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We know you know chanteuse Sophia Knapp, whose magnificent solo debut, Into The Waves, rocked our big fat world, and whose enchanting live shows continue to shine when they pop up all across this country. But... do you know Sophia Aquarian? In this episode of WHAT IF?!?: DRAG CITY, we ponder, what if... Sophia Knapp traveled back in time and joined The Source Family? Surely she would've been a key member in the band, along with Djin, Octavius, and... (read more)

The rate at which the world speedily turns now means school days are approaching faster than you can say, "Wolfroy Goes To Town!" What happened to the dog days of summer (in the Southeast)? Well at the very least, you can take a bite out of knowing that soon you'll start doodling your favorite Bonnie 'Prince' Billy lyrics into your trusty trapper keeper. And what's more, there's a chance to see his majesty live and in the flesh this fall- perfect... (read more)

Al Cisneros is no stranger to the deep meditations of a minimalist, sub-sonic song. We've all been totally faced by the ritual low-end thunder his band, OM, bestow as gospel both live and on record on the regular, a sound source which can hardly be described as minimal yet never needs more than a smattering of accompaniment beyond its usual, steady drumming. Perhaps a bit of guitar here, some keys there, or maybe just some extra tambo to provide color, but first and foremost,... (read more)

Hippies, flower people: now is the time! Turn off, tune in, get your asses primed for this aid to self-knowledge, and free your body to access the unconscious mind! While you're at it, reject societal law, and free your mind to access that subconscious body-vessel! CAVE takes their rolling funk minimalism to the streets this fall in support of their new album, Threace, hitting locales big and small across the Midwest, West Coast and South, with harrowing stops at Cataracts Music Festival in Indianapolis,... (read more)

Well who'da thunk it: Callahan previews his new long playing album of sultry hits and sexy ballads- Dream River, he calls it- with a dub version of one of its songs. Heavy times call for heavy measures, even in the soft, sweet land of Bill we guess! "Expanding Dub" b/w "High in the Mid-40's Dub" comes in 12" format, only (er, digital, too), to ensure deep grooves for these dubbed out tunes, all the better to accentuate your heavy... (read more)

THE MILK OF HUMAN KINDA-TITS

Whoa! Time is moving ON. Two weeks ago, Drag City dropped the best batch of new releases July (2013) will ever see: Andy Kaufman, Bitchin Bajas, White Fence, Scraper and Paula, a virtual all-night party of entertainments that'll take you up and down and through tomorrow and into the next day...Do we do this out of generosity? Sure! But we're only human. We also do it out of greed. We're only human! And humans have built... (read more)

What the Hex? It's a weekend and you don't know where you're going? Guess again! You're headed to the Hemlock Tavern in San Francisco for 2 nights of Howling Hex spells, potions and remedies. That's the fuck right, it's a Hag-fest over in the Bay, Neil Hagerty that is, leading the Hex through entire album-themed live shows! First off, Friday, August 2nd (hey... that's tonight!) they'll boogie out to the in-sounds generated from Rogue Moon - no, not exactly the full album by the... (read more)

Wot's that? Something in the forest is calling! Signals emanate from the old dark hollow, and transistorized tunes echo from inside a mossy log, crackling and rambling in the air of watery sunlight and tensed moon mist alike. Transfixed, Donovan washed his hands in muddy water and wandered on to the oracle. And this is WOT he/she said... Here is a mysterious man, cheerful and dark. You don't want to get in too deep but it's too late. It is Mike Donovan's way... (read more)

The sticky hot crossroads and bisections of America are nothing compared to the hot n sticky sounds of Dawn McCarthy & Bonnie 'Prince' Billy, who've melting stages, cities, sidewalks and streets 'round the world this summer in support of their ode to the Everly's, What The Brothers Sang. On the North American trip, they've hit corners of the continent rarely traveled by we Drag City folk, way up in the cracks of Alaska and The Yukon. Sure, they've made obligatory stops through... (read more)

King David, or something like it. "When God was young," when all of us were. Slaying the Goliath of rock doctrine, that a band must tour to be successful. And what then, if in the end, they did? Makes history a reality, I guess. Case in point, Silver Jews' Bright Flight. An unsung hero for some in the catalog, seemingly a polarizing record, clearly Nashvillian after the move, and after the release of fan-favorite, American Water. But why? The strength of darkness,... (read more)