Big Show, New Datagun, Identical Homes, and More!

Lay Down Thy Raincoat and Groove!
Three Ring Records is proud to co-present the CD release party of Amores Vigilantes' debut album "West Coast Kingdom," at Café Du Nord (Thursday, Dec. 17). The record was officially released on Dec. 8, 2009 - the anniversary of John Lennon's passing. An appropriate date, says singer Delfin Vigil, who recorded parts of the album in the basement of the San Francisco Chronicle. "I was five, in our living room when my teary-eyed mom put on 'Help!' to mark the occasion. My uncle's name is also John and he gave me his Beatles records and a guitar. I thought my uncle had died. He was alive, my mom assured me, and so was Lennon's music. She smiled. That's what inspired me to someday make a record." Early reviews have described "West Coast Kingdom" as "inducing the mind into a kind of dreamy wonder."

Three Ring Records will be handing out stocking stuffer CDs from the label's back catalog at Thursday's Café Du Nord gig, which includes Scrabbel and Seventeen Evergreen on the bill. For those still dedicated to only digital, visit Three Ring Digital to check out the new Society of Rockets and The Foreign Resort albums now available! Of course, we will be ringing in the new year with even more musical memories - including a free sampler in January. And here's the word from Three Ring's neighboring tee-pees:
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500 Records
The Aimless Never Miss are back on target with the release of the "Tran E.P.'" on limited edition cassettes (!) as well as digitally at your favorite retailer.

Also available digitally:

Identical Homes "Machine Made Moods": Identical Homes is the electronic/post rock brain child of Daniel McKenzie from the critically acclaimed band The Rum Diary. Identical Homes (aka Daniel McKenzie) crafts his warm and glowing new album "Machine Made Moods" from the ethers of time. Envision the dusty sounds of Boards of Canada and catchiness of Pinback mixed with samples from Apocalypse Now, Stephen Hawking and a half working CB radio from a decaying Rum Diary tour van and you'll have pretty good idea of where Identical Homes is coming from. In "Machine Made Moods" you will find a soundtrack for daydreaming. In addition to Identical Homes, Daniel plays guitar and sings in Shuteye Unison and plays bass in Built for the Sea.

James & Evander "This Isn't the Beginning of Anything": James and Evander is a music production duo based in Oakland, California consisting of Adam Myatt (James Madison) and Glenn Jackson (Evander Owens). After meeting in school they started working together recording Bay Area bands and wrote "The Awkward Turtle E.P." (500 Records). Now the band's second release "This Isn't the Beginning of Anything" shows how the duo have progressed as songwriters and producers. "This Isn't the Beginning of Anything" sees the band expanding and collaborating with even more Bay Area musicians. The 9 instrumental tracks walk the line between dancey and ambient with a pop sensibility. You can also pick up a physical copy of the album directly from 500 Records.
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Mission Freak Records
Datagun to release "Wild" on January 19, 2010! Datagun is looking for that perfect balance, the moment of divine intersection between noise and beauty, knowing that waves of noise can often be the most beautiful thing around. But this band is also concerned with pop melodies and hypnotic patterns. Armed with a minimal set of tools - a drum machine, a guitar, and a couple of keyboards - Datagun's three members build their songs around simple pounding beats and erratic washes of guitar and synthesizer static. Embracing the valley-peak dynamics of post-rock, the insistent pulse of dance music, and the haunting vocals of British 80's post-punk, Datagun are among Iowa City's most curious bands, spending as much time taking notes when the biggest bands come through town as they do dipping their faces into the mud of experimental basement shows. "Wild" was recorded in the midst of sub zero temperatures and knee-high snow. Put down on tape in the historic Village of East Davenport by Patrick Stolley (Daytrotter), the album captures the booming dance beats, pop melodies, and analog chaos that is typical of a Datagun live show. Be sure to check out Mission Freak's first release of 2010!
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And Coming Up Next!
Free Three Ring sampler, available exclusively at our website! Also, releases by: The Society of Rockets, The Foreign Resort, and more!
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White Vinyl, New Scrabbel, Q&A with ALK, and More!

