OUR RECORDS, OUR SHELVES

Attention all you flash young rock and roll gutter-dwellers: you’re stuck here in the long tail with the rest of us, so suck it up and take a bit of advice from old Drag City: respect yourself, bee-yo! Start living right and letting the music be your master, the way you always claimed it was (poseur)! Forget the way you’ve lived and climb into today. And grab a few Drag City records on the way in, would you? Subtly they’re carrying a message for you that’ll open up your eyes and ears (if you can believe ‘em), brighten the colors of our gray world and tease your brain into new calisthenics you never before thought possible. Like these —

HERE'S LOOKING AT JEWS

We’ve been strutting their stuff for months now, and finally it’s time for the world to share in our un-secret pride: Silver Jews’ Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea is out there, people! You can have it on oh-so-fashionable LP or bastard stepchild CD — if you haven’t ripped that shit already, that is! And yes Virginia, there is a download — you guys are sooo predictable! But hey, that’s why we love you — you keep coming back to buy the new Silver Jews record, no matter which way we try and sell it to you. It’s making us think that an Actual Air audiobook might actually be a good investment! But hey – today’s not about us. It’s about Silver Jews and their utterly great new-phase Silver Jews album Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea. David Berman has rallied the troops to a promised land beyond Tanglewood Numbers – a sonic landscape cluttered with detail and yet somehow stripped to bare essentials, glittering metallic but with a beating heart glowing within. Like we said, this is new-phase Silver Jews – not your old weird uncle’s alt-country/indie-pop Silver Jews, but a bulked-up (yet still super-literate) hybrid of the blue-collar, white-collar and no-collar Silver Jews we all remember from albums gone by. Because what is life without a bit of HGH-style growing and changing? Using the Tanglewood Numbers outfit that toured the world in 2006 and 2007, DCB has forged a fantastic new collection of tunes where the song is the thing, and the rest of the world passes through the song on its way into our soul. This is the secret to that thing called The Great American Songbook – but fortunately for us, Silver Jews are dwelling in a different realm than the universalities of Gershwin, Rodgers and Porter. It may be the same realm as George Strait and Craig Morgan though – this is music for today’s people! All of ‘em.

THINK OF THE CHILDREN!

Spiritual note to spiritual self: today you are closer to The Source. The Source Family, that is. Over the past year, they’ve generated a lot of press for themselves with a tell-all book about their wild early-mid-70s LA-to-Hawaii communal living trip in the service of self-proclaimed holy man Father Yod. Then there’s the records released by The Source folks under the name YaHoWha 13 — a wilder bunch of quasi-religious proto-new age prog garage rock has yet to be uncovered! Today, there’s another, different musical artifact from that era that goes under the nameof Children of the Sixth Root Race. The album is called Songs From The Source, and it’s a stone-groover of hippie pontificating, white-gospel vibes, apocalyptic vision-questing and the sound of a collective working together to play a really great show! The tape of this 1973 recording was recently discovered after several decades off the radar and it has all the strange magic of that very strange time. It was a heady period, and now you too can sing along with the other heads. Dig Songs From The Source!

LEARNING A NEW LANGUAGE

Don’t look now, but you’ve got two new languages to learn – Language of Stones, that is. Everytime you turn, we’re turning around too – with a couple new releases from the neo-hippie folk label that could, Language of Stone. If you haven’t heard any of their discoveries so far (Orion Rigel Dommisse, Mountain Home, Ilya Monosov, Ex Reverie, Festival and Lights), the new titles on this date might be a good place to start – take your pick from the dark psychedelia of Silver Summit (on extra-rich, extra-limited vinyl as well as CD) and the singer-songwriter folk tunes of Noa Babayof. Then go backwards – there’s an old world of acoustical mind-blowers there for you to discover!

THE PRINCE RETURNS TO EUROPE

A year ago, Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy capped off a furious eight months of live shows around the world by playing a benefit concert in Louisville KY. Then — nothing. Sure, there was a covers EP (“Ask Forgiveness”) a live CD (Wilding in the West), a demos CD with Dawn McCarthy (Wai Notes) and a new album (do we need to say it again? The ineffable masterpiece Lie Down in the Light!) – but no live shows! What’s up with that? I guess even a ‘prince’ needs a year off every once in awhile…anyway, that’s all behind him (and more importantly, us) now. Bonnie’s back on the road way out east in Europe through July 12 with dates in Finland, Czech Republic, Macedonia, Serbia and Croatia (got to — you can’t give one of these guys an edge over the other, think of the children!) as well as Germany, Denmark, Austria and Italy, with festival dates in Ireland and Portugal (and Rothskilde back in Denmark!). And that’s cool — but when’s he gonna tour America again? Shit, Bonny, we’re people too.

