News

Holy shit — Drag City gots its hands on some sealed beef! That is, original, sealed copies of an insane(ly collectible) LP from the insane(ly talented cult hero) Biff Rose, called Roast Beef! Not so far off the track from Randy Newman or Van Dyke Parks (but way more BEEFY!), Biff hit the scene in 1965, a folky with a heart full of Leher-esque satire. Early career highlights included gag writing for TV variety shows with George Carlin; a string of... (read more)

Aha, this Sic Alps thing is on a real roll, friends. Tours across the USA, solo performances, 7" EPs and 7" singles in the last two months - train keeps a-chooglin' and we're all aboard. Now, the laddies pick it up and schlepp themselves over to Europe for what stands to be a monster tour, beginning at the olde standby, das Green Man Festival, this Friday. Wee-ow, 'round and 'round the UK they go, up through Scandinavia, hopscotching through Berlin and Prague,... (read more)

Yes, The Nig-Heist is in! The world wasn't ready the first time around to burden itself with perhaps the filthiest, vile group of condom busting fucks, but it's 2011 now, so we're all mature enough to handle the load, right? Aw, take that stick out of your ass, make room for Nig-Heist!

Back in 1998.. not wait, let's go further. Back in the early 80s, a group of sexually depraved Black Flag roadies and SST hangers-on formed a band called Nig-Heist. Though they... (read more)

Hay man, upon which frequency do your guts currently vibe? Recently, ours have gone explosively harmonious with the sounds and tones emitting from Sun Araw, the collected consciousness of Cameron Stallones. Sun Araw provide the heady jams and heavy grooves we're oft attracted to in dramatic fashion. These cosmic sprawls are present and spectacular on the new Sun Araw double LP, Ancient Romans-- which drops August 23rd on his own Sun Ark label. But how will Sun Ark get Ancient Romans to... (read more)

Hey buddy, Ty Segall is going all the way! Across America, that is - in classic touring fashion. This means that no matter where you are, he's coming your way! Yep, some people still work for a living, and beginning this Friday, our man-dude be all up in the every which-wang corner of seemingly e'ry dang state of the union. What is the actual state of the union anyway, you ask? Well if you're asking us, this whole downgrade from AAA to AA+ means in... (read more)

As promised, our epic Sean O'Hagan / Van Dyke Parks Skype-hang rolls on with big Part Two — and this episode's gonna twist your knickers! Song Cycle freaks need to drop in, just to see Van Dyke brandish a precious item from his archives: Randy Newman's hand-written score for his classic tune "Vine Street" (immortalized by VDP on his first record, Song Cycle) !!!!!!!!! Sean goes deep into his own back-story and reveals his unlikely roots playing in "punk-funk" bands (until hearing the... (read more)

It's late summer and we're stretching out on the floodplain, fresh juice in hand. Long languid tones and rich wooden moans are all afloat, emitting from none other than the torched hands of Six Organs of Admittance. We know that at times, Six Organs music exists only in your head: coming from your turntable, some goofy dreams, or your pod. What a pleasure it is, then, to help hip you to an intensely greater interactive experience, that of seeing these sounds originate directly in... (read more)

It's official - you need a miracle! All tickets have been given away for the Monday night taping of Joanna Newsom's Austin City Limits set. Congratulations all ticket recipients! Enjoy the show. The rest of us will look forward to the air date - stay tuned JNA!

Who says there are no second acts in American entertainment? Not Carol Kleyn, that's for sure! Exhilarated by the reissue of her self-released 1976 album Love Has Made me Stronger (now available in every going format except cassette), Carol's hitting the road to play some shows and sell some records just like she did in the old days - literally! There are no club shows booked and Carol will be playing outside for the local population with no discrimination. Of course, they didn't... (read more)

Mmmmm - it's a steamy Friday night in Chicagoland. Betcha got some plans that include cold beers and even colder rails of c'caine! Well - cancel 'em! We got something that'll knock you even stiffer than whatever contraband you're sitting on - the grand return of David Berman to the podium for his first public appearance for several years now! Since folding the tent on the much-beloved Silver Jews back in 2009, David's kept a fairly low profile, keeping public appearances to a minimum. Even... (read more)