Remnant Three's A Gentle Collapsing released today!
September 13, 2024
A Gentle Collapsing, the decades-old album by the post-punk trio Remnant Three is released on vinyl, CD, and digital formats today. The eight-song album was recorded more than three decades ago, but unreleased until now.
It is garnering praise from veteran post-punk DJs and critics:
"It was love at first listen. A very classic post-punk sound in the vein of Faith-era Cure, Joy Division, or The Glass Bead Game by Breathless." — Matt Sebastian, Sirius XM’s Dark Wave
"This album is a testament to the timeless spirit of post-punk — a genre forever caught between the past and an uncertain future, much like the music of Remnant Three itself...Think of the visceral angst of Joy Division, the shadowed tones of Faith-era Cure, and the dark processions of early New Order, and the poetic intricacies of Sad Lovers and Giants." — Post-Punk.com
Visit here to learn more about the record and to order.
Remnant Three's debut single/video released!
August 9, 2024 Words On Music announces the release of "The Gilded Infancy" — the debut single by the post-punk trio Remnant Three.
The lead track off the forthcoming album A Gentle Collapsing, "The Gilded Infancy" begins with sporadic industrial noises coating dual basslines through the song's four verses, diagramming a lineage to The Cure's 17 Seconds. The song builds without the strike of a single cymbal crash, but instead through anticipation of the first note of an electric guitar that arrives in an affecting entrance three minutes into the song.
Words On Music is also taking preorders for Remnant Three's A Gentle Collapsing album — recorded more than three decades ago but unreleased until now. Preview two songs and preorder the album in CD or 12" vinyl format here.
Remnant Three's A Gentle Collapsing Release Date Announced!
July 10, 2024 A Gentle Collapsing, the definitive recordings of the post-punk trio Remnant Three, will be released by Words On Music on vinyl and compact disc on September 13, 2024. The eight-song album was recorded more than three decades ago, but unreleased until now. Preview two songs and preorder the album in CD or 12" vinyl format here.
For Against's "Amen Yves" On New Cherry Red Collection
May 31, 2024
For Against's popular song "Amen Yves" – from the In The Marshes EP – appears on the new Cherry Red Records 4-CD compilation No Songs Tomorrow: Darkway, Ethereal Rock and Coldwave 1981-1990. Other artists on the influential European label's collection include The Cure, Cocteau Twins, Dead Can Dance, Section 25, Tones On Tail, Clan of Xymox, Cranes, Soft Cell, Minimal Compact, Sad Lovers and Giants, Xmal Deutschland, Red Lorry Yellow Lorry, and Bel Canto.
Video for Almost Charlie's "Go A Little Easy"
February 4, 2023 Videos keep coming for Almost Charlie's new album, A Whisper in a World Too Loud. Here's a wonderful video for Go A Little Easy. Video by Dirk Homuth.
Video for Almost Charlie's "The Carousel Never Stops"
January 1, 2023 The new year brings a video for the opening song of A Whisper in a World Too Loud. Video by Kamila Ogrodowska & Dirk Homuth.
Video for Almost Charlie's "Hear the Leaves"
October 27, 2022 A video has been released for "Hear the Leaves," — track four on Almost Charlie's new, fifth album, A Whisper in a World Too Loud. Directed by Kamila Ogrodowska.
September Words On Music Newsletter
September 30, 2022
Read our September Newsletter to learn about today's release of Almost Charlie's new album, the forthcoming debut release by the 1980s postpunk trio Remnant Three, and rare The Lucy Show photos on our new Instagram page.
New Almost Charlie album shipping now!
September 5, 2022
Words On Music is now shipping direct orders for A Whisper in a World Too Loud — the fifth album by Berlin's Almost Charlie — in advance of its September 30th official North American release.
The album features a dozen new works that showcase a mastery of songwriting: lyricist Charlie Mason's imagery is penned with such matchless wit and detail that it resonates as memorably as singer/guitarist Dirk Homuth's elegant melodies and hooks.
Homuth brilliantly uses the economy of songwriting implemented by giants like The Beatles ("On The Best Day I Can't Wait to Remember") and Simon & Garfunkle ("Somewhen Else") to guide his hand as he pens an undeniably personalized musical signature.
Signposts: The Beatles, Kings of Convenience, I Am Kloot, Nick Drake, Trashcan Sinatras.
To order and listen to songs from A Whisper In a World Too Loud, visit here.
For Against's Echelons Back In Stock!
February 4, 2021
Words On Music has repressed Echelons, For Against's debut album from 1987. The CD is now back in stock at our store. After being out of print for many years, Words On Music originally reissued Echelons in 2004 - the first digital release of the timeless post-punk masterpiece.
The album blends early Factory Records atmospherics with the aggressive jangle of early R.E.M., juxtaposed against the earnest and isolated voice of Jeffrey Runnings. These elements conjoin to set the definitive image of the depth, vastness, and loneliness of America's sparse heartland. Remastered with design by Independent Project's Bruce Licher.
Words On Music Bandcamp Page Launched!
January 10, 2021
Words On Music announces the launch of our Bandcamp page. Visit to stream our entire catalog, purchase digital tracks, or order CDs.
Lorna's Sixth Album Constellations Shipping Now!
November 20, 2020
Words On Music is now shipping orders for Constellations, the sixth record by the Nottingham, England sextet Lorna to be released in North America on December 4th.
Constellations features nine new songs that evoke the classic indie pop of Belle and Sebastian, the fractured beauty of Camera Obscura, and the poignancy of a David Lynch soundtrack.
The record infuses shimmering, summery dream pop with a rich blend of orchestration and analogue electronics helmed by singer and multi-instrumentalist Mark Rolfe.
Visit the Constellations release page to read more and order.
Lorna's "Foxes" Digital Single Released Today
November 20, 2020
"Foxes" is the second single from Constellations, the sixth album by the Nottingham, England sextet.
Decorating its buoyant, jangly pop template with an infusion of woodwinds, strings, and sporadic synths, "Foxes" is a respectful nod to the best of modern Scottish indie pop.
The Lucy Show's Mania Reissued 15 Years Ago
November 15, 2020
Fifteen years ago today, Words On Music reissued Mania, the second and final album by the London post-punk quartet The Lucy Show.
