News
03/19/2008
Hey we got w/ the times and set up a group on Facebook. So now you can come be our fan:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sick-Room-Records-Ltd/23110930744
Thanks!3/11/08
Future Sandwich!!!!!!
So, the debut EP from Chicago's own Them, Roaring Twenties, comes out today! This is a realll special record for all of us. Not only is the music an absolutely delicious slice of post/prog/rock (think Hella, Make Beleive, Tortoise, etc.) but the CD comes packaged with a one-of a kind, very fun, band-themed board game. Each limeted edition copy was painstakingly crafted and assembled by hand. Rock on, guys!Bear Claw European Tour!
Bear Claw are heaqding to Europe next month for an extensive three week tour! Here are the dates:
04th April | Berlin - GE | Red Rooster
05th April | Munchen - GE | Orange House
06th April | Koln - GE | Tba
07th April | Hamburg - GE | Hafenklang
08th April | London - UK | The Metro
09th April | Glasgow - SCO | 13th Note Cafe
10th April | Cardiff - Wales | Club Ifor Bach
11th April | Namur - BE | Le Belvedère
12th April | Peer - BE | De Wissel
13th April | Le Havre - FR | Cabaret Electric + Barra Head
14th April | Nantes - FR | Le Férailleur + Gatechien
15th April | France | Tba
16th April | Paris - FR | Mains d'Oeuvres
17th April | Lyon - FR | Sonic + Gatechien
18th April | Padova - IT | Stalker
19th April | Pescara - IT | Mono Spazio Bar
20th April | Torino - IT | United + KASH
21th April | OFF
22th April | Udine - IT | No Fun
23th April | Milano - IT | Magnolia
24th April | Geneve - CH | L'Usine
25th April | Berne - CH | Dachstock + Three Second Kiss
26th April | Freiburg - GE | Kts
So, all you sick room fools across the pond need to come see them! They will be bringing their A game for sure!
1/21/08
L'Ocelle Mare
We are just about ready to bust out a pair of brand new releases on all y'all! February 8th will be the self-titled effort from L'ocelle Mare AKA Thomas Bonvalet. Formerly, he was the amazing guitarist from the post/rock, post/folk duo Cheval De Frise. Her we see him striking out on his own with a new breed of captivating works for classical guitar. It's kind of like David Grubbs and Jim O'Rourke dancing together in a dark fairytale.
Them, Roaring Twenties
But you also don't have to wait too long for the debut from Chicago's Them, Roaring Twenties! which hits the streets on Marh 8, 2008. Excellent, dynamic and intricate prog rock in the midwestern tradition. Start/stop melodies and a linear framework make this ball of yarn a pleasure to unravel. A little Make Beleive, a little Deerhoof, a little Hella you've got the idea...Welcome African Tape!
We are teaming up with out good friend Julien Fernandez (Chevreuil, Passe Montagne) to start a whole new cross-continental imprint called African Tape. This is easily the most exciting thing that has ever happened to us. Julien has been working very hard with his own company in Italy, 5iveroses press and booking, and this synergy is bound to open up a world of possiblities. This patrnership is also going to require a radical re-structuring and re-defining of roles, but every step we are taking is in a positive direction...
11/13/07Alexis Gideon
Alexis Gideon's new record FLIGHT OF THE LIOPHANT has hit the shelves and it is another rollercoaster ride through the beat laden mind of it's maker. It is a rare thing when you get to watch an artist define themselves in front of your ears. FOTL is everywhere that "Welcome Song" was trying to get to...which is a startling thing to say when you consider how brilliant and innovative Alexis' first solo outing was. The tunes are much more cohesive and flow even more fluidly from song to song. It has become very obvious, with FOTL, that Mr. Gideon is maturing in multiplicity and really starting to hone in and develop his own personal sound. To quote Spin.com when he was their featured artist of the day.....Eccentrics like Animal Collective and Beck come to mind when spinning Gideon, who loops beats, warps guitars, and creates a carnival of schizophrenic sounds morphing from dreamy folk to dancehall fodder.
