#aliasrecords

[indieephemera]

Tri-fold paper catalog for California-based label Alias Records, 1994.

Alias Records was an odd duck in the nineties indie scene. It acted as a springboard for Yo La Tengo and American Music Club, putting out early records of theirs before those bands moved on to bigger labels (Matador and Reprise, respectively). And I was absolutely thrilled when Alias reissued the early Game Theory catalog, as well as providing a home for Scott Miller’s most recent musical endeavor, The Loud Family. But at the same time it issued a bunch of, um... less memorable music. A real collection of hits and misses. Though I suppose you could say the same about most indie labels.

This 1994 catalog showcases full spectrum, leading off a teaser promising a new Loud Family album in the fall. The album in question would have been The Tape of Only Linda, which came out that year. And if you’re not familiar with that album’s namesake, I might just have a related artifact from my collection for a future blog post...

[theminorthread]

Day #3505 Knapsack - This Conversation Is Ending Starting Right Now #aliasrecords #1998 #knapsack #thisconversationisendingstartingrightnow #minorthread #tshirtwars https://www.instagram.com/p/B4N_YQwDiQO/?igshid=p62rcc6a0jcy

[theminorthread]

Day #3408 Knapsack - Day Three Of My New Life #1997 #aliasrecords #allenyost #knapsack #minorthread #tshirtwars https://www.instagram.com/p/B0ZT8y9DUiD/?igshid=ga1j96c5y1b6

[greatbandsnoonelistensto-blog]

they are both pop laureates of the non-sequitur, but the main difference between scott miller, game theory's singer and chief songwriter (who conceived a double album called lolita nation and wrote a song called "the ballad of how you can all shut up," and author of the above hit-single-that-never-was "erica's word") and robert pollard is that miller didn't record and release every half-baked idea he ever had.

sure, the eighties made fashion casualties of us all, but forget all that stuff--close your eyes and let these hooks infest your brain: they will stay there forever. game theory rules. 

[greatbandsnoonelistensto-blog]

long island, NY's hypnolovewheel made a few records, apparently, in the late 1980's-early 1990's, on alias records, not coincidentally, a record label that housed at various times a number of Great Bands No One Listens To.

when someone laid the above sublime nugget ("bridget because" from 1992's angel food), on me some months ago, my first reaction, once I came down from the jangle-pop high that comes from listening to this song twelve times in a row, was to curse whatever fates allowed me to live on this planet for 37 years before ever getting to hear it. 

you're welcome.