You guys, BIG NEWS. We’ve successfully bamboozled a very, very talented UK band called THUMPERS into agreeing to release their debut record with us, Sub Pop Records. Those fools. As a preview of what’s to come with their forthcoming record, take a listen to the insanely catchy track “Unkinder (A Tougher Love)” in the blog post-accompanying player. It’s been playing all over the Sub Pop office for weeks now—it’s that catchy.

THUMPERS will tour Europe this fall as direct support for Glaswegian-band Chvrches. The tour begins October 10th in Glasgow, UK at o2 ABC and ends on October 30th in Stockholm, SE at Debaser. Preceding the tour the band has a handful of dates to mention including October 8th in Dublin and October 9th in Belfast supporting Everything Everything.

Tour Dates
Oct. 08 – Dublin, IE – Academy*
Oct. 09 – Belfast, IE – Limelight*
Oct. 10 – Glasgow, UK – ABC *
Oct. 11 – Glasgow, UK – ABC *
Oct. 12 – Sheffield, UK – Leadmill *
Oct. 14 – Manchester, UK – Ritz *
Oct. 15 – Bristol, UK – University of Bristol/The Anson Rooms *
Oct. 17 – London, UK – Shepherds Bush Empire *
Oct. 19 – Paris, FR – La Maroquinerie *
Oct. 20 – Brussels, BE – AB *
Oct. 22 – Amsterdam, NL – Melkweg *
Oct. 23 – Cologne, DE – Gebaude 9 *
Oct. 25 – Munich, DE – Strom *
Oct. 26 – Berlin, DE – Postbanhof *
Oct. 28 – Hamburg, DE – Mojo Club *
Oct. 29 – Copenhagen, DK – Vega *
Oct. 30 – Stockholm, SE – Debaser **

• w/ Everything Everything
  • w/ Chvrches

Our friends over at Esquire premiered the new Mudhoney video today! The video is for the song “The Only Son of the Widow from Nain” from the band’s 2013 release Vanishing Point.

Jump on over to Esquire or watch the video in the accompanying embed and enjoy.

As has happened since the beginning of time on planet earth, summer has ended and another school year has begun. We have, perhaps a few weeks too late to get a big piece of that sweet back-to-school consumer dollar pie, created four Sub Pop backpacks featuring a big pocket and a little pocket. There’s room enough for big things like books and also littler, precious items like not books. With four backpacks to choose from and at just $35 apiece, there’s really no reason we can’t get these things on the back of every student or person who needs to carry things in a pack that goes on their back on earth. Let’s start with you.

Bonus! By ordering this backpack, we will also throw in 2 randomly selected Sub Pop buttons as well. Also, stickers.

Royal Blue Globe Logo – Royal Blue Sub Pop Logo
Gray Globe Logo – Gray Sub Pop Logo

Well over a year after Father John Misty released the wonderfully refreshing and damn near perfect record, Fear Fun, the fruits from that cornucopia are still spilling out. By cornucopia, I mean Father John Misty record. And by fruits, I mean music videos. Watch the latest for “I’m Writing a Novel”, as it features some on-the-road highlights of Josh Tillman and company from the past year. It’s really something.

Pick up Fear Fun on CD, LP or MP3 here.

In conjunction with our recent self-celebratory Sub Pop Silver Jubilee (really good stuff, us), we created many new Sub Pop items for fans who already have all of our other previously available merch items (namely a black logo shirt and a white logo shirt). We sold out of most of the new stuff at the festival, so we’ve slowly been restocking our warehouse shelves to make them available to our online customers as well. And with that, we bring you these three new Sub Pop wearables: an SP Logo Pocket Tee, a Queen Tanktop, and this glorious Sub Pop Baseball Hat. Collect them all.

When it comes to listening to the public, we here at Sub Pop like to stick our fingers into our ears and make a really loud humming noise, both literally and metaphorically. But, the recent hue and cry to resurrect our old “People Who Work Here” column has finally become too much for even us to ignore. “People Who Work Here” is, of course, the long-running and even longer-dormant column in which we crawl inside the heads of the weirdos who call Sub Pop HQ home for something like forty hours (give or take—usually take) each week. As the column’s original author is now too busy running our Licensing Department (way to go, Lacey Swain!) to be bothered with this sort of thing, we’ve drafted our new (and former) receptionist to take over as staff interviewer. His name is Derek Erdman and he claims to have a degree in English. You be the judge!

