Cetral Park School For Children's Save Our Arts Benefit - 1/29/10

Our dear friend Heather Cook is organizing a benefit on January 29th called Save Our Arts. The show benefits the arts education program at the Central Park School For Children, as well the greater Durham community. CPSFC is a really inspiring and positive force in this area, and this is an excellent opportunity to give back. The show takes place at the Trotter Building in Durham (401 W Geer St) and will feature musical performances from our friends Megafaun, Midtown Dickens, Hammer No More The Fingers, Tea and Tempest, and The Beast. There will also be food and drink from Only Burger and Triangle Brewery, as well as a silent auction and other cool stuff. For more info, check out the website: http://cpsfcsaveourarts.weebly.com/

Video: The Strugglers - "The Fade" (Megafaun cover) @ The Owl Room

We recently hosted another installment of Sessions at the Owl Room at our label house featuring The Strugglers, Englishman and Butterflies. It was a lovely night, and the highlight was certainly The Strugglers' arresting cover of Megafaun's "The Fade". Randy Bickford makes the song even more plaintive than the original and its great to see a local artist's take on another local artist. Thanks to Eric Chen for filming this song. Enjoy!

Embarrassing Fruits on The Independent's Top Songs of 2009

The Independent published their much anticipated, much celebrated The Year in Music issue this week and we were happy to see that Embarrassing Fruits' "Corner" made the list of Top 40 Local Songs of 2009. Listen to the song on The Independent's music player or you can even download all 40 songs for free, which is incredible because this list features some of our favorite local artists, including Bowerbirds, Hammer No More the Fingers, Horseback, Kinoeye, Megafaun, Polvo, Veelee, Whatever Brains and more!

Also, check out the Top 10 Triangle Albums, which features a couple Trekky connections. Midtown Dickens, a band that Trekky Manager Will Hackney also plays in, were honored with the number 9 spot, and Kinoeye, the electronic alias for Trekky Housemate Zeke Graves, got an honorable mention for the "Mean Old World" single.

Christmas at the Cradle 2009 Report

Thank you so much to everyone that was a part of this year's Christmas at the Cradle celebration. It was, by all accounts, our best show yet. We'd like to specifically thank the bands that played, the volunteers that helped set up and break down the show, and also all of the friends and family that came out to support us, have fun and raise some money for a just cause. Remember to shop local this year, and that the latest releases from all of the bands that played the show make great Holiday gifts.

Here are some wonderful photos of Christmas at the Cradle, taken by excellent concert photographer Agatha Donkar:



Here's a nice review of the show from WKNC.

Here are the photos from The North Pole at Christmas at the Cradle, where Santa was told what everyone wants for Christmas:



And here's some photos of The Trekky Yuletide Orchestra from the Chapel Hill Holiday Parade:



Check back soon for The Year in Photos 2009!

TONIGHT: Christmas at the Cradle!

Video: The Trekky Yuletide Orchestra in Chapel Hill Holiday Parade

Watch live video from thepeopleschannel's channel on Justin.tv

Yesterday The Trekky Yuletide Orchestra played on a moving float in the Chapel Hill Holiday Parade, bringing Christmas joy to every inch of Franklin St. (and Main St. in Carrboro). Little did they know The Peoples' Channel was doing an awesome Macy's Day Parade style broadcast from The Franklin Hotel. In this clip, you can hear the band finishing their original song "Christmas Like No Other" and starting the Russian folk "Skating on the Volga". Unfortunately, the camera crew caught the band right in between songs, so the TV hosts sort of awkwardly trail off in describing the band. Hilarious! Hopefully more clips to come. Catch The Trekky Yuletide Orchestra in all of their glory at Christmas at the Cradle at Cat's Cradle in Carrboro, NC on Tuesday, December 15.