The John Leckie-produced masterpiece was a USA college radio chart-topper led by the singles "A Million Things" and "New Message." The 10-song album fits snugly alongside influencers of the decade like R.E.M. and Jesus and Mary Chain with several compositions also infusing intricate Beatles-esque melodies.
Seven bonus tracks were added on this reissue, including five previously unreleased songs.
Words On Music subsequently reissued the band's debut album ...undone and a collection of singles and rarities entitled Remembrances.
New Song Released by The Lucy Show's Mark Bandola!
July 30, 2020 A new song has been released this week by The Lucy Show singer/guitarist/keyboardist Mark Bandola as Typewriter (the moniker under which he released three brilliant records in the 2000s/2010s). "World Without End" delivers Bandola’s true-to-form catchy melodies but is no ordinary pop song for the treasured UK multi-instrumentalist. Listen and watch!
New Songs by Coastal and Lorna's Mark Rolfe!
May 1, 2020
Coastal and Lorna's Mark Rolfe each contributed a song to the Italian compilation "Love In The Time Of Covid" to benefit the World Health Organization. The record also includes songs from Dean Wareham (Galaxie 500, Luna), Idaho, and Chris Brokaw (Codeine). Rolfe's track is "Every Setting Sun Part 1" while Coastal closes the record with "CovidLOVE."
The digital album is available for purchase at Bandcamp.
Interview with The Lucy Show's Mark Bandola
July 23, 2019 This week the C86 Show conducted an in-depth interview with The Lucy Show singer and guitarist Mark Bandola. Bandola discusses the band's early years in South London, John Peel playing Leonardo da Vinci twice in one show, how singer/bassist Rob Vandeven helped shaped the band's indie sound, working with the legendary John Leckie, and his various post-Lucy Show projects.
Reissue of Almost Charlie's Debut Album Shipping Now!
March 1, 2019
Today Words On Music releases Loving Counterclockwise, the debut album by Berlin's Almost Charlie.
Loving Counterclockwise was originally self-released in 2006. Upon hearing the record, Words On Music signed Almost Charlie and released its subsequent three albums to great critical acclaim: The Plural of Yes (2009), Tomorrow's Yesterday (2012), and A Different Kind of Here (2017).
The 10-song debut record (plus a previously hidden track) has been remastered and fits cozily with the band's entire catalog replete with three-four metered ballads like "The Once-Over Twice," string-laden melodic gems like "Denise Denise," and darker, layered compositions such as "Roberta" and "When All the Lights On Bengal Street Go Down." Signposts: The Beatles, Kings of Convenience, Nick Drake, Elliot Smith.
To order and listen to songs from Loving Counterclockwise, visit here.
Should's Feed Like Fishes Turns 20
December 8, 2018
Twenty years ago today Should released its first full-length record, Feed Like Fishes — a record The Big Takeover called "So pretty, it almost hurts."
Feed Like Fishes used the fuzzed-out core of its stunning debut EP (1995's A Folding Sieve) as a point of reference and then alternately layered and stripped away elements to shift between dream pop and post rock throughout the record's 11 songs.
Should would wait 13 years for its follow-up record, 2011's Like A Fire Without Sound. The band's most recent album, The Great Pretend, was released in 2014.
Lorna's "Through the Tall Grass' Single Released!
June 29, 2018
Nottingham's Lorna return with shimmering, summery dream pop in "Through The Tall Grass," the lead digital single ahead of their sixth record Constellations. Mixing analogue, electronic instrumentation with subtle orchestration, Lorna evoke the classic indiepop of Belle and Sebastian and the fractured beauty of Camera Obscura.
Constellations will be released Spring 2019 by Words On Music.
Almost Charlie's Debut Album to Be Released After 12-Year Wait
June 7, 2018
Words On Music announces it will be reissuing Loving Counterclockwise, the debut album by Berlin's Almost Charlie. Loving Counterclockwise was originally self-released in 2006. Upon hearing the record, Words On Music signed Almost Charlie and released its subsequent three albums to great critical acclaim: The Plural of Yes (2009), Tomorrow's Yesterday (2012), and A Different Kind of Here (2017). The 11-song record fits cozily with the band's entire catalog replete with three-four metered ballads like "The Once-Over Twice," string-laden melodic gems like "Denise Denise," and darker, layered compositions such as "Roberta" and "When All the Lights On Bengal Street Go Down." Loving Counterclockwise is scheduled to be released by Words On Music in Spring 2019.
December Recognized As An Essential Dream Pop Record
May 23, 2018
Post-Punk.com included For Against's seminal 1988 album December (2005, Words On Music reissue) in their recently issued list of the Top 100 essential dream pop records of all time .
"For Against may have hail from Lincoln, Nebraska, but their sound was distinctly British. Following early, more Factory-influenced material and the terrific Echelons debut, 1988's superlative December crystallized this band’s approach - sprightly bass and drums providing a busy backdrop for a flower-filled field of endless chiming guitars and uber-wistful vocals. For Against had dream pop hooks galore (see "Paperwhites", "Stranded in Greenland") but could chill your heart as well, as on the immensely bittersweet and glacial title dirge."
Words On Music Celebrates 20th Anniversary
March 24, 2018 Twenty years ago today Words On Music issued its first release – Every Last Romance, the debut album by the Minneapolis chamber pop duo Motion Picture. Over the next two decades, Words On Music has endeavored to release timeless post-punk, dream pop, chamber pop, noise pop, and post-rock across dozens of records by more than 10 artists from three countries and five states. The Minneapolis-based record label has been privileged to work both with artists with whom founders Eric and Marc Ostermeier have been fans since the 1980s (post punk legends The Lucy Show of London and For Against of Nebraska) as well new artists the label discovered such as Berlin's Almost Charlie, Provo, Utah's Coastal, and The Meeting Places and Magic Bullets from California. Words On Music enters its third decade with new records scheduled for release in 2018 by Lorna, Almost Charlie, and Small Black Reptile.
