It should come as no surprise which labels I am truly enamored with as I’ve probably mentioned them countless times over the past year or so. Just in case you’re new to Songs:Illinois/Swedesplease here’s a short, incomplete list. Misra, Secretly Canadian, Loose Records, Signature Sounds, Yep Roc, Bedroom Records, Bloodshot, and several more. But high on the list is a German label that distrubutes Americana, erie folk and other genres. They release more great American music in Germany than any label here in the states. Well, lucky for me, someone (thanks Immylou) out there was listening and yesterday I got a very nice package from Glitterhouse Records of Germany.
Glitterhouse Records is the distributor for many fine bands and labels but they don’t just limit themselves to American rock. For example their newest release is from the Norwegian group The White Birch. The White’s Birch’s 2002 worldwide debut was the critically acclaimed Star Is Just A Sun. Now three years later they’re back with their followup Come Up For Air (Glitterhouse, November).
You know how bands like Flotation Toy Warning, Flaming Lips, Mercury Rev, Radar Bros. etc all have one or two slow to mid-tempo songs on each record and that it always turns out that over time those are your favorite songs. Yeah…I do too. The White Birch has created a whole album filled with those songs. Taken seperately you may not think “oh my god I’ve got to buy that record” but as a whole this will stand up as one of the best new records of the year. Here’s three from The White Birch’s come up for air
We Are Not The Ones
Seer Believer
Your Spain
Bonus tracks from Glitterhouse Records. “Somewhere Over The Waves” taken from Lost Horizon due out in October and Ennio Morricone’s “The Sicilain Clan” is hopefully coming out in early 2006
Friends of Dean Martinez – Somewhere Over The Waves
Friends Of Dean Martinez/Echo Base Sound System – The Sicilian Clan
Buy Glitterhouse music here, check back soon for the new White Birch