Record Store
In each of our stores, we feature music from our label as well as music from Portland that we think is fantastic and want to share with you. See our online selection below, or sort the TLE music from our friends by category.
Mujeres
$ 20.00
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Listen to the song "Cuatro Crazy"
Y La Bamba has been many things, but at the heart of it is singer-songwriter Luz Elena Mendoza’s inquisitive sense of self. Their fifth record, Mujeres, carries on the Portland-based band’s affinity for spiritual contemplation, but goes a step further in telling a story with a full emotional spectrum. Coming off Ojos Del Sol, one of NPR’s Top 50 Albums of 2016, Mujeres exhibits the scope of Mendoza’s artistic voice like never before. “Soy como soy,” Mendoza says, and that declaration is the bold— even political— statement that positions Mujeres to be Y La Bamba’s most unbridled offering yet.
The record exists in the post-2016 landscape of a national identity crisis, and Mendoza explores what it means to be a Mexican American woman by leading us through places we are afraid to go. Mujeres ventures in to the discomfort of the stories we tell ourselves. Those of our past, our futures. We all have these stories somewhere inside of us, but with Y La Bamba, Mendoza forges new narratives from old stories of heritage and family, tracing history while forging modern chicana feminism.
“Music is an extension of everything I have inside. It’s how I emote,” Mendoza says. The raw honesty of Mujeres is in fact the raw honesty of Mendoza. Armed with the emotionality of traditional música mexicana and the storytelling of American folk, Y La Bamba’s artistry is not just their musical ability but Mendoza’s search for unadulterated truth. It is in an ancestral, spiritual journey in which Mendoza comes to terms with the influence and limitations of her upbringing. Mendoza’s experience of childhood summers in the San Joaquin Valley listening to mariachi, of being raised strict Catholic by immigrant parents, of being a woman having to prove herself to the boys, paints strokes of both melancholy and healing on the tracks. “From the way that my family struggles, to the way they shoot the shit… it’s so different from whiteness,” Mendoza says. “It’s a different dimension.”
Y La Bamba exists in the dimension of the Mexican American imagination: somewhere cynical and optimistic at the same time. While there is a celebration of the Mexican creativity that has informed Mendoza’s life, there is a darker side to reconcile with. Where do mujeres fit in to the American story? What are the sins for which we are all guilty? How do different generations interact with the world? How can a culture become visible without tokenization? It is no surprise that in Mujeres, Y La Bamba’s first record with Mendoza at the helm of production, Mendoza contemplates these questions to tell her story. But it is not just Mendoza’s story. Challenging a narrative and dealing with the emotionality of that effort— that is everyone’s story.
Mujeres was recorded by Luz Elena Mendoza and Ryan Oxford at Color Therapy Studios and Besitos Fritos Studios in Portland, Oregon. Mixed by Jeff Bond, with Grace Bugbee on bass, John Niekrasz on drums, Margaret Wher Gibson on keys, and Ed Rodriguez and Ryan Oxford on electric guitar.
Bio written by Eliza Cossio
TLE-081 (2019) - 1. My Death
2. Real Talk
3. Cuatro Crazy
4. Conocidos
5. Lightning Storms
6. Dieciséis
7. Boca Llena
8. Perder
9. Mujeres
10. Una Letra
11. Santa Sal
12. Bruja de Brujas
13. Follow Your Feet
14. De Lejos (Digital only bonus track)
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Y La Bamba has been many things, but at the heart of it is singer-songwriter Luz Elena Mendoza’s inquisitive sense of self. Their fifth record, Mujeres, carries on the Portland-based band’s affinity for spiritual contemplation, but goes a step further in telling a story with a full emotional spectrum. Coming off Ojos Del Sol, one of NPR’s Top 50 Albums of 2016, Mujeres exhibits the scope of Mendoza’s artistic voice like never before. “Soy como soy,” Mendoza says, and that declaration is the bold— even political— statement that positions Mujeres to be Y La Bamba’s most unbridled offering yet. Mendoza forges new narratives from old stories of heritage and family, tracing history while forging modern chicana feminism. The raw honesty of Mujeres is in fact the raw honesty of Mendoza. Armed with the emotionality of traditional música mexicana and the storytelling of American folk, Y La Bamba’s artistry is not just their musical ability but Mendoza’s search for unadulterated truth. It is in an ancestral journey in which Mendoza comes to terms with the influence and limitations of her upbringing. While there is a celebration of the Mexican creativity that has informed Mendoza’s life, there is a darker side to reconcile with. Where do mujeres fit in to the American story? What are the sins for which we are all guilty? How do different generations interact with the world? How can a culture become visible without being tokenized? It is no surprise that in Mujeres, Y La Bamba’s first record with Mendoza at the helm of production, Mendoza contemplates these questions to tell her story. But it is not just Mendoza’s story. Challenging a narrative and dealing with the emotionality of that effort— that is everyone’s story. Mujeres was recorded by Luz Elena Mendoza and Ryan Oxford at Color Therapy Studios and Besitos Fritos Studios in Portland, Oregon. Mixed by Jeff Bond, with Grace Bugbee on bass, John Niekrasz on drums, Margaret Wher Gibson on keys, and Ed Rodriguez and Ryan Oxford on electric guitar.
Bio written by Eliza Cossio
Goners
$ 18.98
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Listen to the song "Tenderness"
In her most experimental and haunting album yet, Laura Gibson ruminates on grief and trauma and creates music that balances heavy darkness with radical hope.
RIYL: Jenny Lewis, Yo La Tengo, Dark Dark Dark, Laura Veirs, new beginnings
Barsuk Records 2018 - 1. I Carry Water
2. Domestication
3. Slow Joke Grin
4. Goners
5. Performers
6. Clemency
7. Tenderness
8. Marjory
9. Thomas
10. I Don't Want Your Voice to Move Me -
Laura Gibson grew up in Oregon, and briefly went to school for medicine before pursuing a career in music; today she has her MFA in writing, has released five solo albums, and has received praise from and been featured by NPR, The Guardian, Paste Magazine, and more. Her music consistently balances light and dark effortlessly and will probably make you cry.
The Right Time
$ 9.00
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Listen to the song "Vibrations"
It’s one thing to make a 60’s throwback record. It’s another thing to have been there in real-time singing backup alongside legends Stevie Wonder, Otis Redding and James Brown, to name a few. In the case of 78 year old Ural Thomas, it’s never too late to find The Right Time.
