Here are some more-poised than usual thoughts on the first ten years of this record label-like thing I've been running. To cover the entire bodily spectrum in a single mixed metaphor, I'd like to think this piece is a bit less of a gut-level kneejerk response than I usually muster, a bit more of a heady, meditative deep thought.

Five years ago was a crazy time. Lots of artists I knew on the cusp of this and that. Below is one of the boys, below that ma' boy, and farther down still is the boy -- all of them in photos from half a decade ago, long before anyone cared.

The National, Dirty Projectors, Sharon Jones & St. Vincent all shared a stage earlier tonight (Central European Summer Time) at Les Nuits de Fourvière, a two-month long, multidisciplinary arts festival that happens every year in Lyon, France, about four hours Southeast of Paris by car.

As a brief preamble to this piece of writing about The National's new album "High Violet," I should offer this full disclosure: I've worked in close association with the band since 2001 when I put out their first album on my label Brassland.

Today, just a pointer & a "hell yes" to this Austin American Statesman article which gives props to Jimmy Fallon's music booker Jonathan Cohen.

Last night I saw U2's 360° Tour. This was definitely the WTF moment of the night.