semi-twang: a weekly radio show

Some great indie labels for great indie music

Appleseed Records - A folk label featuring new music by Roger McGuinn and John Wesley Harding.

Black Vinyl Records - Zion, Illinois, label run by the Murphy brothers of Shoes. Label features Midwestern power pop.

Bloodshot Records - Chicago label focusing on new twang and vintage recordings.

Catamount Records - Another in a long line of excellent labels based in Chicago and featuring Gurf Morlix and Oh Susanna.

Cavity Search Records - Based in Portland, Oregon, and home to Pete Krebs and his many identities, as well as, the band Richmond Fontaine.

Checkered Past Records - A "no depression" label featuring the Flat Irons, Milwaukee's own Spanic Boys, the Ass Ponys, and the Silos.

Cooking Vinyl Records - A British label specializing in British Isles rock and plenty of American releases sent to the UK.

Compass Records - Allison Brown's Nashville label featuring American and European artists of note such as: Judith Edelman, the Vigilantes of Love, Farmer Not So John, Clive Gregson, Boo Hewerdine, Edie Reader, and much more.

Dualtone Music Group - Nashville label featuring Radney Foster, Jim Lauderdale, Chris Knight, and plenty of great and real Nashville country.

Eminent Records - Another Nashville based label and featuring the gamut of sounds there. Their roster includes Greg Trooper and Mike Plume Band.

E-Squared Records - Steve Earle's twang trust. Enough said.

Flat Earth Records - Indie music from Indianapolis--home of the Mary Janes.

Gadfly Records - From Vermont, features esoteric reissues and various types of off-kilter pop.

Hayden's Ferry Records - Twanging label in Tempe, Arizona, featuring Jay's brother Dade Farrar and his St. Louis all-star band the Rockhouse Ramblers.

Hightone Records - Bay area roots rock label featuring Grammy winner Dave Alvin, Buddy & Julie Miller, Mark Olson, and others.

Innerstate Records - San Francisco label featuring Bay area's version of alt.country. Roster features Map of Wyoming and Tom Heyman.

Madjack Records - A Memphis based label featuring Pawtuckets and Lucero.

Matador Records - America's longstanding home of indie rock and underground UK favs. Home of the late Pavement, Arab Strap, Yo La Tengo, and a new Soft Boys reissue.

Merge Records - Another label from the burgeoning North Carolina scene. Home of Lambchop and Paul Burch.

Mint Records - A label from Vancouver, B.C., and home to the New Pornographers and other pop/punk from north o' the border.

New West Records - An Austin, Texas, label and the home of Slobberbone, Tim Easton, & Shaver.

NorthernBlues Music - A blues label from our northern neighbors, or is that, neighbours.

North Side Records - The America home of challenging music from Scandinavia.

Parasol Records - An indie label and home of tons of "non-stop power pop." Check out their excellent monthly webzine that introduces you to all kinds of new artists.

Planetary Records - Americana steeped in blues and other swampy sounds from Richmond, Virginia.

Pravda Records - From Chicago, Pravda specializes in warped pop music and crazy tributes.

Razor & Tie Records - Great reissues and the home of Marshall Crenshaw, Dar Williams, the Continental Drifters, Love Tractor, and Graham Parker.

Record Cellar - An indie label from Philadelphia and home of Frog Holler and Solid for Sixty.

Red House Records - Mostly folk music from Minneapolis/St. Paul and the home of Greg Brown.

Rustic Records - Label in Tucson, Arizona. Home of the Trophy Husbands and Crooked Country.

Shanachie Records - A label that knows no boundaries and great releases. Home of the Mighty King of Love, Phil Lee.

Slewfoot Records - Music from Missouri. Home of the reformed Morells aka Skeletons.

Speakeasy Records - From Madison, Wisconsin, and featuring the alt.country band Noahjohn.

Sundazed Records - Home of reissues of 1960s music including soul music, psychedelia, and just plain weird stuff.

Subpop Records - The name hardly defines the label that feature permutations of the Scud Mountian Boys and recent goodies like Damien Jurado and Beachwood Sparks.

Sugar Hill Records - Once mostly bluegrass and now the home of James McMurtry and assorted excellent twang.

Tangible Music - Folk, roots, and Americana. Artists include Iain Matthews, Plainsong, Gary Myrick and Darryl Purpose.

Trailer Records - Iowa City label headed by Greg Brown's buddy, guitarist & producer Bo Ramsey.

Vanguard Records - Revitalized folk label with years of history. Recent releases include those by John Hiatt and Peter Case.

Wagon Wheel Records - California label featuring Dave Alvin sideman Rick Shea's solo releases and vintage Riders of the Purple Sage.

Yep Roc Records - Headquartered in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, home of a burgeoning alt.country scene. Home of Caitlin Cary (Whiskeytown) and the Mayflies USA.

LISTEN VIA REAL AUDIO