Tag: brower
Twelve Big Ones from The Wand-ers is HERE!! This is a lovely package with 12 rippin’ Wanda Jackson covers. I really fell hard for her songs when I first encountered them a loooooong time ago (oof), so it was nice come into this with a love for the material already intact. This marks my third project with Nat Brower, and hopefully that number will continue to rise.
You can listen and purchase a copy at the Bandcamp site, and they’ll be up at Merchtable shortly (just shipped over copies today).
Hello 2024. Yes, I’m tardy as usual. Get over it 🙂 Usually, I start these posts with an apology and a look behind, but let’s start with the future past before going further backwards.
Billiam‘s full-length Corner Tactics is HERE and it’s a winner, with the full album side a and 2 rarities plus a live set on side b. The album has been out digitally for a minute now and seems to have found itself a healthy audience (though I’d argue Billy was already well-loved, just now more so). The LP is out on Under the Gun (US) and Cow Tool Records (AUS). I don’t know CT, but Evert at UTG is an old and cherished friend. He was very helpful with tape advice when I was about to launch this whole operation, and he even printed the Weed Homer shirts. We’ve been wanting to do something together for years, so it was nice that this project came together with both of us attached to it. I just did the tapes, but regardless it was nice to feel like part of the team. Spin.com did a feature on the rise of egg punk recently, and Billiam had plenty of coverage in it. It’s worth a read if you’ve got a minute.
I finally got the Panzarotti represses and It’s a King Thing tapes to the finish line – what a fucking relief. These took an embarrassingly long time, but they’re here and they’re a 10/10, so I can rest easy at last. With the Brian Mietz trifecta complete, it feels like last year’s Wow! can be properly celebrated – so let’s celebrate! Copies are up and shipping now in the shop.
The next release that’s immediately on the way is Twelve Big Ones by The Wand-ers. It’s all Wanda Jackson covers, which is right up my alley. Thanks to Nat Brower for thinking of me once again. That’ll likely be here in a week, and once they arrive I’ll tell you where you can buy it from with specific links (otherwise duh, it’ll be on Merchtable and Bandcamp).
Okay, let’s simmer in the twinkle of yesterday’s tears:
So hey speaking of Nat, Nancy is going on tour starting THIS weekend! I got to a greatest hits tape with them last year for the European tour and they’re rad as fuck. Such a great band, if you live anywhere near here get your buns out to the show. I’ll see you in Philly – Foto Club is maybe my favorite venue in town right now. Maybe they still have copies of the cassette, but you can always get ’em on Merchtable or Bandcamp).
2/24 Chicago – Empty Bottle
2/25 Detroit – The Regal Beagle
2/26 Toronto- Toronto Style Bar and Grill
2/27 Buffalo – Area 54
2/28 Pittsburgh – Cattivo Bar
2/29 Philadelphia – Foto Club
3/2 NYC – Union Pool w/ PROTEX (LOW TIX!!!)
New tommy oeffling song/video! Check it out.
cardigan hate train instantly became one of the best things I’ve ever released. I’m sorry I didn’t post about it at the time here, but I’ve been gushing everywhere else I swear it. tom is a prolific mastermind and we’re lucky to be on this planet at the same time as him. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for his music and what the future holds for us. My magic 8-ball is showing a date of April 21st, 2024. Maybe check back then 🎱.
The Whiffs Scratch ‘N’ Sniff cassettes were a fucking smash, as was the album in general (congrats to the lads and to Dig!). I got to catch them last year and it was a ripper as always, and the new stuff was so good. They’re gonna hit the road again soon, I’ll do my best to keep you informed.
Lastly, Sir Kim from Kim came out. This came together because of my old CT friend Bradley is in the band and it was a joy to work on a project together after some false starts back in yesteryear. They also did the art for the tape, it’s really neat.
