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Various ArtistsSongbook Of Songs Sub Pop/Stomp Once upon a time Sub Pop meant grunge and I cared not a jot for them (although I did change my opinion on Mudhoney, long after it was of any use to my cred). Somewhere along the line - and I have a vague idea there was at least one near-bankruptcy along the way - Sub Pop transformed into the home of offbeat, quirky indie pop and in so doing became one of my favourite labels. This compilation reaffirms that Sub Pop are the main, perhaps only, label currently releasing music with Andrew in mind; and given that every other label seems to be deliberately out to piss me off all the time, I appreciate Sub Pop's uncharacteristically pro-Andrew stance. If you're me, you'll be delighted at the inclusion of some of the best tracks you've head this year: Sleater-Kinney's mighty A Frames, Low's excellent California, Jennifer Gentle's demented go-go I Do Dream You, The Postal Service's gorgeous Be Still My Heart. Sub Pop then go that little bit further to enchant the Andrew audience by sticking on brilliant but unfamiliar songs like Wolf Parade's stomping You Are A Runner And I Am My Father's Son, which is the best thing I've heard in freakin' ages. Rosie Thomas' Pretty Dress falls just on the Aimee Mann side of the great female singer-songwriter/godawful female singer-songwriter divide, Iron & Wine contribute the pulsing Woman King, and the Constantines open proceedings with Working Full-Time (complete with chanted chorus of "we will not be undersold"). There are 16 tracks here and the worst I can say is that that's not nearly enough of them. The best thing about this album is that it will probably sit in the bottom of my record collection and serve as a memory-jolt when I rediscover it years after I've bought every record by every band represented on it. "Ah," I'll think, "that's where I first heard Wolf Parade," and I'll smile as though rediscovering an old photo of dear friends. Thank you, Sub Pop, on behalf of both the present and future me.  |
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