News

“I am living a double life.” This is how Whitney Johnson, a.k.a. Matchess, once described the co-existence of her alter egos: the musical entity Matchess, and the sociologist of sound known in academia as Whitney Johnson. With the dual existence of Hav and Stena, both out September 27, these two identities now stretch and twist across each other to create hypnotic, engaging new parallels: two distinct albums from two different artists. In demonstration, two new singles/videos materialize today: “... (read more)

Drag City’s approaching first-ever reissue of Dorothy Carter’s Troubadour (arriving August 30) is a merry moment to celebrate. Her 1976 debut found Dorothy hammering out a folk sound inclusive of the music she found out in the world: Appalachian folk tunes, ancient psalms and hymns, melodies from Scotland, Ireland, France, and a few of her own songs, too! Today, take your turn towards “Masquerade”, one of Dorothy’s original compositions.

Dorothy’s dulcimer shimmers reflectively on the instrumental “Masquerade”, joined... (read more)

Unearthed from the neolithic tar that eventually swathes all history, The Peel Sessions of Aerial M are once again among us! On August 30, Drag City — an organization largely set up to bring you the best of all available David Pajo recordings — will proudly release the only Aerial M session ever recorded for John Peel’s BBC Radio One show, as it was originally recorded on March 3rd, 1998 and broadcast on April 2nd the same year. Until then, hear a fiery full... (read more)

Didja see?! Wand's on TV! Wednesday afternoon, Cory, Robbie, Evan and Evan stopped by WGN-TV in Chicago to make their television debut on WGN's Midday Fix with a tantalizing preview of Vertigo's opening track, "Hangman". If your Wandering eyes missed it live, you can (and will, dammit!) watch the whirling, full performance on YouTube here!

Vertigo's release is just about here; July 26, is oh-so-near... and Wand's already on to the biggest leg of their... (read more)

Never one to shy away from a challenge, Ty Segall is back with Love Rudiments, an instrumental album of percussive music in the throes of passion, out August 30 via Drag City. Following his sprawling double album Three Bells earlier this year, Love Rudiments is an album-length journey over the emotional rainbow of a love affair — a trip through Ty’s psyche that plunges him into uncharted musical (and sentimental) depths. With today’s announcement, Ty reveals a new single with a visualizer: “... (read more)

The Nathan Bowles Trio’s upcoming Drag City debut, Are Possible (out July 26), became plausible when Nathan, Casey Toll and Rex McMurry met up on Nathan’s 2018 watershed record, Plainly Mistaken. Now cemented as a dynamite triad and fully locked in, the three set the table for Are Possible with a tender new single and music video today: “Our Air”.

Opening with the rich tones of Casey’s upright bass, the Trio break into a jazz stratosphere on “Our Air”. Nathan... (read more)

The date was March 6, 2023. Bill Callahan strode onto the stage at Chicago’s Thalia Hall, flanked by Matt Kinsey on guitar, Dustin Laurenzi on alto sax and Jim White on the kit. They all were feeling good, and it seemed like the crowd was also. But that wasn’t all. They had some special surprises planned… Take it away, Bill…

“This is a live album that was taken from the tour for YTI⅃AƎЯ. Songs tend to mutate after they’ve... (read more)

Spiraling into the ether, Wand turns ‘round with a new single off their clouded Vertigo album ahead of its July 26 wide release. Today, march to the premiere of “JJ” with a multichromatic, animated music video from the minds of Vernon Chatman and lilfuchs!

In another realm from last month’s single, “Smile”, Wand drip and pulse with pulpy fascination on “JJ”, making their bed with upright bass, brushed drums, and tremolo’d keyboard and guitar. When the walls fall away and... (read more)

On August 30, Drag City presents the first official reissue of Dorothy Carter’s 1976 debut album, her folk-music exegesis: Troubadour. It’s been 20 years since Dorothy’s passing — but thanks to last year’s reissue of her second album, Waillee Waillee (1978), and this edition of Troubadour, her music is surging forward ever more powerfully. Today’s announcement comes with a visualizer for the first single, “The King of Glory”, a hypnotic hymn hammered by Dorothy evoking western medieval music.

Playing guitar on most of Tim Buckley’s rambling folk-rock numbers, Lee Underwood’s former rock career typically manifested outside jazz influences. After a decade and more had elapsed, though, Lee embarked on a more cleansing, spiritual venture — an acoustic one, that is! — with his 1988 solo work, California Sigh. Drag City has unearthed this magnificent Lee Underwood/Steve Roach co-production for a first-ever reissue due out June 28; the second single, “Quietude Oasis”, arrives today with a... (read more)