V is for Vinyl!
Three Ring Records is set to blast off this month of music celebrations with Society of Rockets. The San Francisco-based melodic madmen have emerged from their laboratory to produce "Future Factory" - a double-length LP cut on limited edition white vinyl! Singer/cosmonaut leader Joshua Babcock has pronounced the album as being "designed to function as an hour-long sonic map of utopias that never were and have yet to be..." Although the official release will be March of 2010 the stars will align for a space and time for those eager to get an early copy when the Society of Rockets record release show on Wednesday, Nov. 18 at San Francisco's Elbo Room. The Conspiracy of Beards and Lotus Feet open the show. "Your presence in the congregation is kindly requested," says Babcock.
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Songs to Learn and Steal
Scrabbel's lead singer Dan Lee has been known to hide under the covers of his bed for un-quantified periods of time. But on the band's Hijacked Tunes, Mr. Lee and company can do little to keep the soulful Scrabbel sound from reflecting right through this E.P. of cover songs that includes a hella haunting version of My Bloody Valentine's "Sometimes" and an indignantly ironic take on the "M.A.S.H. Theme Song." A limited number of CDs have been floating around Scrabbel shows for a while, but is now available to all Scrabbel song players through your favorite digital retailer, or directly from Three Ring Records!
PURCHASE DIGITAL
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Q&A With ALK
It's always opposite day in the mind of singer Daniel Phifer, whose band Aim Low Kid only knows how to reach for the stars, man. The San Francisco band leader who likes to turn sad songs on their happy heads has done it again, with their "Music Ruined My Life EP," now out on Three Ring Records. Below are some more oxymoronic thoughts from Mr. Phifer.

1. Where did the title idea come from?
The title is of course a little tongue in cheek, however, there is a deeper theme working there. Playing and writing music is one the great joys in my life. More often than not though I feel like the business of being a band is running me ragged. The title really comes from the idea that no matter how great something is, the day to day minutiae of getting the simplest things done can suck the joy right out of anything. It also refers to the feeling you get when you pour your heart and soul into something and it feels like no one really gives a damn. So yeah, everything in this world is bittersweet, that's what it's really all about.

2. Which song was the easiest to write and record and why? Which was the most difficult and why?
The easiest song to write was probably Happiness is Little Moments. It was one of those songs that just seemed to write itself. I feel like Year of the Dog was the easiest to record although I don't feel like any of the songs were particularly difficult to write or record. I love writing and recording and every minute we're in the studio is pure pleasure for me.

3. Where was the E.P. recorded? Any particular reason this place or atmosphere was chosen?
The EP was recorded at Moon Dog Studios in Alameda. The producer we worked with, Andrew Leavitt, is friends with the owner and makes Moon Dog his home away from home when visiting from Ireland. We had recorded a demo song with Andrew at Moon Dog and we loved the home-like atmosphere of the studio and working with Andrew. So much so that it was a natural choice when we decided to do the EP. We'll be headed back there in January to start recording a full length.

4. What sort of energy (instruments/ideas/new directions) would you say is on this E.P. that hasn't been tapped into by Aim Low Kid before?
We had been playing these songs live for a while before we ever brought them into the studio. So while the instrumentation and song writing had been previously cemented, I'd have to say that working with Andrew really expanded our sound as far as layering and arrangements. That's why I really enjoy working with Andrew. He adds an extra element to the music. He listens to each song objectively and then says, 'Hey, you should try playing that part this way' or 'I think it would sound better if you did this'.

5. Is this E.P. foreshadowing anything we should be looking for. Or, in other words, what has the band got coming up next?
Honestly, if the time and money had been available to us this would have been a full length album. So, yes, I'd say this is a great foreshadowing of things to come. Everything we couldn't commit to tape on this EP as well as a great deal of new material will be on the next record. I think it will be interesting to see how the next one comes out considering we've been playing some of the songs slated for recording for a year or more and some of them will be brand new. Not to mention the effect time has on the individual members perspective, ability and general outlook. I'm looking forward to another opportunity to make something shiny, stalwart and highly personal. In other words, another aim low kid record.
PURCHASE CD - $7 PURCHASE DIGITAL
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Exclusive FREE Three Ring Sampler!
The nice folks at ThinkIndie have issued a promotional sampler by Three Ring Records!
ThinkIndie is a national Digital Music Store offering music expertly curated by real record stores, in DRM free MP3 format, and backed by years of quality service.