TLE-077 (2018) - 1. Slow Down
2. No Distance (Between You & Me)
3. Vibrations
4. You Care Very Little
5. Smoldering Fire
6. The Right Time
7. Gotta Say (I Love You
8. Time
9. Show Ya
10. Eenie Meenie
11. Smile -
If life was at all fair Ural Thomas would be a household name, his music slotted into countless sweet, seductive mixtapes between James Brown, Otis Redding, and Stevie Wonder (all of whom Thomas has performed with.) Straddling the line between hot soul shouter and velvety-smooth crooner, Thomas released a few singles in the late 60’s and early 70’s; most notably “Can You Dig It”, which featured backing vocals from soul luminaries Merry Clayton, Mary Wells and Brenda Holloway. Thomas played over forty shows at the legendary Apollo Theater before turning his back on an unkind business and heading home to Portland, OR. It goes without saying that a man practically built out of rhythm would never stop playing music. Thomas began hosting a regular Sunday night jam session at his home that ran for nearly twenty years. A de facto mentor to many of the younger players, Thomas reminds us all that “If you care about what you’re doing, you need to build those muscles and do the work. Don’t get discouraged, do it for love. Even if you’re digging ditches, do it with passion.” In 2014, local soul DJ Scott Magee sat in on drums. The two became fast friends and at Magee’s urging Thomas decided to give his musical career another shot. Magee became the musical director, they put together a band, and in 2016 released a self-titled album on Mississippi Records. In 2017 Thomas signed with Tender Loving Empire and began work on what, in many respects, will be his debut full length. Diving deep into lifetime of melodic creativity, Thomas and his band got to work. Recorded in Magee’s studio Arthur’s Attic, The Right Time features the air-tight work of Magee on drums, percussion, and backing vocals, Bruce Withycombe (The Decemberists) on baritone sax, Portland jazz scene fixture Brent Martens on guitars and vibraphone, Arcellus Sykes on bass, Steve Aman (Lady Rizo) on piano and organ, Dave Monnie on trumpet, Willie Matheis (Cherry Poppin’ Daddies) on tenor sax, and Jasine Rimmel, Joy Pearson, Sarah King, Rebecca Marie Miller on backing vocals. The Arco Quartet performed the strings, and the record was engineered and mixed by Jeff Stuart Saltzman (Blitzen Trapper) and mastered by JJ Golden (Sharon Jones, Ty Segall). One might think after a sizeable taste of early success Thomas would be more than a touch bitter – yet the opposite is true. “We have to be positive if we want the world to get better” Thomas advises. “We’ve come a long way, but if you carry a grudge with the whole world you’ll stop your growth. We’re a family, all just brothers and sisters, descendants of Adam. You can’t get anywhere without an open heart.” A developing artist at nearly eighty years old, for Thomas music has always been about bringing people together. “If we play for twenty people we cook it like it’s twenty thousand” says Thomas. “If we make someone smile we’re satisfied. They’re ain’t no difference between us. It’s all love and brotherhood. If folks listen to my record and feel that I’ll feel very blessed.” Standing in bold defiance of the idea that aging is a reason to slow down and stop living, for Thomas the right time to get down is the next time someone plugs in a guitar or puts on a record. Ural is ready – are you?
Salt and Soap
$ 3.99
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Listen to the song "Downpour"
Soulful noise pop, inspired, propellent psych pop… Trying to nail down the sound of Bells Atlas is a bit like narrating the inner workings of a kaleidoscope – where it's more about tripping out than nailing it down.
TLE-080 (2018) - 1. Overshare
2. Downpour
3. I Do Remain
4. The Mystic -
A surreal blend of r&b, psychedelia, jazz, and pop, rooted in the cultural bellwether of Oakland, CA, Bells Atlas has supported a number of international artists and shared the stage with acts such as Hiatus Kaiyote, Badbadnotgood, Bilal, Meshell Ndegeocello, W. Kamau Bell, Angélique Kidjo and more. They have also been making a name for themselves nationally as the touring band for NPR’s Snap Judgment since 2016, and recently wrapped up a sold-out tour supporting Bermuda Triangle, side-project of Alabama Shakes lead singer Brittany Howard. Channeling at once the ramshackle lo-fi beats of Tune-Yards and the sighing lullabies of Sade, Bells is like the passing bubbles of an unknown aquatic life-form, music percolates from depths untaken, playing in a deep blue pool of life, death and the fluid in-between.
Mother of My Children
$ 18.50
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Listen to the song "Soft Stud"
Mother of My Children is Black Belt Eagle Scout's first full length album and combines ambient post-rock vibes with sweet melodic bedroom pop.
RIYL: Angel Olsen, (Sandy) Alex G, Sharon Van Etten, Mitski
Saddle Creek 2018 - 1. Soft Stud
2. Indians Never Die
3. Keyboard
4. Mother of My Children
5. Yard
6. I Don't Have You in My Life
7. Just Lie Down
8. Sam, A Dream -
Black Belt Eagle Scout is the solo project of Katherine Paul, a member of the Swinomish Tribe of western Washington and an active part of the Portland music community. Her music takes inspiration from her native roots, her identity as a queer woman, experimental indie rock artists, and themes such as grief and loss.
Friends and Friends of Friends Vol 11
$ 15.00
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Only available on CD!
Friends & Friends of Friends is an annual compilation of music curated by Tender Loving Empire. We collect submissions from our friends and (as the compilation title might suggest) from their friends. We request specific songs that we love and include our favorite jams from bands on our own record label. The result is a collection of songs that is by far the best grouping of music that we’ve ever been able to put in one place at one time.
TLE-075 (2018) -
DISC 1
1. Ural Thomas & The Pain - Vibrations
2. Chanti Darling - Pillow Talk
3. The Seshen - Right Here
4. Vibe Mosaic ft. Mari QM - Why
5. Bells Atlas - Be Brave
6. Dreckig - Leipzig
7. EPP - Come My Way
8. Orquestra Pacifico Tropical - Mujer Santísima
9. Y La Bamba - Se Escucha
10. Typhoon - Remember
11. Brette Irish - Static
12. DoublePlusGood - Honest Man
13. Sweeping Exits - Teachers
14. Husky Boys - Boys Like Ryan
15. Rad Max - Big Trouble in Little Caesars
16. Deathlist - High Beams
17. Tancred - Queen of New York
18. The Fourth Wall - When I Lose Everything
19. Tough Boy - The Surface
20. Water Wolfman Washington - Save Your Love for Me
DISC 2
1. Slow Corpse - Cruel
2. Water Slice - This Way
3. The Family Crest - Take Tonight
4.Kuinka - Curious Hands
5. SISTERS - Queer Life
6. Frankie Simone - Love/Warrior
7. Gabe Fleck - Colder Shoulders
8. Why These Coyotes - Dance Around the Fire
9. Dan Dan - Broken Mirror
10. Paper Gates - Dekum Blues
11. Night Heron - What Do You See
12. The Fur Coats - We Live
13. Ryan Oxford - Fa Fa Fa Fired
14. Branson Anderson - Vegas
15. MAITA - Japanese Waitress
16. Mega Pacific - You & Me
17. Shy Boys - Something Sweet
18. Cape Francis - 5 in the Morning
19. Andrea Gibson - About the Weather
20. Abbey Hendrix - You Sir
21. Shook Twins - Safe -
The players: Ural Thomas & The Pain, Chanti Darling, The Seshen,Vibe Mosaic ft. Mari QM, Bells Atlas, Dreckig, EPP, Orquestra Pacifico Tropical, Y La Bamba, Typhoon, Brette Irish, DoublePlusGood, Sweeping Exits, Husky Boys, Rad Max, Deathlist, Tancred, The Fourth Wall, Tough Boy, Water Wolfman Washington, Slow Corpse, Water Slice, The Family Crest, Kuinka, Frankie Simone, Gabe Fleck, Why These Coyotes, Dan Dan, Paper Gates, Night Heron, The Fur Coats, Ryan Oxford, Branson Anderson, MAITA, Mega Pacific, Shy Boys, Capoe Francis, Andrea Gibson, Abbey Hendrix, Shook Twins.