9/12/07
Bear Claw
Hey we have less than 2 weeks before the official release of the second Bear Claw record, Slow Speed: Deep Owls! Th release show is coming up on 9/27/07 at The Darkroom in Chicago. They guys will be playing with Warhammer 48K and Miracle Condition (Mark Shippey from US Maple's new band). Also what's this I hear about a European Tour?
2008: Them, Roaring Twenties and L'ocelle Mare
We are pleased to welcome theo brand new acts, who we will be working with next year. Them, Roaring Twenties are a fantastig group of young men who have a very original take on noodly/tappy/mathy/bubbly wonderfulness. Their record, Future Sandwich will be full of surprises and will come out in January. And you may know Thomas Bonvalet as the guitarist from Cheval De Frise, but we are releasing the US version of L'ocelle Mare, his solo project, gorgeous, haunting classical guitar with a twist ala David Grubbs or Jim O'rourke on a good day.8/21/07
Ecstatic Eyes Glow Glossy
The new Mass Shivers record, Ecstatic Eyes Glow Glossy, comes out today! They are currently on tour out east, playing the Cake Shop in NYC this evening...
Triclops! Play F*ck YeahFest in LA!
The guys in Triclops! are headed down to L.A. this weekend (Sat. 8/26) to participate in this year's F*ck Yeah Fest:
Fuck Yeah Fest is curated by Keith Morris from Black Flag and Circle Jerks and Sean Carlson. This year the fest will take place on August 25th & August 26th at 5 different venues that are all walking distance from one another in Echo Park. The venues are the EchoPlex, the Echo, the Rec Center, Taix + one more location. For $13 one can get a wristband that gets them access into all the locations. Imagine a huge art crawl with 1,000+ people..... The fest is all ages and starts at 5:00pm and goes till 12:00am each night. Between the venues are a number of art galleries and a comedy show takes place each night of the fest.....8/15/07
Mass Shivers
The new Mass Shivers record, Ecstatic Eyes Glow Glossy, will be hitting stores on 8/21! This record is really amazing, and we have already got some great feedback on it. They are also on tour out east from 8/17-8/31. and they are not to be missed, as a capacity crowd on Monday the The Empty Bottle can attest to.
Alexis Gideon hits the east coast
In anticipation of his new record, Flight of the Lionphant, due out on 11/06/07, Alexis Gideon will be hitting the road as well for the latter half of September, launching off from Wham City in Baltimore, MD.7/17/07
Pitchfork was fun!
Hey! Thanks to everyone who cane and stopped by our table at Pitchfork. Our table was up all three days, and we gave out more than 1,000 copies of our latest sampler. It was great to meet and talk to so many of you guys.
New Mass Shivers song up...
I just put up a song from the new Mass Shivers record, Ecstatic Eyes Glow Glossy (SRR 045) in the audio section. Also, don't forget to check out preview tracks from all of our new releases, including The Ants' Ideabreaker, and the Howard Hello/Greenness split.7/02/07
Howard Hello & Greenness
Tomorrow marks the official release of the Howard Hello & Greenness split double CD. This is truly an incredible peice of work. One disc is five new songs from Kenseth Thibideau (Howard Hello, Rumah Sakit, Sleeping People, Pinback, Goblin Cock) under his moniker, Howard Hello. The other disc contains 4 new songs from Greenness (featuing Sick Room co-founder Mitch Cheney) as well as 11 collaborative tracks from a number of talented folks. All artist proceeds will go to Childrens' Musical Education in St. Augustine, Florida...
Blog, Blog, Blog
What the world needs now is yet another blog right? Well, this one might be different, and perhaps marginally interesting. Ryan, me, co-owner of Sick Room, has started his own blog, The Circular Ruins http://www.circular-ruins.blogspot.com/ to document his process of discovery as he tries to bring the label into step with the digital revolution. You are all invited to come and comment and help me figure out my place in this crazy mixed up world, or maybe watch me say a bunch of stupid stuff and fall on my face. Either way it might be fun...6/05/07
Ideabreaker!