TRK Best of 2K9

As 2009 draws to a close, its a great time to reflect on the wonderful year we've had. One special way to reflect is with lists of things that were important to us. Specifically: music that blew our minds in 2009. We've compiled "Best of 2009" lists from select members of the Trekky Records Collective. Here's what they loved:


Martin Anderson (Trekky Records Management)

01. Megafaun- "Gather, Form & Fly"
02. Bowerbirds- "Upper Air"
03. Akron/Family- "Set 'em Wild, Set 'em Free"
04. Midtown Dickens- "Lanterns"
05. Mount Eerie- "Wind's Poem"
06. Chris Darrow- "s/t + Under My Own Disguise" (Everloving reissue)
07. Phil Cook and His Feet- "s/t"
08. The Dodos- "Time to Die"
09. Embarrassing Fruits- "Community / Exploitation"
10. Slaraffenland- "We're On Your Side"
11. Volcano Choir- "Unmap"
12. Califone- "All My Friends Are Funeral Singers"
13. Horseback- "The Invisible Mountain"
14. The Kingsbury Manx- "Ascenseur Ouvert!"
15. Julie Doiron- "I Can Wonder What You Did With Your Day"
16. Tinariwen- "Imidiwen Companions"
17. Hammer No More the Fingers- "Looking for Bruce"
18. Vetiver- "Tight Knit"
19. V/A- "Ghana Special" (Soundway)
20. Phosphorescent- "To Willie"

12"s/7"s/EPs/Singles:
01. High Places/Soft Circle- split 12"
02. Superchunk- "Crossed Wires" 7"
03. High Places- "I Was Born" single
04. Mark McGuire- "VDSQ - Solo Acoustic Volume Two"
05. Bell- "Magic Tape" 7"
06. No Age- "Losing Feeling" EP
07. Whatever Brains- "Saddle Up" 7"
08. Horseback- "MILH IHVH" 7"
09. All Tiny Creatures- "Segni" 12"

Most looking forward to in 2010: Gayngs (you've never really partied unless you've partied to Gayngs)


Clare Connolly (Auxiliary House)

1. Jonsi & Alex- "Riceboy Sleeps"
2. Jack Rose- "Dr. Ragtime & Pals" / "s/t" (RIP)
3. Megafaun- "Gather, Form and Fly"
4. Real Estate- "s/t"
5. D Rider- "Mother of Curses"
6. Love of Everything- "Ghosts & Friends"
7. Owen- "New Leaves"
8. Richard Youngs- "Under Stellar Stream"
9. Mount Eerie- "Wind’s Poem"
10. Jackie O Motherfucker- "Ballads of the Revolution"
11. Kurt Vile- "Childish Prodigy"
12. Neon Indian- "Psychic Chasms"


Wil Donegan (Auxiliary House)

Trembling Bells- "Carbeth" (I think my favorite? That and megafaun. http://www.myspace.com/tremblingbells First song. All of them. Rock it. Don't judge me for her voice)
Megafaun- "Gather, Form and Fly"
Bill Callahan- "Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle"
Marvellous Boy- "Calypso From West Africa" (Honest Jon's)
The xx- "s/t"
The Clientele- "Bonfires On The Heath"
True Widow- "s/t" http://www.myspace.com/truewidow (Listen to Duelist, and loud...)
Akron/Family- "Set 'em Wild, Set 'em Free"
Open Strings: 1920's Virtuoso Recordings and New Responses
Vetiver- "Tight Knit"

Things I discovered this year that are not new but I like a lot:

Wire (why was I not told how good this band is?)
Souled American (Fe and Flubber are awesome records)
Ronnie Lane and Slim Chance
Jim Ford (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-2-3JUim54)
Kath Bloom and Loren Conners


Will Hackney (Trekky Records Management, Lost in the Trees)

1. Bill Callahan- "Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle"
2. Mount Eerie- "Wind's Poem"
3. Built to Spill- "There is No Enemy"
4. Wye Oak- "The Knot"
5. Bonnie 'Prince' Billy- "Beware"
6. Mirah- "(A)spera"
7. Embarrassing Fruits- "Community / Exploitation"
8. St. Vincent- "Actor"
9. Bowerbirds- "Upper Air"
10. Megafaun- "Gather, Form and Fly"
11. Karl Blau- "Zebra"
12. Neko Case- "Middle Cyclone"
13. Why?- "Eskimo Snow"
14. The Kingsbury Manx- "Ascenseur Ouvert!"
15. Drake- "So Far Gone"
16. The Beatles- Reissues