Infinite Other
$ 20.00
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Listen to the song "I Saw My Longing"
Soft noise rock band The Fourth Wall ventures in a heavier direction with their 2018 album, Infinite Other. RIYL: My Bloody Valentine, Bon Iver, Sonic Youth, dreamy melodic noise rock
BUG HUNT 2018 - 1. Circular Ruins
2. Afterimage
3. Infinite Other
4. Golden Mean
5. I Saw My Longing
6. When I Lose Everything
7. Echo of Erasure
8. Mirror of This Dawn -
The Fourth Wall is a rock band originally from Hawai’i consisting of members Stephen Agustin, Kasey Shun, Chris Lau, and Max Lilien. Originally a solo project, Agustin wrote and recorded alone in his home for a year and a half, following the break-up of his previous band, Our Distance. In the summer of 2012 The Fourth Wall relocated to Portland, Oregon, where they currently reside.
RNB Vol. 1
$ 20.00
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Listen to the song "St*rs"
“THE RNB is a type of place that exists in another plane. It’s another dimension. A place beyond dreaming that is the totality of your highest vibration. All the rest though… is just mundane.”
TLE-074 (2018) - 1. Boogie.503
2. Casual (feat. The Last Artful, Dodgr)
3. St*rs
4. Running (feat. Natasha Kmeto)
5. Grab Onto Me
6. VCR
7. On The Fly (Nu Jck)
8. Pillow Talk
9. Who's Cruising Who
10. Wake Up The Night -
Chanticleer Trü would like you to know that “RNB ain’t no joke.” As frontman of Portland, OR retrofuturist electro-soul adepts Chanti Darling, Trü drinks deeply from the sacred founts of Disco, Boogie Funk, and the dizzying universe of house music. Teasing out the essential filaments, Trü weaves a sound that nods to the past as it blasts into the future; urgent, irresistible, and absolutely of the moment. Raised on a steady diet of jazz, soul, and his mom’s Boogie Funk collection (he started leading vocal groups at age ten), multi-instrumentalist Trü studied opera, musical theater, and composition. Naturally drawn to the primal energy of the club scene, Trü first made a name for himself as a performer, promoter, and DJ. “I was always drawn to the power of music to make people dance” says Trü. “There’s some innate, ritualistic pre-human thing within us, engrained on our DNA. The metaphysical combination of melodies, rhythms, lyrics and ideas; it’s what our very consciousness is made of. It is creation itself.” To aid him on his pilgrimage, spreading the gospel of RNB, Trü turned to fellow sonic wizards Natasha Kmeto and Damon Boucher. “Natasha and I have lots of conversations about unsung heroes of popular music” explains Trü “RNB musicians that don’t get the shine that they deserve because they are women, or black, or queer. Then a blonde haired blue-eyed dude from someplace trendy literally “borrows” from this genre and all the sudden RNB is cool. No. It’s never not been cool.” Written over three years and recorded in Portland, Oregon at Zip Zap and Eyrst studios, the record features numerous collaborations with producer Boucher and Kmeto. While some of the songs were written in the studio, much of the music was refined during the bands already legendary live shows. No doubt dazzling choreographers and dancers The Step Touches – the only constant in the Chanti Darling lineup apart from Trü – have helped build the legend with their epic performances. Early in the project, Trü put together a band that included Hannah Blilie of The Gossip and Rebecca Cole of Wild Flag. “It’s amazing to be able to develop ideas in a live setting,” Trü tells us. “A lot of these songs started from live instrumentation and were then translated through digital production.” In fact, the bulk of the music – apart from the drum programming – was tracked live. Aesthetically, Chanti Darling melds 80’s retro-futurist iconography with a late-night summertime vibe; THE RNB is a place of neon lights and palm fronds, washed in the pastels of dusk and dawn. Together, Chanti Darling is undeniable and immersive. This has not gone unnoticed in the Pacific Northwest – and beyond. Voted Portland’s “Best New Band” in a poll held by Willamette Week, the band has already performed at the Pickathon, Treefort, and What The Festival events, played a host of shows with Hercules & Love Affair, been featured in Vice and Dope, and shared the stage with NAO as part of Red Bull Sound Select This record is built upon a sort of string theory of RNB sounds” says Trü. “THE RNB is a type of place that exists in another plane. It’s another dimension. A place beyond dreaming that is the totality of your highest vibration. All the rest though… is just mundane.” One of the timeless, primary allures of music has been the ability to lose oneself within it, and with RNB Vol.1 Chanti Darling has crafted a sonic totem, imbued with the power to transport the listener to a place of hip-shaking, sweaty freedom. “I wanted to create a record that people could be absorbed by. Something to hold them and envelop them. The world… the world itself has gotten so dark. That darkness bleeds over into everything that we create. Which can be amazing. But, I felt my call was different. I wanted to create a shift to positivity and light.” Blessed through a life steeped in rhythm with the mystic ability to tap into and channel the primal genomic funk, Chanticleer Trü has crafted a shimmering antidote to that darkness. RNB Vol.1 is a rapturous, profoundly engaging (and much needed) mega dose of humanities first antidepressant.
Tribe Mars
$ 25.00
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Listen to the song "Sun Raisin"
Tribe Mars' debut album is funky and jazzy and beautiful- the perfect soundtrack for smoking a joint in the sun or learning to love yourself.
RIYL: A Tribe Called Quest, Solange, De La Soul, jazz rap
2018 - 1. Sun Raisin
2. Changes
3. Education
4. Bridges
5. 5TAR5
6. Helio Cinnamon
7. Ode to An Elder
8. Stampede
9. TimeSpace
10. Super Pow
11. Best Fishes
12. Mystic Prose -
Tribe Mars is a guerrilla faction of freedom fighters combating tyranny and systemic oppression with music and values inherited from wise Martian elders. Tribe Mars is also an emerging soul R&B/hip-hop act based in Portland, OR. The culmination of diverse musical backgrounds of all the members has resulted in a unique, raw, old school meets new school, West coast meets East coast vibe that’ll be sure to have you groovin’.
Vibrations
$ 8.00
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Listen to the song "Vibrations"
"Vibrations" is the newest single from Ural Thomas & The Pain
TLE-076 (2018) - 1. Vibrations
2. My Sweet Rosie -
If life was at all fair Ural Thomas would be a household name, his music slotted into countless sweet, seductive mixtapes between James Brown, Otis Redding, and Stevie Wonder (all of whom Thomas has performed with.) Straddling the line between hot soul shouter and velvety-smooth crooner, Thomas released a few singles in the late 60’s and early 70’s; most notably “Can You Dig It”, which featured backing vocals from soul luminaries Merry Clayton, Mary Wells and Brenda Holloway. Thomas played over forty shows at the legendary Apollo Theater before turning his back on an unkind business and heading home to Portland, OR. It goes without saying that a man practically built out of rhythm would never stop playing music. Thomas began hosting a regular Sunday night jam session at his home that ran for nearly twenty years. A de facto mentor to many of the younger players, Thomas reminds us all that “If you care about what you’re doing, you need to build those muscles and do the work. Don’t get discouraged, do it for love. Even if you’re digging ditches, do it with passion.” One might think after a sizeable taste of early success Thomas would be more than a touch bitter – yet the opposite is true. “We have to positive if we want the world to get better” Thomas advises. “We’ve come a long way, but if you carry a grudge with the whole world you’ll stop your growth. We’re a family, all just brothers and sisters, descendants of Adam. You can’t get anywhere without an open heart.”