Lorna reimagine A Christmas Carol
December 8, 2017
Today, Nottingham-based band Lorna in collaboration with Steve Oliver released A Christmas Carol - a brand new cinematic/dreampop soundtrack to Charles Dickens' classic winter tale. The album is a reimagined musical narrative based upon the abridged text from which Dickens himself used to read.
The project was conceived when Lorna discovered a mutual love of Dickens with Steve Oliver, a Nottingham based writer, critic, and broadcaster. Oliver's narration was recorded in July 2017 then taken back to Lorna's own Stars of Winnetka Studio where the band produced around 80 minutes of original music between July and December 2017.
Talking about the idea behind the album Mark Rolfe (producer) explained, "Steve and I first spoke around this time last year, initially about the different edits of The Muppet’s Christmas Carol. We then met up on a rainy night in February and sketched out a plan. We recorded the narration on the hottest day of the year and I spent a lot of the summer writing the parts. Writing a soundtrack to my favourite book has been a lifelong ambition, Steve was great to work with and is very connected in the Dickens world. Musically I wanted the music to be a cross between the Twin Peaks soundtrack, which is a huge influence on us, and classic Christmas movie scores like It's a Wonderful Life and Scrooge. Parts of it are very dreamy and pretty, parts of it are very dark, for Lorna at least.”
The album is mostly instrumental with rich soundscapes and textures, although a fully-scored song "Release" is available as a digital single.
The audiobook is available to listen to as individual tracks without narration (tracks 1-18) and as the full audiobook with narration in four Staves as Dickens intended (tracks 19-22).
Steve Oliver is currently giving Dickens readings around the UK. Lorna are putting the finishing touches to the their 6th studio album on Words on Music due out next year.
Coalesced Turns 15
December 6, 2017
Fifteen years ago this week Words On Music released Coalesced, the sixth full-length record by Lincoln Nebraska's post-punk trio For Against.
Produced by Mike Mogis (Trashcan Sinatras, Rilo Kiley, Jason Mraz, Bright Eyes), the seven-song album was heralded as their best work to date by independent music luminary publications such as The Big Takeover, Pop Culture Press, and Skyscraper.
Coalesced delivers singer Jeff Runnings' trademark soaring vocals enmeshed in a delicate latticework of guitars and punctuated rhythms, to craft an arresting blend of lucid, gorgeous atmospheres. Highlights included the title track, "Medication," and the instrumental "Love You."
New Almost Charlie record released to critical acclaim
August 3, 2017
A Different Kind of Here, the fourth album by the Berlin-based Almost Charlie is garnering high praise by critics on both sides of the Atlantic:
"A sea of transcendent melancholy." - Rolling Stone Germany
"I consider Almost Charlie's songs to be about as close to crafted perfection as exists in the pop world." - Aiding & Abetting
"Such incredibly inspired music. Almost Charlie has an underground buzz that reminds us of the excited devotion of those who first heard Big Star when the band was originally making music. Spinning this, we feel like we're floating in heaven. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh...totally beautiful. TOP PICK." - babysue
To order and view videos to "Shadow Boy" and "Robot" visit here.
Flashback: For Against’s Echelons turns 30
August 1, 2017
Thirty years ago, For Against released their debut album Echelons - one of the definitive North American post-punk albums of the 1980s.
The album blends Factory Records atmospherics with the aggressive jangle of early R.E.M., juxtaposed against the earnest and isolated voice of Jeffrey Runnings. These elements conjoin to set the definitive image of the depth, vastness, and loneliness of America's sparse heartland.
Echelons was celebrated with a Grammy nomination for its remarkable cover design by Bruce Licher (a shaft of wheat accompanied each record sleeve in its initial 1,000 copy letter press run). The Words On Music edition, released in 2004, is remastered with a six-panel digipak design by Licher.
Small Black Reptile Find My Arm released today
June 23, 2017 Today marks the release of Small Black Reptile's Find My Arm, a single that IndiePopSavedMyLife called "One of best new/debut songs of the year." The release pairs the post-punk turmoil of "Find My Arm" with the shoegazey flipside "Head On Table." The digital single is available from iTunes, Bandcamp, and other digital providers.
Small Black Reptile video debut
May 28, 2017 Words On Music is excited to present the debut video from Small Black Reptile. "Find My Arm" will appear on the Baltimore band's debut single, which will be released June 23, 2017.
Lorna Live in Wales
April 30, 2017 Lorna performed at the Wales Goes Pop! Festival in Cardiff in April. Here's a video of their performance, which includes "As She Goes By" from 2013's Heart of Wire, "The Secret Harmony" from the band's upcoming sixth album, "Bigger Than Sound and Greater Than Us" and "Like Alastair Sim" from 2015's London's Leaving Me, and "Understanding Heavy Metal Parts I and II" from 2005's Static Patterns and Souvenirs.
Almost Charlie "Shadow Boy" Video
April 14, 2017 A video for "Shadow Boy," the opening track to Almost Charlie's brand new fourth album A Different Kind of Here was released this week. The video's black and white images - at times hazy and haunting - illustrate a life spent too long hiding in darkness and contemplating an impending emergence into the world. "Shadow Boy" was directed by Ofri Brin (aka the Berlin artist Ofrin).
For more information about A Different Kind of Here, to see the album's first video "Robot," and to purchase the record visit here.
Words On Music Turns 20
March 31, 2017 In March 2017, Words On Music began its 20th year on the independent music scene.
Since we first launched Words On Music from a small apartment in Minneapolis two decades ago, so many wonderful independent record labels have regrettably shut down due to the challenges presented by this ever-changing industry.
We'd like to thank our dozen artists and our dedicated fans from across the world for their continued support to help sustain our label's vision of "Timeless post-punk, dream pop, chamber pop, noise pop, and post-rock since 1998."
Words On Music looks forward to releasing more new music in 2017 and beyond!
New Almost Charlie Album Shipping Now!
March 18, 2017 A Different Kind of Here, the fourth album by the Berlin-based Almost Charlie is shipping now from Words On Music. With twelve new songs brimming with impossibly elegant hooks, poignant imagery, and enduring melodies, A Different Kind of Here is another sophisticated, chamber pop masterpiece from one of the most intriguing songwriting teams in independent music - singer and multi-instrumentalists Dirk Homuth and lyricist Charlie Mason. Signposts: The Beatles, Elliot Smith, Nick Drake, Kings of Convenience.
