Just announced kora's showcase at SXSW will feature Meredith Bragg, Pree and Stricken City. Our showcase is with our friends The Mylene Sheath, and we plan on taking over Valhalla on E 6th Street the night of March 20th. We'll also have a bunch of day parties with tkr artists, those details to be announced soon. Stricken City was just reviewed in Pitchfork, Check it out and other high praise here. PLUS expect a teaser from Meredith's next album before we go to Austin.
Before we get to the warmth of Texas, we have our snow loving friends from
Fredrik landing in the states later this week for their first US tour of 2010. Trilogi has been getting lots of critical acclaim and their live show is not to be missed if you're on the east coast, go see them and if you're in DC, you can see Meredith, Pree and Fredrik all at once on February 22 at the Black Cat.
New.Decade.29.January.10
Fredrik's sophomore release, Trilogi, is here!. NPR featured it on All Songs Considered twice this week. They are heading to the states in two weeks, tour dates are streaming in and they've already released a 2nd video for the album, see the amazing video for viskra below. Stricken City make their way back to America in March for bevy of shows at SXSW and will share the kora showcase stage with Pree and Meredith Bragg.
Unassuming.Gem.21.December.09
Under the Radar reviews both Stricken City and Fredrik for their best of 09 issue. Fredrik isn't out until January, but we're fine with the early accolades... "the ambient super group Jose Gonzales forgot to join, there's little not to like in this gentle unassuming gem".
Holiday.Visuals.11.December.09
New videos from Fredrik, from the forthcoming Trilogi it's the official video for "Vinterbarn". The Stereogum premiere of it today says "it's a chilly bit of developmental psychology via gusty Swedish baroque pop". The album is on pre-sale now, out officially on January 26. And below that is the wonderful Super 8 film by Stricken City capturing their recent tour including highlights in NYC. PLUS, an early x-mas present, here's a remix of SC's "Pull the House Down" by Skellington, which premiered today on FADER - "hyper-dreamy, like a fading watercolor", so click away. Happy Chanukah too - NY Times reviews Stricken City!
Songs.People.Know.15.November.09
Sing it with me, Songs About People I Know is officially out. We hope you pick it up on pretty 180gr color vinyl or CD format and learn all the words so you can sing along too. Pitchfork just reviewed the song "Small Things". Here's a peak of the pretty pink limited edition wax.
Shows with people we know.9.October.09
Less than two weeks before Stricken City make their US debut(!) at CMJ. Shows have been announced with more in the works. The press keeps gushing too, one of our fave features is this photo spread and interview in Dummy Magazine.
Premieres.25.September.09
The early buzz continues for Stricken City which is in the kora shop for pre-sale in CD and vinyl formats and includes two bonus tracks. The band is prepping for their first US appearances next month - details soon! Oh and did we mention the limited 180 gram color vinyl also includes a digital download coupon. The CD version is a beautiful gatefold edition using deluxe recycled paper stock.
Due to a production issue, Fredrik's (amazing) new album, Trilogi, is now your first must have record in 2010, it will be out in January.
Back to Back.24.August.09
A quick update to all on the fall goings on at TKR. We're bringing some spectacular news sounds in a lovely back to back fashion in November. Stricken City's Songs About People I Know will be released on November 3rd. Fredrik's new one, an epic 13 song effort, Trilogi, will come the following week, November 17th. Pre-sale information for both will be posted next month and look out for some music videos from both albums then too.
Love Struck Stricken.10.August.09
As promised the big international news is here. TKR is proud to bring aboard Stricken City to our happy little family. The London four piece quickly won us over earlier this summer and we are beyond ecstatic to present their debut release, Songs About People I Know, stateside.
The Guardian hails the SC as "insanely catchy, ramshackle post-punk-pop" and we couldn't agree more. Get your Stricken City 101 syllabus via MySpace and see why we became so love struck with Rebekah, Iain, Kit and Mike. The album will be out this fall in CD and vinyl formats. We'll post full details on how to get it later this month.
