Yer Bird Records
Encyclopedia
Yer Bird Records is a Calgary
, Alberta
(formerly Charlottesville, Virginia
) based independent record label
founded by Morgan King in 2004
. After the release of an album by English songwriter Daniel Smith (not of the Danielson Family) did not come to fruition, King partnered with photographer Benjamin Gallman. Yer Bird Records moved from Charlottesville to Philadelphia, PA and has now settled in Calgary, Alberta, Canada starting early 2010. New label owners are Sandy & Judy Smith of which Sandy also operates the music blog Slowcoustic.
Yer Bird's first released record was Sounds Like Fall's The Wolf is at the Door, which was released on July 7, 2005. Sounds Like Fall is the performing name of Iowan singer-songwriter
Joe Young
who had extensively toured the Midwest with Alternative country
band Moonshine Radio. The album was distributed through Miles of Music and Carrot Top Records
's CTD in the United States
, and through Smart Choice in the United Kingdom
.
The following year the label released North Dakota
n songwriter Nic Garcia's third full-length album, The Desperate Ones, in January 2006. Prior to releasing on Yer Bird, Garcia had both self-released (The Blue Howl of 4 a.m. (2003), Sheep & Wolf (2004)) and worked with notable Midwest labels Supermedic Records (5 Songs (2002)) and Abandoned Scout Camp (Great Distance, (2003)).
To help promote an expansion of the website Yer Bird hosted a free digital download of Sounds Like Fall's Early Recordings which was a collection of home recordings prior to the sessions for The Wolf is at the Door. In July 2006, Philadelphia songwriter Hezekiah Jones' (Raphael Cutrufello of StillWillis) first album, Hezekiah Jones Says You're A-Ok, was released.
Released in 2007 was a compilation album entitled Folk Music for the End of the World which features tracks by notable songwriters Matthew Ryan, J. Tillman
(of Fleet Foxes
) and Hayden
as well as other songwriters and with a cover painted by Kathleen Lolley (My Morning Jacket
's Z). Following that release, in April, Yer Bird released J. Tillman
's fourth full length album entitled Cancer and Delirium. The end of 2007 saw the first EP release, Hezekiah Jones' Come to Our Pool Party. Texan songwriter Blackbird Harmony released his second album, Hardwood Exits, in 2008 featuring harmony and duet vocals by Bosque Brown
. In October that same year, Yer Bird released The Gunshy's new albums which included the new EP I Gave Too Much Time to the Wine as well as all of his previous EP releases. In 2009 the third release from the label from staple Hezekiah Jones Bread of Teeth alongside a limited CDR pressing of newcomer Luke Elliot entitled In Our Embrace.
Unfortunately due to the label changing ownership and web hosting, the platform to support the Aviary project was temporarily closed on March 6, 2010. The Aviary will possibly be re-instated in the future pending resources of the label.
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
(formerly Charlottesville, Virginia
Charlottesville, Virginia
Charlottesville is an independent city geographically surrounded by but separate from Albemarle County in the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States, and named after Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, the queen consort of King George III of the United Kingdom.The official population estimate for...
) based independent record label
Independent record label
An independent record label is a record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the major record labels. A great number of bands and musical acts begin on independent labels.-Overview:...
founded by Morgan King in 2004
2004 in music
See also:* 2004 in music Record labels established in 2004-January:*January 1**The Vienna New Year's Concert is conducted by Riccardo Muti.**Kurt Nilsen wins World Idol....
. After the release of an album by English songwriter Daniel Smith (not of the Danielson Family) did not come to fruition, King partnered with photographer Benjamin Gallman. Yer Bird Records moved from Charlottesville to Philadelphia, PA and has now settled in Calgary, Alberta, Canada starting early 2010. New label owners are Sandy & Judy Smith of which Sandy also operates the music blog Slowcoustic.
Yer Bird's first released record was Sounds Like Fall's The Wolf is at the Door, which was released on July 7, 2005. Sounds Like Fall is the performing name of Iowan singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
Joe Young
Joe Young
Joe Young was a lyricist. He was born in New York. Young was most active from 1911 through the late-1930s, beginning his career working as a singer and songplugger for various music publishers. During World War I, he entertained the U.S...
who had extensively toured the Midwest with Alternative country
Alternative country
Alternative country is a loosely defined sub-genre of country music, which includes acts that differ significantly in style from mainstream or pop country music...
band Moonshine Radio. The album was distributed through Miles of Music and Carrot Top Records
Carrot Top Records
Carrot Top Records is a Chicago-based independent record label owned and operated by Patrick Monaghan.-Artist roster:* Antietam* The Bitter Tears* The Coctails* Darling Downs* Disco Inferno* Duplex Planet Radio Hour* The Handsome Family* KatJonBand...
's CTD in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and through Smart Choice in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
The following year the label released North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
n songwriter Nic Garcia's third full-length album, The Desperate Ones, in January 2006. Prior to releasing on Yer Bird, Garcia had both self-released (The Blue Howl of 4 a.m. (2003), Sheep & Wolf (2004)) and worked with notable Midwest labels Supermedic Records (5 Songs (2002)) and Abandoned Scout Camp (Great Distance, (2003)).
To help promote an expansion of the website Yer Bird hosted a free digital download of Sounds Like Fall's Early Recordings which was a collection of home recordings prior to the sessions for The Wolf is at the Door. In July 2006, Philadelphia songwriter Hezekiah Jones' (Raphael Cutrufello of StillWillis) first album, Hezekiah Jones Says You're A-Ok, was released.
Released in 2007 was a compilation album entitled Folk Music for the End of the World which features tracks by notable songwriters Matthew Ryan, J. Tillman
J. Tillman
Joshua Tillman is an American folk singer, guitarist and songwriter. He is also the current drummer for the Seattle-based band Fleet Foxes...
(of Fleet Foxes
Fleet Foxes
Fleet Foxes are a folk rock band which formed in Seattle, Washington. They are signed to the Sub Pop and Bella Union record labels. The band came to prominence in 2008 with the release of their second EP, Sun Giant, and their debut full length album Fleet Foxes...
) and Hayden
Hayden (musician)
Paul Hayden Desser who records as Hayden, is a Canadian singer-songwriter from Thornhill, Ontario.His early works are a largely eclectic mix of genres from grunge rock to alt country, as demonstrated by his first full album, Everything I Long For, released in 1995. Since then his work has become...
as well as other songwriters and with a cover painted by Kathleen Lolley (My Morning Jacket
My Morning Jacket
My Morning Jacket is an American rock band from Louisville, Kentucky.The band consists of Jim James , Tom 'Two-Tone Tommy' Blankenship , Patrick Hallahan , Carl Broemel , and Bo Koster .-History:My Morning Jacket was...
's Z). Following that release, in April, Yer Bird released J. Tillman
J. Tillman
Joshua Tillman is an American folk singer, guitarist and songwriter. He is also the current drummer for the Seattle-based band Fleet Foxes...
's fourth full length album entitled Cancer and Delirium. The end of 2007 saw the first EP release, Hezekiah Jones' Come to Our Pool Party. Texan songwriter Blackbird Harmony released his second album, Hardwood Exits, in 2008 featuring harmony and duet vocals by Bosque Brown
Bosque Brown
Bosque Brown is an American indie band from the music town of Denton, Texas.While attending college there, singer-songwriter Mara Lee Miller chose "Bosque Brown" for her music, named after a river that runs through Stephenville, Texas, her childhood home. She recorded a handful of demos and had her...
. In October that same year, Yer Bird released The Gunshy's new albums which included the new EP I Gave Too Much Time to the Wine as well as all of his previous EP releases. In 2009 the third release from the label from staple Hezekiah Jones Bread of Teeth alongside a limited CDR pressing of newcomer Luke Elliot entitled In Our Embrace.
Releases
- Sounds Like Fall - The Wolf is at the Door (2005) YB001
- Nic Garcia - The Desperate Ones (2006) YB002
- Sounds Like Fall - Early Recordings (2006) YB000-D
- Hezekiah Jones - Hezekiah Says You're A-Ok (2006) YB003
- Folk Music for the End of the World - compilation (2007) YB004
- J. TillmanJ. TillmanJoshua Tillman is an American folk singer, guitarist and songwriter. He is also the current drummer for the Seattle-based band Fleet Foxes...
- Cancer and Delirium (2007) YB005 - Hezekiah Jones - Come to Our Pool Party (2007) YB006
- Chauchat - Upon Thousands (2008) YB007
- Blackbird Harmony - Hardwood Exits (2008) YB008
- The Gunshy - I Gave Too Much Time to the Wine (2008) YB009
- Hezekiah Jones - Bread of Teeth EP (2009) YB010
- Luke Elliot - In Our Embrace (2009) YB011
- Ghosts I've Met - Payphone Patience (2010) YB012
- Folk Music For What Lies Ahead - compilation (2010) YB013
- Caleb Coy - Wild Desert Rose (2010) YB000-D4
- White Pines - The Falls (2010) YB014
- Greater Pacific - "Rainfall" (2011) YB000-D5
- Hezekiah Jones - "Have You Seen Our New Fort" (2011) YB015
- Ghosts I've Met - "From A Spark" (2011) YB016
The Yer Bird Aviary
On September 8, 2008, Yer Bird launched The Aviary, a subscription-based digital offshoot of the label which provides subscribers with access to some albums by artists Yer Bird has released on CD, in addition to live recordings, demos, and full album releases by previously unaffiliated artists.Unfortunately due to the label changing ownership and web hosting, the platform to support the Aviary project was temporarily closed on March 6, 2010. The Aviary will possibly be re-instated in the future pending resources of the label.
External links
- Official site
- The Yer Bird Aviary
- Yer Bird music blog
- Yer Bird releases indexed by Allmusic
- An Aquarium Drunkard interview, by Justin Gage
- Short label critique and release announcement on Songs: Illinois