You can download the sampler here!
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And Coming Up Next!
Coming up in December, Scrabbel will be back in the news and on the stage at Café Du Nord in San Francisco on Thursday, December 17, when they perform with new Three Ring recording artists Amores Vigilantes who will unveil the world of their debut album "West Coast Kingdom". Longtime friends Seventeen Evergreen from Pacific Radio Fire Records are also on the bill.

UPCOMING SHOWS
11/18/09, The Society of Rockets (RECORD RELEASE!)@ Elbo Room (SF)
11/18/09, Love is Chemicals @ Bottom of the Hill
12/17/09, Three Ring Records and SMiLE! Presents: An Evening with Scrabbel, Seventeen Evergreen, and Amores Vigilantes (CD RELEASE!) @ Cafe Du Nord (SF)

Love Is Chemicals, Solar Powered People, New Three Ring Website and More!

Whew! It's been like a circus here under the Three Ring Records big top. For us, 2009 saw the summer of Love Is Chemicals with lots of sunshine worship from Solar Powered People, as both bands released their albums in July. Now that the dreamy weather season has arrived, things are only going to get cozier in the Three Ring tent as we get set to unveil our new amazing acts: Amores Vigilantes, The Foreign Resort and Snowstorm Music's The New Slave. We are also proud to annouce the launch of our new website! So stay tuned! In the meantime, hold on to your hats for the latest death-defying details:

Love is Chemicals
Kind of like his Sesame Street surname sake, Nate Grover was attacked by a case of the catchy melodies while changing lanes, standing in the shower with foamy hair or just trailing off in mid-conversation. Nate Grover sang the blues that would become "Song of the Summer Youth Brigade", released by Three Ring in July.Among other glowing reviews, the Owl Mag raved about the album's quality songwriting: "they shimmer with wistfulness... and they posses an emotional resonance that sneaks up on you rather than hitting you over the head." We'll be adding more reviews as well as the story of the making of the album on the Love Is Chemicals page.

Solar Powered People
While the world was falling apart in 2009, Solar Powered People were coming together to shine better than ever. "Simplicity, space, change, hope, love, loss, melody and growth." Those were the artistic ingredients that singer Tony Pennington used for the album "Living Through the Low", a July Three Ring release. "It's all about the state of things in the world, our lives and what just seemed like everything going on around us that sums up the title," said Tony. Heave Media described the opening track "Melting Ice and Snow" as: "rushing together to create an explosion of sound and style. Their songs have this certain exuberance that intertwines with the intricate layering of guitars and rhythm section..."Check out the Modesto band's page soon for the cool story behind the album's artwork by Solar Powered People drummer Ryan Coscia as well as behind the mixing board anecdotes from Sacramento's favorite producer and musician extraordinaire, Matt McCord.


500 Records News
September saw the release of Identical Homes album "Machine Made Moods," which has been described as a soundtrack for dreaming. Envision the dusty sounds of Boards of Canada and catchiness of Pinback mixed with samples from "Apocalypse Now." You get the idea! And coming out on Oct. 27: James & Evander: "This Isn't the Beginning of Anything." The Oakland duo consists of Adam Myatt (James Madison) and Glenn Jackson (Evander Owens). After meeting in school they started working together recording Bay Area bands and wrote "The Awkward Turtle E.P." (5HR001). "This Isn't the Beginning of Anything," (5H013) shows how the two have progressed as songwriters and producers as they expand and collaborate with even more Bay Area musicians. The nine instrumental tracks walk the line between dancey and ambient with a pop sensibility.
More Info: http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102764595794&s=1&e=001_M4do-NIvokKaDfmMLK0FksoGthnDabkSdGzYlJy3zW8U6KGG5ywvbkvyeFsB1K6sYVJyIp4qlSmDMUnCuyIoj85b36E5uLsiy0oNtlsuWHva5rJl0DKww==