The first subject of the new “People Who Work Here” is, naturally, the newest (and, arguably, most famous) addition to the Sub Pop family, Ishmael Butler. Ish was no stranger to Sub Pop when he accepted the job; he’s also 1/2 of Shabazz Palaces! So far, a number of the ladies (and most likely some dudes, too) in the office have described Ish as “hunky,” and his commanding demeanor has office meetings running much more smoothly. We could go on and on, or you could just read more below.

Derek: Hello, Ish! Wait… I guess I should ask if it’s okay to call you Ish… Is it? Also, do you have any other nicknames? Anything from your childhood, or anything that you didn’t like to be called?
Ish: My friends call me Ish, you can call me Pookie or Carmine until friendship.

D: Did you have a favorite toy as a child? If so, what was it?
I: My favorite toy as a child: cigarettes.

D: What about cartoons, did you watch them as a kid? What did you like? What was your TV like? Mine was a giant wooden thing, it must have weighed 500 lbs.
I: Cartoons, of course, I’m normal. My favorites: all Looney Tunes; Sylvester, Yosemite, Daffy, Bugs, Foghorn. These beings laid the foundation for my philosophical outlook and also of course how I relate to women.

D: What about your first bike? What was it like?
I: I’d love to talk about my first bike but I’m under a sponsorship contract with Alex at 20/20 and I can’t mention any other bike or say the word bicycle.

D: One of my favorite things to know about a person: what is your favorite thing to eat? I’m really particular to Triscuits with cottage cheese on top. Do you have any food combinations that you’re fond of? Are there foods that you really don’t like at all?
I: I like to combine food with hunger, it’s a little something I do.

D: What about pet peeves about other people eating? I don’t mind when people chew with their mouth open, but I’m aware that it bothers some people. I floss my teeth while working at the front desk, does that bother you?
I: I don’t like when people say “sorry” for shit that there is no need to be sorry about. And yes, your flossing bothers us all, bro.

D: Do you remember your very first introduction to music? What was the setting? Who else was involved? Do you still re-visit that music today?
I: My first introduction to music: I was in the 9th grade and my girlfriend was in the 12th grade. She told me to walk her to her friend’s house during lunch. When we got there she had the key and we were the only ones there. She played a song for me that I had not heard until that day. Yes, I revisit that music. I’m going to listen to it when I get home.

D: What about your first introduction to Sub Pop—do you remember that?
I: The first time I came to the offices I chilled in Andy’s [Kotowicz] cube for Hella. He was playing cut after ridiculous cut. His eyes sparkling behind his glasses, talking about songs like I would talk about a girl I love.

D: What did you expect working at Sub Pop to be like?
I: I thought it would be like I had seen Tony K. doing it around town, you know, getting in free to shows, getting twisted backstage, throwing drinks in bouncers’ faces, making a fool of myself and it being ok because “I work at the Sub, bitch.” But there’re all kinds of meetings and shit.

D: How is being an employee at Sub Pop compared to being an artist on the label?
I: I expected working here to be serious and fun.

D: What advice would you give other new employees of Sub Pop? What about the ones that have been here FOREVER?
I: New employees: try to use the bathroom before lunch. Old employees: form a band called Power Trip but spell it PWr tRYp and whisper to the new employees how you should be “singin’ lead, man.”

D: Any advice you have for musicians who’d like to be signed by Sub Pop? How about for people who want to get a job here?
I: If you want to get a job here don’t try sleeping your way to the top. IT DOESNT WORK. You just get a few t-shirts and when they say you’re on the all access list, you’re not.

D: Do you have any ideas for new Sub Pop merchandise? I’ve been thinking Sub Pop shower curtains would be a good idea.
I: Sup Pop stem cell samples from bands!

D: Thanks, Ish! And welcome aboard this sinking (since 1988) ship!

That it’s late August and we’re already talking about a November record release is more than a little disheartening, but we at Sub Pop are taking solace in the fact that Fellow Travelers, the late Autumn sonic gem in question, comes from Shearwater, their second record on this fine(ish) record label. Fellow Travelers is a somewhat conceptual covers album comprised of compositions from artists that Shearwater have shared a stage with during their touring tenure (full track listing below). If you pre-order Fellow Travelers, you’ll receive a bonus 7" featuring two more Shearwater covers of their fellow travelers (while supplies last). Listen to the album track “I Luv the Valley OH!!”, originally by Xiu Xiu, in the embed.

Pre-order Fellow Travelers on CD or limited, Loser Edition vinyl LP.

Bundle the CD or LP with one of two brand new Shearwater shirts.

