Sub Pop, KEXP link up

Given that times are meant to be so hard for music businesses, it always comes as a surprise to hear that people are, of course, still launching labels.

Like SubPop, who have linked up with KEXP to launch an imprint dedicated to The Best Ambiance's mix of pop from various nations across Africa.

They've already signed an act, too - Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba. They played the G8, which I guess means they'd managed to become as important as Bono without a US record deal. They sound like this:

Something to listen to: No Age

No Age, no pay: Sub Pop are streaming No Age's Losing Feeling ep, due this October. For nothing.

Quick! Foxes

Sub Pop have just slapped up onto the internet a video for Fleet Foxes Mykonos. Go on, treat yourself to a few minutes.

Subpop singles again

The Subpop singles club - of course, you never got to see any of their records, but it always brightened up a corner of the Peel show when he got to announce "this, then is the latest from the SubPop Singles Club..."

Obviously, we won't be hearing those words again, but the SubPop singles club is back. And it's signed up Black Lips, Black Mountain, the Notwist, Mika Miko and... you know the deal. Bands who you suspect will still be cool by the time the 40th anniversary of SubPop comes round.

Slightly foxed

Back when you bought proper things when you wanted music, misproduced versions of records quickly became valuable as 'bad' copies were withdrawn and replaced with 'correct' editions. It's hard to see a market developing for digital downloads that were released with flaws in the production, but who knows?

We can find out now, because SubPop have confessed to an error on one of the tracks on the new Fleet Foxes album on iTunes:

[T]he version of “He Doesn’t Know Why” from the brand-new, self-titled Fleet Foxes album that was available from the iTunes Music Store had two audio drop-outs.

The other interesting question is: how do you return a non-functioning AAC track to Apple? Is there a process like the one where you'd lug a faulty album back to the shop, and then stand there while the manager of the store plays the track in question on his deck to see if you're telling the truth?

It turns out not, so Sub Pop have come up with an adhoc solution:

We apologize profusely for this inconvenience and would like to hereby offer a free MP3 of that song to anyone who would like it. Please accept both this song and our apologies for the mistake.

It's a generous gesture, although if you'd paid for a file that didn't work and discovered that the solution is for everyone to be given it for free, you might wonder if you've been compensated or played for a sucker.

That mp3 in full, then: He Doesn't Know Why - Fleet Foxes.

Comebacks you actually might want: Vaselines reform?

That 20th anniversary Sub Pop party? There's a strong rumour that The Vaselines will be getting back together to play it.

Of course, it might not happen. But even a false rumour of The Vaselines playing again is better than the grinding reality of the resurrected Boyzone chugging about.

Subpop turns 20

It's hard to believe - okay, it isn't hard, but it's depressing and makes me feel ancient and so I choose to try and dress it up in a carapace of deniability - that SubPop has reached 20. They're having a party to celebrate:

The SP20 Festival is happening July 12 & 13 at Marymoor Park just outside of Seattle in Redmond, WA. In addition to reunited bands, acts currently on the label's roster, and everything in between, the festival will also host a half-pipe featuring both Nike and Girl + Chocolate sponsored skaters. While the full day-by-day line-up will be announced in the coming months, the festival will include:

Beachwood Sparks / Comets on Fire / Fleet Foxes / Flight of the Conchords / The Fluid / Foals / Grand Archives / Green River / The Helio Sequence / Iron & Wine / Kinski / Low / Mudhoney / No Age / Pissed Jeans / Red Red Meat / The Ruby Suns / Seaweed / Wolf Parade, and more to be announced. For artist images and bios please visit: http://www.subpop.com/artists/

Proceeds from ticket sales will benefit a variety of charities chosen by both Sub Pop and each act performing.

It's quite a line-up, however you measure it. Good news if you're in Washington State, or flexible travel arrangements.

GoSub routine

The Go! Team have a deal which will see them join SubPop in America for their album, which, it transpires, will be known as Proof Of Youth.

Warners try a spot of DRM-free sales

With something less of the enormous hoohah EMI made when it loosened some of its DRM, Warners have quietly snuck what seems like an experimental DRM-free store onto the web as part of mp3.com founder Michael Robertson's new Anywhere CD service.

AnywhereCD offers higher-than-iTunes quality, but only allows purchases of whole albums as a single lump, which just seems to be designed to try and keep the album format alive in the face of consumer behaviour. Now people are getting used to not having to shell out for the filler, they're unlikely to want to return to the old ways.

In what almost sounds like a move inspired by Gmail's April Fool "email printed and delivered" service, if you pay slightly more for your download, you can have a CD delivered to your door - which gives the impression this is being thought of more as a CD sales site with some download add-ons, rather than a download site with a back-up hard copy.

Sub Pop and some other indies have also joined the service, which is American facing.

[UPDATE: After we first published this story, Billboard changed its report as Warners have pulled the plug - details here]