Seminal dreampop album December by For Against back in stock!
January 21, 2017
Words On Music has repressed our 2005 reissue of For Against's widely popular 1988 album December, which has been out of print for nearly two years. The band's second album is now considered by critics to be a forerunner of the dream pop scene popularized in England just a year or two later (Pale Saints, Kitchens of Distinction, Ride). The December reissue is remastered and packaged in a six-panel digipak design by Bruce Licher. The CD also includes two RARE videos shot in 1987 for "Autocrat" and "Echelons" from their Echelons album. Orders are shipping now!
New Almost Charlie album on the horizon!
July 15, 2016
Words On Music is excited to announce that Berlin's Almost Charlie has completed final mixes for their fourth album, A Different Kind of Here. The record, slated for a Spring 2017 release, is the band's third album for Words On Music and features a dozen new original songs from the songwriting duo of Berlin multi-instrumentalist Dirk Homuth and New York lyricist Charlie Mason. More details coming soon.
Ten years ago this week
November 15, 2015
Ten years ago this week Words On Music reissued Mania, the second album by The Lucy Show, which injected gorgeous, poignant melodies onto a post-punk soundscape, ricocheting with shimmering guitars from the production of the legendary John Leckie. This remastered edition (with seven bonus tracks and the video to the college radio hit “A Million Things”) includes liner notes by The Big Takeover editor Jack Rabid. On a personal note, it has been a great privilege for us to work with The Lucy Show on three releases over the last decade - a band to which we have been tapping our toes since their debut recordings in the mid-1980s.
New Lorna album shipping now!
August 3, 2015
London's Leaving Me, the fifth record by Nottingham England's Lorna, is shipping now from Words On Music. The new album finds Lorna offering another matchless collection of earnest, intricate songwriting featuring the unmistakable voices of husband-and-wife songwriting team Mark Rolfe and Sharon Cohen-Rolfe. The nine-song record is a sweet and fulfilling confection of Scottish and indie-pop that includes a stark, beautiful interpretation of the 1994 Guided By Voices song "Smothered In Hugs." Uncut Magazine writes, "Lorna bleed shoegazing ambience with bittersweet Belle & Sebastian indiepop. Lovely stuff." Signposts: Belle and Sebastian, Camera Obscura, Teenage Fanclub.
New Lorna single and video
April 12, 2015
Lorna returns with Wayne Mills, the sextet's first single of 2015 taken from the forthcoming Words On Music album London's Leaving Me. The digital single is a summery blend of Scottish and indie-pop featuring jangly guitars, analog synths, rich orchestration, and sun-soaked harmonies. The single is backed with the previously unreleased American Analog Set-tinged "Viktor Tsoi Lives On" and a version of Wayne Mills originally recorded direct to vinyl on Jack White's 1940's vocal booth at Third Man Records in Nashville. Signposts: Belle and Sebastian, Camera Obscura, American Analog Set.
New Coastal album shipping now!
February 15, 2015
Words On Music is now shipping Beneath the Snow and Streetlights, the first album by Coastal in over a decade, in advance of its March 3rd USA release. The record features 15 tracks including five new songs alongside rarities and alternate and acoustic versions. Beneath the Snow and Streetlights is a welcome reminder of the spellbinding simplicity and unhurried elegance which still makes Coastal a model for artists at the nexus of post-rock and dream pop. Order and learn more about the new record here.
New Lorna Holiday Single Released!
December 8, 2014 This week Words On Music released the new Lorna holiday single "Like Alastair Sim."
Gorgeous melodies unfold at a deliberate pace into a soundscape steeped with heartfelt optimism, as the Nottingham sextet blends to perfection strings, percussion, and the unmistakable vocal harmonies of Mark Rolfe and Sharon Cohen Rolfe.
Released as a digital single by Words On Music, the song also appears on the charity Christmas album Christmas in Slab Square to benefit the Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust.
Coastal's debut album back in stock!
November 15, 2014
Good news - after four years of being out of stock, we recently came across a box of Coastal's 2001 self-titled debut album. The CD is available once again in our online store, but order quickly as our supply is limited.
Coastal's Halfway to You turns 10
August 10, 2014
Ten years ago today Words On Music released Halfway To You – the second full-length album by Coastal. The record's nine songs retained the fragile beauty of the band’s 2001 self-titled debut, but evoked a more textured ambiance, owing in part to the wider array of instrumentation employed—such as cello, viola, acoustic guitar, and found samples. Words On Music will release a third album by Coastal later this year which includes the band's first new material in a decade. The album, Beneath the Snow and Streetlights, features 15 songs including rarities, alternate and acoustic versions, and three recently recorded new songs.
Ten years ago today
August 10, 2014
Ten years ago today Words On Music reissued For Against's debut album Echelons, marking the first time the classic post-punk album had been released on CD after being out of print for more than a decade. In the words of All Music Guide, "Echelons was in its own fashion one of the most important releases of its time. A spectacular listen." The Echelons reissue was the second of seven For Against records released by Words On Music over a 10-year period from 2001 to 2011.
Video for Dalliance by Should released
April 20, 2014 The second video for Should's new album The Great Pretend is "Dalliance." How many reel-to-reel machines can you count?
Should 'The Great Pretend' released to strong reviews
April 6, 2014![[#4!]](http://www.words-on-music.com/should/images/mail/pool1.jpg)
Words On Music released Should's fourth album, The Great Pretend, on March 25th. The album is absolutely essential listening for any fan of dream pop or shoegaze, but the album's breadth of style and depth of songwriting transcends those genres. The strong reviews have been flooding in:
Real songwriting beneath the pedals and effect. I love this record. [sic] Magazine
I am pretty sure this is one of the best albums I've heard this winter. Feed Me With Your Kiss
It latches onto your cerebrum and doesn't let go. The DaDaDa
I love it when bands get better with age. This Wreckage
You can stream the full album here or on Spotify.
Should 'Down A Notch' video released
January 25, 2014 "Down A Notch" is the first single from Should's forthcoming album The Great Pretend, which will be released in March. The three-song digital single Down A Notch will be released February 18th. The single contains two non-album tracks: "On Your Sleeve" and "Animate."