And Coming Up Next!
Amores Vigilantes: Delfin Vigil and K.C. Staubach have been known to lose their car keys and things, not to mention every once in a while, their minds. Wasn't too much of a surprise then, when one of them forgot where the other said they'd stored the mastertapes to their album. Fortunately the recordings were found, along with a key to a place called West Coast Kingdom. Check the Amores Vigilantes page for news on the debut album release. The Foreign Resort: The Great Danes leave Copenhagen to invade America for a series of shows this month in anticipation of releasing their Nordic Soul album, "Offshore." The album, already getting glowing reviews in Europe will gets its Three Ring release in early 2010 - including a 12" vinyl edition of the LP - a Three Ring first!

April 2009 Newsletter

All of us at Three Ring HQ are super-excited about some upcoming events in your area! Here are two reasons to celebrate THIS Saturday, April 18th:

Reason 1: Record Store Day, 2009!
To help celebrate Record Store Day, 2009, Three Ring Records is working directly with Burnside Distribution and independent record stores across the Nation to deliver almost 1500 free music samples to customers who support independent music by shopping on Record Store Day (April 18, 2009)!

From www.recordstoreday.com:
"The original idea for Record Store Day was conceived by Chris Brown, and was founded in 2007 by Eric Levin, Michael Kurtz, Carrie Colliton, Amy Dorfman, Don Van Cleave and Brian Poehner as a celebration of the unique culture surrounding over 700 independently owned record stores in the USA, and hundreds of similar stores internationally.

This is the one day that all of the independently owned record stores come together with artists to celebrate the art of music. Special vinyl and CD releases and various promotional products are made exclusively for the day and hundreds of artists in the United States and in various countries across the globe make special appearances and performances. Festivities include performances, cook-outs, body painting, meet & greets with artists, parades, djs spinning records and on and on. Metallica officially kicked off Record Store Day at Rasputin Music in San Franscisco on April 19, 2008 and Record Store Day is now celebrated the third Saturday every April."

Support your local independent record store and you could receive a special gift from your friends at Three Ring Records!

Reason 2: Three Ring Records Presents Audio Out Send, Love is Chemicals, and The New Slave
Join Three Ring Records as we present three amazing bands this Saturday, April 18th at Hemlock Tavern.

As part of this presentation you can enjoy an evening filled with some of the best music that San Francisco has to offer, not to mention free giveaways including canvas totes filled with goodies, compact discs, and more! Here are the details:

4/18/09, Three Ring Records Presents: an evening with Audio Out Send, Love is Chemicals, The New Slave @ Hemlock Tavern (SF) Doors open at 9pm sharp.

Mission Freak News
Mission Freak is pleased to announce Iowa City thrashers, Birth Rites, will release their debut LP 'All Success Stories' on May 8. 'All Success Stories' showcases many of the songs that the band has been playing live as they have risen to be one of Iowa City's most popular bands in the past year. It shows their breadth of sonic palette, from the bitter ballad "Singing to Myself" to the aggressively catchy "Sleeping Fury."

Along the way, Birth Rites has opened for some amazing bands such as No Age, Titus Andronicus, and HEALTH, and the band that so many in Iowa City love finally has a living, breathing document that captures their furor. Visit www.missionfreak.com for more info!

Snowstorm Music News
April brings three fine releases by small upstart label Snowstorm Music: On April 14, The New Slave released the first single off of their upcoming self-titled full length release. 'Waiting', b/w non-album tracks 'Forward Swing' and 'Year of the Ox', was produced and mixed by Jace Lasek of The Besnard Lakes. All three songs flow perfectly with the concept of the band's yet released full length album and can only be purchased in digital form. You can find the single at your favorite digital retailer!

