In celebration of our twentieth year, Thrill Jockey will be putting out a lot of new albums by artists making their Thrill Jockey debuts. There will be no compilation album. No survey of what or where we have been. We will focus our energies on new albums by artists that we love; both old friends who continue to make us marvel and exciting new ones.

Golden Void
The union of Earthless space rock shredder Isaiah Mitchell, and Aaron Morgan and Justin Pinkerton. The band will record their debut album this winter. They have previously released a 7” on Valley King Reords in an edition of 500.

Golden Retriever
Golden Retriever was formed in Portland, OR in 2008 by multi-instrumentalists Jonathan Sielaff and Matt Carlson. Golden Retriever released a handful of records and cassettes, all very limited, since their Root Strata debut in 2010.

Jon Porras
Jon Porras (one half of Barn Owl) will bring his special brand of guitar soundscapes to Thrill Jockey. He will continue to tour and record for Barn Owl as well.

Mike Scheidt
Most metal-heads will recognize Mike as the guitarist and singer of critically acclaimed metal stalwarts YOB. Mike's solo material is dramatically different. He is currently recording his debut solo album. (Mike will make a special solo performance in Chicago opening for YOB at the Empty Bottle on January 25.)

Plankton Wat
Plankton Wat is the solo sound world of guitarist Dewey Mahood (Eternal Tapestry). Mahood has released a handful of records and cassettes, all very limited, under the Plankton Wat moniker.

kandodo
kandodo is Simon Price from legendary British psych rock band The Heads. He recently collaborated with Ripley Johnson of Wooden Shjips for an upcoming single on Thrill Jockey. This will be his debut release, other than an edition of 100 CDRs that he sold at shows.

Man Forever
John Colpitts (aka Kid Millions) is a Brooklyn-based multi-instrumentalist, composer and writer who is perhaps best known as the drummer for Oneida. John plans on touring extensively, continuing his ensemble explorations of percussion. Past performances have included Brian Chase (Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs), James McNew (Yo La Tengo), Chris Baio (Vampire Weekend), Richard Hoffman (Sightings), Shahin Motia (Oneida, Ex Models), Sarah Richardson (Creeping Nobodies), Ryan Sawyer (Stars Like Fleas), Greg Fox (Liturgy, Guardian Alien) and many others.

We will also be re-pressing LPs of some Thrill Jockey classics that have been out of print since the early '90s and some recent ones we can't seem to keep on the shelves. Stay tuned.

Wooden Shjips' west coast tour dates in August are Free with RSVP, sponsored by Sailor Jerry Rum.

Saturday 6th August 2011 will see the return of Field Day to London's leafy green corner of Victoria Park. Want to be part of the festivities and see the likes of THE SEA AND CAKE and many more? Then today is you lucky day, Field Day are giving away 2 x VIP passes. Simply email info@fielddayfestivals.com with the header THRILL JOCKEY to be in with a chance. Entries must be received by 22nd July.  For more info on the line up visit www.fielddayfestivals.com

Glenn Jones Split LP with The Black Twig Pickers & Charlie Parr - Even to Win Is to Fail b/w EastMont Syrup

Glenn Jones is known to many as a 30+ year devotee of the so-called "American Primitive" school of acoustic steel string guitar playing. Jones started playing guitar at the age of 14 and formed the Boston psych rock band, Cul de Sac, in 1989. Twenty years and nine albums in its wake, including collaborations with guitarist John Fahey and Can's Damo Suzuki, Jones finds himself now fully immersed in the guitar playing traditions laid out by Fahey and Robbie Basho.

Even to Win Is to Fail, the Glenn Jones side of this split LP, is his Thrill Jockey debut recorded specifically for this release. Jones released This Is The Wind That Blows It Out, his first album of acoustic six and twelve-string guitar instrumentals in 2004, and followed it with Against Which The Sea Continually Beats (2007) and Barbecue Bob In Fishtown (2009). A forthcoming Thrill Jockey full-length is slated for an August release.

Charlie Parr, country bluesman, songwriter and reso guitar and banjo king of the Upper Midwest, and The Black Twig Pickers, scrappy stringband of the Virginia/West Virginia state line, are long time friends who met at a house party many years ago.  EastMont Syrup, is part reunion, part hoot, part lament for times and pals gone by, and part sampler for what's to come in the future. This release includes an insert with notes, lyrics, and manifold stew cooking recipes courtesy of Charlie Parr!

Free Download: Glenn Jones - "On The Massachusetts-Virginia Border"
From Even to Win is to Fail

Free Download: The Black Twig Pickers - "Don't Drink Nothing But Corn"
From The Black Twig Pickers latest LP, Ironto Special.