JULY DOWN IN THE LIGHT

There’s nothing but more magic ahead – a magic of a decidedly darker tone than the high-flying rock and roll, psych and experimental stuff we’ve been pumping on you in May and June. Yeah, we’re flipping the script and bringing the darkness back into the equation. A bit of ancient folk, blues and some relocated Red Krayola mixes from ten years ago — just what you need when you’re tripping down to the pool, right? Well, some wear long pants – long black pants – all summer long, people! Ah, but we can all get along — especially once we absorb some of the peaceful vibrations emanating from the Masaki Batoh & Helena Espvall album. It’s the debut duet from the Ghost frontman and Espers cellist – but they sound very comfortable and happy in each others presence. You know Batoh’s feeling relaxed when he rolls out instruments like ocean drum, grass chime, bird whistle and wind machine — but he gets some sweet licks in on the acoustic guitar as well. Helena plays a bunch of acoustic guitar and sings a few Swedish traditional songs from her childhood memories. Batoh takes the lead on a truly haunting rendition of Son House’s “Death Letter,” and the two of them do some free improvising together on a few numbers, one of which is an epic trip into the void. But a peaceful trip! Keying on a state of nature, Helena & Batoh have made a perfect record together. Amazingly, they put together a tour around the U.S., a run of dates that is almost over as of press time, but which will include an appearance at Terrorstock on June 20th. Fly, don’t run! And catch their highly spiritual concert together. Also on the dark yet spiritual tip is Faun Fables, who — at last! — have new tunes to offer us. And these are no burnt offerings, no way! Their new things is an EP called “A Table Forgotten” – but it’s one of the meatiest EPs we’ve heard in some time. The titular table is a symbol of family life, an axis deemed missing in this deadening modern world. This is the theme of the album, but in no way does it stop the rhythms of “With Words and Cake” from causing us to get up and dance (check it out for yourself on YouTube). Clocking in at 17 minutes, these four new songs are rife with life, lovely little details in the mix like the flickering of a theremin, the breath of a harmonium, lots of harmonies and a fat bottom rocking it all along. Joining Dawn the Faun and Nils Frykdahl in this outing are Meredith Yayanos and Kirana Peyton, along with special guest Matt Waldon. Dawn’s siren vocals are peerless as always — it’s such a joy to have new Faun Fables music in the house! Then the Fingerpointing. You know, ten years ago we released an album by The Red Krayola called Fingerpainting. Now we’ve got an album by The Red Krayola called Fingerpointing. Coincidence...or design? The world will never know. Ah, we can’t keep a secret — it’s design, baby! Do you actually think The Red Krayola would ever do anything without thinking it out first? It just doesn’t happen. That’s what keeps the quality so elusively high. In the case of this music, Fingerpainting was not only high-quality, but elusive as well — a reconstruction and present-time commentary on the methodology behind their 1967 debut, The Parable of Arable Land. Despite a landslide of wild sounds and a fantastic set of vintage songs drawn out of the well for the occasion, Fingerpainting was out in front of the listening audience in 1999. What would they have thought of Fingerpointing? We’ll never know, but what you can know is that this is an alternate mix of the same material made by Jim O’Rourke (Fingerpainting was mixed by Albert Oehlen). Fingerpointing has different inflections and a different flow while rolling down the same path as its other self. There’s a droning, incense-wafting quality to it that may be more equitable in today’s listening bowl. Hear for yourself on July 22nd.

EASIN' ON DOWN THE ROAD

We told you that the Bonnie ‘Prince’ was touring – but what about the rest of the Drag City yobbos? Yep, them too. When you live for music, what else are you going to do? No self-respecting non-asshole would just churn out record after record in an narcissistic frenzy! There’s a special push-and-pull that has to happen between music-makers and their audience: put out the record, tour (or don’t), let time pass and people change, then make another. Drag City artists dig that concept – and that’s why they’re always crawling the face of the planet, criss-crossing paths as they take their own personal entertainment further and further into the country, crusading as it were for the existence of an inner light! But not in a creepy way, just for a cut of the door. As summer is upon us, we’ve got an extra-heavy bunch of musical art-friends out on the road: check out the tour page and see for yourself.

NEXT MONTH!

Whoops — we already told you about next month! But next month, we’ll be back here telling you about the next month after that – a little thing we like to call August. But we'll let you enjoy the summertime a bit more before we get into Bud Billiken Day mode. And enjoy you some of these hot new records from our hot little hands too –

Peace be! Rian Murphy Drag City

E-mail our webmaster at webmaster@dragcity.com For demo submission information, read this Demo FAQ.

