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Sarah Records is an indie record label from Bristol that was only around from 1987-95 but in that time put out some of the best bands/records I have ever heard and is in my opinion the best label of all time. Every single song this label put out is good. I think the first single ever released on Sarah was āPristine Christineā by The Sea Urchins which is probably one of the best indie pop songs of all time. Such a completely bonkers first release and everything after after that was amazing. I think I like and actively listen to every single band that ever had a Sarah Records release. Talulah Gosh, Another Sunny Day, The Sweetest Ache, The Field Mice, 14 Iced Bears, The Orchids, St Christopher, Brighter (insanely slept on band, if you like dreampop go listen to āāthings will get betterā), Action Painting, The Razorcuts etc etc ill stop there. Talulah Goshās āWas it Just A Dreamā is in my top all time albums same with The Field Mice. Another Sunny Day might even creep in there too.I was tempted to broaden this rec to include Flying Nun and the indie bands of New Zealand (The Bats, The Clean, The Chills) and also the broader C86 era scene but I should contain it lol.Ā I think this era is criminally underappreciated too, one of my dream passion projects would be to somehow create and release some sort of Sarah Records Box Set / Book / Documentary type deal. If I ever become some type of crypto billionaire guy you will know it because I will be Martin Shkreli-ing the entire Sarah Records catalog but only to better share it with the world.
Nov 8, 2022
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Shouts out to Clare Wadd, Matt Haynes and the whole C86 jangle-pop thing this Bristol UK label celebrated musically. The Field Mice, the Orchids, East River Pipe, Boyracer, the Hit Parade, so many others. Do yourself a favor and rediscover this little Brit label that could circa 1987-95.
Jan 23, 2024
Numero Group has just released a gorgeous boxed setĀ of the D.C. band Tsunamiās collected works. Their first record,Ā Deep End, was a part of the soundtrack to my 1990s (they were involved with the Riot Grrl movement) and revisiting it now, it still packs a punch. Thereās such great interplay between the singers, Jenny Toomey and Kristin Thomson, and the songs are ragged and noisy while also being deeply melodic. Jenny's DIY mentality (she also founded Simple Machines Records) and genuinely indie/alt ethic certainly helped put them on the map, which then charted the course for so many bands which came along after them. What with '90s indie-pop having its moment (think: bands like Soccer Mommy, Alvvays, Snail Mail, and Mannequin Pussy), thereās no better time to return to the source, to a time when politics was kinda boring and the insidious dismantling of the democratic process was only in its infancy.
Heroines. The title track to their sophomore release, 1994's "The Heart's Tremolo," gives a good sense of that oh-so-Tsunami thing without diving headfirst into their noisier mudbaths.
Nov 5, 2024
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When I first started getting into new music, her blog was a goldmine of indie artists for me. Pom Pom Squad, Remember Sports, Beach Bunny, Ratboys, Snarls all came from her.
Also the Chris Gethard Show had a lot of cool bands and made live music look fun.
Iāve given them both credit for changing my life!
Mar 17, 2025
Top Recs from @jackwagner
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I am recommending my own damn show Otherworld. I describe it as a Paranormal This American Life. I have been interviewing people about their paranormal experiences for the last 5 years and just released this show October 3rd. I have been working very hard to create a podcast about the paranormal that I would actually listen to, and something that could be enjoyed by anyone from the hardcore skeptics to people that put crystals over their wifi routers.I worked way too hard on this and have lost sanity points that I may never get back, but itās a great show and I love it so go listen.
Nov 8, 2022
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Everyone should own a decent drill but I feel like there may be a lot of drill-less people out there that might need to hear this. You need a drill. Everyone needs one. The question is, when drill situations happen, do you want to be caught drill-less? Do you want people to catch you and witness you in a drill situation as a person without a drill? Not a good look.Ā Nobody can live without a drill. You either own one yourself or youāre a person who relies on another personās drill. You gotta decide now what type of person you want to be and what message that sends to the people who may or may not be judging you off thisā¦. the choice is yours.
Nov 8, 2022
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I have seen a freakish amount of television series in my life and I love to recommend this one to people. It is probably in the Top 10 shows of all time for me, easily. I think lotās of people I know including myself missed it when it came out or ignored it because we already knew about the movie (made inspired by the same book but not the same thing at all)Itās such an incredible show. So incredibly addictive and memorable. I am not even a sports guy and I love it, you dont need to like sports.Ā There is ONE flaw in it but its a funny flaw, a result of the writers strike that happened at the time. Lots of shows of that era have some goofy shit that happens during the writers strike season, but this show has something wild and it is NEVER ACKNOWLEDGED AGAIN in the rest of the series. Anyway I love it. Watch Friday Night Lights.
Nov 8, 2022