Josh Kimbrough (Butterflies)

Bowerbirds- "Upper Air"
D. Rider- "Mother of Curses"
Joan of Arc- "Flowers"
Jim O'Rourke- "The Visitor"
Yo La Tengo- "Popular Songs"
Megafaun- "Gather, Form, and Fly"
Birds and Arrows- "Starmaker"
Deleted Scenes- "Birdseed Shirt"
Embarrassing Fruits- "Community / Exploitation"


Seamus Kenney (Lost in the Trees)

Ray Davies- "The Kings Choral Collection"


Jon Mackey (Auxiliary House)

Megafaun- "Gather, Form and Fly"
Baroness- "Blue Record"
Horseback- "The Invisible Mountain"
David Bazan- "Curse Your Branches"
The Twilight Sad- "Forget the Night Ahead"
Dawes- "North Hills"
Molina & Johnson- "Molina & Johnson"
Hi Ho Silver Oh- "Put It All In One Place and Burn it"


Joe Norkus (Embarrassing Fruits)

BEST:
(in no order)
Marmoset- "Tea Tornado"
Sonic Youth- "The Eternal"
Dinosaur Jr.- "Farm"
Deerhunter- "Rainwater Cassette Exchange"
Girls- "Album" (suck it!)
Big Star- "Keep An Eye on the Sky" (reissues)
Veelee- "Two Sides"
The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart- "s/t"
Nirvana- "Bleach" (deluxe edition)
Polvo- "In Prism" (!!!!)

WORST:
(as seen on Pitchfork's "Best New Music")
Animal Collective- "Merriweather Post Pavilion"
Dan Deacon- "Bromst"
Wavves- "WAVVVES"
The Antlers- "Hospice"
Dirty Projectors- "Bitte Orca"


Lee Shaw (Embarrassing Fruits)

Hammer No More The Fingers- "Looking For Bruce"
Marmoset- "Tea Tornado"
Karl Blau- "Zebra"
Kentucky Nightmare- "Take Her Favour"
Wavves- "Live in Barcelona"


David Straughan (Endless Mic)

Raekwon- "Only Built For Cuban Linx Pt. 2"
Elvis Costello- "Sulphur to Sugarcane"
Sean Price- "Kimbo Price"
Peter, Bjorn & John- "Living Thing"

Video: Lost in the Trees - "The Old Man's Back Again" (Scott Walker cover) @ Local 506

Lost in the Trees ended their very special, recent show at Local 506 with an unlikely cover: Scott Walker's funky diss track about the 1968 Czech Government and the ghost of Stalin, "The Old Man's Back Again (Dedicated to the Neo-Stalinist Regime)". With the addition of a baritone saxophone and guest vocals from The Toddlers' Nathan Toben, the choice actually turned out to be more appropriate than you would think. Also, check out the Scott Walker original below:

The Trekky Yuletide Orchestra in Holiday Parade, Lonnie Walker and Raffle Prizes!

Christmas at the Cradle is just over a week away, and we couldn't be more excited. If you weren't already jazzed enough about the show, we've got some exciting new developments to share with you:

1.The Trekky Yuletide Orchestra has been invited by the Town of Chapel Hill to perform on a moving float in this year's Holiday Parade. We're not kidding. GIANT MISFIT CHRISTMAS ORCHESTRA PLAYING ON A MOVING SOLAR-POWERED FLOAT IN A PARADE. We're pumped about this opportunity and can't wait to make The Town of Chapel Hill proud. The parade starts at Morehead Planetarium at 10AM on Saturday, December 12 and moves toward Carrboro. Please be there to witness it so that later you can convince us that it actually happened.