There’s more, but I’ll wait until they’re closer to being real before I spill the beans. Some catch up, some mustard. Check out my 2023 year-end playlist, it’s full of the good stuff. I remain psyched about cassettes and everything on the horizon. Every time a box of these beauties arrives from Canada it’s just the best feeling. I always feel behind on my passions but in reality, SLUDGE PEOPLE is still here contributing to the musical climate. That’s cool. I need to stop and simmer in that more often. This thing celebrated 10 years last year! I’m determined to get caught up on all lingering projects so I can feel more joy and less stress about this venture. So far so good!
Hey there. I’ve been working on this website off and on throughout the 2020 dystopia. It’s been a real “suck it up and keep going” operation here at Sludge Manor/America, ignoring how bonkers it has been releasing cassettes into a void. Live music is where most people find out our contributions exist and with that gone The Whiffs couldn’t do their planned SXSW tour for Another Whiff (with tapes in hand) and we couldn’t do a release show for Brian Mietz‘s Panzarotti album (it was in the early stages, but what was talked about what exciting). Big bummers, but thankfully everybody has been very supportive and I think every release found it’s desired listener, and the label gained an increasing audience in the process.
Every draft I’ve done of the news has been a full rundown of everything that I put out so far in ’20, but I figure I can get into all of that at the end of the year if need be. It’s November, evil has been defeated after 4 looooooonnnnng years! Hope seems wearily possible and here are some more things to be excited for the future about…
Ozma Rock and Roll Part Three preorders went live a few weeks back. This one has been brewing for a full year, so I’m extra glad to see this becoming a reality. Limited to 150 copies on computer shell, I’m really looking forward to how this one turns out.
Speaking of bands with Daniel Brummel in them, our tape of Sanglorians‘ Odalisque just launched for preorder! Clear shell, chrome tape and includes download code. Check it out if you haven’t, it’s a really really cool album.
I come from comic books. When a monthly title would reach the milestone of 25, 50, 75 or 100 (and so on) it would be a big deal and that mindset has stuck with me. I knew our 25th (!!) release had to be something incredible, but never in my wildest dreams could I ever picture that it would be one of my most treasured albums. Anyone I know who listens to Beachwood Sparks holds them high above all others and I feel the same way. The reality that this is happening will probably never kick in: SPT25 is Beachwood Sparks’ self-titled debut in a special 20th anniversary edition. Side A is the album with all of the bonus tracks on Side B, completely remastered. Get your copy here, out 1/27/21!
Thanks to Curation Records for the opportunity, make sure you snag the vinyl, cd or shirt from them here!
Brower tapes arrived finally and gosh if they weren’t worth the wait! This collects Buzzsaws on Side A and Little Big on the B Side – it’s the best sounding cassette I’ve put out so far, I’m beyond thrilled. Want one?
Thanks to DIG! Records for making this one happen, they’re the greatest!
Suddenly Everything Is Twice as Loud by Alien Nosejob has been out since August and is already half way sold out. Jake just released a new album called Once Again the Present Becomes the Past on Anti Fade/Iron Lung that everyone is raving about. Look for our tape of it in early 2021, plus I’ll be doing a cassette edition of his band Smarts‘ new one Who Needs Smarts, Anyway?, out as of a few weeks ago on Anti Fade/Feel It. It rules, ALL OF IT.
The Only Ghost in Town‘s Live at the Gradwell House is available on tape and digital (you can also now find Mirage and False Color Images on digital services for the first time). Mietz made a rad video for “Dead Houses” (above) and oh yeah ringer tees are still available!
co-ed!! Very excited to be working with this awesome band who are currently finishing up their debut ep. You can hear a track from it now: Look for “Error” wherever you stream. It looks like this:
I seriously love this band so much and am THRILLED to be involved in their magic in any shape or form. They will take over the new world next year after we’ve rebuild it.
That’s all for now, but there’s lots of cool things to come (maybe we’ll publish a comic finally?). We’ll meet again soon – do a kickflip!