The Ants' third record for Sick Room, Ideabraker, has marched onto the store shelves! Another collection of wonders from a man with a heart as big as a kansas prairy and his pals. This record is chock full of the smart, sweet, literary folk/pop gems that fans and friends have come to love over the past 5 years.5/08/07
The City, The Forest
The brand new record from The Julius Airwave, The City, The Forest, is out and should be available from your local independent retailer or on-line outlet. Go pick it up today!4/27/07
It's been far too long...
Sorry it's been so long since the last news update. Lots of cool stuff has been happening in the last few weeks...
Che Arthur -- Iron
Che Arthur's brand new one hit store shelves to a mountain of praise and aplomb at the end of March. We are really excited to be involved in this project, and the press is abuzz with all kinds of good things to say. He also just completed a whirlwind US tour, winning over the hears and minds of music lovers all around the east coast and midwest. Thanks to Che, his band mates, and everyone who came out to support his efforts. Love ya bro!
More info on Che Arthur
Instrumental Quarter/Lebanon spring tour
In order to celebrate FREE, their new record on Japan's Stiffslack label, The fine young men of Instrumental Quarter joined up with Tel Aviv, Israel Phenoms Lebanon for a short tour that took them through France and Italy. I was lucky enough to be able to be with them, and it was the experience of a lifetime. There will be a limited number of import copies of this fine record available from Sick Room in the near future.
More info on Instrumental Quarter
Julius Airwave -- The City, The Forest
Jacksonville, Florida's favorite sons, The Julius Airwave have been playing some local shows in anticipation of their new record, The City, The Forest which comes out on May 8th. It's their second one for sick room, and definitely this band has reached a new level, in terms of both songcraft and maturity, a woven journey over and under the map's surface...a needle threading a flat piece of cloth like a serpent seeking knowledge.
More info on Julius Airwave
The Ants -- Ideabreaker
Our Good friend Chad Bryan and co. have cooked up yet another fine, tremendous collection of songs, their third record under the auspices of Sick Room Records. This one is seriously off-the-charts-good. If you were a fan of other Ants records, then this will be a real pleasure, and if you have yet to enjoy this band, be prepared for a literary, poingiant, fun and touching feild trip into the psyche of the common man. The songs are smart but not really smart-assed, subversive without being cloyingly ironic, gently serrated but never overtly acerbic. In an era where lyrical subtly and sophistication have become relics of a bygone era or become the terrain of folkies and art rock acts, their presence in each of the multi-faceted pieces here is a welcome return.
More info on The Ants
Howard Hello/Greenness
This record constitutes a rare opportunity for two members of Rumah Sakit [Kenseth Thibideau (Howard Hello, Rumah Sakit, Sleeping People, Pinback, Goblin Cock) & Mitch Cheney (Greenness, Rumah Sakit, Sweep the Leg Johnny, Species Being)] to get together and create new music along with old and new friends all in the name of trying to make a small difference for future musicians. All artists' proceeds/money go to Childrens' Musical Education in St. Augustine, Florida. There are a total of 20 tracks featuring five unreleased tracks by Howard Hello, four unreleased tracks from Greenness and 11 extra tracks of collaborative material. More info on Howard Hello
More info On Mitch Cheney/Greenness
Mass Shivers -- Ecstatic Eyes Glow Glossy
We here at the Sick Room are bursting at the seams with joy these days. Why? Because we have the wonderful opportunity to do a second record for our friends and local Chicago comrades, Mass Shivers. It just went in to manufacture, and is set to release on August 21, 2007. Picking up where they left off, this record shows a tremendous amount of growth, both musically and conceptually. It is a thoroughly modern, complex-yet-catchy piece of work that really works.
