News

The women of Cliffie Swan are tough, but they're not mean. They bear no ill will towards Canadian Lights. Ultimately, they chose a new name for the band in order to reflect the transformations that have occurred within the band. They needed a name as unique as their sound.

But face it, it's been frustrating sharing this name the past couple of years. It was a name that both parties felt was important to their message. If the word 'wretched' could be applied... (read more)

Regular readers of this space are thoroughly aware of what the Israeli power trio Monotonix can do to move a crowd: they can literally move the crowd with the force of their convictions - their convictions and their hairy, sweaty bodies, which when thrust forth with the power of rock, can push an assemblage all the way across the room.

Part of this phenomenally moving ability can be explained by Monotonix's preference to set up their drums and guitar and vocal mic on the floor... (read more)

Recent correspondence from Britain reports that the High Llamas chaps are quite busy! Busy writing and recording a new album for one, as well as just shoring up operations in general. Did you know you can get High Llamas updates directly from the band? ‘Tis true, and all you need do is have a glance at this link to find out how — there are a few options. Being so chuffed with the completion of a new album, the lads are playing live for the... (read more)

This Thanksgiving, we cheerfully wish good times for all ! Let there be fun throughout the land and dancing - on Netflix's queue!

No, they're not dead yet - quite alive in fact, as it turns out: their campaign of censorship against the all-American entertainment known as Trash Humpers has breathed its last, thank Job. Now you can spend your holidays with Harmony Korine and his gang from the back streets of Anytown USA by pointing your clicker right here. Or refer yourselves to... (read more)

Fresh off some killer solo White Magic performances in southern California, Mira Billotte is cruising her orb 'cross the globe to exert forces on European soil, kicking off the first official White Magic tour in a couple years. What has she been up to, you ask? Well, we've asked the same on occasion; all we can assume is that she's been traversing the astral plane with sonic intentions since we released the Dark Stars EP. Yes, we've sensed new recordings-- songs from which White... (read more)

There's an old joke wherein a man is approached on the street near Carnegie Hall and asked, "Pardon me, sir -- how do I get to Carnegie Hall?" To which the asshole replies, "practice, practice, practice." If that's truly the case, then no one we know practices harder than Joanna Newsom. Our girl makes her Carnegie Hall debut on Tuesday, November 23rd, in support of her new (c'mon, anything from 2010 is still new! Slow down, interweb!) jam, Have One On Me. The show... (read more)

Everyone is talking about Lights! Even "Sir" David Bowie's assistants! Thing he needs to know that they need to tell him (because otherwise how would he know?), as do all you friends and fans of Lights, is that the band has officially changed its name to Cliffie Swan. Lights haven't just gone out, they've been reborn! Here's hoping this will end all confusion between the Canadian musician Lights and the incredible talents of Sophia Knapp, Linnea Vedder and Alana Amram. These sultry ladies have been... (read more)

THIS IS THE END?

Nay, nay! It’s the end of the sales year as we know it. It’s the end of most of what we called 2010. It’s the end of the day. End of the week. End of that time of the month. Everything is always ending! And in the ending comes new beginning.

If it sounds like we’ve been reading too many of those Source books we’re now selling, so what if we are? We’re on the path for wisdom, and you... (read more)

Sometimes I Wish We Were... more than a record label. Oh wait, we are! Aside from pushing records, we publish books, too! (..and make prints!) So what if there's some cross-pollination between who's writing our books and who's making our music? Just as it is with dogs, inbreeding keeps Drag City in the running for Best In Show each and every year. So of course we were as psyched as a bitch in heat (or wait - is she psyched? check into this... (read more)

Say, did we mention that Drag City is now selling art prints? Yeah, I think we did... but were you listening? Or more important, responding favorably? Hmmm, ok, that can be your little secret. Either way then, we won't feel bad about repeating ourselves. Drag City is indeed selling the The Accidental Joke, a print by Rose Lazar and Matteah Baim. And much like when a musical act from the Drag City roster has a record release show, Baim & Lazar are having a... (read more)