2. We're happy to announce the last-minute addition of one of NC's finest bands to the bill for Christmas at the Cradle. Its Lonnie Walker from Raleigh. Yes!

3. Everyone likes presents this time of year, and we genuinely want you to walk away from the Cat's Cradle late Tuesday night with a gift of your very own. So, we're holding a raffle! Just buy a raffle ticket and you'll be in the running to win a wonderful gift from one of these amazing local businesses: Carrburritos, Cat's Cradle, CD Alley, Faux Paw, The Lantern, Local 506, The Looking Glass Cafe, The Merch, Moshi Moshi, Nightlight, Orange County Social Club, Roulette, Southern Rail and Trekky Records. All money raised in the raffle will be directly donated to National Multiple Sclerosis Society. We'll also have coffee generously donated by Cafe Driade.

Trekky Records presents:
Christmas at the Cradle 2009
December 15, 2009 at Cat's Cradle in Carrboro, NC

The Trekky Yuletide Orchestra
Dexter Romweber
Stuart McLamb and Missy Thangs (of The Love Language)
Des Ark
Whatever Brains
Lonnie Walker
Organos
Veelee
Birds and Arrows
Mount Weather
Hosted by Billy Sugarfix

Doors at 7PM. Show at 7:30PM.
$8 Advance. $10 Day Of.
Proceeds benefit NMSS.

The Physics of Meaning Announce Holiday Forever Tour

The Physics of Meaning have been been taking a small break while lead Physic Daniel Hart tours the world with his other band, St. Vincent, but the Holidays are a great time to get back together with friends, and embark on a Holiday Forever tour! The tour starts right here in Chapel Hill and takes Physics all the way down to Austin, TX, where the band will begin recording songs for their follow up to 2008's Snake Charmer and Destiny at the Stroke of Midnight. Dates below:

12-11 Chapel Hill, NC - Nightlight
12-12 Greensboro, NC - The Green Bean
12-13 Knoxville, TN - Pilot Light
12-14 Jackson, MS - Hal and Mals
12-17 Dallas, TX - City Tavern
12-18 Austin, TX - Hole in the Wall

Video: Embarrassing Fruits In The Studio

Embarrassing Fruits are hard at work on songs for their new album, the follow up to this year's Community / Exploitation. Here's a nice glimpse into what the boys have been working on. Filmed by the band at the studio in Elon, NC, the video diary shows the band recording vocals, cowbell and incorporating a hit viral video into their promising new batch of songs.

The Duke Chronicle on Trekky Records, Trekky House and Christmas at the Cradle

Today The Duke Chronicle published a nice article about Trekky Records, our home and headquarters, and our upcoming Christmas at the Cradle show. The print edition also features a bunch of silly, Christmas-themed photographs of Martin Anderson and Will Hackney that are worth checking out. Thanks to the Chronicle and their wonderful Recess section for writing about music.

Christmas at the Cradle 2009!

We are very pleased to announce the details for this year's Christmas at the Cradle celebration, our fourth annual Christmas show. We think we have the best bill we've ever had and can't wait to see how these excellent bands interpret Christmas tunes. As always, we'll have
The Trekky Yuletide Orchestra, our 25+ member Christmas super-group, as well as free snacks and drinks, a charity raffle with prizes from wonderful local businesses, classic holiday films, and a visit from the Bearded One himself, Santa Claus. Every year the show is a benefit for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, and we are proud to keep that tradition alive this year. Here are the bands and details:

Trekky Records presents:
Christmas at the Cradle 2009
December 15, 2009 at Cat's Cradle in Carrboro, NC

The Trekky Yuletide Orchestra
Dexter Romweber
Stuart McLamb (of The Love Language)
Des Ark
Whatever Brains
Organos
Veelee
Birds and Arrows
Mount Weather
Hosted by Billy Sugarfix

Doors at 7PM. Show at 7:30PM.
$8 Advance. $10 Day Of.
Proceeds benefit NMSS.