More info on Mass Shivers
Bear Claw
Our good friends Bear Claw just wrapped up an epic weekend over at Electrical Audio with living legend Steve Albini. Mastering will take place in a couple of weeks at Bob Weston's new facility, Chicago Mastering Service. The result is a yet-to-be-titled second album that will be available from Sick Room in October. Oh man we are so pumped to be able to be involved in this project. This record is so good, I had to wash my hands after listening to the mix, seriously. Mega props go out to all you guys!
More info on Bear Claw
L'ocelle Mare
While on tour in Bordeaux, I was indeed very lucky to be able to catch a wonderful set by my friend Thomas Bonvalet, AKA L'ocelle Mare. Sick Room is extremely proud to announce that we will be releasing the US version of his album in early 2008. Thomas used to be the guitarist in Cheval De Frise, but as a solo artist, one can see more clearly his singular vision. Thomas is a very wonderful person, and this record is one amazing document indeed.
More info on L'ocelle Mare2/25/07
Sick Room at SXSW!
OK Our schedule for SXSW in Austin has been finalized! Please come say hello...Wed. 3/14
Habana Calle 6 patio (709 E 6th St) 21+
8:00 p.m. Che Arthur
8:50 p.m. AM Syndicate
9:50 p.m. Mittens on Strings
10:50 p.m.Finally Punk
11:40 p.m.The Wiggins
12:15 a.m.Die! Die! Die! (NEW ZELAND)
1:10 a.m. When Dinosaurs Ruled The Earth
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Sat. 3/17 (Day show)
Epoch coffeehouse (221 W North Loop Blvd)
12:00 PM FREE SHOW! FREE BEER & BBQ!
12:00-12:30 Triclops!
12:45-1:15 Finest Dearest
1:30-2:00 60 Cycles of Sound
2:15-2:45 Scouts Honor
3:00-3:30Che Arthur
3:45-4:15 The Julius Airwave
4:30-05:00 AM Syndicate
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Sat. 3/17
Emo's Jr. (603 Red River st.) ALL AGES
8:00 p.m. Attractive and Popular
8:50 p.m. Coaxial
9:40 p.m. ANAVAN
10:30 p.m. Yolz in the Sky (JAPAN)
11:20 p.m. Triclops!
12:10 a.m. 400 Blows
1:00 a.m. Qui w/ David Yow02/12/2007
Triclops! Cafeteria Brutalia :
Cafeteria Brutalia, The new EP from bay area boys, Triclops, has been officially released as of 2/06/07. These guys have been getting such tremendous feedback that I can hardly hear myself over the "buzz". check them out here!SXSW 2007
This will be the first year Sick Room will make it's presnce known at the legendary South By Southwest Music Festival! AM Syndicate, Triclops! and Che Arthur have all been officially invited to participate in the evening, and in addition, we have arranged a wonderful showcase on Sat. 3/17 12:00 noon at Epoch Coffee House (221 W. North Loop Blvd.)Red Hot Chili Peppers
I hate them. If someone knows of a way to get in touch, I would love to smash a cream pie in their faces.1/9/07
Welcome Song
Alexis Gideon's awesome new record, Welcome Song, should be on the shelves of your local retailer as of today! Yes, This is it! This record is so good, and we are so proud to be able to bring it to you. find out more:
http://www.alexistheband.com/
http://www.spin.com/features/band_of_the_day/2006/12/061228_alexisgideon/
http://www.orlandoweekly.com/music/review.asp?rid=12152
http://illinoisentertainer.com/2006/11/29/alexis-gideon-previewed/#more-1380
12/12/06Baby Cal Robbins...
A note from Kim Coletta and Bill Barbot of DeSoto Records:Hi friends of J. Robbins, Janet Morgan and Cal Robbins:
J. and Janet’s baby boy Cal was born with a serious genetic condition called Spinal Muscular Atrophy. Though there is no cure for this condition, there are lots of treatments that promise to give Cal the the best possible quality of life. Unfortunately, many of these, especially the alternative treatments, are not covered by health insurance.J. and Janet have given so much over the years to the music community we're all a part of, so Bill and I are hoping you can see in your hearts to help them out now.