*AND* in the internatianal que - details on the upcoming Fredrik full length, Trilogi, are also just around the bend!
Fort Night.16.July.09
The mild summer is about to get a perfect dose of outdoor shows with kora artists gracing the stage at Fort Reno. Make sure to catch Meredith Bragg on July 20th and Pree on July 27th. Pree then jumps on the road for their biggest tour to date before heading into the studio for their debut full length. And.. stay tuned for some international tkr news next week.
Letter Day.23.June.09
Letter from New Virginia is out now on limited edition CD as well as digitally , stop by the kora shop to pick up your hand numbered copy. As an extra bonus, Donny Hue and TKR are giving away a free digital EP of free-sides from the recording session.
Commonwealth of Colors.26.May.09
New New Donny Hue! Letter from New Virginia is coming out on June 23rd. Go to the sounds page to hear a new track, and if you follow us on twitter you'll get a whole bunch more (one free b-side a week, 6 in all!). Pre-sale starts in a couple of weeks and the band is on the road with The High Strung in June!
Pree-Order.3.March.09
Pree orders are up for Gregor Samsa and Pree right now, come and get 'em. The Pree spring tour is coming together as well, check for updates here - note some shows with Donny Hue and some with Meredith Bragg. Speaking of those fine gents - Donny Hue and the Colors are wrapping up the follow up to Folkmote this week while Meredith Bragg is hunkered down in the outskirts of DC recording away.
Forward March.25.Feb.09
The special tour packs for Gregor Samsa's Over Air have sold out, thanks to everyone who ordered. You can now pre-order the album in the store. Coming next week you can also pre-order the debut EP by Pree, out officially on March 24th. Pree will hit the east coast in April, but those in DC can celebrate the release of A Chopping Block on March 19th, along with Meredith Bragg, at Black Cat. Pree's ever growing live set up should not be missed. In the meantime, check out a stripped down version of the EP's single performed for All Our Noise in the fall by May and Chris.
Best Year Ever.17.Jan.09
TKR is hitting the ground running in 2k9 as we get ready for our biggest year ever. Gregor Samsa are on another European adventure and have advance copies of their latest kora release Over Air. The album, 60 minutes of music to plus over 30 minutes of video, is out officially on March 10th, pre-sale is going on right now available as a tour pack along with a limited edition tour poster (only 100 posters made, limited quantity on sale on line).
And quickly following Over Air, Pree is prepping for their first tour for their EP, A Chopping Block, which is due out March 24th. Pree pre-orers coming in about a month.
Over Air.1.Dec.08
Now that Donny Hue and the Colors and Fredrik have finished touring the states for their new albums, it's time for some shows across the pond. Gregor Samsa head to Europe for an entire month of shows starting in early January. We have tour dates for you here, plus information will be coming very soon on how to get Over Air, a new release which includes a mastered version of the band's session recorded in Amsterdam for VPRO. The disc will also feature several HD quality videos and unreleased music.
Since we went along for the ride, we can't forget about the Fredrik tour so quickly. Catch members of the band perform 1986 and 11 Years live from the House of Sweden for TV4. More live performances here.
Happy AnniversaPree.22.Oct.08
November is around the corner which means it's time to celebrate the anniversary of our first release. This year we invite you to party with Fredrik (at their first ever american show), Meredith Bragg and newly signed kora act Pree! Pree features the hauntingly beautiful vocals of May Tabol. May, formerly of Le Loup, quickly won us over with a string of intimate solo shows and we can't wait to bring you Pree's debut in early '09.
The 4th year jamboree takes place November 5th at DC9. For the history buffs out there, this marks Meredith's 3rd appearance at a kora anniversary show.