April 21 will see the release of two full length cds: 'Make the Leap' by The Matinees, and 'Tertiary Allotment is a Delightfulness' by TS Brooks. The Matinees' new album 'Make The Leap' is the creation of members PF Dumanis, former keyboardist of glam rock band Blue Period, and Jaime Borschuk, former guitarist and vocalist of Plan to Pink. The duo have created a delicious group of stripped-down guitar-based songs that are alternately fervent, bouncy and pensive.

'Tertiary Allotment is a Delightfulness' by Portland, Oregon's TS Brooks, is a stripped down gem that will appeal to fans of Robyn Hitchcock, Bob Dylan, and Syd Barrett. TS Brooks is Thomas Sean Brooks, better known as front-guy for west coast stalwarts, Minmae. Brooks' solo work, not unlike Minmae, is pensive, internalizing, and haunting. For more info, please visit www.snowstormmusic.com

UPCOMING SHOWS
4/18/09, Three Ring Records Presents: an evening with Audio Out Send, Love is Chemicals, The New Slave @ Hemlock Tavern (SF)4/25/09, Music For Animals @ Incredible Records (Sebastopol)4/25/09, Music For Animals @ The Hop Monk (Sebastopol)4/30/09, Music For Animals @ Rickshaw Stop (SF)5/01/09, Aim Low Kid @ Hotel Utah (SF)5/07/09, Solar Powered People @ Bottom of the Hill (SF)CD RELEASE! 5/21/09, Aim Low Kid @ Cafe Du Nord (SF)5/22/09, Gamma Gamma @ Ruby Room (San Diego)

February 2009 Newsletter

We're going to keep the intro short on this newsletter as we have a lot to talk about. We have an exciting year ahead of us - Three Ring artists featured in film / television, new releases, and much more! Be sure to attend the Noise Pop Happy Hour this Saturday (Feb. 28) at Bender's! More details below...

Come party with Three Ring and Noise Pop THIS SATURDAY!

Join Three Ring Records as we host the Noise Pop Happy Hour at Bender's on Saturday, February 28th.

As part of our co-sponsorship with Social Imprints, you can enjoy a FREE afternoon with Music For Animals, Aim Low Kid, and Audio Out Send. There will be free giveaways and the first 100 people through the door will receive a special canvas tote filled with goodies, compliments of Three Ring Records, Social Imprints, and Noise Pop!

Doors open at 4pm sharp and the event will last until 7pm - be there or be square

Welcome Snowstorm Music!

We are pleased to announce a new partnership with Snowstorm Music. Based in Northern California, Snowstorm is positioned in the center of a hotbed of new musical talent and will be helping to bring more of these incredible acts into the public eye as the new year progresses.

The first Snowstorm release is by the sparse psychedelia of The New Slave. Their debut 5 song EP 'Building Spring' was released on February 5th digitally, and is available in a limited edition hand-crafted cd form at all of their shows. The band's three members are unassuming, non-flashy residents of Northern California whose music often paints a cold mood, but it's always honest. The band will continue to release material throughout the year, so keep an eye out!

April 21st will see a release by recent Snowstorm addition The Matinees. The Matinees' new album 'Make The Leap' is the creation of members PF Dumanis, former keyboardist of glam rock band Blue Period, and Jaime Borschuk, former guitarist and vocalist of Plan to Pink. The duo have created a delicious group of stripped-down guitar-based songs that are alternately fervent, bouncy and pensive.

'Tertiary Allotment is a Delightfulness' by Portland, Oregon's TS Brooks will also see its release on April 21st. TS Brooks is Thomas Sean Brooks, better known as front-guy for west coast stalwarts, Minmae. Brooks' solo work, not unlike Minmae, is pensive, internalizing, and haunting. TS will debut the album touring Germany for two weeks before returning to the U.S. to resume shows in New York, San Francisco, Austin, Chicago, and Portland - or just about anywhere his 2001 Nissan Altima will take him.

For Snowstorm Music, 2009 promises to be ablaze in warm music in an otherwise cold world.

Welcome Sara Vogel!

We would like to welcome the newest addition here at Three Ring HQ - Sara Vogel. Sara is an accounting student at SFSU, and is a long time fan of independent punk. She will be assisting with various admin duties, working with our media contacts to coordinate reviews, and making sure Three Ring artists are getting air play. Welcome Sara!