Mitchell and Manley - Norcal Values LP

Norcal Values is a sonic collaboration between Phil Manley (Trans Am) and Isaiah Mitchell (Earthless). Comprised almost exclusively of a single continuous guitar solo, the recording was made live with no overdubs, and was completely improvised. Manley recently ventured out into the world of kosmiche kraut with his solo debut Life Coach.

Video: Phil Manley - "FT2 Theme"
From Life Coach

Oval Split LP with Liturgy

This split release features two of Thrill Jockey's musical extremities, recent signing Liturgy, and electronic pioneer Oval. Not a random pairing, but in fact born out of each band's mutual appreciation of the other, this split will feature one new track from Liturgy and four new ones from Oval. The Liturgy track also marks the first time that the band has explored writing music together. Composition duties are shared, details are not overthought, and improvisation is employed. Liturgy's new album Aesthethica comes out on May 10th, while Oval's groundbreaking releases O and "Oh" were met with critical acclaim throughout the greater part of 2010.

Free Download: Liturgy - "High Gold"
From Liturgy's upcoming LP Aesthethica

Video: Oval - "Ah!"

Thrill Jockey and Leafy Green Showcase Friday March 18 at Emo's Inside - 603 Red River St.

Pontiak - 8pm
Liturgy - 9pm
White Hills - 10pm
Cloudland Canyon - 11pm
Birds Of Avalon 12am
Jim Jones Revue - 1am
Video projections by GSP (Dan Deacon, Lightning Bolt, Deakin)

Our bands at day parties:

Thursday 3/17:
Liturgy - 2pm - Impose/Thrasher party at Scoot Inn - 308 East 4th St.
White Hills - 2:30pm - Electric Temple day party - Longbranch Inn - 1133 East 11th St.
Pontiak - 3:20pm - Electric Temple day party - Longbranch Inn - 1133 East 11th St.
Liturgy -3:45pm - Stereogum/Sacred Bones/Chaos in Tejas Party - Beerland - 711 Red River St.
White Hills - 8pm - 2908 Cole Street

Friday 3/18:
Freakwater - 3:50pm - Bloodshot/Blurt day party - Yard Dog - 1510 S. Congress Ave.
Liturgy - 5pm - East Invades West Party - Side Bar - 602 East 7th St.
Thrill Jockey/Leafy Green Showcase - 8pm - Emo's Inside - 603 Red River St.

Saturday 3/19:
Pontiak - 12:15pm - Friend Island/Hometapes day party - Kung Fu Saloon -510 Rio Grande St.
Eleventh Dream Day - 3pm - Yard Dog Party - 1510 S. Congress Ave.
White Hills - 4pm - Monofonus: Harsh Realm 2 - Monofonus Compound - 610 Vermont Rd.

Sam Prekop - Sam Prekop LP (1999)
Sam's debut solo album featuring Jim O'Rourke, Archer Prewitt, Chad Taylor, and Josh Abrams. Limited supply hand-delivered from Mr. Prekop himself!

Pullman - Viewfinder 2xLP (2001)
Chris Brokaw (Come), Curtis Harvey (Rex, The Letter E), Ken Brown (Directions), Doug McCombs (Tortoise, Brokeback, Eleventh Dream Day) and Tim Barnes (Tower Recordings) created a pastoral folk masterwork back in 2001 that has been sold out for years. Deluxe double LP with vinyl only bonus cuts!

Califone - Quicksand/Cradlesnakes LP (2003)
Califone's debut release for Thrill Jockey. Featurings the favorites "Vampiring Again", "Your Golden Ass" and "Horoscopic.Amputation.Honey"

The Fiery Furnaces - Widow City 2xLP (2007)
Deluxe gatefold double LP of The Fiery Furnaces debut Thrill Jockey long player. Includes download.
Matthew Friedberger's 8LP subscription series "Solos" coming in 2011 and available for pre-order now.

Trans Am - Sex Change LP (2007)
The boys in Trans Am decided 2007 was a good year for a Sex Change and dropped this one on us.
The follow up Thing was released earlier this year.

Arbouretum - Rites Of Uncovering LP (2007)
Arbouretum's Thrill Jockey debut. Includes insert.
"….He was somewhere, he had come back through vast regions from nowhere; there was the certitude of an infinite sadness at the core of his consciousness, but the sadness was reassuring, because it alone was familiar. He needed no further consolation. " - Paul Bowles, The Sheltering Sky
New album The Gathering coming in 2011

Extra Golden - Hera Ma Nono 2xLP (2007)
Extra Golden's second album and first to feature vocalist Opiyo Bilongo. Features the hit cut "Obama" (pre-Presidency). Double LP with insert and download card.