Fables
$ 14.00
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Listen to the song "Blooming"
On Fables, the forthcoming release from Ashland, Oregon favorites Slow Corpse, languid soul and gauzy dream rock float effortlessly over a bed of nuanced post-rock melodic complexity. Taut, arrestingly propulsive R&B-tinged melodic hooks ebb and flow against an ever-present undercurrent of woozy psychedelica. Born out of the creative union of artists from very different musical ecosystems, Fables manages to blend seemingly disparate elements together in a record that is both intellectually compelling, absolutely of-the-moment, and just plain catchy as hell.
TLE-073 (2018) - 1. Run It
2. Cruel
3. Fables
4. Blooming
5. 7:25 AM
6. Animals
7. Hold You
8. People
9. Home
10. Cigarette
11. Sycamore -
The brainchild of an EDM producer and a blues guitarist, Slow Corpse was born out of the misty forests and craggy mountains of Oregon in the fall of 2015. Singer/producer Mitchell Winters first rose to prominence as the golden boy of Soundcloud, where he releases electronic music as PALMCO. Guitarist Brenton Clarke cut his teeth as a hard blues and shoegaze informed, one-man-musical-tour-de-force. Winters and Clarke had known each other tangentially in high school and college, and eventually they got together for a casual jam session. “Brenton showed me a riff, I sang a little melody over it,” Winters tell us. “Then we stared into each other’s eyes and simultaneously said ‘let’s make song babies’. It’s been going ever since.” Following the release of their first two EP’s, Hound and Moons, Slow Corpse added multi-instrumentalist Cole Zollinger (Bass), hip-hop producer Dash Curtis (Keys), and Kelvin Underwood (drums) to their roster, creating a live band that has mesmerized crowds and seen the band opening for the likes of The Decemberists, Fitz & the Tantrums, Paul Wall, and more. In the fall of 2017 they signed to Portland, OR indie stalwart Tender Loving Empire, where they join the ranks of indie darlings Andy Shauf, Y La Bamba, and Typhoon. Fables is the result of a multi-year migration through the Pacific Northwest, written and recorded in whatever space the duo found themselves residing at a given moment. “Always small spaces, bathrooms, sometimes closets… but I always name my wifi Palmco Studios” says Winters. Produced and mixed by the band, it was mastered by Adam Gonsalves (Radiation City, Burials). Lyrically, the record runs the emotional gamut and is a broad-stroke snapshot of the reality of a post-millennial twenty-something. “People don’t need a message from the record” says Winter. “I just want people to come to our shows and dance with me.” Crack the cover on Fables, lose yourself in the spellbinding melodic narratives, and you’ll find that’s a near certainty.
El Tren
$ 20.00
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Listen to the song "Mujer Santísima"
El Tren is 11-member Orquestra Pacifico Tropical's fantastic second album.
RIYL: M.A.K.U. Soundsystem, Chicha Libre, explosive dance parties, psychedelic cumbia
2018 - 1. Cumbia Chancla
2. Flor De Oro
3. Juguete
4. Siglo Nuevo
5. El Tren
6. Sueño
7. Isla De La Luz
8. Cumbia Marinero
9. Ponderosa
10. Mujer Santísima -
Deep in the vein filled jungles of each of our hearts beats a music with roots as wide as continents and influence as deep as time itself: Cumbia, music of the Southern American Hemisphere. Orquestra Pacifico Tropical have taken this frenetic, addictive rhythm and accomplished what musicians across time and space have always done, bringing crowds into a blistering dance frenzy.
I'll Be Your Girl
$ 29.99
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Listen to the song "Severed"
The Decemberists bring their familiar brooding folk sound into 2018 with dance beats and synth pop influences on their 8th Studio album, I'll Be Your Girl.
RIYL: Death Cab for Cutie, Mountain Goats, The Shins, Camera Obscura, John Prine
Capitol Records 2018 - 1. Once In My Life
2. Cutting Stone
3. Severed
4. Starwatcher
5. Tripping Along
6. Your Ghost
7. Everything is Awful
8. Sucker's Prayer
9. We All Die Young
10. Rusalka, Rusalka / Wild Rushes
11. I'll Be Your Girl -
One of Portland's original indie rock bands, The Decemberists have been creating music together for nearly 20 years. They've played at a rally for Barack Obama, created books and board games, and even have a local holiday named for them.
I Need To Start a Garden
$ 12.98
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Listen to the song "Drinking Song"
Haley Heynderickx's hauntingly beautiful debut album will melt the stoniest of hearts.
RIYL: Big Thief, John Fahey, Angel Olsen, Y La Bamba, unbearable beauty
Mama Bird Recordings 2018 - 1. No Face
2. The Bug Collector
3. Jo
4. Worth It
5. Show You a Body
6. Untitled God Song
7. Oom Sha La La
8. Drinking Song -
Heynderickx grew up in a religious household in Oregon, closely identifying with her Filipino roots, but also straddling multiple cultural identities. Now residing in Portland, her faith is not overt, but her introspection and continued struggle for self-actualization are easily accessible and relatable.
HEY GALAXY
$ 9.00
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Listen to "Your Life"
All preorders of HEY GALAXY include immediate free download of the tracks "Your Life" and "Orlando."
HEY GALAXY was created in the midst of another project as a result of the current political upheaval in the United States. Gibson was working on an album entirely about love, accompanied by an orchestra, but after the 2016 presidential election they felt moved to put forth a more social justice-oriented project. "There’s a quote that says, ‘Art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable.’ I wanted to do that. I wanted to make something political and human and gutsy in its revolt. Something beautiful in its sweetness and rage and vulnerability. Something loud and tender at the same time."
HEY GALAXY does just that. The sixteen poems on the album tell the story of our times. Whether it’s "Orlando," which brutally relives the massacre at at LGBTQ nightclub and Gibson’s own struggles with coming out, or "A Letter to White Queers, A Letter to Myself," which combats white privilege during the rise of the Black Lives Matter Movement, Gibson’s poems awaken us with their urgency, honesty, and their lyrical meld of grit and beauty.
All LP and CD purchases include the full digital file for immediate download on release day.
TLE-072 (2017 ) - 1. Your Life
2. Radio (feat. Jesse Thomas)
3. Orlando
4. Angels of the Get-Through
5. Boomerang Valentine
6. Letter to White Queers
7. Orbit
8. Elbows
9. Photoshopping My Sister's Mugshot
10. About the Weather
11. Give Her
12. Ode to the Public Panic Attack
13. The Day You Died Because You Wanted To
14. Good Light
15. To the Men Catcalling My Girlfriend While I'm Walking Beside Her
16. Fight for Love -
Andrea Gibson is not gentle with their truths. It is this raw fearlessness that has led them to the forefront of the spoken word movement. The first winner of the Womens World Poetry Slam, Gibson has headlined prestigious performance venues coast to coast with powerful readings on war, class, gender, bullying, white privilege, sexuality, love, and spirituality. They write books, record albums, perform, and tour.
Wait Don't Wait
$ 9.00
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Listen to the song "Scene Here"
SISTERS continues their world takeover dance revolution with their second album, Wait Don't Wait. Building on their reputation for creating instantly crowd-pleasing dance anthems, Wait Don't Wait is replete with catchy, quirky corkers overflowing with joy. Emily Westman's bouncing beats make it impossible to remain seated—even while writing this!—while Andrew Vait's soaring vocals and keys create an ethereal, optimistic announcement that good times are ours for the taking, even in these unstable times.
All LP and CD purchases include the full digital file for immediate download on release day.
