We’re really excited about Bandcamp’s second round of waiving their revenue share on all purchases on Friday, May 1. Quarantine is rough on everyone but all the musicians and labels rely so heavily on touring, this hit has been a big one and the uncertainty of the future makes this kind of support even more important. Swap all those concert dollars you’ve been saving for band merch and get your hands on exclusive releases & the records you’ve been “meaning to buy.” There are a lot of options so we narrowed down some of our favorites below in two easy lists.
COLLiDE Staff Picks:
Captured Tracks: This independent label out of Brooklyn has put together Before That, This, a brand new compilation of rare demos from artists like Molly Burch, Wild Nothing, Widowspeak, Wild Nothing & more. They’re giving 100% of revenue to artists on May 1, badass.
Dabow: “Dabow has reached deep into his hard drive to bring some long unfinished beats that are perfect for the summer festivals that aren’t happening. This beat tape is exactly Dabow is great at. Fun, hard hitting bass music.” – Jack
Deserta: Deserta has the only remaining color vinyls that we were going to sell on tour plus new shirts and very cool enamel pins.
Elizabeth Moen: “A recent favorite discovery while perusing the SXSW Official List (wahhhh) at work this year. She’s a perfect blend of Alabama Shakes meets Lake Street Dive, but is also completely uniquely her own artist. I can’t wait to see her explode onto the indie scene – it’s only a matter of time. I wanna say “I called it” when she becomes the next Brittany Howard.” – Maddie
“Did we mention she speaks AND teaches French? Next level cool.” – britt witt
Facial: Solid source of indie rock thrash punk. Yep, those sound like opposites but Facial makes it all make sense.
Jagged Baptist Club: This post-punk LA-based 4-piece has their debut album on vinyl and exclusive shirts for ya. Grab their live album Basking In The Heat Lamp to soothe your live concert quarantine woes.
Kacey Johansing: “I first discovered Kacey Johansing at a “porch party” my mom’s friend threw about 10 years ago in my hometown. She booked various San Francisco based bands to play live stripped down sets on her porch. I instantly fell in love with her music (and the project she was also playing in at the time Honeycomb). I’ve been a fan ever since and recently rediscovered her music after making a nostalgic playlist while wine drunk during quarantine. I was also pleasantly reminded that she did an album with Geographer which I’ve been diving back into!” – Maddie
Man Man: “Oh man, where do I begin with Man Man. They broke me out of my boring “folk-only” phase in high school (I love folk too, don’t hate me) and opened my eyes to a whole new whacky but good world. In my eyes they are superstars. One of the best shows I’ve ever been to, and one of the most creative bands to come out of the 21st century. ” – Maddie
“They’re releasing their new album on May 1, too, first in six friggen years. I can’t wait to witness them live again.” – britt witt
Midnight Faces: The synth soundscapes this trio takes you on is a journey fit for any car ride, any drug trip, any depressive episode, a nostalgic recap of your vacation…you get the gist, good for anything.
Monsterwatch: “An absolute rippin’ band from Seattle, they’re releasing an exclusive track just for this special called “Isolation Method.” I can’t wait to hear it.” – britt witt
Phedee: “Phedee hasn’t put out a full length since 2015, so there’s a lot to be excited about. All the booms and baps you could want will be present. Can’t wait for this one.” – Jack
Rubblebucket: “Their album “Survival Sounds” got me through my last years in college! The ultimate road trip album or if you want to get put into a great mood. I feel like they deserve a lot more attention than they get!” – Maddie
SadGirl: “Their most recent release Water makes me miss better times, like watching people dance in GA pits in small and sweaty venues. “Chlorine” takes me back to their last show at the Observatory last Fall. Hope this record reminds you of happier times, too.” – Carla
*They’re releasing exclusive mixes of tracks from most recent album minus vocals and guitar, plus a .pdf with lyrics and chords to encourage people to learn and play along
Suicide Squeeze Records: “Honestly, just about everything Suicide Squeeze has is great. They’ve got excellent taste in bands, very dynamic catalogue, you just can’t go wrong with any of their artists. Black Moth Super Rainbow? Got ’em. The Coathangers? Got ’em. The Paranoyds? Got ’em. SadGirl? Got ’em. I can keep going folks, so this is a great opportunity to explore Suicide Squeeze.” – britt witt
Taleen Kali: You need more femme punk in your collection and Taleen Kali will fill that void for you. “#1 Crush” sounds like it’s straight out of the 90’s but with clean contemporary production and all the songs have an element of internal healing.
The Great Sadness: Gotta love a drum + guitar duo and this one is particularly haunting. It’s demonic, Swampy, twisting, dark grunge. Throw in some harmonica and slide guitar and it reaches a melodic level you never expected!
Tweens: Self-proclaimed trash pop nasty doo-wop from Cincinnati, OH.
