Polyvinyl Records Article
With outfits like The Ms, Headlights, The Like Young, of Montreal, Mates of State and numerous others, its easy to see why Polyvinyl Records has become a respected force in the world of indie music.
The label was founded ten years ago by Matt and Darcie Lunsford, in Danville, Illinois. It started off as a fanzine called the Polyvinyl Press, which the couple ran while they were still in high school. At the time, they were tight with members of Braid, a quartet from Champaign-Urbana, who convinced the Lunsfords to release their 7 inch single.
It was the first official Polyvinyl release, and although Braid disbanded back in 1999, the label has kept on, building up a bewildering roster of bands in the process. Their method of recruiting new bands has been key to the label’s success, although Polyvinyl publicist Seth Hubbard says there is no set formula.
We usually make sure that the bands are some what established by the time we work with them. They have to have a tour history, good press, a booking agent and sometimes even a manager. It makes a lot more sense to work with bands that already have those things in place, then having to try and set all that stuff up for your bands.
Unsigned artists, please take note. A Myspace page is not enough.
So far, 2006 has been a good year for Polyvinyl. The Ms have become one of the most talked-about bands of the year, based upon their amazing sophomore effort, Future Women, which dropped in February. March saw the re-release of three classics by of Montreal, as well as another impressive effort by Mates of State. A new album by Joan of Arc is on the horizon for the end of the summer, and spring has seen new albums by both The Like Young and Aloha.
The newest addition to the Polyvinyl family, Headlights (out of Champaign, IL) will see their first full-length drop on August 22nd, hopefully continuing the amazing journey that began with the Enemies EP.
You will be hearing a lot about that band over the next few years, promises an excited Hubbard.
Some may have already heard Headlights pop-rock sound as their music has been featured on the hit show, Greys Anatomy, and they recently played the famed SXSW festival.
In short, the Polyvinyl label is a never-ending gobstopper of flavor, with a sound to suit just about everyone.
To hear all of these bands and learn more, just check out the Polyvinyl specialty show running all this week here on BTR.
You can also visit the Polyvinyl website at www.polyvinylrecords.com
- Emily Smith