Living Through the Low with Solar Powered People!

For those of you familiar with Solar Powered People's first release on Three Ring, 'Hibernation', its no surprise that we are excited about the band's new album - 'Living Through the Low'.

After many shows throughout the Central Valley, San Francisco and Los Angeles, Solar Powered People have really honed their sound. On top of the release of 'Hibernation' and their many shows, the "Commercial Flight" video reached over 250,000 views on YouTube after one week.

For 'Living Through the Low', the band again teamed up with Matt McCord to make an album that marks a new maturity and consistency that shines through from the opening of the first track, "Melting Ice and Snow", straight through to the epic 8+ minute closing track "Out of Time".

You can download 'Living Through the Low' at your favorite digital retailer NOW!

Mission Freak News

Hailing from Iowa City, IA, Wolves in the Attic have released 'Electronic Hearts' - this is the first release from Mission Freak and is available from most digital retailers. Wolves are gearing up for a two part US tour beginning in late May. More info on Wolves in the Attic can be found at www.missionfreak.com!

Mission Freak is also proud to announce the signing of Iowa City band Birth Rites. The band's debut LP, 'All Success Stories', is slated for a May release. Check back frequently for more updates!

Three Ring Records Presents
Throughout 2009 Three Ring Records will be hosting many Bay Area events. These events will showcase a variety of great bands that we feel are up-and-coming acts you won't want to miss out on. You will also have an opportunity to receive free gifts at all of our show, from t-shirts to full-length CDs! We will always keep you informed of what's in the pipeline, so keep an eye out!

UPCOMING SHOWS

2/27/09, Solar Powered People @ Hero's (Modesto)
2/28/09, Three Ring Records and Social Imprints Presents: Noise Pop Happy Hour with Music For Animals, Aim Low Kid, Audio Out Send @ Benders | 4-6pm, FREE!
2/28/09, Love is Chemicals / Noise Pop! @ Swedish American Hall
3/05/09, Solar Powered People @ The Knockout (SF)
3/06/09, Music for Animals @ Bottom of the Hill (SF)
3/15/09, Three Ring Records Presents: an evening with Thousandnames, Kill Moi (featuring members of Elephone), The New Slave (CD Release!) @ Retox Lounge (SF)
4/18/09, Three Ring Records Presents: an evening with Audio Out Send, Love is Chemicals, The New Slave @ Hemlock Tavern (SF)

FEATURED RELEASE

Sharpen the Hours by Audio Out Send

For five years, Audio Out Send has been wrapping ethereal strokes of space pop around the ears of Bay Area enthusiasts. They are both a powerful and unassuming band, as eager to play San Francisco's premier rock venues as they are to set up in the cozy confines of East Bay cafes for intimate, mind-blowing shows. Their 2003 debut, '...or Does It Explode?', was a striking introduction and their 2005 EP, 'A Broad Connection', was a short but impressive stopgap release in between full-lengths. With 'Sharpen the Hours', Audio Out Send has positioned themselves as one of the most important groups in the area. The album is an excellent collection of well-rendered songs and an honest representation of an impressive live band.

Musically speaking, Sharpen the Hours strikes a balance between the glacial movements of the Radar Bros. and the lush pop of Rogue Wave. Specifically, the band is more precise - constructing clear and well-paced song structures - where the Radar Bros would be abstract and edgier - with overdriven guitars and powerhouse drums - where Rogue Wave would settle for the innocuous. In a song like "Mission of the Week", which methodically builds to noisy a climax, there's even a hint of contemporary Radiohead. Acoustic guitar strums are plentiful and echoing keyboards crawl into every corner of this mix. Singer/guitarist, Ben Jennings' voice guides us through the band's carefully arranged soundscapes, striking up memorable melodies.

For a band that has been so good for so long it's not surprising that this, their second full-length, is one of the best albums of the year but rather that they've kept such a low national profile. Perhaps with Sharpen the Hours they'll get a little more attention but whether they do or they don't it won't change the fact that this record is downright awesome.