TLE-069 (2017 ) - 1. Scene Here
2. Heart Beats
3. Let Me Go
4. Sleepy Eyes
5. Glitter Lights
6. Bird
7. Preface
8. Posing In The Field
9. My Little Head
10. Night Walk
11. Y Do You Take So Long?
12. Love You Too -
Sisters is Emily Westman and Andrew Vait. They play music, dance, and spread joy from their secret headquarters in Seattle, WA.
FM-2030
$ 16.50
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Listen to the song "If You Want"
A fantastically dreamy first full length album from cult-pop darlings Reptaliens.
RIYL: Ariel Pink, Beach House, Wampire, nightmarish dream pop
2017 - 1. 29 Palms
2. If You Want
3. Simulation
4. 666Bus
5. These Days
6. Satan's Song
7. Nunya
8. Butter Slime
9. Forced Entry
10. Dreaming
11. Ubik -
Reptaliens is inspired by sci-fi art, cult mentality, and deep connections, creating low fidelity chameleon dreamscapes somewhere between abstract expressionism and surrealism both sonically and visually. Visit them onCaptured Tracks
TLE Slipmat
$ 9.00
- Give your vinyl the cozy treatment it deserves with our TLE slipmats for your turntable. Each is hand-silk screened felt, with a bottom-glaze to keep it from slipping. Choose the classic TLE logo, or the special TEN edition, designed to perfectly compliment our commemorative ten-year vinyl rarities collection called TEN.
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Tender Loving Empire is a hybrid handmade marketplace and record label based in beautiful (and sometimes rainy) Portland, Oregon. We have years of experience designing and creating high-quality handmade items, including cards, prints, t-shirts, and more.
TEN VINYL
$ 20.00
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TEN celebrates 10 years of greatest hits, rarities, and tunes never before released on vinyl from the Tender Loving Empire catalog.
Limited edition 12" colored vinyl in a poly sleeve with a full-color die cut insert. Download code included.
BONUS: While supplies last—each order of TEN comes with a glazed-bottom felt TLE slipmat for your turntable.
TLE-070 (2017) -
Side A
1. Jared Mees & the Grown Children - The Tallest Building in Hell
2. Finn Riggins - Wake (Keep This Town Alive)
3. Loch Lomond - Elephants & Little Girls
4. Typhoon - Summer Home
5. Radiation City - Zombies
Side B
1. Y La Bamba - Oh February
2. Brainstorm - She Moves
3. The Family Crest - Love Don't Go
4. Andy Shauf - You're Out Wasting
5. The Domestics - Sour Milk -
The players: Jared Mees & the Grown Children, Finn Riggins, Loch Lomond, Typhoon, Radiation City, Y La Bamba, Brainstorm, The Family Crest, Andy Shauf, The Domestics.
Friends and Friends of Friends Vol 10
$ 15.00
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Friends & Friends of Friends is an annual 2-disc compilation of music curated by Tender Loving Empire. We collect submissions from our friends and (as the compilation title might suggest) from their friends. We request specific songs that we love and include our favorite jams from bands on our own record label. This year it's time for number 10, and we've put together 42 songs that reflect the best of what we're into now.
Download code included.
TLE-071 (2017) -
DISC 1
1. Dave Depper - Your Voice On The Radio (ft. Laura Gibson)
2. SISTERS - Heart Beats
3. Chanti Darling - Stars
4. Natasha Kmeto - Pour Down
5. Gold Casio - Socialites and Singer Types
6. Bryson Cone - Desire
7. Palmco - Hive
8. Tinariwen - Sastanàqqàm
9. Korgy & Bass - BB Beats (ft. Thomas Barber)
10. Myke Bogan - Take The Nite Off (ft. Blossom)
11. MAARQUII - Dam God
12. The Last Artful, Dodgr & Neill Von Tally - Bleu Replica
13. Reptaliens - Prequel
14. Codahnagi - Empty Sheets
15. Lee and the Bees - If Ya Don’t Change
16. Plastic Cactus - Dark & Moody
17. Small Million - Belmont, 1923
18. New Move - No One But Her ft. Radiation City
19. Cataldo - America, Goodnight!
20. Loch Lomond - Legs & Antlers
21. Sparillow - Wake Up
22. Qloq - Drifting
DISC 2
1. The Domestics - For The Last Time
2. Cardiod - Chinatown
3. Palehound - Flowing Over
4. deathlist - Sleeper
5. Animal Eyes - Guava
6. Turtlenecked - Pangloss
7. Scarves - Off Script
8. tow knee chavez - Whoa Oh, We Love Food
9. Couches - Anxiety
10. Autonomics - She’s Into Death
11. Battlehooch - Everyday
12. Kelli Schaefer - No Identity
13. Kendra McKinley - Fine As A Vine
14. Mister Heavenly - Makin’ Excuses
15. Jared Mees - Blue Angels
16. Black Belt Eagle Scout - Soft Stud
17. Johanna Warren - The Blessing / The Curse
18. Robin Bacior - Water Dreams
19. Anna Tivel - Lillian & Martha
20. Bart Budwig - Goliath Got Stoned -
The players: Dave Depper, SISTERS, Chanti Darling, Natasha Kmeto, Gold Casio, Bryson Cone, Palmco, Tinariwen, Korgy & Bass, Myke Bogan, MAARQUII, The Last Artful, Dodgr, Reptaliens, Codahnagi, Lee and the Bees, Plastic Cactus, Small Million, New Move, Cataldo, Loch Lomond, Sparillow, Qloq, The Domestics, Cardiod, Palehound, deathlist, Animal Eyes, Turtlenecked, Scarves, tow knee chavez, Couches, Autonomics, Battlehooch, Kelli Schaefer, Kendra McKinley, Mister Heavenly, Jared Mees, Black Belt Eagle Scout, Johanna Warren, Robin Bacior, Anna Tivel, Bart Budwig
Woodstock
$ 13.99
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Listen to the song "Feel it Still"
Few indie bands turn pop as well as Portugal. The Man has done with Woodstock, effortlessly combining their indie rock roots with RnB, hip hop, and pop sensibilities.
RIYL: Broken Bells, Alt J, Cage the Elephant, Bruno Mars
2017 - 1. Number One (Featuring – Richie Havens, Son Little)
2. Easy Tiger
3. Live In The Moment
4. Feel It Still
5. Rich Friends
6. Keep On
7. So Young
8. Mr. Lonely
Featuring – Fat Lip
9. Tidal Wave
10. Noise Pollution (Version A, Vocal Up Mix 1.3) Featuring – Mary Elizabeth Winstead -
Indie babes turned pop stars Portugal. The Man have roots in both Alaska and Portland, have released 9 full length albums, and have worked with Yoko Ono, Mike D of Beastie Boys, Mac Miller, Danger Mouse, and more. Visit their website.
Vulture LP
$ 15.00
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Listen to the song "Harrison 2"
Turtlenecked's Vulture was written and recorded by one 21-year-old in a house in the Sellwood neighborhood of Portland. 12" vinyl.
RIYL: Fugazi, Parquet Courts, early Weezer, nervous breakdowns
2017 Good Cheer Records - 1. Boys Club
2. Pangloss
3. My New Necklace
4. Pyrex
5. Harrison 2
6. Meeting You In The Hospital
7. Bronze Bull
8. Human Veal
9. Tummy
10. Stradivarius -
Harrison Smith (aka Turtlenecked) plays every instrument on his albums' recordings, takes himself seriously (but not too seriously), and creates art-punk-power-pop that's equally relatable and grating. Visit him on Bandcamp.