1) “Our Only Sun” – a fragment of the song “Deeper Devastation,” by Jesca Hoop
2) “I Luv the Valley OH!!” – Xiu Xiu
3) “Hurts Like Heaven” – Coldplay
4) “To Be of Use” – Smog
5) “Natural One” – Folk Implosion
6) “Ambiguity” – David Thomas Broughton
7) “Cheerleader” – St. Vincent
8) “Tomorrow” – Clinic
9) “A Wake for the Minotaur” – Shearwater & Sharon Van Etten
10) “Mary is Mary” – Wye Oak
11) “Fucked Up Life” – The Baptist Generals

It’s a busy day here at Sub Pop HQ—people running around like it’s 6:00am on Black Friday at Walmart—all because we have not one, but TWO brand new and unsurprisingly great records out today. The first is from No Age, who are no strangers to Sub Pop, as today marks the release of their third full-length out on our label. An Object brings a new, wonderfully spare sound to the No Age palette, and we couldn’t be more pleased with how this record turned out. Check out the embedded video for “An Impression” to hear what we’re saying about. Secondly, His Electro Blue Voice’s debut full-length, Ruthless Sperm, is also out today on Sub Pop. This record is wonderfully NOISY, as illustrated by the song “Sea Bug.” It’s a proud day to be employed by Sub Pop (as opposed to yesterday).

Order No Age’s An Object

Order His Electro Blue Voice’s Ruthless Sperm

No Age’s forthcoming An Object, the band’s latest, and honestly greatest record, is streaming all of this week over at NPR Music in all of its sonic glory. Take some time and give it a listen, you’ll be happy you did.

An Object was a labor of love for No Age. They had a hand in virtually every aspect of this record, from writing and recording to hand assembling and shipping, this record is their work through and through. Watch this Instagram video to see the wonderfully elaborate packaging that Dean, Randy and friends put together.

Pre-order An Object on limited, Loser Edition clear vinyl LP and CD here and receive and get a No Age beach Ball with your order! As with all limited-edition things, this is a while supplies last scenario.

The Baptist Generals have had a year full of milestones, having released their first new record in a decade, the very excellent Jackleg Devotional to the Heart, gotten back on the road, and now a tour of American living rooms, starring The Generals’ Chris Flemmons. These remarkably intimate venues wherein Flemmons will perform Baptist Generals songs could be your living room, as the search for hosts is not yet complete. To learn more about hosting Chris Flemmons of The Baptist Generals in your living room for what will most certainly be one of the most memorable live music experiences of your life, go to here.

Watch the embedded video to see more clearly what we’re talking about—watch to the end, there’s a wonderful twist.

Washed Out’s long-awaited sophomore full-length, Paracosm, comes out just one week from today, and thanks to our friends at iTunes, you can now stream it in all of its sonic glory.

Pre-order Paracosm on CD or limited, colored-vinyl Loser Edition LP.

Pre-order Paracosm on iTunes.

Washed Out have scheduled a few very special Paracosm pre-release events to be held in Brooklyn and New York this week.

On Friday, August 2nd, Brooklyn ice cream artisans OddFellows will premiere their exclusive collaboration with Washed Out for their new “Paracosm” flavor. A first of it’s kind, Washed Out and Odd Fellows worked together to create a homemade rose-tinged raspberry ice cream that will be given to fans free from 4-8pm. Washed Out’s Ernest Greene will be on hand for the launch, and Paracosm (the album) will be played in the store throughout the day. Exclusive Washed Out merchandise will also be available in the store. No RSVP necessary. Odd Fellows is located at 175 Kent Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11249.

On Sunday, August 4th, Ernest will perform a DJ set at his inaugural Washed Out Pool Party, at Manhattan’s Thompson LES Hotel. The party will run 2-8pm, is free to fans via RSVP, and will feature opening DJ sets by Chrome Sparks, Small Black, and Lemonade. For more details on how to RSVP for the event, click here.

Washed Out will release Paracosm, the follow up to his critically-acclaimed debut album, Within and Without:www.subpop.com/artists/washed_out, on CD, LP and digitally on August 12th in UK & Europe via Weird World and in North America on August 13th via our fine label, Sub Pop Records (and t-shirts!). “Paracosm”www.subpop.com/artists/washed_out, led by the singles “It All Feels Right,” “Don’t Give Up” and “All I Know”, was recorded by Ernest Greene with returning producer Ben Allen in Athens and Atlanta, Georgia.

Pre-order Paracosm on CD and on the limited, colored-vinyl Loser Edition LP here.

Right on the heels of their inside look at the sounds of Washed Out, the good folks at The Creators Project created what we think is a pretty damn wonderful documentary about our own Postal Service. Take a few minutes and watch the band wax nostalgic about the creation of their now legendary record,Give Up, you’ll probably feel pretty good afterward—these songs have that effect. This record means an awful lot to us, and it means even more that it seems to mean so much to so many other people, too—The Creators Project included.