The Piano Creeps did a string of shows last weekend in support of their kora debut, Future Blues (for me and you), which is receiving lots of great press, and, is out TODAY. Pick it up digitally or in fine letterpress packaging in the store. Only 500 made! TPC also played our Band Together for Obama benefit which was a huge success, bringing in over $1,000 in donations for our favorite senator running for president. A feature on the event will be posted soon via our friends at All Our Noise.
Collectors. Ed. Sold Out.7.Sep.08
The Collectors Edition of Gregor Samsa's new album is sold out. The vinyl version is on sale in the kora store as a 140 gram double LP enclosed in a two piece heavy card stock double folio design featuring the same die cut and artwork from the CD release. The packaging is an original design produced for the first time by TKR and is a limited edition of 500. Stay tuned for more Gregor Samsa news this fall. Listen to a gorgeous live session from their radio appearance on VPRO in Amsterdam.
Up next - The Piano Creeps on October 14 and Fredrik on October 28, pre-sale starts October 6th for both. Plus there's a new full length on November 11 by Donny Hue and The Colors. All 3 bands will be on tour, dates and locations coming soon.
Northwest Reign Drops.7.July.08
The Widespread Reign of the Great Northwest, the debut by The Great Northwest is in NW, DC and up in the store for pre-order (comes with free TKR sampler CD)! The letterpressing job by Stumptown may be one of our finest offerings yet and the music inside is even better, it's getting quite the blog buzz. The official release date is July 29th and gets digital on July 15th. We haven't forgotten about Gregor Samsa on vinyl or the Collectors Edition, details to come, promise!
Westward Bound.27.May.08
The Fairline Parkway's 2nd full length, and kora debut, A Memory of Open Spaces, is out today! It's the perfect soundtrack to a summer getaway... the hours between towns on a cross country drive west. The clutter falls away and you are left with space, beauty, and a lazy afternoon pop record on the stereo (recommended if you dig Jeff Tweedy/Nick Drake/Will Oldham/Mojave 3). If you're in the DC on June 15th, we'll be celebrating the release at the band's show at Rock n Roll Hotel. Their debut video is now up in the video section or viewable here.
Visual Arts.13.May.08
Gregor Samsa begins their first tour (this one in Europe) for Rest later this week. To get everyone in the mood they've made one breath-taking video for Jeroen Van Aken, directed by Rick Alverson from Spokane. It's viewable on Pitchork TV and last week was in their Forkcast and featured on Stereogum. Not to be outdone, The LK performed Tamagotchi Freestyle live on Swedish tv and Meredith's song My Absent Will is on The Real World, Weds, May 14th at 10p.
New to the Family.28.April.08
For those who got our sampler at SXSW, you are already in the know, for the rest of ya, here's the news! Joining TKR from Ithaca, NY it's The Piano Creeps! Featuring Mary Lorson and Billy Coté from Madder Rose along with Kathy Ziegler, we are honored to work with some of our all time favorite music makers. Preview songs here from their introspective masterpiece Future Blues which comes your way this autumn, already one of our favorite records of '08. And from Malmö, Sweden we are ecstatic to bring you the palatial pop from the band Fredrik (featuring Fredrik and Lindefelt from The LK!). Fredrik's album, Na Na Ni, is out at the end of summer, catch an early taste here.
Rest set for Vinyl.14.April.08
We have sorted out most of the details so we can now tell you that there will be a 5th way to pick up Gregor Samsa's new album REST from TKR. We are very proud to say we are putting our first release on vinyl! Rest is being pressed as a 140 gram Double LP. The vinyl version will be enclosed in a two piece heavy card stock double folio incorporating the rivet and string closure of the Ltd. Edition CD. The packaging is a new design produced for the first time by TKR and will be a limited edition of 500. This one is going to be a stunner and worth the wait.
The limited edition of Rest is now on sale for pre-order. Learn more about the various formats available for the new Gregor Samsa. Stop the letterpresses - there's more in "store"! The Fairline Parkway's A Memory of Open Spaces, #3 in our micro series with only 700 letterpressed copies made, is also in the store for pre-order. Click here and good luck!
