A record label usually dictates a lot of an album's culture and aesthetics yet is usually not in the spotlight. By the Label is a weekly column that features different labels and the stories behind them.
I'd like to think of Thrill Jockey as a big happy family that has an innumerable amount of cousins who aren't afraid to acknowledge each other and even get together sometimes. One giant post-rock-friendly, experimentalist family.
The Chicago-based, New York-born label celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. Founded by former Atlantic Records A&R rep Bettina Richards, Thrill Jockey lived shortly for three years in her Manhattan apartment before Richards moved base to Chicago.
Now an established Chicago institution, Thrill Jockey has earned its ranks among one of the most recognized label for cutting edge post-rock and experimental electronic (and the occasional experimental jazz and black metal) cuts around, both of Chicago and otherwise.
Thrill Jockey started out with a diverse spread. Early releases ranged anywhere from heavy punk rockers Gaunt to alt-country female musicians Freakwater to one of the most seminal Chicago bands and pioneers of the post-rock movement, Tortoise. The current Thrill Jockey lineup reaches perhaps an even wider audience. Newer members of the family, including the likes of Javelin, may look different on the outside, but their statement to pushing boundaries is what makes them Thrill-worthy. Experimentation is the quite possibly the only prerequisite. After all, it's in the name: It's music that's supposed to give you a thrill a minute. Additionally, with many original bands still on the label, it's really no surprise that Thrill Jockey is more like a community than a distributor that shills out vinyl on vinyl.
This sense of community is seen in both the artists themselves as well as the label's dedicated fans. With just Tortoise alone, there are a handful of side projects that all have "thrill" in their catalogue numbers. With fans, Chicago is Thrill Jockey's playground. Whether it's the local Empty Bottle regulars that Thrill Jockey handpicks or the number of loyal record stores in the area who carry the Thrill back log, it's a tight-knit community focused on the love for innovative music. In fact, every single album on the Thrill Jockey site (which is nearly the entire catalogue) can be streamed in full so that listeners can sample the album before buying.
In honor of its second decade, Thrill Jockey announced that it would release reissues of some old favorites that were out of print. In conjunction with this anniversary, Tortoise, a Thrill Jockey staple, played several shows for the first time in a long while earlier in January and are playing additional shows in their hometown of Chicago later this month at The Empty Bottle.
Notable Releases
Tortoise - TNT (1998)
Probably my favorite Tortoise album, TNT is the group's third full-length release, and it does the group justice. Guitar-led melodies and innovative instrumentals move the listener through a wide range of tracks, from the lush and orchestral title opener "TNT" to the funkier "In Sarah, Mencken, Christ And Beethoven There Were Women And Men" that showcases Tortoise's ventures into early electronic and computer music.
The Sea and Cake - One Bedroom (2003)
The Sea and Cake contrasts most of its labelmates with poppier indie rock with some jazz tendencies. The group includes Tortoise drummer John McEntire on percussion, an example of how varied McEntire can be in style. One Bedroom has some of The Sea and Cake's most contagious tracks, including the dance-friendly "Hotel Tell."
Town and Country - 5 (2003)
A quartet that is no longer, Town and Country explored the boundaries of classical, jazz and experimental noise. Keeping to the minimalist creed, the group, which consisted of some of the most talented musicians in Chicago, including guitarist Ben Vida, used simple sounds and rich layers to convey their message. On 5, all tracks were performed completely acoustically with no computers, overdubs or amplification. The result is mesmerizing compositions that are intricately thought-out.
Liturgy - Aesthethica (2011)
You might want to put in some earbuds or something (or brave it out like a real trooper) because here's where that black metal kicks in. The second full-length from these New York rockers is nothing less than brutal, er, br00tal. Aesthethica is kind of everything that you'd hope for: heavy and hard as fuck. The vinyl package is a double LP to really hammer home the point of the seven-minute-long tracks. And there are lyrics too, if you wanted to really make out what they're screaming.
Jason Urick - I Love You (2011)
Jason Urick is some kind of guy. His fifth release on Thrill Jockey, I Love You might be the weirdest statement of emotion ever. Don't propose to someone with this, unless your significant other is into wonderfully noisy and experimentalist ambient drones that sound like they're created by aliens. It's an enigma of manipulated sound, and a very inventive one at that. Catch him opening for the second of two Tortoise shows at the Bottle this month.
Dustin Wong - Dreams Say, View, Create, Shadow Leads (2012)
Dustin Wong has been raved as one of the most talented guitarists of his generation. You might say he's the Jeremy Lin of indie rock. The guitar swells and layering are so entirely captivating. And it's all one guy! During performances, Wong masterfully live loops all of his compositions, and it's more than enough to make jaws drop from across a room.