We've set up a website with more information and a place to make a donation. All of the money will go straight to J. and Janet to help defray their growing medical bills. Thanks for your support and feel free to send this email on to folks who might likewise be interested in helping. Take care—Kim Coletta and Bill Barbot
http://www.desotorecords.com/cal/index.shtm
***I briefly met J. Robbins a while ago when he recorded Just A Fire's Spanish Time. Even from such a limited experience I could tell that besides being a legendary musician and a talented recording engineer, he was also a quality human being. My thoughts and prayers go out to him, Janet and lil' Cal as they persevere through this difficult situation.***
12/6/06
Alexis Gideon -- Spin.com Artist of the Day for 12/28
Our own resident madman, Mr. Alexis Gideon has been chosen bt Spin Magazine as a Spin.com artist of the day! His day will come on 12/28/06 so log in and check it out!Updated Tours
I just updated the tour page with tons and tons of upcoming shows! Alexis Gideon, AM Syndicate, The Ants, Sleeptyime Gorilla Museum, The Julius Airwave, Triclops! and more...Second City's 5th annual 24 hr. Improv Benefit 12/12-13 2006
From the page on the Second City site:
For the fifth straight year, a group of current performers and alumni of The Second City take to the stage for an entire 24 hour period to benefit children and families in the Chicagoland area during the holiday season. Improvised scenes, songs and games are performed by the ensemble, only taking breaks when a variety of top musical acts drop by to perform and inspire the cast and audience.As a special treat this year, Second City and Saturday Night Live alum Horatio Sanz will be flying in from New York to join the cast!
Scheduled musical acts for “The Second City That Never Sleeps: Letters to Santa” include Jeff Tweedy, Robbie Fulks, Shellac, Sally Timms, Jon Langford, The Blisters, Jason Molina and many more.
Go here for the schedule and times10/05/06
So many tours!
You people in the midwest and northeast are some lucky mofos, I'll tell you what! There are a lot of Sick Room bands coming through this fall. Chek the tour page for details on junkets by some of our favorite acts, including Bear Claw, Kash, Instrumental Quarter, The ants, Form of Rocket, and more!9/18/06
Form Of Rocket Tour
Form Of Rocket will be on tour this fall supporting their new album, Men, which comes out on Sick Room on 11/07/06. This little jaunt will take them through the midwest and northeast, so if you think Salt Lake is only about Mormons and ski slopes, prepare to have your face melted! Check the tour page for details2007 Releases Announced..
As summer turns to fall, it's already time to start looking ahead to 2007 for a bumper Crop of new releases, and we could not be more excited! Alexis Gideon's new solo offering, Welcome Song, is sure to put the jump in your rump, as a quirky, dynamic blend of 1001 different musical flavors. The new Triclops! EP is a burst of fresh, freak-out energy from a super group of bay area stalwarts. Iron, Che Arthur's (ex-AtomBombPocketKnife) third solo effort showcases an affective maturity, both lyrically and musically.
Free Screening: Let's Be Active: Keep The Fuzz off My Buzz
We will be hosting a free screening of our new DVD, Let's Be Active: Keep The Fuzz off My Buzz at Rodan, 1530 N. Milwaukee Avenue Chicago, IL on Wed. 10/11/06. This is a great chance to come mingle with your friends over some drinks, and see what all the hype is about!
Kash/Instrumental Quarter Tour
Both Kash and Instrumental Quarter are making their way over form Italy to do some stateside Touring. Kash's leg will begin in Chicago, and Culminate at our CMJ Showcase in NYC on 11/03/06. From There, Instrumental Quarter will pick it up for two weeks on the east coast and back through the midwest. Details coming soon!8/17/06
CMJ Showcase
The Sick Room CMJ Showcase is all set for Friday, 11/03/06 at the Knitting Factory Old Office in New York . Performing this year will be Am Syndicate, The Ants, Bear Claw, Form Of Rocket, Kash, Instrumental Quarter, and Drums & Tuba. This should be a fantastic show. We had such a great time last year, we decided to do it up all over again!
