What makes us so full of confidence and hubris and all that? Well, we’ve only got a third of the year plotted out and already it’s looking like a thrill ride of new releases, new faces, special shows, and, of course, special packaging. It all starts here in January too — ‘cause we can’t wait to get it all started! With a release date every month, we’re set to kick the public’s ass with awesome multi-media products from here ‘til Christmas (yes, Virginia, there will be another Christmas — it might be on Mars, but there will be a Christmas. Until further notice.).

THE FIRST RAYS OF THE NEW RISING SUN
See, the trick is to think of each year as a day. This makes January, February and March the Morning of the year (if you’re an early riser), April, May and June the Afternoon, July and August the Evening, and September October November and December the Long Night. I guess that, under this plan, you don’t sleep — that’s the way it’s breaking down. But we’ll sleep when we’re broke. Anyway, until then, that makes January the dawn of our new day — and the first rays of the new rising sun (as the poet once said) are shining across a dew-speckled batch of bright new items from the Drag City garden of verse!

Whew, that metaphor doesn’t have one more twist in it. What I’m saying is, we have new releases! And wow, such new releases. The short list goes like this: new albums from Ghost and Weird War, Papa M CD single “Five,” Minus Times issue #28 and the Galactic Zoo Dossier Compendium. We actually already talked them up on this very page last year, but as you now know, last year is this year’s yesterday and, as the poet says, Yesterday is gone. Yesterday is gone but the back catalog remains — I says that. And so, here’s what we say today:

Ghost’s new release, Hypnotic Underworld is the latest word in a number of different sonic sweepstakes, including psych-rock, folk and classical music, just to name a few. Batoh, Kurihara and company have crystallized the classic Ghost sound and vision into an exciting new hybrid — in other words, the best Ghost album to date! That’s right, hotter than Lama Rabi Rabi, heavier than Free Tibet, folkier than Ghost, trippier than Second Time Around, liver than Temple Stone, worldier than Snuffbox Immanence…all smoothed into the deepest, widest, highest Ghost trip we’ve yet been on. It's called Hypnotic Underworld, people — be there!

You know, 2004 may turn out to be the year of Weird War too. I know, everybody probably thinks that 2003 was the year of the weird war in Iraq and the weird war on the streets of Jerusalem, and the weird war in Afghanistan, and all over Africa and in the streets of America too — and everybody's not wrong — but I’m talking about something bigger when I say 2004 is the year of Weird War: I’m talking about a band. Does anyone remember believing in a band? It’s been a long time, but Weird War want your allegiance with them as they commence another year in the trenches. Their ammo? A freshly developed weapon called If You Can’t Beat ‘Em, Bite ‘Em. This album is an all-weather vehicle designed to rock your mortal soul, stick in your ever-lovin’ brain and provide you with a soundtrack to your lifetime of servitude. But who you serve is a question that Weird War are prepared to phrase in a non-hypothetical sentence. The answer, my dear young friends, is up to y’all.

A note to the casual fan: in case you haven’t heard, Weird War is currently operating with the following personnel: I. F. Svenonius, MM and Alex Minoff. Last year’s Scene Creamers are this year’s Weird War — get used to it!

Meanwhile, in addition to touring his froggy little ass off, Papa M is still feverishly churning out singles in his now-almost-one-year-old singles series. “Five” is the number we’re up to, and with “Five,” Papa has brought a different sack of tricks to the table yet again. This time, in collaboration with Christina Rosenvinge, Papa has two nocturnal newies for us, both of them pale, moonlit refractions of passion. It’s sweet. After this, comes single “Six” in March, but something special in-between. What could that be? You’ll have to find out by reading on…

In addition to these three stellar new contemporary lifestyle enhancers, we’re also hawking reading material — both kinds of reading material. You see, in this world, there’s at least two kinds of books:  the kind you look at and the kind you read. Come to think of it, there’s also the kind of book you don’t read — the kind that just sits there on the shelf, hopefully at least looking good — but since that doesn’t apply to what we’re talking about here, forget it. Anyway, we’ve got one of each — one to look at, and one to read.

