Portland’s esteemed weekly culture magazine, Willamette Week, annually surveys hundreds of the participating members of Portland’s rich musical community in an effort to find out which up-and-coming musicians are turning today’s ears. This year our own Radiation City tops the list of the ten freshest acts all of which are surely destine for greatness.
Last spring Radiation City released Cool Nightmare, a stunning EP that listens like a mini album. It’s available on CD, MP3, black vinyl, and limited edition milky-clear vinyl that comes in a hand-silkscreened, laser-cut jacket. Check it all out and more here.
We've been pushing the right sides of our brains to the limit designing and manufacturing the best limited edition packaging for all of 2012's releases. Have a look at what we've been up to and be sure to snatch up your copy quick as these beauties are all one-of-a-kind.
Y La Bamba – Court The Storm
These red mahogany cases are hand-constructed in Pagosa Springs, Colorado by label-owner, Jared Mees' father, Matthew Mees. After they arrived in Portland both sides were laser-engraved by Vera down at Crystal Visions in Milwaukie. Inside are recycled cardboard LP jackets from Stumptown Printers onto which we've silkcreened a 4-color CMYK version of Court The Storm's iconic album cover. The silkscreening and assembly is done right here at TLE headquarters in Portland. The super-special golden vinyl has been inserted into the jackets and the jackets into the wooden enclosures. Only 75 of these exist. We're letting them go for a ridiculous $79.99. Check them out here.
Radiation City – Cool Nightmare
The limited edition version of Radiation City's Cool Nightmare is a work of elegance. These 10" jackets have been silk-screened by Marc Girouard of Apes Tapes with a image of a hand-drawn piano on the cover and an delectably minimal track-listing on the reverse. The titles have been removed from the jacket surface by a laser-engraver, courtesy of Vera at Crystal Visons once again. The music itself has been etched onto a milky translucent piece of 180 gram vinyl. Produced in a limited run of 75 copies and we're slangin' these beauties for only $24.99. Check it out here.
Finn Riggins – Benchwarmers
Five new bangers from Finn Riggins — the torch bearers for the burgeoning Boise, Idaho music scene and seasoned prog-rock aficcianados. In honor of Record Store Day this year we pressed these recordings to vibrant solid red 10" vinyl. We made 500 of these bad boys and sold half the first day it was on sale. Get yours while there are still some in stock for a mere $14.99. Check it out here.
Click here to see more awesome packaging.
Friends and Friends of Friends Vol.4
Friends and Friends of Friends Vol. 4 is the latest in a series of musical compilations designed to propagate connections amongst musicians and their listeners on a simultaneously local and international scale. There are 47 songs from 47 bands on this amazing compilation. Unfold the CD case and you'll quickly see that this is no ordinary package. Inside you'll find two pop-up musicians singing, strumming and camping around their tent (pretty much Brokeback Mountaining it). This original design was masterminded by the extremely talented
Elaine Fong with artwork by the brilliant
Sam Guerrero.
For full track-listing head
here.
Hand-silkscreened at TLE headquarters in Portland in a limited edition of 1000 at $14.99 these beauties will surely make the perfect gift
Typhoon – A New Kind of House
Typhoon's stand-out EP was pressed onto crystal-clear 10" vinyl in a limited run of 500 last fall. Now, only a handful remain. Snatch up your copy while these still exist! Only $13.99. Check 'em out.
Listen to “The World’s Marco Werman’s entire interview with Y La Bamba’s Luzelena Mendoza
Get the new album Court The Storm from TLE on Digital Download, CD, Gold Vinyl or Limited Edition Laser Engraved Wood Box (just a few left!)
April 16th, 2012 ◭ 1 Comment
Calling all musicians far and wide! We have officially opened submissions for our fifth annual compilation, Friends and Friends of Friends Vol. 5.
Each year we call on all the amazing musical talent to join forces with us in an effort to assemble a body of songs that best represents the musical climate of our times. Submissions will be collected from now until May 15th, at which point they will be carefully combed by our masters of musical selection and placed on to 2 compact discs in an insanely awesome limited edition package. For reference, see what we did last year. The compilation is then released in early fall in conjunction with a big party and nationwide fanfare.
If you, your friends, or your friends’ friends have an inclination to be a part of this magical project, head over to our submissions page and
SUBMIT NOW.
Cant wait to hear!