In like a lion.14.March.08
Vs. the Snow is available now. To help celebrate, The LK kicked off their tour last weekend in Washington and are currently turning heads at SXSW. Their debut video for "Stop Being Perfect" - the kora bonus track - is also getting buzz by the likes of Pitchfork and Stereogum... and read P4K's tremendous (a 7.9!) album review here.
Here we go - Vs. the Snow is available now for pre-order. The LK tour is nearly complete, click here for dates/updates and see who else is on the road. We'll be debuting our first kora sampler at SXSW, so if you see us in Austin, make sure you get one. It features 6 tracks from upcoming releases including a beautiful song from Rest as well as some new kora artists we haven't even told you about yet. Gregor Samsa is previewing a track a week from Rest every Sunday on MySpace - if you haven't listened to any of it yet, get started, four tracks are already up.
Locked.Stocked.11.Dec.07 -
It's trifecta Tuesday with 3 new releases out today. Aidan Baker's Scalpel; after pre-sale there are only around 300 of these left, so get in on it soon. Meredith Bragg's Silver Sonya; has been featured on NBC's Chuck and is garnering a great buzz online and in print.
Donny Hue and the Colors' Mr. Red Blues; our first digital only release, gets us all in the holiday mood with their Christmas EP. Check out your favorite digital download store to get some festive tunes, it's online today.
Those in DC after Christmas - Dec 27th - Meredith Bragg's official CD Release show at the Black Cat with solo sets by Donny Hue and good pal Paul Michel.
Winter Blitz.5.Nov.07 -
We're ending the year with 3 new releases. Our first effort with Aidan Baker, Scalpel, is finally ready to put in your hands. There are only 500 of these to go around. Sparse guitars and sounds ebbing and flowing with ghostly vocals, it's an ambient gem... and what Aidan has called his folk record. Silver Sonya by Meredith is also now on pre-sale. There's more! We'll have our first digital only release on December 18th as Donny Hue and the Colors get in the holiday spirit with a Christmas EP! It's been a traditon of Ed Donohue's to write and record Christmas songs every winter for friends, and now we are letting a new batch come out for everyone to hear. Get to stuffing your musical stockings.
Silver Surfer.26.Oct.07 -
December 11th marks the return of Meredith Bragg, this time as a solo artist, with his masterful musical document named after the studio is was conceived in, Silver Sonya. Pre-orders begin November 6th. Aidan Baker fans Scalpel will have the same pre-order and release date as Meredith. What a day it's going to be!
More on Meredith in Stereogum. Listen to a track from Aidan's new release.
from far and near.17.Sep.07
Hej Hej! Please help us welcome from Malmö, Sweden, The LK, and from Washington, DC, The Fairline Parkway. We began a musical love affair with The LK after catching them in DC earlier this summer. Captivated by their infectious sound - a combination of indelible loops, resonating lyrics and shimmering vocals - we have no doubt their songs will be the indie anthems of many a house party next year. Their debut, VS. the Snow, with an extra bonus track for the USA, will be out in February.
We met Ben and Raj from Fairline for the first time in 2006 when their band Pagoda (now Roofwalkers), opened for Gregor Samsa. Both sides stayed in touch and when they sent us a copy of Lander's Peak we couldn't get it out of our stereo and kept thinking to ourselves, how did kora's karma get so good? Lander's Peak will be out in the new year as well. 2008, it's going to be one heck of a year. There's still more in store for '07 - Meredith and Aidan will be out in time for stuffing stockings.
thank you, come again.10.Sep.07
Friday night was one to remember at the Cat. We've never heard Olivia sound so good, Donny sound so trippy and Meredith and the Terms were as sharp as ever. Thanks to everyone that played and came out to watch. As Donny Hue and a dozen Colors demonstrate here - "oh how happy we are" and a song from the acoustic set at Olsson's.