The Galactic Zoo Dossier Compendium will reward every flicker of your stoned, uncomprending eyes with it’s fine lines and fancy-filled curves. See, the GZD Compendium collects the first four issues of the world’s finest hand-written-and-drawn fanzine — a fanzine in tribute to all that is psychedelic, all flowing from the acid pen of Steven Krakow, aka Plastic Crimewave. After four self-produced, limited edition issues, we took on the production reins to turn the world at large on to his visions a year or two back (but what is time?) with Galactic Zoo Dossier #5, prompting the world at large to ask, But what about issues 1–4, man? Well, Plastic couldn’t make too many of them at the time — that would have cut into the all-important drug budget...but fortunately, with the success of issue #5, we find ourselves able to put together a squarebound volume of all four issues, plus a CD featuring the heavy sounds first included on cassettes with the original issues. It’s ready for the coffee-table — just get that tray of special brownies out of the way.

The Minus Times is back, so get ready to read. Hunter Kennedy’s literary almanac for the ages has been MIA for a year or so, but the time has been spent well, collecting new writings and drawings from a pool of talent that has no shallow end. Contributors this time include Hudson Bell, David Berman, Patrick deWitt, Graham Foust, Harrison Haynes, Jeff Johnson, Thomas Kennedy, Sam Lipsyte, Jason Logan, Austin McKenna, Brad Neely, Jeff Rotter and Brent Van Daley. The issue also features an interview with Stephen Colbert as well as mix-tape suggestions from Britt Daniel (Spoon), Tim Rutili (Califone), Colin Meloy (Decemberists) and Jason Molina (Magnolia Electric Company). 44 pages of high times and fine writings, at bookstores and magazine racks near you soon.

That’s January for you. Can you sense why we’re excited?

THE M IN FEBRUARY
Papa M fans, you have to relearn your alphabet, not to mention your math. There’s a M in February and a new number between five and six as well — we’re calling it 231! Though you may want to call it by its official name, Hole of Burning Alms. That’s right, in between the January release of Papa M’s CD single “Five” and the March release of CD single “Six” comes the February release of Papa M’s first-ever singles compilation, Hole of Burning Alms — aka DC231. Given how often Papa drops a new single into the marketplace, it’s about time for a box fuckin’ set! This comp is set to cover the years 1995–2000 — in other words, not including any of these little numbered beauties you’ve been scarfing up for the last year. Don’t worry — there’s enough on this comp from the good old days (when things were bad) to fill two LPs to the busting point, so you Papa M fans should go get yourselves a bigger belt — you’ve got a lot to take in.

WILL OLDHAM IS BACK!
Will Oldham, the artist behind such beguiling instrumental EPs as “Ode Music” and “Black/Rich Music” (which has a couple songs with singing on it, we know), is back! And he’s got with him…a new instrumental EP. This one is called “Seafarers Music,” scored for an intriguing new independent documentary. Let us set the scene for you:

The Port of Rotterdam at night — an inhuman, futuristic landscape of refineries, burning gas and vast chemical tankers. Lars, a Swedish seafarer, sits alone in a sailor's bar. Around him, other sailors get drunk and play guitars, trying to enjoy their small amount of shore leave. But for Lars, there's no escaping his problems. His wife, angry at Lars being away at sea, has left him and taken the kids with her. And now, sitting on his own in this dingy bar, he realizes that his life has just fallen apart.

'Seafarers' was shot in Rotterdam, the world's largest port. It follows four seafarers — a Swede, a Polynesian, a Croat and a Nigerian — each with their own incredible story — as they wait to go back to sea. When Will caught sight of this phenomenal piece of work, he just had to add some music to it. And so he did  with the assistance of Paul Oldham and David Bird (of Louisville, KY). One song for each seafarer — that’s what we’ll be offering you in February.

WOMAN OF THE YEAR
Whoops! We meant ‘Year of the Woman’. It’s true — when we look at the schedule, we see record after record by artists of the female persuasion. And so, at least for the purposes of this newsletter, we declare 2004 to be Drag City’s year of the woman — in addition to being “Next Year” as well as the year of Weird War. Fuck, 2004 is turning out to be pregnant with meaning already — and as of this writing, it’s only just begun, kid.

Don’t get us wrong — it’s not so radical to have the female presence around Drag City — we’ve been a label with musical contributions from the ladies since the git-go. I mean, DC1 was Royal Trux, featuring singing from Jennifer Herrema on the front and back of it. There were females in The Renderers on “I Hear the Devil Calling Me” 7” and the female fronts-person of Fruitcake on Hey Drag City. Amy from King Kong carried the torch for awhile. Then came the astonishing Cynthia Dall. Edith Frost was next. Then, for a long time, nothing happened. Some of our dude artists were singing with girls, but that doesn’t really count. Finally, with the coming of Weird War, we had us a lead-singing girl in the incomparable MM. Last year, it was AZITA’s turn. But now look — in February and March, we’ve got two new artists coming out, both decidedly feminine!