Souvenir Driver
$ 17.00
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Listen to the song "Photographs"
According to singer Nate Wey, shoegazing bliss-pop group Souvenir Driver's fourth full length album is "inspired by relationships, nature, and strangely enough, turtles."
RIYL: Jesus + Mary Chain, My Bloody Valentine, Mogwai, Chromatics
2017 - 1. Swans
2. Sunsets
3. Dive
4. Slow Retreat
5. Photographs
6. Voices of a Traveler
7. Driftwood
8. Ready -
Souvenir Driver is a four-piece rock band based in Portland. They create dreamy psychedelic post-punk shoegaze with rugged soundscapes and recorded their self titled album in a cabin on Mt. Hood. Visit their website.
Prequel / Olive Boy 7"
$ 7.50
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Listen to the song "Olive Boy"
The greatly anticipated debut single from mysterious & culty Portland band Reptaliens. RIYL: Ariel Pink, Beach House, Wampire, nightmarish dream pop. 7" vinyl.
2017 - 1. Prequel
2. Olive Boy -
Reptaliens is inspired by sci-fi art, cult mentality, and deep connections, creating low fidelity chameleon dreamscapes somewhere between abstract expressionism and surrealism both sonically and visually.Visit them on Captured Tracks.
No Identity LP
$ 19.00
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Listen to the song "Underground"
Kelli Schaefer worked on her most recent album, No Identity, for almost 4 years before its release in early 2017. 12" vinyl.
RIYL: St. Vincent, PJ Harvey, Nick Cave, Sinead O'Connor, Bjork
2017 - 1. No Identity
2. Big Black Box
3. Mind Is A Cone
4. Moonstruck
5. Underground
6. Shiny Black Feathers
7. Machine
8. Gold Baby
9. Holy Shotgun
10. Bad For You -
One of Portland's most talented songwriters, Kelli Schaefer has been perfecting her powerful & gripping art pop since her first EP in 2008, growing darker, more moving, and more personal with each release. Visit her website here.
Heartworms
$ 27.00
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Listen to the song "Heartworms"
The outstanding 2017 release from indie rock giants The Shins.
RIYL: Spoon, Surfer Blood, Yo La Tengo, of Montreal
2017 - 1. Name For You
2. Painting a Hole
3. Cherry Hearts
4. Fantasy Island
5. Mildenhall
6. Rubber Ballz
7. Half a Million
8. Dead Alive
9. Heartworms
10. So Now What
11. The Fear -
Originally founded in Albuquerque, New Mexico in 1996, The Shins have built themselves a reputation as an indie rock staple for over 20 years. They recently found themselves moving to Portland, where they released their 2017 album, Heartworms. Visit their website..
Bone Music LP
$ 22.00
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Listen to the song "Oofda"
Rapper The Last Artful, Dodgr and producer Neill Von Tally's debut album Bone Music is an instant hip hop classic. RIYL: Kendrick Lamar, Santigold, Shabazz Palaces, Missy Elliott. 12" vinyl.
2017 - 1. Caverns
2. L.L.C. ft. Myke Bogan
3. Round 'ere
4. Good / Gravy
5. Oofda
6. Housee
7. Foreclosed ft. Natasha Kmeto
8. Count On This
9. Bleu Replica
10. Rev RIP
11. Jazz Crimes -
In 2016 The Last Artful, Dodgr was featured on Sway in the Morning after performing with Amine on The Tonight Show, and said "There's no reason to hide away from who I am. That's like saying, I'm not black. That's like saying, I'm not a woman. I am America, right here. I'm a black queer woman and I'm killing it. There's no way I wouldn't just put myself out there, just 100 percent." Listen on Spotify.
Soul Sick
$ 16.50
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Listen to the song "Get Out"
Soul Sick is retro babe Sallie Ford's second solo album. RIYL: Ex Hex, Waxahatchee, Allah-Lahs, girl power.
2017 - 1. Record On Repeat
2. Screw Up
3. Loneliness Is Power
4. Get Out
5. Failure
6. Middle Child
7. Never Gonna Please
8. Romanticized Catastrophe
9. Hurts So Bad
10. Unraveling
11. Rapid Eyes -
Local legend & post-rockabilly powerhouse Sallie Ford fulfilled her dream of having an all girl band after 6 years with Sallie Ford & The Sound Outside. Her solo/girl power project is more personal and garage-rock than fun rockabilly, but her retro roots and blunt voice shine through. Visit her website here.
Deathlist
Sold Out
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Listen to the song "Wait"
Deathlist's debut album deals with complex, difficult, and deeply personal emotions involving abuse, forgiveness, and healing. RIYL: Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Summer Cannibals, Joy Division, post-punk. 12" vinyl.
2017 - 1. Wait
2. Dream Of
3. IRL
4. Not the Same
5. Hate
6. With You Now
7. Stay There
8. June
9. The Night
10. Don't Mind Asking -
Jenny Logan, bassist of Summer Cannibals and co-founder of XRAY FM, started Deathlist when she realized she had a lot of personal stories to tell that simply couldn't be told through her other bands. Her music drifts gracefully between dream pop and post punk. Visit her bandcamp page here.
Salt LP
$ 22.95
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Listen to the song "Trivial Motion"
Moody and sensual, Salt is Shy Girls' first full length album. 12" vinyl.
2017 - 1. Intro
2. You Like the Pain Too
3. Watercolor Dreams
4. Trivial Motion
5. Why I Love
6. Say You Will
7. What If I Can
8. Time (Hell Won't Wait for Us)
9. I Am Only a Man
10. Collecting -
"PBR&B" singer Dan Vidmar attended Pennsylvania State University for psychology & played classic rock in a dive bar before moving to Portland. In Portland he started his current project, Shy Girls, and has released two EPs and one full length.
Me or the Party LP
$ 25.00
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Listen to the song "You're ok"
An ethereal double LP from twee-punk sweethearts. 12" vinyl.
RIYL: Belle & Sebastian, Menomena, Beat Happening, twee pop
2016 - 1. Turing Shulgun
2. Busted
3. You're Okay
4. Whodunnit
5. Deeper Creatures
6. Poison Arrow
7. Candyland
8. Street Ghost
9. Ants In The Hive
10. Me Or The Party
11. Paint It On
12. Pioneer Violence
13. Your Gold Cheer
14. Ancestral Letdown
15. Kings III -
Point Juncture WA plays music that is warm, sweet, optimistic, and headstrong, and its members believe that punk rock (in its loudest and gentlest incarnations) will eventually win, even when the fight looks fixed. Visit their website.
Pour Down 7"
$ 7.00
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Listen to the song "Pour Down"
This 7" vinyl features two of Natasha Kmeto's best songs: "Pour Down" & "Free for Tonight." Play alone in your bedroom or at a dance party. RIYL: Beyonce, Jessy Lanza, sexy slow-dance jams.
2016 - A Pour Down
B Free for Tonight -
Natasha Kmeto is an electronic producer/vocalist dedicated to the art of emotional engagement. Writing, producing, and performing all her material, Kmeto combines her sensuous voice with a dancefloor ethic, exuding a thoughtful physicality that rewards openness and vulnerability. Visit her website here.