Silver Jews	Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea	LP/CD	DC358
LOMLOC for short, this is the latest essential epic from the new mobile Silver Jews...
Children of the Sixth Root Race	Songs from The Source	LP/CD	DC365
Vintage hippie greatness from 1973, from the YaHoWha family members.
Silver Summit	self-titled	LP/CD	LOS-007
Noa Babayof	From a Window To A Wall	CD	LOS-008
The latest two releases from Philadelphia's Language of Stone label!
Bonnie 'Prince' Billy	Lie Down in the Light	LP/CD	DC367
Surprise! A brand new Bonny album appears magically, right when you need it the most...
Osorezan	Mimidokodesuka	LP/CD	DC362.1
Featuring Jim O'Rourke, Chris Corsano & Darrin Grey. Originally released in 2006 only in Japan. First time on vinyl!
Jim O'Rourke	Tamper	CD	DC362.2
Second in our new Jim O'Rourke reissue series. This one hasn't seen daylight since way back in 1991.
Circle X	Prehistory	CD	BC18
Their second album, from 1983. Amazing angry post-punk-pre-post-rock madness from these Louisville legends.
J. Spaceman / Sun City Girls	Mister Lonely: Songs from the film by Harmony Korine	LP/CD	DC360
Not a collaboration, but a careful weaving of the songs of J. Spaceman and Sun City Girls as seen in the upcoming film by Harmony Korine. Features a special appearance by Werner Herzog!
Neil Hamburger	Sings Country Winners	LP/CD	DC363
Neil's first all-music release, featuring California's hottest studio musicians.
Monotonix	"Body Language"	12"ep/CDep	DC361
Their Drag City debut! Isreal's finest export. Touring endlessly -- do not miss them when they splatter all over your city!
Festival	Come, Arrow, Come!	CD	LOS-005
New on Language of Stone. Psychedelic sister folk!
Lights	self-titled	CD	LOS-006
New on Language of Stone. Brooklyn magical folk music!
Yoro Sidibe	self-titled	CD	YY005
New on Yaala Yaala. Another taste of the music of Mali. Epic hunter music.
Singer	Unhistories	LP/CD	DC356
Their Drag City Debut! Chicago powerhouse featuring T. Allbertt Rittmann, Robt AA Lowe, and the Vida brothers Adam & Ben. Ultra-deluxe vinyl!
Mayo Thompson	Corky's Debt To His Father	LP	DC49
Back in print on vinyl! This time with a bonus 7" of non-LP tracks "Woof" and "4'33"", the latter unavailable elsewhere!
Gary Higgins	Red Hash	LP	DC295
Available for the first time on vinyl! Includes bonus tracks from CD as 7" single.
Baby Dee	Safe Inside the Day	LP/CD	DC351
Her magnificent Drag City debut! Produced by Bonnie 'Prince' Billy & Matt Sweeney.
Ilya Monosov	Seven Lucky Plays, Or How To Fix Songs for a Broken Heart	CD	LOS003
Latest release from Language of Stone. Member of The Shining Path.
Ex Reverie	The Door Into Summer	CD	LOS004
Latest release from Language of Stone. Member of Woodwose and Golden Ball.
Dawn McCarthy & Bonny Billy	Wai Notes	CD	SN14
Ultra-limited release, the seeds of The Letting Go...
Six Organs of Admittance	Shelter from the Ash	LP/CD	DC348
Tenth album! Features members of Magik Markers, The Fucking Champs, and Comets on Fire.
Major Stars	Mirror/Messenger	LP/CD	DC355
First release on Drag City! 2nd album as a mind-blowing sextet.
The Valerie Project	The Valerie Project	2xLP/CD	DC352
Featuring members of Espers, Fern Knight, Fursaxa, and more. Alternated soundtrack to 60s Czech cult film Valerie and Her Week of Wonders
Bonnie 'Prince' Billy	"Ask Forgiveness"	12"ep/CDep	DC354
Eight-song all-covers EP featuring help from Greg Weeks & Meg Baird of Espers.
RTX	RaTX (reissue)	LP/CD	DC331
Retitled and reissued! Now available in very limited quantities on vinyl.
Ghost	Overture: Live at Nippon Yusen Soko 2006	DVD & CD	DC330
Live improvised performance at giant warehouse in Japan captured in stereo and surround-sound!
Randall of Nazareth	self-titled	LP/CD	DC347
Acoustic solo debut by Randy of Pearls & Brass.
Jens Hannemann	Fred Armisen presents Jens Hannemann: Complicated Drumming Technique	DVD	DC341
Secrets of the pros from legendary drummer Jens Hannemann.
White Magic	"Dark Stars"	12"ep/CDep	DC350
New White Magic! Four epic and wonderful songs.
The Red Krayola with Art & Language	Sighs Trapped by Liars	CD	DC343
The Red Krayola reunited with Art & Language! Featuring dual female vocalists and production from Mr. Jim O'Rourke.
Sir Richard Bishop	Polytheistic Fragments	LP/CD	DC349
His first record for Drag City. Formerly of the legendary Sun City Girls!
Orion Rigel Dommisse	What I Want From You is Sweet	CD	LOS001
First release on the new Language of Stone label run by Greg Weeks of Espers! Orion is also a featured vocalist on the upcoming Valerie Project.
Mountain Home	Self-Titled	CD	LOS002
Also on Language of Stone. Philadelphia's own wilderness duo.
Upcoming in 2008 on Drag City
Suarasama	Fajar di Atas Awan	LP/CD	DC364
The Red Krayola	Fingerpointing	CD	DC369
Helena Espvall & Masaki Batoh	Self-titled	LP/CD	DC359
Faun Fables	"A Table Forgotten"	CDep	DC370
Silver Jews	Silver Jew	DVD	DC366
David Grubbs	An Optimist Notes the Dusk	LP/CD	DC373
The Howling Hex	Earth Junk	LP/CD	DC372
2008 on Streamline
Jim O'Rourke	longnight	2xCD	ST1023
Red Favorite	s/t	LP	ST1025