KTL - 2 2xLP (2007)
Peter Rehberg (Pita, Editions Mego) + Stephen O'Malley (SunnO))), Khanate, Burning Witch)
Need we say more? Move fast or go ahead and try your luck for $50+ on the EBay

Mountains - Etching LP (2009)
Hand stamped covers. LP pressing of a tour CDr recorded live in real time with no overdubs.
New Mountains album coming in 2011
Koen Holtkamp - Gravity/Bees LP available now.

Boredoms - Super Roots 10 2xLP (2009)
Japense masters reached #10 in the Super Roots series and we gave it a swank vinyl pressing with huge fold-out poster. 77 Boa Drum documentary DVD available now

Mi Ami - Cut Men 12" (2009)
750 copies in sweet silk-screened sleeves (pink or blue)
This was their first post-Touch & Go material.
New Mi Ami 12" coming in 2011!

Jason Urick - Husbands LP (2009)
The cover that got us a citation from the Chicago Police Department. (NSFW)
ex-WZT Hearts mastermind Jason Urick's solo debut.

Double Dagger - Masks 12"EP (2010)
Baltimore trio brings us a smasher of an EP. Crazy deluxe die-cut covers (three different masks) and inner sleeve.

Mi Ami - Steal Your Face LP (2010)
No this is not the Grateful Dead live album, but Mi Ami's Thrill Jockey debut! These blew out fast earlier this year, so don't miss your second chance. And remember a new 12" is coming in 2011.

Dustin Wong's new album Infinite Love is coming out October 5, and we're announcing a very special chance for fans to feel the Love.

Dustin Wong will perform a series of a dozen one-on-one concerts for fans and friends via Skype video chat. These "Infi-Net Love" performances will be available to the winners of twelve golden tickets.

Tickets for the Infi-Net Love personal concerts will be included in randomly-chosen copies of the Infinite Love album preordered from the Thrill Jockey webstore. A very limited number of tickets will also be available from Bmoremusic.net, Other Music, and more TBA.

Regarding his own love of video chat, Dustin says it's "Incredible, to feel like you're hanging out there in their room or the other way around." For the Infinite Love series, he says, "I will play a private concert. I want to have the audient to have a special personal experience. Where we can just be human, talk, share, and receive."

Preorder for Infinite Love will begin some time during the week of September 20 - anyone interested should join the Thrill Jockey newsletter to find out exactly when the preorder is available and for your chance to win!

Amberley Productions has also made a stunning video to accompany "Ah!" from O, which you can check out here.

Sam Prekop’s third solo album marks a dramatically unexpected turn from his work in The Sea and Cake and on previous solo albums. Sam developed and recorded Old Punch Card at home almost entirely using modular synthesizers.

The first 1000 copies of Old Punch Card on CD and on LP are hand-painted by Sam,

"Old Punch Card shows a radical side to Prekop that is relentlessly inventive" - Tiny Mix Tapes

On July 7th, 2007 at 7:07 PM, a performance of 77 drummers, orchestrated by Japan's Boredoms, took place at the Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park in Brooklyn, NY. We now offer up a 77 minute, 777 second documentation of the event, filmed by Jun Kawaguchi,

The 77 Boa Drum DVD comes packaged in a four panel DVD wallet with three postcards featuring photographs from the performance.

"Elegant, minimalist and deeply spectral, The Conjurer is the sound of post-Takoma folk dropped into an abyss of Western frontier violence and then slowed to the speed of tectonic realignment. Put simply, this is deeply elemental music, inexorably tied to the awe and paranoia engendered by the endless American horizon, and with it Porras and Caminiti - two of the most expressive guitarists to have emerged from the US underground in recent memory - have produced nothing short of a masterpiece." - Drowned In Sound

Eternal Tapestry was formed late 2005 by guitarists Dewey Mahood and Nick Bindeman in Portland, Oregon. The band began as an experimental improvisation/noise group, but have continued to refine their sound over the past five years into the heavy, classic psych rock sound they currently play. The band has released three proper LPs: The Invisible Landscape (Not Not Fun, 2009), Palace of the Night Skies (Three Lobed Recordings, 2009), and Mystic Induction (Not Not Fun, 2008), as well as half a dozen very limited CD-Rs and cassettes on labels such as Night People, Digitalis, U-Sound, and their own imprint Solar Commune. The current line up of Nick Bindeman (guitar and vocals), Dewey Mahood (guitar), Yoni Kifle (bass), Jed Bindeman (drums), Ryan Carlile (tenor sax) has been very active this past year with two West Coast tours and nine shows at this year's SXSW. The band plans to start recording for their Thrill Jockey debut this summer. The new material will come from the band's current live set, a combination of fast punk inspired songs and epic krautrock influenced guitar improvisations. A tour of the East Coast is planned for the fall.