Being No One Going Nowhere
$ 17.50
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Listen to the song "Tape Machine"
Being No One Going Nowhere is Portland-based electro-indie group STRFKR's fifth studio album.
RIYL: Neon Indian, Phantogram, Cut Copy, Yacht
2016 - 1. Tape Machine
2. Satellite
3. Never Ever
4. Something Ain't Right
5. Open Your Eyes
6. interspace
7. In The End
8. Maps
9. When I'm With You
10. Dark Days
11. Being No One, Going Nowhere -
STRFKR began as the solo project of singer Joshua Hodges before expanding to a three-piece. They were originally called Starfucker, then changed their name to Pyramiddd, then changed their name back to Starfucker, and finally shortened it to STRFKR in 2012. Visit their website.
Rigsketball 2017 Compilation Cassette
$ 8.00
- Each year Rigsketball releases a tape with tracks from all 32 bands playing in Rigsketball. This TWO HOUR beast can be yours! You can get it here, at TLE stores, or right at the tournament.
(2017) - Side A:
The Domestics - Tunnels and Trains
Animal Eyes - Where We Go
Shannon Entropy - No Disgrace
No Aloha - Diversions
Alberta Paper Company - Sugar
The Forever Agos - Want and Need
Stars' Blood - Back in the Bottle
Houlie and the Blowfish - Midnight Blues
Paper Brain - At All
Howard Ivans - Candy
Wet Dream - Basement Under the Ocean
Tribe Mars - $3 Kung Fu
Nic Wilkins - Frank Gore
AMANI - The Immortal
Ellington Willoughby and the Andrew Jacksons - Mothership
Side B:
And And And - Holy Fucking Matrimony
Hustle and Drone - Voices of Ventriloquists
Hot Won't Quit - Grab the Wheel
Bastard Salt - More More More
WORWS - Sheltering Hand
Trick Sensei - When We Stray
Sorta Ultra - Don’t Lie To Me
The Get Ahead - Dollars For Doughnuts
This Fair City - Ebb & Flow
Foxy Lemon - Quite A Bit of Booty
Grammerhorn Wren - Pet Narc
Crushingcrayons - Dawn New Horizons
Space Shark - Helevator
The Quick & Easy Boys - Swipe Right
Donovan Trip - Cheer Up
Queen Chief - Sleeping Under Trees
Salvo Idly - Blame -
Rigsketball is a 32 band basketball tournament played on a regulation height hoop attached to a tour van. Rigsketball happens during the last two weeks of July in Portland, OR. We welcome any bands to sign up to play in the tournament for free. Check out their website for all details.
Gemini I
$ 8.00
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Listen to the song "Hungry Ghost"
Gemini I is witch-folk singer Johanna Warren's beautiful follow-up to her critically acclaimed nūmūn.
RIYL: Mitski, Laura Gibson, Cat Power, Tori Amos, magick
2016 - 1. A Bird in the Crocodile's Mouth
2. Hungry Ghost
3. Let Me Stay
4. The Blessing The Curse
5. circlenot astraight
6. There is a Light
7. Glukupikron
8. Little Red Lines -
Johanna Warren is the founder of Portland-based label Spirit House, which features witchy spiritual femmes and encourages activism, healing, spritualism, art, and magic. In addition to her solo career, her gentle & ethereal voice helped earn her work with Iron & Wine, Natalie Merchant, and her band from Brooklyn, sTiCkLiPs. Visit her website here.
Dolls of Highland
$ 20.00
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Listen to the song "Lady of the Ark"
Dolls of Highland is country infused glam rock about relationships that are complicated, jealous, heartbreaking, and haunting. RIYL: Bob Dylan, Elton John, Ryan Adams, Hedwig and the Angry Inch
2016 - 1. Eye of a Hurricane
2. Balmorhea
3. Berlin
4. Lady of the Ark
5. Gloom Girl
6. Trinidad Beach (Before I Ride)
7. Future Midcity Massacre
8. Black Mary
9. Pentecost
10. Dolls of Highland
11. Jane Beat the Reaper
12. Three Candles -
Kyle Craft was raised in a small town in Louisiana and inspired by his first album: a David Bowie compilation that he bought at K-Mart. He lives in Portland and recorded Dolls of Highland in his friend's laundry room. Check out his page on Sub Pop.
How's Your Favorite Dreamer LP
$ 23.99
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Listen to the song "Styrofoam Factory"
Psych-surf-rockers Wooden Indian Burial Ground take an even wilder turn with How's Your Favorite Dreamer. 12" vinyl.
RIYL: Thee Oh Sees, Ty Segall, Built to Spill, euphonic dementia
2016 - 1. Styrofoam Factory
2. Sad Mutations
3. The Pretty Good OK Days
4. Spazz Pony
5. Moist Dynasty
6. How’s your Favorite Dreamer?
7. The Discoverer
8. Burnout Beach
9. Zanesville Massacre
10. Black Eye Tie Dye
11. Dope Mann
12. Grizzly Peacock
13. Why am I? Who are You?
14. Sam’s Dream -
Wooden Indian Burial Ground feed the electric insects that plaster your cracking windshield after a wine soaked road trip. Visit their website here.
Seven Wives LP
$ 15.00
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Listen to the song "Mood"
SEVEN WIVES continues electronic pop duo MY BODY's exploration of their singular sound and approach, as well as their inspiration by Steven Milhauser’s short story Thirteen Wives. From the band: “Seven Wives portrays his love with thirteen different women, some powerful and strong, others frail and sick, or brandishing knives under bedsheets. We are a composite of each. We are inhabited by the husband, each wife, and live in their houses. We believe there are still ones unexplored, that each wife is a proxy for other sides of us still undetected.” 12" vinyl.
(2017) - 1. Blowout
2. Half a Heart to Holler
3. Mood
4. Pomme -
MY BODY Based Portland, MY BODY was originally formed by Darren Bridenbeck and Jordan Bagnall—both of who are former members of Portland staple Typhoon. Music that is hard to keep from dancing to, MY BODY fuses infectious pop sounds and optimistic lyrics while maintaining a safe distance from cornyness.
Multi-Love
$ 17.00
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Listen to the song "Multi-Love"
Multi-Love isn't your traditional break up album; it deals with love, heartache, family, and polyamory.
RIYL: Deerhunter, Tame Impala, MGMT, Blood Orange
2015 - 1. Multi-Love
2. Like Acid Rain
3. Ur Life One Night
4. Can't Keep Checking My Phone
5. Extreme Wealth and Casual Cruelty
6. The World Is Crowded
7. Stage or Screen
8. Necessary Evil
9. Puzzles -
The birth of Unknown Mortal Orchestra was private and mysterious; singer Ruban Nielson posted a song titled "Ffunny Ffriends" in 2010 on Bandcamp under a pseudonym, and within a week of recording it, it was discovered by Nylon magazine and had circulated back to him through his office. Today, Nielson is globally successful, lives with his wife and children outside of Portland, and maintains a casually funny twitter presence. Visit their website here.
Slow Corpse: Hound/Moons EP
$ 5.00
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Listen to the song "Matches"
The first two EPs from this sweet, sweet band from Ashland, Oregon, available on a single cassette. RIYL: Glass Animals, Alt-J, Grizzly Bear, sultry postpunk-chillwave.