September 13, 2024
A Gentle Collapsing, the decades-old album by the post-punk trio Remnant Three is released on vinyl, CD, and digital formats today. The eight-song album was recorded more than three decades ago, but unreleased until now.
It is garnering praise from veteran post-punk DJs and critics:
"It was love at first listen. A very classic post-punk sound in the vein of Faith-era Cure, Joy Division, or The Glass Bead Game by Breathless." — Matt Sebastian, Sirius XM’s Dark Wave
"This album is a testament to the timeless spirit of post-punk — a genre forever caught between the past and an uncertain future, much like the music of Remnant Three itself...Think of the visceral angst of Joy Division, the shadowed tones of Faith-era Cure, and the dark processions of early New Order, and the poetic intricacies of Sad Lovers and Giants." — Post-Punk.com
Visit here to learn more about the record and to order.
Remnant Three's debut single/video released!
August 9, 2024 Words On Music announces the release of "The Gilded Infancy" — the debut single by the post-punk trio Remnant Three.
The lead track off the forthcoming album A Gentle Collapsing, "The Gilded Infancy" begins with sporadic industrial noises coating dual basslines through the song's four verses, diagramming a lineage to The Cure's 17 Seconds. The song builds without the strike of a single cymbal crash, but instead through anticipation of the first note of an electric guitar that arrives in an affecting entrance three minutes into the song.
Words On Music is also taking preorders for Remnant Three's A Gentle Collapsing album — recorded more than three decades ago but unreleased until now. Preview two songs and preorder the album in CD or 12" vinyl format here.
Remnant Three's A Gentle Collapsing Release Date Announced!
July 10, 2024 A Gentle Collapsing, the definitive recordings of the post-punk trio Remnant Three, will be released by Words On Music on vinyl and compact disc on September 13, 2024. The eight-song album was recorded more than three decades ago, but unreleased until now. Preview two songs and preorder the album in CD or 12" vinyl format here.
For Against's "Amen Yves" On New Cherry Red Collection
May 31, 2024
For Against's popular song "Amen Yves" – from the In The Marshes EP – appears on the new Cherry Red Records 4-CD compilation No Songs Tomorrow: Darkway, Ethereal Rock and Coldwave 1981-1990. Other artists on the influential European label's collection include The Cure, Cocteau Twins, Dead Can Dance, Section 25, Tones On Tail, Clan of Xymox, Cranes, Soft Cell, Minimal Compact, Sad Lovers and Giants, Xmal Deutschland, Red Lorry Yellow Lorry, and Bel Canto.
Video for Almost Charlie's "Go A Little Easy"
February 4, 2023 Videos keep coming for Almost Charlie's new album, A Whisper in a World Too Loud. Here's a wonderful video for Go A Little Easy. Video by Dirk Homuth.
Video for Almost Charlie's "The Carousel Never Stops"
January 1, 2023 The new year brings a video for the opening song of A Whisper in a World Too Loud. Video by Kamila Ogrodowska & Dirk Homuth.
Video for Almost Charlie's "Hear the Leaves"
October 27, 2022 A video has been released for "Hear the Leaves," — track four on Almost Charlie's new, fifth album, A Whisper in a World Too Loud. Directed by Kamila Ogrodowska.
September Words On Music Newsletter
September 30, 2022
Read our September Newsletter to learn about today's release of Almost Charlie's new album, the forthcoming debut release by the 1980s postpunk trio Remnant Three, and rare The Lucy Show photos on our new Instagram page.
New Almost Charlie album shipping now!
September 5, 2022
Words On Music is now shipping direct orders for A Whisper in a World Too Loud — the fifth album by Berlin's Almost Charlie — in advance of its September 30th official North American release.
The album features a dozen new works that showcase a mastery of songwriting: lyricist Charlie Mason's imagery is penned with such matchless wit and detail that it resonates as memorably as singer/guitarist Dirk Homuth's elegant melodies and hooks.
Homuth brilliantly uses the economy of songwriting implemented by giants like The Beatles ("On The Best Day I Can't Wait to Remember") and Simon & Garfunkle ("Somewhen Else") to guide his hand as he pens an undeniably personalized musical signature.
Signposts: The Beatles, Kings of Convenience, I Am Kloot, Nick Drake, Trashcan Sinatras.
To order and listen to songs from A Whisper In a World Too Loud, visit here.
For Against's Echelons Back In Stock!
February 4, 2021
Words On Music has repressed Echelons, For Against's debut album from 1987. The CD is now back in stock at our store. After being out of print for many years, Words On Music originally reissued Echelons in 2004 - the first digital release of the timeless post-punk masterpiece.
The album blends early Factory Records atmospherics with the aggressive jangle of early R.E.M., juxtaposed against the earnest and isolated voice of Jeffrey Runnings. These elements conjoin to set the definitive image of the depth, vastness, and loneliness of America's sparse heartland. Remastered with design by Independent Project's Bruce Licher.
Words On Music Bandcamp Page Launched!
January 10, 2021
Words On Music announces the launch of our Bandcamp page. Visit to stream our entire catalog, purchase digital tracks, or order CDs.
Lorna's Sixth Album Constellations Shipping Now!
November 20, 2020
Words On Music is now shipping orders for Constellations, the sixth record by the Nottingham, England sextet Lorna to be released in North America on December 4th.
Constellations features nine new songs that evoke the classic indie pop of Belle and Sebastian, the fractured beauty of Camera Obscura, and the poignancy of a David Lynch soundtrack.
The record infuses shimmering, summery dream pop with a rich blend of orchestration and analogue electronics helmed by singer and multi-instrumentalist Mark Rolfe.
Visit the Constellations release page to read more and order.
Lorna's "Foxes" Digital Single Released Today
November 20, 2020
"Foxes" is the second single from Constellations, the sixth album by the Nottingham, England sextet.
Decorating its buoyant, jangly pop template with an infusion of woodwinds, strings, and sporadic synths, "Foxes" is a respectful nod to the best of modern Scottish indie pop.
The Lucy Show's Mania Reissued 15 Years Ago
November 15, 2020
Fifteen years ago today, Words On Music reissued Mania, the second and final album by the London post-punk quartet The Lucy Show.
