Spotlight: Thrill Jockey Records, Dec 2000
By: Toby L
Rockfeedback's favourite of the batch of CDs (and vinyl) we now clutch lovingly to our chests from Thrill Jockey is the recording from Sam Prekop. The self-titled recording from 1998, released the next year, is a touching collection of ten gems with an intent to win over your mind and heart. Featuring swooping strings and parping brass, as well as Tortoise's John McEntire on the all-important maracas, Sam Prekop's music ranges from jazz to soothing piano-led tales of Chicago life. It's the most diverse, but naturally flowing record rockfeedback has had a chance to hear.
This album belongs to the world of Thrill Jockey: a Chicago-based label, with an aim to satisfy ears. Dealing with over 35 acts, the label is as consistent in quantity as it is in quality, releasing music from such acts as the legendary try-anything-once, instrumental artists, Tortoise, the rockers Eleventh Dream Day (formerly signed to Atlantic Records and a band-unit for 17 years), as well as Trans Am, who are now developing cult status in the UK. These are just three strong examples of the sound on display. Thrill Jockey doesn't make music to allow it to be categorised by those that are unable to understand it. It releases music that will probably only be recognised as ground-breaking once people start learning that 'alternative' doesn't always mean four men with guitars. The sound seems adventurous, venturing into a style not already in existence, but that doesn't seem to be why it does exist: I believe that this label is here to give a platform to music that's well written and worthy of the title 'original'. Most bands may be from Chicago origin, but if our impressions of the label's releases so far is anything to go by, Chicago = good.
The pre-mentioned Eleventh Dream Day played the Camden Underworld in December of this year - their first show in UK territory for seven years. However, it's not due to the fact that they dislike Britain so much which kept them away (well, actually it may be, but forget that for the relevance of my next point), but they haven't been the touring animals they once were due to the the heavy travelling they endured in earlier years of the band's existence. After being over-worked on the road, Figi quit the band to only be replaced by Matthew 'Wink' O' Bannon of Bodeco, who later left anyway. However, despite such line-up changes, when the band do roll into town for a show, they deliver without disappointment and such is his on-going love of music that frontman, Rick Rizzo, even releases music with fellow Jockey signing Tara Key. And such is another aspect of the label's nature - an artistically appealing informality and opportunity to release music under different projects. Even Rizzo's partner, drummer and vocalist of Eleventh Dream Day, Janet Bean, dabbles in her country side project Freakwater on the same label from time to time.
Aside from artists going under different guises for their art, man, you also get, erm, more artists going under different guises. This time in the form of The Sea and Cake, an excellent ensemble of Sam Prekop (again) and John McEntire (again). Playing an exclusive UK date at the All Tomorrow's Parties event in the April of next year, this group will be no doubt lapping up praise as they grace the speaker-system with (hopefully) such swoonsome classics as 'Jacking the Ball' and 'Lost in Autumn'.
Completing our miniscule introduction to this label is a mention of the talents of Isotope 217: a more calculated form of sound often touching on genius with their high level of musicial capability and willingness to experiment. EP 'The Unstable Molecule' (pictured below), will have you tapping away and your head in a trance as it takes you on a journey into the spirit of being too damn cool to be true.
To summarise just a few of Thrill Jockey's many artists in such a short way as this is probably illegal, but if it can inspire you to open your mind in one way or another into checking out a kind of music that you've never been aware of before, then it's been worth it. You'll only thank us afterwards - discover brilliance now, or wait fifteen years until everyone else has picked up on it.