Coolest Record Label 2014: BREAKUP RECORDS

Thank You to all that voted in our poll to choose The Coolest Record Label 2014. It was an amazing turn out from around the world.

It came down to a two way tie until SHAZAM! Portland, OR’s Breakup Records pulled it off. A new label with an amazing line-up. Sierra and Alex Haager (not Hagar) aren’t only running a label they make music and have outstanding ears for talent. A combination that can’t be beat. You two rock in a multitude of ways.

Hey, every label in the poll had a fantastic year and certainly are labels working for the artists who make the sounds we loved this past year.

Here are the results and please have a listen to the GTC Podcast in celebration of The Coolest Label 20014! And hit therse labels up on social and support their lineups.

Burger Records (Fullerton, CA) 2.0%

Glitterhouse Records (Beverungen, Germany) 8.7%

Breakup Records (Portland, OR)  29.9%

Riding Easy Records (Hermosa Beach, CA)  0.4%

Laughing Outlaw Records (Sydney, Australia) 29.1%

Tricycle Records (San Francisco, CA) 27.2%

PLAYLIST

1. Thick Red Wine – Drifting Away

Band: Mike Wojciechowski (Whoa-juhh-house-key)

San Francisco artist Mike Wojciechowski’s winding and eccentric narratives draw inspiration from 5th grade recess fights, middle school dance erections, college house party disasters, philosophers and boxed wine, among other things.

2. Bde. – Boys

Band: Sierra, Alex and Andrew

slow-fi

3. El Terrible (el-ter-ee-blay)  – Bottles of Bottles

Band: Terry Ashkinos, Scott Eberhardt, Adrian McCullough

Gorilla in a man suit, ice fights, cat naps, backlit rooms, holy water… rainbows, unicorns, hot sauce, communism.

4. CLINTONGORE – I Need A Star

Band: Chris Crawford, Sierra Frost

Dance-pop duo making interplanetary rave suitable for launching spaceships and late night stargazing parties. Chris Crawford and Sierra Frost together craft a Pop bounce and indie grittiness with their drum machines and Roland Junos.

5. The Tropics – Fireproof

Band: Claire George, Eric Silverman, Nate Skelton, Kern Sigala, Rowan Peter

The Tropics descended on San Francisco during the peak of the city’s cultural identity crisis to uphold the timeless essence of the city that has been drawing the starry-eyed masses westward for decades.

6. Frozen Folk – Communicant

Band: Japhy Riddle, Tim Platz, Owen Kelley

On a mountain of skulls, in the castle of pain, we sat on thrones of blood.

7. Taxes – Your Other Left

Band: Robby Cronholm, Josh White, Amir Djavaherian, Brad Harbidge, Carmen Caruso

San Francisco native Robby Cronholm is the songwriter and lead singer of Taxes. His past efforts include singing/songwriting in seminal 90s indie rock band crumb and a brief career in advertising. Laura Dean sings and plays keyboards. Brad Harbidge plays drums. Josh White plays guitar. Amir Djavaherian plays bass.

8. Rich Girls – Kryptonite Disaster

9. Rich Girls – California Girls

Band: Luisa Black, August Churchill, Chris Sipe

Rich Girls is an American garage rock band founded by Luisa Black. The FIVER EP is out now on Breakup Records. Sounds like: garage-y torch songs from the dark end of the street.

10. Silent Kid – In The Morning

Band: Sebastian Nehen

Berlin based singer/songwriter Sebastian ‘Silent Kid’ Nehen has released some reworked jewels from his long established stash as an appetizer for a coming full length. Talk about DIY, this cat has done all this work from home and if you like singer/songwriter/pop with a dusting of Lou Reed style honky tonk flavoring (and you do) give this EP a go. Bonus: Harmonica… –The GTC

11. Kitten Grenade – Anomaly

Band: Katelyn Sullivan, August Churchill

Meow Meow Bang Bang! Kitten Grenade is Katelyn Sullivan, a ukulele, a loop station, and some other stuff sometimes.

12. Cash For Gold – Out All The Time

Band: Stella, George, Jordan

Funeral pop.  It is apparent from their dynamic set of haunting ballads and dark rocking pop songs that their location deep within the paunch of the SF Tenderloin plays an important role in creating the perfect environment for these songs to be crafted. You can hear that the dark underbelly and grit from these streets have seeped into their music, lovingly carrying the listener through an array of restless, catchy melodies. Meet your new favorite band from San Francisco.

13. Dangermaker – Holy Ghost

Band: Adam, Carlos, Dave, Neko

Something More is the new single from San Francisco’s bastions of dark, dynamic and danceable indie rock, Dangermaker. The track, which leads off their recently released Light The Dark I, serves as a signed testament to the timeless maturity and solidity of the band’s sound. Subdued, earnest verses transition seamlessly into the soaring glory of the resounding chorus, perfectly highlighting the rock anthem power that is a constant in Dangermaker’s output.

 HAPPY NEW YEAR!