Thanks for taking the time to read our newsletter. We respect your privacy - if you would like to be removed from this list, click the unsubscribe link below.

Sincerely,


Daniel Crowell, Founder
Three Ring Records

January 2009 Newsletter

We here at Three Ring Records are commited to bringing you the best music possible. Throughout this year you will see many additions to our family, from new and exciting bands, to other record labels joining us in seeking out musical talent. We will be launching a new website with a streamlined checkout system. We will also be debuting our new digital store at www.threeringdigital.com. We will do our best to keep you informed and at the same time we will try not to inundate you with emails and updates. Take a look at our first newsletter of 2009, and let us know what you think!

Love is Chemicals Sign to Three Ring!
Love is Chemicals formed in 2001 when singer / guitarist Nate Grover, tired of playing in bands that kept breaking up, convinced his wife Courtney to learn to play bass. Soon joined by drummer Dan Baber and guitarist Nick Mirov (answered a Craigslist ad), the band quickly bonded over a shared love of guitar-heavy '90s indie-rock such as Pavement, Built to Spill, and Sonic Youth. Their 2005 self-titled debut album found them shedding their more overt influences while retaining a similar scruffy, slightly spacey, noisey-but-still-heavily-m

elodic vibe.

With their upcoming Three Ring release Song of the Summer Youth Brigade, Love is Chemicals continues to extend and broaden their sound, marrying knotty, meandering guitars and shoegazer atmospherics to a songwriting sensibility informed equally by bright, tuneful West Coast indie and moody Brit-pop. With invaluable assistance from producer Christian Hanlon, the band has fashioned an album that is anthemic without being bombastic, dreamy without being lightweight, wistful without being twee, and noisy without being abrasive.

Love is Chemicals will be performing during the Noise Pop festival in February - check out the calendar below for more details. Welcome to the family, LIC!

Welcome 500 Records!
When Three Ring Records was formed in 2003, it was one of our goals to expand into a collective of like-minded labels who share some of our core philosophies: helping struggling bands with the talent but not the direction to release music on their own, enlisting bands as a "family", and supporting community efforts.

It is with pleasure that we introduce a fine addition to our ever-expanding family: 500 Records! San Francisco's own 500 Records, a dynamic new record label, is brought to us by our mighty friends (and current Three Ring / 500 band) Form and Fate, and is sure to be an instant winner in the Bay Area indie scene. While Three Ring has leaned a bit more towards indie-pop, 500 Records is sure to sate your craving for the more esoteric.

500 Records' first release "No End to Limitations" by Manuok (man-you-o-k) is now available, both digitally and physically. Manuok is the project of multi-instrumentalist Scott Mercado, who has seen action with the Black Heart Procession and The Album Leaf. They couldn't have begged for a more incredible launch for their new venture!

Stay tuned for more releases in the 500 camp by James and Evander, Spark and Decay, Dasto, the Guitar Zeros and many others in the coming months. 500 Records is ready to feed you more indie gems than you can wave a light-saber at!

Welcome Mission Freak!
We are pleased to announce a new partnership with Iowa City, Iowa's Mission Freak Records. Based in the eastern corner of the state that paved the way for our new president, Mission Freak Records is a label and collective dedicated to the development of the Midwest music scene. Working with a number of musicians in several different genres ranging from indie rock to experimental dance music, Mission Freak is giving voice to the next generation of artists from America's heartland.

The owners of the Mission Freak label are the same people who put on Iowa City's Mission Creek Festival, an event that has earned a reputation as one of the best festivals at which to hear daring new music, even before it reaches the underground-gazing eyes of the likes of Pitchfork and Stereogum. Bringing their love for discovering unknown music through promotion, Mission Freak Records now supports the recorded endeavors of independent music's next wave.

Mission Freak Record's first album Electronic Hearts by Ames, Iowa band, Wolves in the Attic will see digital release on February 17th. Keeping in line with their dedication to homegrown and underground promotion, the label has already released a DIY, hand-crafted version of the album (limited to 200 copies), an approach they plan to adopt for many of their acts. Wolves in the Attic, drawing influence from the best '90s guitar bands and shoegaze acts, has developed a rich and hypnotic sound that features thick waves of guitar, crushing and dynamic rhythms, and multi-part harmonies.