The John Leckie-produced masterpiece was a USA college radio chart-topper led by the singles "A Million Things" and "New Message." The 10-song album fits snugly alongside influencers of the decade like R.E.M. and Jesus and Mary Chain with several compositions also infusing intricate Beatles-esque melodies.
Seven bonus tracks were added on this reissue, including five previously unreleased songs.
Words On Music subsequently reissued the band's debut album ...undone and a collection of singles and rarities entitled Remembrances.
New Song Released by The Lucy Show's Mark Bandola!
July 30, 2020 A new song has been released this week by The Lucy Show singer/guitarist/keyboardist Mark Bandola as Typewriter (the moniker under which he released three brilliant records in the 2000s/2010s). "World Without End" delivers Bandola’s true-to-form catchy melodies but is no ordinary pop song for the treasured UK multi-instrumentalist. Listen and watch!
New Songs by Coastal and Lorna's Mark Rolfe!
May 1, 2020
Coastal and Lorna's Mark Rolfe each contributed a song to the Italian compilation "Love In The Time Of Covid" to benefit the World Health Organization. The record also includes songs from Dean Wareham (Galaxie 500, Luna), Idaho, and Chris Brokaw (Codeine). Rolfe's track is "Every Setting Sun Part 1" while Coastal closes the record with "CovidLOVE."
The digital album is available for purchase at Bandcamp.
Interview with The Lucy Show's Mark Bandola
July 23, 2019 This week the C86 Show conducted an in-depth interview with The Lucy Show singer and guitarist Mark Bandola. Bandola discusses the band's early years in South London, John Peel playing Leonardo da Vinci twice in one show, how singer/bassist Rob Vandeven helped shaped the band's indie sound, working with the legendary John Leckie, and his various post-Lucy Show projects.
Reissue of Almost Charlie's Debut Album Shipping Now!
March 1, 2019
Today Words On Music releases Loving Counterclockwise, the debut album by Berlin's Almost Charlie.
Loving Counterclockwise was originally self-released in 2006. Upon hearing the record, Words On Music signed Almost Charlie and released its subsequent three albums to great critical acclaim: The Plural of Yes (2009), Tomorrow's Yesterday (2012), and A Different Kind of Here (2017).
The 10-song debut record (plus a previously hidden track) has been remastered and fits cozily with the band's entire catalog replete with three-four metered ballads like "The Once-Over Twice," string-laden melodic gems like "Denise Denise," and darker, layered compositions such as "Roberta" and "When All the Lights On Bengal Street Go Down." Signposts: The Beatles, Kings of Convenience, Nick Drake, Elliot Smith.
To order and listen to songs from Loving Counterclockwise, visit here.
Should's Feed Like Fishes Turns 20
December 8, 2018
Twenty years ago today Should released its first full-length record, Feed Like Fishes — a record The Big Takeover called "So pretty, it almost hurts."
Feed Like Fishes used the fuzzed-out core of its stunning debut EP (1995's A Folding Sieve) as a point of reference and then alternately layered and stripped away elements to shift between dream pop and post rock throughout the record's 11 songs.
Should would wait 13 years for its follow-up record, 2011's Like A Fire Without Sound. The band's most recent album, The Great Pretend, was released in 2014.
Lorna's "Through the Tall Grass' Single Released!
June 29, 2018
Nottingham's Lorna return with shimmering, summery dream pop in "Through The Tall Grass," the lead digital single ahead of their sixth record Constellations. Mixing analogue, electronic instrumentation with subtle orchestration, Lorna evoke the classic indiepop of Belle and Sebastian and the fractured beauty of Camera Obscura.
Constellations will be released Spring 2019 by Words On Music.
Almost Charlie's Debut Album to Be Released After 12-Year Wait
June 7, 2018
Words On Music announces it will be reissuing Loving Counterclockwise, the debut album by Berlin's Almost Charlie. Loving Counterclockwise was originally self-released in 2006. Upon hearing the record, Words On Music signed Almost Charlie and released its subsequent three albums to great critical acclaim: The Plural of Yes (2009), Tomorrow's Yesterday (2012), and A Different Kind of Here (2017). The 11-song record fits cozily with the band's entire catalog replete with three-four metered ballads like "The Once-Over Twice," string-laden melodic gems like "Denise Denise," and darker, layered compositions such as "Roberta" and "When All the Lights On Bengal Street Go Down." Loving Counterclockwise is scheduled to be released by Words On Music in Spring 2019.
December Recognized As An Essential Dream Pop Record
May 23, 2018
Post-Punk.com included For Against's seminal 1988 album December (2005, Words On Music reissue) in their recently issued list of the Top 100 essential dream pop records of all time .
"For Against may have hail from Lincoln, Nebraska, but their sound was distinctly British. Following early, more Factory-influenced material and the terrific Echelons debut, 1988's superlative December crystallized this band’s approach - sprightly bass and drums providing a busy backdrop for a flower-filled field of endless chiming guitars and uber-wistful vocals. For Against had dream pop hooks galore (see "Paperwhites", "Stranded in Greenland") but could chill your heart as well, as on the immensely bittersweet and glacial title dirge."
Words On Music Celebrates 20th Anniversary
March 24, 2018 Twenty years ago today Words On Music issued its first release – Every Last Romance, the debut album by the Minneapolis chamber pop duo Motion Picture. Over the next two decades, Words On Music has endeavored to release timeless post-punk, dream pop, chamber pop, noise pop, and post-rock across dozens of records by more than 10 artists from three countries and five states. The Minneapolis-based record label has been privileged to work both with artists with whom founders Eric and Marc Ostermeier have been fans since the 1980s (post punk legends The Lucy Show of London and For Against of Nebraska) as well new artists the label discovered such as Berlin's Almost Charlie, Provo, Utah's Coastal, and The Meeting Places and Magic Bullets from California. Words On Music enters its third decade with new records scheduled for release in 2018 by Lorna, Almost Charlie, and Small Black Reptile.