"The pleasure of the guitar riff has been almost exclusively hogged by Doom rockers and stoners for the last few years. Eternal Tapestry are one of an increasing number of artists reclaiming it for more innervated and colourful purposes. From the opening wah-wah soaked "Cathedral Of Radiance" to the closing "Pyramid Visions", the soundscape is pushed out and pummelled forward by riff after riff from duel guitarists Nick Bindeman and Dewey Mahood, each buoyed on a rubble roll of drum from Jed Bindeman. The austere focus of OM et al is displaced by Motor City energy and space rock colour rooted in The Stooges, Hawkwind, heavy Kraut and latterday believers like Spacemen 3 and Loop." - Wire Magazine

Daniel Higgs' desribes Say God as "a body of Gospel songs, as sung in praise, thanks, and wonder, sacrificed to the all-pervading Mystery," and with the recording help of Dave Sitek, it's even more epic than it sounds.

Pontiak give us another heaping helping of delicious sludge on Living, unpredictable, unforgiving, and utterly individual. Simply put, our favorite kind of rock. They're also on tour now with Arbouretum.

High Places' new "Can't Feel Born" 12" EP collects two exclusive tracks by the band with remixes of those tracks on some slick white vinyl.

Hopscotch Music Festival in Raleigh NC has been announced for September 9-11, and Thrill Jockey will be in full effect.

The lineup has just been announced, and our bands on the bill will include Tortoise, Double Dagger, Pontiak, Future Islands and Javelin.

Tickets go on sale April 1.

High Places new album High Places Vs. Mankind and Double Dagger's new EP Masks are out now and available in stores.

Both High Places and Double Dagger are touring in the US in March and April, and in Europe in April and May - check out the tour dates - including Double Dagger shows with Future Islands, and High Places shows with Future Islands and Javelin.

Pitchfork reviewed Masks and gave it an 8.1 rating and saying, "at their best, Double Dagger feel fresh and urgent," and Drowned In Sound called Masks, "an all-night drunken party in your best friend's basement that you really don't want to miss."

As for High Places, Boomkat says, "The arrival of this sophomore album is cause for no small amount of celebration... on Vs. Mankind, High Places are sounding like an increasingly impressive force."

Filmmaker Jason John Würm made a music video for Jason Urick's "The Eternal Return", from the album Husbands.

The Eternal Return by Jason Urick from jason john würm on Vimeo.

The Philadelphia Inquirer remembers Jack Rose in preview of his album release and memorial show this weekend in Philadelphia. Photo taken by Angie Evans.

We are very pleased to announce that Future Islands has joined our happy little family. Thrill Jockey will be releasing their forthcoming full-length, In Evening Air, in the spring of 2010!

Future Islands will resume the recording of In Evening Air after this month's short tour with fellow-Baltimoreans Thank You in the eastern US. The tour dates are here. They're also gearing up for the release of "Post Office Wave Chapel", a collaboration between the band and NYC art collective Free Danger that will be released on 12" vinyl and limited to 500 copies. Little Dreamer from this 12" can be heard right here.

Even if you've not heard Future Islands yet, you've likely heard singer Sam Herring's guest contribution to the Double Dagger song "The Lie/The Truth" from the new album More. You can see Sam on stage with Double Dagger in this clip from the most recent Whartscape Festival.

Take Me 'Round Again collects Matt and Eleanor's "cover versions" of songs from their I'm Going Away LP. The Fiery Furnaces are also in the midst of a US tour - see the dates!

The Fiery Furnaces have been reworking, rearranging, and rewriting their songs live since they first started touring in 2003. Now they have taken this a step further, as Matt and Eleanor has each re-recorded six songs to make a whole new album.

Take Me 'Round Again was recorded separately by Matt and Eleanor this past July in Michigan and New York. All that remains the same on these 12 "covers" are the words. Available exclusively as a digital download.

Here's what the Furnaces had to say about Take Me 'Round Again:

Matthew: “After asking people to send us their re-write of I’m Going Away before having heard it, I thought we owed it to them to make an actual alternate version of the record. And not just leave all the new arranging for live shows.”

Eleanor: “I’ve gotten into the habit of rewriting songs Matt has written, just as a way of practicing and singing at home. Originally, I had wanted to record a folk-style record called Eleanor Friedberger sings the songs of the Fiery Furnaces. I thought it would make a nice greatest hits record, but reworking I’m Going Away before it even came out seemed a lot more exciting.”

Check out the brand new video, recently featured on Pitchfork TV. Vivre Sans Temp Mort from their most recent album More