Sybris - The First Three Albums - VINYL LP

Introducing Population II-blazing through the stratosphere, boiling up from beneath the sea, hanging in the air like smoke... These elemental tunes drift and fluctuate, at one with the air, over extreme heat. Population II has beamed out of Quebec with a mind-melting debut [À La Ô Terre] of hard psych, freckled with punk sentiment. Both old school and timeless, these young humans rip. They are impressive in their live actions and this album captures this raw energy on wax. Produced by Manu from the great band Chocolat, a very high bar has been set, indeed. Fluid, tough, and over-saturated, this album is bound to please fans of the tag and new-comers alike. Reminiscent of Amon Düül, early Pink Floyd, Kollektiv, Laurence Vanay, Les Olivensteins, early Kraftwerk, even a touch of the Kinks. -John Dwyer

Monster alt. Rock. A triumphantly brooding, surprisingly catchy LP perfect for ex-goths, alt. Rockers, & heavenly angels struggling with life or looking for trouble. The loooong-awaited third album by Chicago's Sybris is their masterpiece, shockingly more relevant than ever. Sybris have always been a treasure hiding in plain sight in the cold light of day that was 2000's Chicago's indie scene. Singer Angela Mullenhour's voice is remarkable, combining the piss-off cool of Kim Gordon, the spontaneity of Life Without Buildings, and the sheer vocal power and prowess of Karen O or Björk. That's quite a crowd to live up to, but she deserves it. Mullenhour and co-founders Phil Naumann & Shawn Podgurski are joined here by drummer Clayton DeMuth, who has clearly unlocked something very special within the band. All four members mix the warm feedback of shoegaze, the complex arrangements of Tool and the Smashing Pumpkins, the moody post-goth rhythms and guitar lines sprung straight from records by the Cure. Not quite stoner rock either, but comfortable beside it in the way Sonic Youth was beside punk or Jane's Addiction beside metal. In their first run, accolades from Chicago publications (see below) and spots on Lollapalooza and supporting some of the best bands of the day painted a picture of a bright future, but artist development had begun to suffer industry-wide, music magazines disappeared, blogs on their way out, CD sales strangled by file sharing, their tag (us) being forced out of business, and the band not so much breaking up as dissipating from sheer lack of momentum. The album, always called Gold on Hold, sat recorded and mixed for more than 12 years until we were able to return for our 25th and it. Sybris decided to return as well, playing the famous 8k-attendee Dark Lord Day festival twice, two Chicago street fairs to packed blocks of people, and opening for Loc

Okay's Marty Anderson bends his chronic illness into buoyant, illuminating pop music. Simple songs, layered arrangements, like spending 5 minutes with someone new and knowing you'll be besties forever. His unique raspy croaking tenor let's us know he's real, that our pain is too, and that the music is here to make us all feel better. In the 20 years since these records were released, there's still nobody like Okay. Common word, rare talent. Finally on LP.The set includes 3 LPs on anniversary silver wax, including 2005's twin albums Low Road and High Road, and 2008's epic Huggable Dust. The silver box set edition is numbered and strictly limited to 300 copies. The box set also includes printed jackets and inner sleeves, and our unique box set ornament, a three-part item that includes a printed bookmark that slides between the top of the LPs, and a tag logo charm and band ribbon, which dangle parallel to the record spines, making the sets on any record shelf visible from across the room. The band name on outer slipcase is hot foil stamped. InchThe magical psychedelic pop of Okay... transforms - rather alchemically, via sugary melodies, warm baths of keyboards, jaunty rhythms, and all the kazoos you can take in - this thick, weighty sadness into a joyful celebration.Inch - SF Weekly