Trekky Records' Guide to Troika 2009

Every year the good folks of Durham do a giant favor for the good folks of the Triangle by putting on the Troika Music Festival. A weekend-long, multi-venue circus of local music, all for only $20. Pretty much every Trekky Records artist has played the festival at some point, and this year we are honored to have both Butterflies and Embarrassing Fruits involved. If you're having trouble choosing between which worthy artist you'll be catching at any given point, here's our official guide to Troika: our recommendations, or at least just where we'll be at over the course of the weekend. Also, here's a great preview video featuring music from Embarrassing Fruits:




THURSDAY

7:45PM | Megafaun (Durham Central Park)

Our dear friends and brilliant musicians who turn everything they touch to gold. Come see their warm, celebratory blend of folk, blues, old time, drone and everything that is good in this world at this lovely outdoor, nighttime show at Durham Central Park. DO NOT MISS.

11:00PM | Bowerbirds (DPAC)

Our other dear friends who compose gorgeous songs that say exactly what we are thinking about how we interact with our world. Deceptively complex music that sounds as simple and true as if it has been around for centuries. This show will be in the cavernous Durham Performing Arts Center, so it'll be quite an experience.

FRIDAY

7:45PM | Liza Kate (West End Wine Bar)

Liza Kate is actually from Richmond, VA, but since she calls excellent local record label Holidays For Quince home, she is welcomed with open arms in the Triangle. Her songs are quiet, beautiful, contemplative, precious, intimate and well worth seeing live in order to hear every little detail.

10:30PM | Embarrassing Fruits (Marvell Event Center)

Our own Embarrassing Fruits have become a cherished rock band in the Triangle, and we couldn't be happier to see people connecting with their magnetic brand of distorted pop music. They are hard at work on their new record and will be playing new songs you've never heard before. Rejoice! This will be Fruits' first year playing the festival.

12:30PM | Dex Romweber Duo (Trotter Building)

Dexter has become a legend not only in these parts, but also everywhere else through his work with Flat Duo Jets as well as his extensive solo work and collaborations. Artists such as Jack White, Neko Case and Chan Marshall have sung his praises, but don't take their words for it, come see for yourself. Dexter plays with his sister Sara in the Duo.

SATURDAY

2:30PM | Mount Moriah (Trotter Building)

Mount Moriah features Heather McEntire and Jenks Miller, who run the aforementioned Holidays For Quince label. They play pretty, slow, transcendent Southern rock and they get their name from the road right by our house. Start yr Troika day off right with this early show.

8:30PM | The Tender Fruit (West End Wine Bar)

Led by the tender voice of Christy Smith, this band is criminally unknown. One of the many undiscovered treasures teeming about in the Durham city streets. Guitar, drums, piano. Simple and powerful.

9:30PM | Veelee (Duke Coffeehouse)

Matt and Ginger of Veelee cover a lot of ground for a two piece. Drums, guitars, synths and guy/girl vocals swirl around slightly sinister pop songs. The result is both charming and meaningful. They'll sound great through the powerful sound system at Duke Coffeehouse.

11:30PM | Butterflies (Bull McCabes)

Butterflies also make their Troika debut this year, and we're excited for people to hear what Trekky's finest emo-art-jazz-pop band can do. Josh and the boys will be playing many new songs from their upcoming album, which is in the process of being recorded right now. As always, you'd be a fool not to stick around for the inevitable disco jam that Butterflies shows generally erupt into. You've been warned/tipped off.

See you in Durham!

Joe Norkus offers free Halloween EP

Embarrassing Fruits' Joe Norkus continues his prolific history of amazing, free, home-recorded music with a new Halloween EP, titled Hollerin' Haints, available now for free download. Yes, he was a few days late on this, but who says you can't celebrate your holidays anachronistically? Enjoy these seven eerie new songs, and if you're hollerin' for more, check out Joe's classic Livin' in the Wrong Times and Digital Hiss, also available for free from Trekky's arch-nemesis label, Sufficient Records.

Also, check out the video for "Casper" from Hollerin' Haints, composed of public domain footage from the golden age of American culture: