Saddle Creek signs Dean Johnson; new music from Kyle Harvey, Thalia Zedek, Tune-Yards, Car Seat Headrest, Shunkan…
by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com
Well, I was beginning to think Saddle Creek Records was becoming a purely nostalgia-based label.
For the past couple months our hometown record label has solely announced reissues. First were The Faint reissues of classic albums Blank-Wave Arcade (originally released in 1999) and Wet From Birth (2004), both out March 14. And then the Rilo Kiley announcements – the April 25 reissue of The Execution of All Things (originally released in 2002) and a new “greatest hits”-style collection, That’s How We Choose to Remember It, out May 9. Of course both bands will be on limited national tours.
Then yesterday Saddle Creek announced it signed singer/songwriter Dean Johnson, described as a “longstanding Seattle underground gem-turned-rising Americana star.” In 2023, Johnson released his debut full-length, Nothing for Me, Please, at the age of 50. “Dean’s songwriting reminds us why music matters, offering proof that a song can be more than the sum of its parts,” says the Saddle Creek one-sheet.
Saddle Creek begins its relationship with Johnson with the April 11 release of “Blue Moon” b/w “Lake Charles” 7-inch as part of their Document singles series. Preorder here. The A-side, which you can hear below, is an original, while the B-side is a Lucinda Williams cover.
Johnson heads out on a European tour in April, followed by a few Pacific Northwest dates. “Expect more music & news from Dean Johnson this year,” says Saddle Creek.
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Omaha ex-pat singer/songwriter/poet Kyle Harvey emailed to say he has a new collection of ambient soundscapes out today called Holographic Topographies. It’s his fourth full length under the moniker When Light.
Says the one-sheet: “Inspired by the strange, overlapping nuances of quantum physics, consciousness, technologies, astronomy, and science fiction in popular culture, Holographic Topographies was composed on a small eurorack modular system. Each track on the album was recorded in stereo as a live, single-take performance.” Order your copy here. It’s also on Spotify. Kyle also has a new book of poetry called There Without Being There, which you can order here.
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Here’s some other new stuff that’s been playing in my earbuds that escaped the delete key:
Thalia Zedek of the legendary bands Come and Live Skull has a new album out May 23 called The Boat Outside Your Window on Thrill Jockey. Known for her heavier-than-hell approach, the track “Tsunami” manages to have a sing-along melody without sacrificing the usual Zedek grit and feedback. The band plans to tour “extensively” in 2025, though no dates have been announced.
Maha Festival veterans (2018), Tune-Yards dropped new single “Limelight” from their forthcoming album Better Dreaming, out May 16 on 4AD. The track has a sweet bass line, but what did you expect from a duo who sounds like this generation’s Tom Tom Club? They also announced a limited East Coast tour.
Another Maha Festival vet (twice!), Car Seat Headrest yesterday released single “Gethsemane” from their new album, The Scholars, out on Matador May 2. The double-album is described as “a bold new rock opera.” The single itself is 11 minutes long!
Finally, Los Angeles shoe-gaze act Shunkan dropped the first single from their upcoming album, Kamikaze Girl, out May 6 on Rite Field Records. Fronted by Marina Sakimoto, the record was produced by Alex Newport (Death Cab, At the Drive-In, Bloc Party).
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Read Tim McMahan’s blog daily at Lazy-i.com — an online music magazine that includes feature interviews, reviews and news. The focus is on the national indie music scene with a special emphasis on the best original bands in the Omaha area. Copyright © 2025 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.
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