Faun Fables ring it in in February with Family Album. It’s actually the third Faun Fables CD, but for those of you who haven’t heard Early Song or Mother Twilight, it’s a great place to start. Dawn the Faun writes songs like she’s writing myths and sings them in a powerful voice that can shatter the glass of your soul.

In March, Joanna Newsom joins the parade. She has a couple of self-recorded and released EPs out there that have been blowing minds for the last year or so. When one of them came to the attention of Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy, he was quick to pass the word on about her incredible performance. Taking the stage with a harp, Joanna played an original set of songs that showcased strong harp-playing skills as well as voice all her own. More on Joanna next time.

Plus, in the latter months of the Spring, we’ll have AZITA’s second album Life On the Fly, plus Mira Billotte's new group, White Magic. There's boys in both AZITA and White Magic, but I think you'll understand what I'm saying when I say, All girls — all the time. It’s gonna be great!

ORGANS DONATION
In addition to all the women, there’s at least one other new face here in the 2004 —Six Organs of Admittance! The pride of Holy Mountain is bringing his space guitar to Drag City. The project is still gestating as we speak — but we’ll have more news as we get it.

A FREEDOM MARCH IN MARCH
Before that particular sun comes cresting over the horizon, there’s the music of March to consider. Joanna Newsom’s The Milk-Eyed Mender is coming on that date, as well as the aforementioned Papa M CD single “Six,” but there’s something else too —  the long-awaited release of the Palace Brothers Greatest Hits. Now that it’s done, the front cover reads: Bonnie “Prince” Billy sings Greatest Palace Music — Greatest Palace Music for short. Oh, kids  you’re going to be so excited. The Bonnie ‘Prince’ puts his latter-day all into performances of some of the fans’ hand-picked favorites. Backed by a stellar crew of stone-cold Nashville sessioneers (including the legendary pianist Hargus “Pig” Robbins) and a crowd of close friends, Bonnie takes the old songs and makes them something else again. For those of you who couldn’t wait for this long-rumored project to actually happen, it’s worth the wait. Now we just have to get it out there in advance of the bootleggers! And with the master tapes coming from Nashville, that’s going to be no mean feat. More word on this next time.

STAYING LIVE
Everybody's got a mind to pack it on up and take it on out on the road this spring. We're going to see more dates from U.S. Maple, Weird War and AZITA, as well as some shows from Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy including a few with Joanna Newsom. High Llamas will be bringing their marshalled forces in April. Brother JT will be making it happen sometime around then as well. And Faun Fables will be playing in inns, taverns, amphitheaters, circles in the round…wherever folk make merry, basically.

Keep your ear to the ground — the fair's coming closer every day!

MAIL ORDER UPDATE
With Faun Fables' Family Album due next month, there's still time to get the previous release, Mother Twilight from us before the new one hits and everyone starts talking about it. Mother Twlight has been fascinating listeners nationwide with it's twilit folk sounds, haunting and sirenesque. Family Album takes Faun Fables further, leaving the spacious simplicities of Mother Twilight for new vistas. So, in an effort to know two sides of the die, make sure you order one up.

Weird War fans, don't forget to buy the Scene Creamers' "AK-47" 7" — though we'll be offering it to stores too this month, how often do you mailorder a 7" anymore? In the winter of 2004, make it a reality.

Sadly (for those of you who didn't get it), the Introducing the Howling Hex limited edition LP is long gone. However, we're appraised by the man himself that a second volume of all-new Howling Hex excursions will be ready to offer soon. Neil Michael Hagerty aficionados and completists, take heed! We anticipate it will be some time this spring.

THIS YEAR’S LAST YEAR
Despite the changes in this year’s status — upgrading it to next year — we’re not skipping a year and that means that this year’s last year is still last year — 2003, if you’re keeping count. And I wasn’t until I started all this nonsense. Anyway, last year rocked, from the twin-(market)killing with Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy and Loose Fur in January to the John Fahey Vampire Vultures book in October to the return of High Llamas, U.S. Maple and Movietone in November! 

Like I said, last year is in the books. Join us for Next Year, starting today!

And unlike Jay-Z, we only retire in the late evenings.

Rian Murphy
Drag City Inc.
January 2004