Wiener Records (2016) - Side A "HOUNDS"
1. Vision
2. Ruckus
3. Rewind
4. Hound
5. Shores
6. Ill Man
Side B "MOONS"
1. Moons
2. Matches
3. Holi
4. Carry -
Born out of the misty forests in Southern Oregon in the fall of 2015, Slow Corpse has quickly risen into prominence in the Oregon indie rock scene. Following the release of their debut EPs, Hound and Moons, Slow Corpse have taken to the road, playing shows up and down the Northwest region of the US which they pay tribute to in their layered dark, folk sound. Visit them on Soundcloud here.
Friends and Friends of Friends Vol. 4
$ 15.00
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Friends & Friends of Friends is an annual 2-disc compilation of music curated by Tender Loving Empire. We collect submissions from our friends and (as the compilation title might suggest) from their friends. We request specific songs that we love and include our favorite jams from bands on our own record label.
TLE-030 (2011) -
DISC ONE
1. Typhoon - The Honest Truth
2. Brainstorm - Forms Without a Frame
3. Y La Bamba - Abducted
4. Wild Ones - You're a Winner
5. Jared Mees & The Grown Children - Inaudible Song II
6. Adventure Galley - Knife in the Sail
7. The Builders and the Butchers - Rotten to the Core
8. Spesus Christ - Tits Up
9. Upsidedown Cat - Library Books
10. Social Studies - Run With Fever
11. Jeffery Jerusalem - Smiling & Tender
12. Fierce Creatures - Satan Is a Vampire
13. Lida Husik - Nuclear Soul
14. Leviticus Appleton - Swim Wheels
15. Slow Trucks - Bad Energy
16. Alameda - Silver Hands
17. Quiet Countries - Go To Bed
18. Sean Flinn & The Royal We - Salt That's In Our Blood
19. The Woodlands - Anymore (Heavy Hands Remix)
20. John Heart Jackie - Hook In My Arm
21. And And And - Buy You
22. Dinosaur Feathers - Please, Please George
DISC TWO
1. Radiation City - The Color of Industry
2. Loch Lomond - Blue Lead Fences
3. Boy Eats Drum Machine - Silverskate Gateway
4. Agent Ribbons - I'm Alright
5. Finn Riggins - Parkour
6. Doctor Ew - I'm Not Mad At You Anymore
7. Adventures! With Might - Heavy Hevvy
8. Yeah Great Fine - Rise
9. Lovers - Boxer
10. Skip Roxy - Mouth Party
11. Archers - I Forgot
12. ERock - Centrifical Farce
13. Lee Corey Oswald - Waltzes With Wolves
14. Tiny Mtns - Small Towns
15. Soft Hills - River Boat
16. Sweater - Employment Bored
17. Mnemonic Sounds - Keeping It Quiet
18. Pigeons - 1000 Miles
19. Campfire OK - Strange Like We Are
20. Sea Bell - Grima
21. Mutineers - Give It A Rest
22. Black Whales - Books on Tape
23. Besties - Sydney Don't Leave
24. Light For Fire - NY (By The Hand)
25. Ascetic Junkies - Thought Thief -
The players: Typhoon, Brainstorm, Y La Bamba, Wild Ones, Jared Mees & The Grown Children, Adventure Galley, The Builders and the Butchers, Spesus Christ, Upsidedown Cat, Social Studies, Jeffery Jerusalem, Fierce Creatures, Lida Husik, Leviticus Appleton, Slow Trucks, Alameda, Sean Flinn & The Royal We, The Woodlands, John Heart Jackie, And And And, Dinosaur Feathers, Radiation City, Loch Lomond, Boy Eats Drum Machine, Agent Ribbons, Finn Riggins, Doctor Ew, Adventures! With Might, Yeah Great Fine, Lovers, Skip Roxy, Archers , ERock, Lee Corey Oswald, Tiny Mtns, Soft Hills, Sweater, Mnemonic Sounds, Pigeons, Campfire OK, Sea Bell, Mutineers, Black Whales, Besties, Light For Fire, Ascetic Junkies.
Sweet Simple Things LP
$ 20.00
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Listen to the song "Sweet Simple Things"
This is the record to put on during one of those non-stop rainy Portland days that will put the pep back in your step. These poppy, sexy grooves will remind you of sunnier times, while remaining a little twisted and dark themselves. RIYL: Of Montreal, UMO, Prince, sticky-sweet vocals. 12" vinyl. - 1. Real Sugar
2. Artist Statement
3. Love Is Bad
4. The Middle
5. Sheila
6. Never Spayed
7. Sweet, Simple Things
8. All The Girls
9. Like That's Okay -
Minden is a psychedelic pop group from Portland, Oregon, by way of Kansas City, Missouri. They feature strong songwriting and sexy, tickle-your-fancy melodies. Visit them on Bandcamp here.
Hunger And Thirst
$ 9.00
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Listen to the song "White Liars"
Typhoon's Hunger & Thirst opens with the lines "I've started a new beginning... suspiciously like the old one, only this time, I'm ready". Frontman Kyle Morton sings these lyrics with the wary bravery of someone staring down a familiar path, with full knowledge of its challenges and potential pitfalls. Fittingly, producer Paul Laxer recorded Hunger & Thirst in Morton and his bandmates' beloved Victorian rental house. At the time of the recording, the band’s lease was winding down; all 12 band members knew their time in the house was limited and that they were crafting an aural snapshot using room mics and dining rooms. The house has its footprints all over the record if you're listening for it. Spaciously framing Typhoon's lush orchestration, its wood floors perfectly warm Morton's dynamic vocals in a way that a traditional studio environment would be hard-pressed to pull off.
TLE-024 (2010) - 1. Starting Over (Bad Habits)
2. White Liars
3. CPR - Claws Part 2
4. Ghost Train
5. Body of Love
6. Intermission
7. Happy People
8. Old Haunts, New Cities
9. Mouth of the Cavern
10. Belly of the Cave -
Typhoon Typhoon is a band of contradictions. The eleven-piece Portland supergroup is both wild and tightly structured, punk and symphonic. Frontman Kyle Morton’s lyrics are concerned primarily with death, but Typhoon’s songs are resoundingly triumphant. The truth is that the band, formed by high school friends who somewhat miraculously overcame the interpersonal challenges and logistical nightmares of keeping a project of this scale intact to full maturity, was just built that way. Morton has fought significant battles with illness over the course of his life and has at times left him struggling with meaning. Of Typhoon’s music he says, “You can consider it one very bewildered man’s attempt to explain the universe to himself...in the language of bewilderment.”
Emotional Freedom Technique
$ 9.00
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Listen to the song "Do You Want Love?"
Straddling the line between pop and despair, Emotional Freedom Technique is a letter to the broken heart that won’t mend but still beats. It is a portrait of what happens when someone is flung across the world on tour—grateful to be there, grateful for the success and the adventures, but ultimately lonely.
TLE-067 (2017 ) - 1. Do You Want Love?
2. Communication
3. Lonely With You
4. Your Voice on the Radio
5. Never Worked So Hard
6. Anytime, Anywhere
7. EZ-101
8. Summer Days
9. Hindsight/Emotional Freedom Technique -
Dave Depper has been the connection point between a staggering number of Northwest bands, playing with Menomena, Fruit Bats, Mirah, Corin Tucker, and Laura Gibson. Tapped to join Ray LaMontagne’s touring band in 2014 and then snatched up to become a full-time member of Death Cab for Cutie, Depper solidified his role as the go-to guy, the man next to everyone on late night.
