Check out Family Portrait’s video for Never Should’ve Been There, by Alice Goldsmith and Blair Waters. It’s a good time Roller Skating, cake and juice party. (more…)

AFTER THE GRAVEYARD & CLEAR SKIES OVER BLACK RIVER

SHIP FEBRUARY 7TH, PRE-ORDER NOW

Is there anything as ubiquitous and personal as nostalgia? It is a feeling we all readily acknowledge and are inescapably drawn to, often finding it in the same places, while cherishing it for our own reasons. Simply reading the word evokes a unique slew of images in all of us, from which we subconsciously define the sentiment. Yet culturally, at least from an American perspective, it is common to find that we describe the emotion using very similar phrases and images, as if they were drawn from a collective memory – a national dream in the most literal sense.

Liam Betsonʼs music lends itself to our collective memories – the true American dream, blasting images into the blackness of our minds like a spinning animation wheel making a horse gallop. (more…)

Wild Animal Kingdom – Monthly Mixtape Club – Year 3. “The Gift That Keeps on Giving”

Much to our delight, Dana Jewell has informed us that The WAKR Monthly Mix Tape will be perpetuating into the year 2012. After two years of top flight tapes collected by an array of characters from the UP & The WAKR-Olympia underground music scene – year three promises to be another 12 months of heart crafted tracklists. (more…)

I subscribe to a demographic of Jewish people who unabashedly love Christmas. We’re not entangled in the “Holy Birth v. All Mighty Dollar” debate that Christian folk grapple with.. We just get to enjoy a season of woodsy scents and merry melodies… (more…)

It took us awhile to do it, but damn it, it was worth it. Family Portrait’s Dark Roast EP is available for purchase in our new store today. (more…)

We asked Twerps to put together our latest Mixtape in celebration of the release of their self-titeled debut LP tomorrow, October 18th! You can pick up your copy now in the UP store.

Altered Zones graciously posted the mix this morning, quoting Rick Milovanovic of the Twerps:

It was impossible for us to make you an Australian pop compilation without including some songs from New Zealand too.  (more…)

Underwater Peoples is proud to present a video chalk full beautiful vistas, mysterious musicians and colorful characters. (more…)

We first came across Sad City’s (aka Gary Caruth) distinctive and unique sounds through our wonderful friend Julian Lynch after the pair met at university in Aberdeen, Scotland. Not long after hearing Gary’s music, we featured one of his tracks on our first label sampler (Summertime Showcase. click that.) and have been anticipating a proper release ever since. (more…)

Louis Jones has a strong and evocative male singing voice. Jones’ sings like Rene Russo acts in The Thomas Crown Affair. He sings like Atticus Finch raises children. Louis’ voice decimates the long car ride chat, leaving in its place a group of peaceful window gazers.

Analyzing the performers charm spell is an academic exercise. We can learn more about Louis by analyzing the state of the window gazer – Forced silent, engrossed in ones personal creativities. Spectrals is full body and soul pop music. More powerful than even the most entrusted politician, is the wizard whose speech makes you speak to yourself. (more…)