Upcoming releases
Only a few more days until Instrumental Quarter's Traffic Jam hits the streets on 8/29/06! And then on 11/07/06 we will be releasing Men, the fantastic new disc from Salt Lake City's homeboys, Form of Rocket. 2007 will start off with a bang as we present Welcome Song, the solo debut of Alexis Gideon (formerly half of Princess), and A new EP from the SF bay area's Triclops! (ex Bottles & Skulls, Victim's Family, Fleshies, Lower Forty-Eight). Oh yeah!
7/18/06Let's Be Active: Keep The Fuzz Off My Buzz
So finally the day has arrived! We are extremely proud to offer up our first ever DVD/CD project! Let's Be Active: Keep The Fuzz Off My Buzz is a fantastic road movie, featuring ft (The Shadow Government) [members of Ten Grand, Murder By Death, Head of Femur and Forstella Ford], Paradise Island (Jenny Hoyston from Erase Errata) and the venerable William Elliott Whitmore. All shows on the tour were hosted by Let's Be Active's founder and mouthpiece, Jarrett Hilarious. Dallas Hallam (King Power Cinema) shot and edited the film, which is sure to inform, delight and entertain (possibly titilate?) viewers across this great land. View the trailer here.6/17/06
Lots of new stuff...
We are gearing up for a huge incredible summer around here, with three fantastic Releases coming out between now and August. On June 20th, Chevreuil will once again grace us with their new record, Capoeria. Recorded in December by Greg Norman and Steve Albini at electrical audio, this two frenchman juggernaut will impress you with it's driving rhythms and meandering guitar lines. Then, on July 17th, we will be proud to offer up our first DVD/CD project, Let's Be Active: Keep the Fuzz off My Buzz, an endearing tale of three young bands and their wonderful MC, on a mission to spread their message across america's bread basket. That finally brings us to the end of august, and Traffic Jam, the sophomore effort from Italy's Instrumental Quarter. This is a fantastic record, inspired by the harmonies created as man coexists within his natural surroundings.Form Of Rocket
We are pleased to announce that Salt lake City's Form Of Rocket, will be releasing their new record, Men, on Sick Room. These guys are really something special, and the album is proof, not only of their talent, but of the heart, sweat and soul they have put into their music. Keep an eye out for it as fall rolls around!CMJ
We are very excited for this year's CMJ Music Marathon, 10/31-11/04 in New York City. The exact date and location re yet to be confirmed, but the lineup for our showcase is really going to be something else. Slated for the event are Drums and Tuba, Am Syndicate, Instrumental Quarter, Kash, Bear Claw, Form Of Rocket, and The Ants. Definitely a special one for sure.4/17/06
Just A Fire: Spanish Time
Spanish Time, the white hot sophomore release from Chicago shooting stars, Just A Fire, Should be on the shelves of your favorite independent record store this week. This record has some wonderful folks behind it, and has been the target of much praise and anticipation. You will not be disappointed!
Been a While...
Man, it's been a little while since the last update. The big thing as far as the site is concerned is that I am bringing back the tour section in place of the forum. The discussion space didn't really take off like I had hoped, and spammers were already getting in there, so I figured it was time to pull it down for a while. New shows and everything will be added the instant I get the info.New Crop of Releases!
Also, there are three more new releases on the horizon for this spring and summer: Chevreuil Capoiera (SRR 035) in May, Instrumental Quarter Traffic Jam (SRR 036) in August, and Let's Be Active: Keep The Fuzz off My Buzz (SRR 037), A DVD documentary and companion CD featuring Paradise Island, William Elliott Whitmore, and ft(The Shadow Government), coming in July!
2/20/06Tic Code: FBCCADE
FBCCADE, the debut record from Portland sensations, Tic Code (featuring ex-Pinback member Cameron Jones), hits store shelves today! If pretentious, mathy, proggy, metalic noodling is a Nebraska corn maze, then Tic Code would be the chainsaw used to cut through the crap to get to the swet and chewy center; whatever that means. Check them out in the audio section...