Suicide Squeeze Records
| Suicide Squeeze Records | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Founded | 1996 - present |
| Founder | David Dickenson |
| Status | Active |
| Genre | Various: rock (punk, indie, grunge, alt, experimental), postrock, metal (drone, sludge), pop (experimental, indie), performance art, standup comedy |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Location | Seattle, WA |
| Official website |
suicidesqueeze |
Suicide Squeeze Records is a Seattle, Washington-based independent record label that releases rock, pop, and metal music.[1] The label has also released comedy and performance art CD and DVDs, and continues to press 7" vinyl.[1]
Founded in 1996 by David Dickenson, it got its start releasing singles by artists such as Elliott Smith and Modest Mouse. Current artists include The Coathangers, Nü Sensae, This Will Destroy You, Audacity, Guantanamo Baywatch, White Woods, and Yamantaka // Sonic Titan.[2] Suicide Squeeze has released a number of compilation albums as well.
In the spring of 2014, Oregon-based Fort George Brewery and Suicide Squeeze created the craft beer "Suicide Squeeze IPA."[3]
History
Founding, early releases
Suicide Squeeze Records was started in August 1996 in Seattle, Washington, by owner David Dickenson. After the initial release of a 7" single from Seattle band 764-Hero, the label quickly grew from Dickenson's full-time hobby to a cottage industry by the late-1990s.[4] By 1997 the label had released singles by popular Northwest artists Modest Mouse and Elliott Smith.[1] The label has also released comedy and performance art CD and DVDs, and continues to press a significant number of releases on 7" vinyl.[1]
2000-2009
In August 2003, Suicide Squeeze put out a limited-edition vinyl single for "Pretty (Ugly Before)", a song that Elliott Smith had been playing since his Figure 8 tour.[5] Shortly afterwards in 2004, the label released a spoken CD by Eugene Mirman, a Russian-born American comedian and writer. The Absurd Nightclub Comedy of Eugene Mirman was also released on DVD, and was voted one of the Best Albums of 2004 by both The A.V. Club and Time Out New York.[6][7]
Goon Moon, an American rock band composed of Jeordie White (also known as Twiggy Ramirez from Marilyn Manson) and Chris Goss, released a mini-LP on Suicide Squeeze called I Got a Brand New Egg Layin' Machine in 2005.[8] Chin Up Chin Up was an American indie pop band from Chicago, who released This Harness Can't Ride Anything on October 10, 2006 on Suicide Squeeze. Also in 2006, Canadian rock band Black Mountain released their "Stormy High" single and EP on Suicide Squeeze.
In 2006, to celebrate their tenth anniversary, the label released the compilation album Suicide Squeeze Records: Slaying Since 1996.[9]
Minus the Bear is an indie rock band from Seattle,[10] whose sound has been described as "Pele-esque guitar-taps and electronics with sophisticated time signature composition."[11] Interpretaciones del Oso, an album of remixed songs from their second full length album Menos el Oso, was released on February 20, 2007 through Suicide Squeeze,[12] who also released the band's third full length album, titled Planet of Ice, on August 21, 2007.
Page France was an American indie folk-pop music band that played melodic and emotional music. Their last record deal was with Suicide Squeeze, before the disbandment in 2008. Their second album, Hello, Dear Wind, was re-released by Suicide Squeeze. Page France's last album and third full-length, …and the Family Telephone, was released May 8, 2007 on Suicide Squeeze.
For their third studio album, These Arms Are Snakes signed to Suicide Squeeze. The band claimed they got far better support than from their previous record label, Jade Tree. They praised Suicide Squeeze's ability to market and sell records. Additionally said sharing the same label as friends Minus the Bear was good.[13][14] Tail Swallower and Dove was released in October 2008.[14] The album was seen as a departure from their more hardcore-sounding songs and took a more experimental approach, and also more traditional song structures.[14][15]
On January 27, 2009, The Cotton Jones Basket Ride released their second LP, and their debut for Suicide Squeeze Records, Paranoid Cocoon. It was described as a "weepy, reverb-drenched blend of Pacific Northwest, 1960s folk-pop, and heartland rock."[16] On August 24, 2010, the band released their third LP, Tall Hours in the Glowstream. It was described as "classic country music filtered through a dream-pop haze."[17]
Recent years
The band This Will Destroy You released the albums Tunnel Blanket on Suicide Squeeze,[18] as well as the "Black Dunes" 7" single.[19] Tunnel Blanket was released in May 2011, and it entered the Billboard Heatseekers Album Chart at number 25.[20]
The Coathangers are a punk group from Atlanta. After putting out a 2011 7" on Suicide Squeeze,[21] they released their third album, Larceny and Old Lace for Suicide Squeeze,[21] to generally positive reviews.[22] In 2012, Julia of The Coathangers released a 7" record on Suicide Squeeze, under the name "White Woods."[23]
Nü Sensae is a Vancouver, British Columbia, punk and grunge trio.[24] Their second album, "Sundowning", was released on August 7, 2012 via Suicide Squeeze[25] and was given an 8.0 rating by Pitchfork Media.[26]
UZU by performing art collective Yamantaka // Sonic Titan was released on Suicide Squeeze in 2013.[27]
Partnerships
In the spring of 2014, the label worked with Oregon-based Fort George Brewery to create the craft beer "Suicide Squeeze IPA."[3]
