callaci & joyner "Stranger Blues" EPcallaci & joyner "Stranger Blues" EPcharlie mcalister "death water estates" LPblack dice "head like a door/lost valley" LPvote robot "five score six bicycle" LPdylan nyoukis "the shield that pierces the earth" LPmark szabo "chocolate covered bad things" CDwill simmons "in so many words" mini-LP  

ivytree "winged leaves" CDivytree "winged leaves" CDalvarius b/dylan nyoukis "sugar: the other white meat" LPthe one ensemble of daniel padden CDblack dice "cold hands" LPdestroyer "thief" CDvote robot "r.u.r." LPramon speed/mean spirit'd robots split  7"

  steven r. smith "crown of marches" CDthe double "palm fronds" CDcampfire songs CDfrench paddleboat "rome loves tan" LPavey tare, panda bear & geologist "danse manatee" CDlettuce prey "atlatl" LPcharlie mcalister "mississippi luau" LPevading the devil's darts compilation 7"
 

Thief, the third LP proper from Dan Bejar and company is by far our most "professional" release yet — "real" packaging, great recording, and appealing to more than just an adventurous few. Bejar is a songwriter of the highest order and we couldn't be more proud to be helping release Thief. At the risk of patting ourselves on the back too much, we offer this quote, which sums the record up better than we ever could (though we might insert Al Stewart in for Bowie), from John Darnielle's Last Plane to Jakarta website:

"I’m going to tell you one thing, and I’m going to say it a lot of times and in a couple of different ways so you get my meaning. This album is a masterpiece. This album is a masterpiece. This album is a masterpiece....Yes. Yes. The lyrics. The music. The Bowie damage. No, scratch that: the heavy, heavy Bowie damage. The title track, which is the last song on the album, reserving its fierce, muffled, distorted burst of electric guitar until its final ten seconds. The song titles: “To the Heart of the Sun on the Back of the Vulture, I’ll Go.” “City of Daughters.” “Death on the Festival Circuit.” Some of the best lyrics available anywhere. The use of religious language to describe reactions to pop songs. A guy singing in a slightly breathy voice over a nylon-strung guitar and some piano: “Yes, throw yourselves away, don’t save yourselves,” the sound of release in his voice drenched with mood and emotion without being overworked. (Not that Bejar is not willing to overwork it when that’s what he thinks a song needs.) Thief swings like a child playing in a hammock. Every song on it is terrific. Don’t be like me and wait until you can feel like you discovered it yourself. Run out and get it and then nag your friends to do the same. They will all thank you before they’re halfway through the record."

Co-released by the fine folks at Triple Crown Audio and Cave Canem Records. The CD is a seemingly unlimited edition, four color process printing in standard jewel cases. LP edition of 300 copies, two color silkscreen, white stock jackets.

 


We expect to get more copies in in the near future, but in the meantime, you can probably get copies from Merge or Scratch Records.


The Temple (2.2Mb)


Misc. Reviews

Pitchfork Interview



Merge Records

Misra Records