Lorna reimagine A Christmas Carol
December 8, 2017
Today, Nottingham-based band Lorna in collaboration with Steve Oliver released A Christmas Carol - a brand new cinematic/dreampop soundtrack to Charles Dickens' classic winter tale. The album is a reimagined musical narrative based upon the abridged text from which Dickens himself used to read.
The project was conceived when Lorna discovered a mutual love of Dickens with Steve Oliver, a Nottingham based writer, critic, and broadcaster. Oliver's narration was recorded in July 2017 then taken back to Lorna's own Stars of Winnetka Studio where the band produced around 80 minutes of original music between July and December 2017.
Talking about the idea behind the album Mark Rolfe (producer) explained, "Steve and I first spoke around this time last year, initially about the different edits of The Muppet’s Christmas Carol. We then met up on a rainy night in February and sketched out a plan. We recorded the narration on the hottest day of the year and I spent a lot of the summer writing the parts. Writing a soundtrack to my favourite book has been a lifelong ambition, Steve was great to work with and is very connected in the Dickens world. Musically I wanted the music to be a cross between the Twin Peaks soundtrack, which is a huge influence on us, and classic Christmas movie scores like It's a Wonderful Life and Scrooge. Parts of it are very dreamy and pretty, parts of it are very dark, for Lorna at least.”
The album is mostly instrumental with rich soundscapes and textures, although a fully-scored song "Release" is available as a digital single.
The audiobook is available to listen to as individual tracks without narration (tracks 1-18) and as the full audiobook with narration in four Staves as Dickens intended (tracks 19-22).
Steve Oliver is currently giving Dickens readings around the UK. Lorna are putting the finishing touches to the their 6th studio album on Words on Music due out next year.
Coalesced Turns 15
December 6, 2017
Fifteen years ago this week Words On Music released Coalesced, the sixth full-length record by Lincoln Nebraska's post-punk trio For Against.
Produced by Mike Mogis (Trashcan Sinatras, Rilo Kiley, Jason Mraz, Bright Eyes), the seven-song album was heralded as their best work to date by independent music luminary publications such as The Big Takeover, Pop Culture Press, and Skyscraper.
Coalesced delivers singer Jeff Runnings' trademark soaring vocals enmeshed in a delicate latticework of guitars and punctuated rhythms, to craft an arresting blend of lucid, gorgeous atmospheres. Highlights included the title track, "Medication," and the instrumental "Love You."
New Almost Charlie record released to critical acclaim
August 3, 2017
A Different Kind of Here, the fourth album by the Berlin-based Almost Charlie is garnering high praise by critics on both sides of the Atlantic:
"A sea of transcendent melancholy." - Rolling Stone Germany
"I consider Almost Charlie's songs to be about as close to crafted perfection as exists in the pop world." - Aiding & Abetting
"Such incredibly inspired music. Almost Charlie has an underground buzz that reminds us of the excited devotion of those who first heard Big Star when the band was originally making music. Spinning this, we feel like we're floating in heaven. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh...totally beautiful. TOP PICK." - babysue
To order and view videos to "Shadow Boy" and "Robot" visit here.
Flashback: For Against’s Echelons turns 30
August 1, 2017
Thirty years ago, For Against released their debut album Echelons - one of the definitive North American post-punk albums of the 1980s.
The album blends Factory Records atmospherics with the aggressive jangle of early R.E.M., juxtaposed against the earnest and isolated voice of Jeffrey Runnings. These elements conjoin to set the definitive image of the depth, vastness, and loneliness of America's sparse heartland.
Echelons was celebrated with a Grammy nomination for its remarkable cover design by Bruce Licher (a shaft of wheat accompanied each record sleeve in its initial 1,000 copy letter press run). The Words On Music edition, released in 2004, is remastered with a six-panel digipak design by Licher.
Small Black Reptile Find My Arm released today
June 23, 2017 Today marks the release of Small Black Reptile's Find My Arm, a single that IndiePopSavedMyLife called "One of best new/debut songs of the year." The release pairs the post-punk turmoil of "Find My Arm" with the shoegazey flipside "Head On Table." The digital single is available from iTunes, Bandcamp, and other digital providers.
Small Black Reptile video debut
May 28, 2017 Words On Music is excited to present the debut video from Small Black Reptile. "Find My Arm" will appear on the Baltimore band's debut single, which will be released June 23, 2017.
Lorna Live in Wales
April 30, 2017 Lorna performed at the Wales Goes Pop! Festival in Cardiff in April. Here's a video of their performance, which includes "As She Goes By" from 2013's Heart of Wire, "The Secret Harmony" from the band's upcoming sixth album, "Bigger Than Sound and Greater Than Us" and "Like Alastair Sim" from 2015's London's Leaving Me, and "Understanding Heavy Metal Parts I and II" from 2005's Static Patterns and Souvenirs.
Almost Charlie "Shadow Boy" Video
April 14, 2017 A video for "Shadow Boy," the opening track to Almost Charlie's brand new fourth album A Different Kind of Here was released this week. The video's black and white images - at times hazy and haunting - illustrate a life spent too long hiding in darkness and contemplating an impending emergence into the world. "Shadow Boy" was directed by Ofri Brin (aka the Berlin artist Ofrin).
For more information about A Different Kind of Here, to see the album's first video "Robot," and to purchase the record visit here.
Words On Music Turns 20
March 31, 2017 In March 2017, Words On Music began its 20th year on the independent music scene.
Since we first launched Words On Music from a small apartment in Minneapolis two decades ago, so many wonderful independent record labels have regrettably shut down due to the challenges presented by this ever-changing industry.
We'd like to thank our dozen artists and our dedicated fans from across the world for their continued support to help sustain our label's vision of "Timeless post-punk, dream pop, chamber pop, noise pop, and post-rock since 1998."
Words On Music looks forward to releasing more new music in 2017 and beyond!
New Almost Charlie Album Shipping Now!
March 18, 2017 A Different Kind of Here, the fourth album by the Berlin-based Almost Charlie is shipping now from Words On Music. With twelve new songs brimming with impossibly elegant hooks, poignant imagery, and enduring melodies, A Different Kind of Here is another sophisticated, chamber pop masterpiece from one of the most intriguing songwriting teams in independent music - singer and multi-instrumentalists Dirk Homuth and lyricist Charlie Mason. Signposts: The Beatles, Elliot Smith, Nick Drake, Kings of Convenience.