In the meantime, we're trying to figure out how to clone Dan Swenson and prepping our big news on new bands to be delivered to you in a couple of weeks!
folkmotion.30.July.07
Donny Hue's Folkmote is here and looks gorgeous. Pre-orders are available now and the first 50 online orders include limited edition artwork by Donny Hue himself! Pre-orders ship August 20th - WashingtonPost.com approves with a "highly recommended." More press may be found here, and a long list of tourdates here.
mouth to mouth.21.May.07
On May 17th we took to the airwaves of DC with DJ KerO on Radio CPR. We featured songs from the kora cataloge, past and future. Speaking of the future - Donny Hue and The Colors, Folkmote, will be released on August 28th, we'll be taking pre-orders in July, including some limited editions copies!
Also on the horizon, as of mid July, there may not be internet radio. So check out how you can help save net radio and do your part! We loves our internets radio.
kora news.2.April.07
New kora band(s) alert!
Donny Hue and The Colors
We are happy to announce kora will release the debut full length album by Donny Hue and The Colors. The kora family tree is spreading its branches - Donny Hue is a member of The Terminals (The Colors also feature Terminal Dan Swenson), and, he's put together a fine record of his own. They'll be touring a'plenty when the album comes out in mid-summer. We'll have a release date for you real soon, for now go over to the sounds page and download real long time from the upcoming release.
Aidan Baker
We've gone north of the border up to Toronto and will be putting out the next record by the prolific Aidan Baker. Aidan has quite the resume of drone/ambient records, as well as being an accomplished writer. His band Nadja just got this lovely review from Pitchfork - "drone explorer Aidan Baker and bassist Leah Buckareff-- may be the best band in the world doing something exciting right now with Jesu/Godflesh/Napalm Death/etc. man Justin Broadrick's doom metal past."
New Kora Micro Series
These releases will mark the beginning of a new series of special limited release albums. They will all be packaged in newly designed letterpress envelopes, hand numbered mostly in editions of 500… though we have been known to break our own rules. We have a couple more of these gems already lined up for you, but why spoil the surprise now!
11.March.07
Hear some of Meredith's new solo work - he's posted a mix of the song Plinian on MySpace. Mr. Bragg has been busy in the studio the last few weeks, the new full length record will be coming your way in late summer.
No pouting because you can't wait a few months for all the new Meredith music, 3 shows with the Terminals are lined up for this month, with plenty of new songs to be heard. And... for a limited time you can get both of Meredith's kora releases as a low priced combo in the kora store. While you are there you can also grab The Out Crowd's debut on the cheap.
3.7.06 - Tour time We're happy to report that Meredith Bragg & The Terminals, Gregor Samsa, and, yours truly will be at the 10th annual MACRoCK festival next month in Harrisonburg, VA. Kora will be a part of the label expo on April 8th from noon to five, and both MB+TT and Gregor Samsa are playing on the same bill in Court Square Theater later that day. See you there! Make sure to check out the shows page for updated tour dates. Oh yeah, 55:12 is on sale now, Alternative Press just gave it 4 stars!
12.1.05 - Please welcome...
It was a daydream to put out an album by Gregor Samsa even before we started releasing albums just over a year ago. Needless to say it excites us to no end to announce that come early in the new year we will be bringing you their new album 55:12. We first fell in love with this band after seeing them play a show in NYC where we picked up all the recordings they had... something we suggest you do too...and when you can't imagine them topping those EP's check back this March to pick up their new full length and catch them on a US tour later that month. More information will be coming over the coming months, including song clips, artwork, pre-order info, and a possible limited edition to feature extra artwork and packaging.
In the mean time we have been assembling Meredith Bragg's follow up to Vol. 1, The Departures EP. It is available for pre-order in the Store, shipping in January. Meredith may also have some at his upcoming gigs, check out the Shows page for dates!