Today brings huge news for fans The Head & The Heart. When October 15th, 2013 finally rolls around, it will bring along the second THATH record, Let’s Be Still, the long-awaited follow-up to their 2011 debut, The Head & The Heart! The band will also be setting forth on an American tour this fall, with the dates outlined below. Stay tuned for pre-order info!

Fall Tour Dates:
10/21/13 Mon ASHEVILLE, NC TBA @ Orange Peel
10/22/13 Tue ST. LOUIS, MO @ The Pageant^
10/25/13 Fri CHICAGO, IL @ Riviera Theatre #^
10/26/13 Sat MINNEAPOLIS, MN @ First Avenue #^
10/27/13 Sun MINNEAPOLIS, MN @ First Avenue #^
10/28/13 Mon MADISON, WI @ Orpheum #^
10/29/13 Tue ROYAL OAK, MI @ Royal Oak Music Theatre*^
10/31/13 Thu TORONTO, ON @ The Danforth Music Hall*^
11/01/13 Fri BOSTON, MA @ Royale
11/02/13 Sat BOSTON, MA @ Royale
11/04/13 Mon WASHINGTON, DC @ 9:30 Club#^
11/05/13 Tue NEW YORK, NY @ Terminal 5^
11/06/13 Wed NEW YORK, NY @ Webster Hall
11/08/13 Fri PHILADELPHIA, PA @ Union Transfer#^
11/09/13 Sat PHILADELPHIA, PA @ Union Transfer#^
11/10/13 Sun RALEIGH, NC @ The Ritz Theatre#^
11/12/13 Tue ATLANTA, GA @ Buckhead Theatre#^
11/13/13 Wed NEW ORLEANS, LA @ Tipitina’s#^
11/14/13 Thu HOUSTON, TX @ Warehouse Live Ballroom#^
11/15/13 Fri DALLAS, TX @ South Side Ballroom^
11/16/13 Sat AUSTIN, TX @ Stubb’s BBQ^
11/17/13 Sun AUSTIN, TX @ Stubb’s BBQ^

1. With Thao and The Get Down Stay Down
   ^ With Quiet Life

Go behind the scenes on Washed Out’s new record, Paracosm in this great video from The Creators Project.

Paracosm is out August 13th on Sub Pop Records. Pre-order your copy on CD or LP here.

His Electro Blue Voice’s excellent new album Ruthless Sperm comes out on August 20th. Listen to the Italian trio’s “Born Tired” from their forthcoming Sub Pop debut now.

Pre-order Ruthless Sperm on CD or Loser Edition colored-vinyl LP here.

His Electro Blue Voice’s Ruthless Sperm comes out on August 20th. Listen to the Italian trio’s “Born Tired” from their forthcoming Sub Pop debut now.

Pre-order Ruthless Sperm on CD or Loser Edition colored-vinyl LP here.

No Age have given us yet another wonderful peek into their upcoming full-length, An Object with the Guardian stream of their song, “An Impression”.

An Object comes out August 20th on Sub Pop. Pre-order your copy for a free accompanying summer-celebrating No Age beach ball and limited, colored-vinyl Loser Edition No Age vinyl—both are limited on SubPop.com, so order soon!*

Pre-order An Object here.

*No Age beach balls and Loser Edition vinyl will be available at select independent record retailers. Call your local record store for availability.

You only turn 25 once and thanks to the thousands of wonderful people who turned out to the Sub Pop Silver Jubilee yesterday in Seattle, we did it right. Music was played, food truck food was consumed, beers and sangria downed, and it all added up to one of the most memorable experiences in Sub Pop history. We’re a very lucky record label to have fans like y’all. Thank you.

Here are a few highlights lifted from Instagram photos tagged #SilverJubilee. Thank you to everyone who shared their highlights on the online social stuff.

Because we’ve never been the sort of people who know when to leave well enough alone (and because they were fantastic on KEXP’s Audioasis with Jonathan and Megan the other night) we have just added the band Feast to the lineup of Sub Pop’s Fabulous Silver Jubilee! Feast was formed sometime around 1986, originally included Mudhoney’s Dan Peters on trap kit, and had the great foresight to turn down the offer to record a record or records for the Sub Pop label.

The sound of Feast is a blistering shambles that hinted at what Seattle became known for a few years afterward, as evidenced in this video clip from 1986. We suggest that you see them while you can, because they’re just as great today at they were then. You can and should read more about Feast here.

Feast will perform Saturday, July 13th at 12:30pm on the Sub Stage (at Homer St. S).