Seminal dreampop album December by For Against back in stock!
January 21, 2017
Words On Music has repressed our 2005 reissue of For Against's widely popular 1988 album December, which has been out of print for nearly two years. The band's second album is now considered by critics to be a forerunner of the dream pop scene popularized in England just a year or two later (Pale Saints, Kitchens of Distinction, Ride). The December reissue is remastered and packaged in a six-panel digipak design by Bruce Licher. The CD also includes two RARE videos shot in 1987 for "Autocrat" and "Echelons" from their Echelons album. Orders are shipping now!
New Almost Charlie album on the horizon!
July 15, 2016
Words On Music is excited to announce that Berlin's Almost Charlie has completed final mixes for their fourth album, A Different Kind of Here. The record, slated for a Spring 2017 release, is the band's third album for Words On Music and features a dozen new original songs from the songwriting duo of Berlin multi-instrumentalist Dirk Homuth and New York lyricist Charlie Mason. More details coming soon.
Ten years ago this week
November 15, 2015
Ten years ago this week Words On Music reissued Mania, the second album by The Lucy Show, which injected gorgeous, poignant melodies onto a post-punk soundscape, ricocheting with shimmering guitars from the production of the legendary John Leckie. This remastered edition (with seven bonus tracks and the video to the college radio hit “A Million Things”) includes liner notes by The Big Takeover editor Jack Rabid. On a personal note, it has been a great privilege for us to work with The Lucy Show on three releases over the last decade - a band to which we have been tapping our toes since their debut recordings in the mid-1980s.
New Lorna album shipping now!
August 3, 2015
London's Leaving Me, the fifth record by Nottingham England's Lorna, is shipping now from Words On Music. The new album finds Lorna offering another matchless collection of earnest, intricate songwriting featuring the unmistakable voices of husband-and-wife songwriting team Mark Rolfe and Sharon Cohen-Rolfe. The nine-song record is a sweet and fulfilling confection of Scottish and indie-pop that includes a stark, beautiful interpretation of the 1994 Guided By Voices song "Smothered In Hugs." Uncut Magazine writes, "Lorna bleed shoegazing ambience with bittersweet Belle & Sebastian indiepop. Lovely stuff." Signposts: Belle and Sebastian, Camera Obscura, Teenage Fanclub.
New Lorna single and video
April 12, 2015
Lorna returns with Wayne Mills, the sextet's first single of 2015 taken from the forthcoming Words On Music album London's Leaving Me. The digital single is a summery blend of Scottish and indie-pop featuring jangly guitars, analog synths, rich orchestration, and sun-soaked harmonies. The single is backed with the previously unreleased American Analog Set-tinged "Viktor Tsoi Lives On" and a version of Wayne Mills originally recorded direct to vinyl on Jack White's 1940's vocal booth at Third Man Records in Nashville. Signposts: Belle and Sebastian, Camera Obscura, American Analog Set.
New Coastal album shipping now!
February 15, 2015
Words On Music is now shipping Beneath the Snow and Streetlights, the first album by Coastal in over a decade, in advance of its March 3rd USA release. The record features 15 tracks including five new songs alongside rarities and alternate and acoustic versions. Beneath the Snow and Streetlights is a welcome reminder of the spellbinding simplicity and unhurried elegance which still makes Coastal a model for artists at the nexus of post-rock and dream pop. Order and learn more about the new record here.
New Lorna Holiday Single Released!
December 8, 2014 This week Words On Music released the new Lorna holiday single "Like Alastair Sim."
Gorgeous melodies unfold at a deliberate pace into a soundscape steeped with heartfelt optimism, as the Nottingham sextet blends to perfection strings, percussion, and the unmistakable vocal harmonies of Mark Rolfe and Sharon Cohen Rolfe.
Released as a digital single by Words On Music, the song also appears on the charity Christmas album Christmas in Slab Square to benefit the Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust.
Coastal's debut album back in stock!
November 15, 2014
Good news - after four years of being out of stock, we recently came across a box of Coastal's 2001 self-titled debut album. The CD is available once again in our online store, but order quickly as our supply is limited.
Coastal's Halfway to You turns 10
August 10, 2014
Ten years ago today Words On Music released Halfway To You – the second full-length album by Coastal. The record's nine songs retained the fragile beauty of the band’s 2001 self-titled debut, but evoked a more textured ambiance, owing in part to the wider array of instrumentation employed—such as cello, viola, acoustic guitar, and found samples. Words On Music will release a third album by Coastal later this year which includes the band's first new material in a decade. The album, Beneath the Snow and Streetlights, features 15 songs including rarities, alternate and acoustic versions, and three recently recorded new songs.
Ten years ago today
August 10, 2014
Ten years ago today Words On Music reissued For Against's debut album Echelons, marking the first time the classic post-punk album had been released on CD after being out of print for more than a decade. In the words of All Music Guide, "Echelons was in its own fashion one of the most important releases of its time. A spectacular listen." The Echelons reissue was the second of seven For Against records released by Words On Music over a 10-year period from 2001 to 2011.
Video for Dalliance by Should released
April 20, 2014 The second video for Should's new album The Great Pretend is "Dalliance." How many reel-to-reel machines can you count?
Should 'The Great Pretend' released to strong reviews
April 6, 2014
Words On Music released Should's fourth album, The Great Pretend, on March 25th. The album is absolutely essential listening for any fan of dream pop or shoegaze, but the album's breadth of style and depth of songwriting transcends those genres. The strong reviews have been flooding in:
Real songwriting beneath the pedals and effect. I love this record. [sic] Magazine
I am pretty sure this is one of the best albums I've heard this winter. Feed Me With Your Kiss
It latches onto your cerebrum and doesn't let go. The DaDaDa
I love it when bands get better with age. This Wreckage
You can stream the full album here or on Spotify.
Should 'Down A Notch' video released
January 25, 2014 "Down A Notch" is the first single from Should's forthcoming album The Great Pretend, which will be released in March. The three-song digital single Down A Notch will be released February 18th. The single contains two non-album tracks: "On Your Sleeve" and "Animate."
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