Both The Out Crowd (with special guests William and Achilles) and Meredith Bragg + The (expanded) Terminals floored us at the Kennedy Center this week... if you attended, you know what we mean... if you didn't, you can check out both shows online at the Kennedy Center site, here are the links, just click and scroll to the bottom of the page:The Out Crowd, MB+TT. You can also pick up one of a very limited number of left over posters printed for the occasion by Starshaped Press in the Store, supplies are limited. Thanks to everyone who came out to the first anniversary shows, especially The Out Crowd and Meredith Bragg + The Terminals.
11.1.05 - Posterized
We have some limited edition anniversary show posters for sale in the kora store. Get one before they're gone, only 25 will be sold thru the website. The Out Crowd will also have an amazing poster on their tour stops so make sure to bring some extra scratch when you see them. Check out a new interview with The Out Crowd's Matt Hollywood.
10.15.05 - Travellin Man
Want to follow Meredith Bragg on his cross country travels? Take a gander at his blog on Washington Post's website.
8.19.05 - Riot on the Radio
Meredith Bragg performs on Radio K in Minn. around 3p eastern time on September 1, tune in here to listen. Check out a story on Volume 1 by the great Mark Jenkins which aired on WAMU today, real audio or windows media.
7.05.05 - Meredith Mania
Thanks to everyone who made it out to the Black Cat Sunday night, it was an amazing evening. We are so excited for Volume 1, which climbed to #78 on CMJ this week. We'll have some photos from our first ever DC CD release show to share very soon, here's an excerpt from the review in the Washington Post - "Bragg and his band, the Terminals, played a show that justified the buzz, crafting a brief but sturdy set of low-key songs that emphasized their leader's fingerpicked acoustic guitar and sharply drawn lyrics."5.26.05 -Out Crowd on CMJ, Meredith Bragg CD Release show The Out Crowd have spent some time in CMJ's Top 200 chart and are on about 90 stations across this great land of ours. Some nice reviews have come over from another greal land, Australia. East Coast news: Meredith Bragg and The Terminals kick off a tour in support of Volume 1 on July 3rd at the Black Cat, your first chance to own the album before it hits stores on July 12.
4.7.05 -Spring Loaded The Out Crowd are officially in the van on the road. We're exicted, Vancouver is excited, you should be too! Also, we'll have some Meredith Bragg artwork to share in a couple of days, ooh it's nice, plus more summer treats in store! Washington's City Paper chimes in on Mr. Bragg's last show (and look he's back in the studio).
2.9.05 -New Reviews (updated 5.8), New MB tune Get caught up on press for The Out Crowd's Then I Saw the Holy City
Meredith Bragg has a song on the upcoming Deep Elm 'This is Indie Rock' compilation. Check out track 3.
1.29.05 - Audiovisuals Coming off of their big show with the Dandys, The Out Crowd perform live on Audioasis on KEXP tonight at 6p (Pacific), live on air and online. In print news, Meredith Bragg was featured in the Washington Post's daily, The Express, on Thursday, check it out.
12.21.04 -Meredith Bragg signs with the kora records
The Kora Records is proud to welcome Mr. Meredith Bragg to the family. Be on the lookout for his debut release in the early summer of 2005. We are honored to have him in the fold, as we've coveted his musicianship since the first time we saw him play, and, the debut album will not dissapoint fans of Elliott Smith, Death Cab for Cutie, and Neil Halstead.
2.8.04 -Diggin it Down Under (Updated) / New Shows Matt Hollywood is currently touring Australia, along with Brent from the Dandy Warhols, in conjunction with the movie DIG! The two are hosting premieres, playing shows and the like. Matt's been on national tv and the Aussies are taking quite a liking to Then I Saw the Holy City. December 10th Matt is on Australian MTV, on the 1th, Matt and Brent perform at the Sydney Opera House! The Out Crowd have added some shows in the NW, check the shows page for dates.
