
This Friday, June 28th, Loma (Emily Cross, Dan Duszynski, Jonathan Meiburg) will release How Will I Live Without a Body?, their third album.
Its eleven tracks feature the highlights “How It Starts,” “Pink Sky,” and today’s offering, the hypnotic official video for “Affinity,” directed by Allison Beondé.
Beondé offers this, “In creating the video for ‘Affinity,’ I wanted to collect quiet moments that explore the experience of inhabiting a body, existing both collectively and simultaneously alone. Capturing people in public spaces embodying their own experience, their own world, while surrounded by others, the song is carried on a rolling rhythm reminiscent of waves—a soft and mysterious ebbing and flowing of time marked by something so elemental to our existence and uniquely capable of eliciting reflection on what it means to be alive.”
How Will I Live Without a Body? was produced and recorded by Loma in England, Texas, and Germany, mixed by Dan Duszynski, mastered by Steve Fallone, and mixed for Dolby Atmos by Steven Wilson. All songs were composed by the group—with a few nudges from a unique AI (see below).
How Will I Live Without a Body? is a gorgeous, unique, and oddly comforting album about partnership, loss, regeneration, and fighting the feeling that we’re all in this alone. Many of its songs have a feeling of restless motion; faceless characters drift through meetings and partings, tangling together and slipping away.
Throughout, the core of Loma’s sound remains intact: earthy, organic and deeply human, anchored by Cross’s cool, clear voice. Loma’s previous album, Don’t Shy Away, was galvanized by the encouragement of Brian Eno. This time, they were inspired by another hero, Laurie Anderson, who offered a chance to work with an AI trained on her work. Meiburg sent it a series of photos; Anderson’s AI responded with two haunting poems. “We used fragments of these poems in ‘How It Starts’ and ‘Affinity’,” he says. “And then Dan noticed that one of AI-Laurie’s lines, ‘How will I live without a body?’ would be a perfect name for the album, since we nearly lost sight of each other in the recording process.” [Read more about the album’s genesis here].
How Will I Live Without a Body? is available to preorder on CD/LP/DSPs from Sub Pop. LP preorders from megamart.subpop.com (North America), Mega Mart 2 (UK/EU), and independent retailers worldwide will receive the limited Loser edition vinyl on Transparent Smoke (US) and Neon Orange (UK/EU) (All whilst stock lasts!).
As for How Will I Live Without a Body?’s cover art, returning collaborator Lisa Cline took inspiration from the histories of “bog people,” human bodies found naturally mummified in peat bogs. (From Wikipedia: “These “bodies” are both geographically and chronologically widespread, having been dated to between 8000 BCE and the Second World War.”).
What people are saying about Loma’s How Will I Live Without a Body?: “A masterclass in atmospherics” ★★★★ MOJO
“As beautifully ethereal as the title suggests.” 8/10 - Uncut
“The much anticipated follow up to their ethereal sophomore album, Don’t Shy Away, sees the band mine a new musical depth; sharing powerfully earnest lyricism and utilizing sophisticated production techniques.” 9.1/10 - Northern Transmissions
“Where 2020’s Don’t Shy Away played with ornate arrangements that leaned toward British art rock and psychedelia, parts of How Will I Live Without a Body? were recorded in the English countryside (in addition to Texas and Germany), where a ruined chapel was used to record vocals due to its natural reverb. Indeed, Loma can do a lot with very little. The drums on “Arrhythmia” build up to the clatter of what sounds like running horses as singer Emily Cross harmonizes with herself, creating an atmosphere that’s more important than any single lyric.” SLANT MAGAZINE
Loma How Will I Live Without A Body?
Tracklisting 1. Please, Come In 2. Arrhythmia 3. Unbraiding 4. I Swallowed a Stone 5. How It Starts 6. Dark Trio 7. A Steady Mind 8. Pink Sky 9. Broken Doorbell 10. Affinity 11. Turnaround