Porno Galactica, the second band signed to Mission Freak Records, is a bit different. Finding a space between the nerdy dance music of Dan Deacon and the vicious grooves of Ed Banger Records (Justice, Kavinsky), Porno Galactica is poised to become one of the best electronica acts in the game. Their music is in parts familiar and at other points entirely unique. Back-boned by big frantic beats and keyboard lines that sound like Marnie Stern let loose on a synthesizer, their tracks pop with progressive energy. Porno Galactica's full-length debut will hit stores in Spring 2009. In the meantime, their underground mixtape will be shipped to club DJs, producers, and electronica heads around the world on January 20th.

Three Ring looks forward to a wonderful relationship with Mission Freak and eagerly anticipates a growing connection between the Midwest and the West Coast!

Three Ring at Noise Pop!
Three Ring Records will be joining forces with Noise Pop Industries yet again this year! In a co-presentation with Collective Marchandising, we will be hosting a Happy Hour event on 2/28 at Benders in San Francisco. The event begins at 4pm and it is FREE. Come and hang out with us!

UPCOMING SHOWS
1/29/09, Three Ring Records & Snowstorm Music Presents: an evening with Love is Chemicals, Invisible Cities, The Matinees (CD Release!) @ The Rickshaw Stop (SF)
2/04/09, Music for Animals @ Harlot (SF)
2/07/09, Music for Animals @ Hop Monk (Sebastopol)
2/14/09, Audio Out Send @ Bottom of the Hill (SF)2/18/09, Music for Animals @ Silverlake Lounge (LA)
2/19/09, Music for Animals @ Beauty Bar (San Diego)2/20/09, Music for Animals @ Little Fox (Redwood City)2/27/09, Solar Powered People @ Hero's (Modesto)
2/28/09, Three Ring Happy Hour / Noise Pop! @ Benders | 4-6pm, FREE!
2/28/09, Love is Chemicals / Noise Pop! @ Swedish American Hall
3/06/09, Music for Animals @ Bottom of the Hill (SF)
4/18/09, Audio Out Send @ Hemlock Tavern (SF)

FEATURED RELEASE

Disaster Footage at Night
by The Lonelyhearts

Often dubbed as progressive indie-folk, the Lonelyhearts place heavy emphasis on blending spacey keyboard textures and acoustic guitars with strong and challenging lyrics.

On record, their songs build upon waves of synths, guitars, and harmony vocals. In live performances, the Lonelyhearts keep it simple: one keyboard, one guitar, two voices. Critics have compared the band to the acoustic songcraft of Neutral Milk Hotel and the Mountain Goats as well as the synth-rock of Grandaddy and Earlimart.

The Lonelyhearts have toured the country several times, playing with bands such as American Analog Set, Dungen, Bishop Allen, Lou Barlow, Black Mountain, the Dodos, and Kelley Stoltz.

Disaster Footage at Night is a departure from their standard two-man recordings. The album features drums played by Solar Powered People's Ryan Coscia as well as other guest credits. Pick up a copy today, you won't regret it!

Sincerely,


Daniel Crowell, Founder
Three Ring Records

Bagel Radio love!

Lots of love over at Bagel Radio for Three Ring and our partners for 2008!

First off, newly signed Love is Chemicals have received numerous accolades for their release "Song of the Summer Youth Brigade" earning 3 spots! They placed 14th for top Indie albums for the year and 2nd for top Bay Area albums for the year! They also received a bit of action for the song "Our Darkest Days and Nights" from the aforementioned album earning a spot on the top 30 Bay Area songs for the year! Elephone also received props for their new one "Canister" (Talking House Records) coming in at number 12 for top Bay Area indie albums. Way to go folks!

Our subsidiary 500 Records earned a spot on the top 50 songs of the year for Manouk's song "Warship" after only being available for 2 weeks!

Congratulations everyone!