There’s a storied history when it comes to the delivery medium known as the “label comp.”
In a recent review, our own Joseph Neff noted that compilations “were incalculably valuable in getting a premium of information into the grooves and onto the sleeves of one slab of vinyl, preferably with some tangible theme along for the ride, the better to hip listeners to what was occurring…
Those themes could unravel and possibly intertwine in any number of interesting ways. Some comps attempted to detail the diversity of a specific city’s scene, shooting for including as wide a cross-section of styles and attitudes as possible. Other releases retained the focus on one locale, but instead of assembling an assortment of sounds for variety’s sake chose to hone in on one sub-sect of the scene, the intention being to illuminate the activities of those defiantly standing apart from the pack.”
Warner Brothers Records set a standard in the 1970s with its “Loss Leaders” series, which compiled the label’s recent finds, along with its chart busters, into easily affordable, and eminently worthwhile, double LP compilations.
Taking a cue from its own storied past, the label continues to add talented acts to its roster, and it’s with these acquisitions of talent that the brand new Verses LP Sampler arrives on store shelves.
The Verses comp features thirteen tracks from thirteen different alternative bands: The Flaming Lips, SKATERS, The Rubens, Delta Rae, The Wild Feathers, Surfer Blood, Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr., Tegan & Sara, Atlas Genius, JEFF the Brotherhood, Kill it Kid, Blondfire, and Iron & Wine.
Warner Brothers is only releasing 1,000 copies of this special compilation LP—and it’s not just limited, but also pressed on red vinyl—and we’ve been given five to give away! If any of these musicians sound familiar, and even if they don’t, this sampler is your chance to, well, sample their sound.
For a chance to win your copy of Warner Brothers Records’ Verses compilation, enter with a comment below giving us your favorite song by one of the acts featured on the LP. Canadian twin sisters Tegan & Sara are a talented duo, and I love their cover of The Rolling Stones’ “Fool to Cry” that’s on the Girls soundtrack.
Five winners with a North American mailing address will be chosen one week from today, on Monday, September 23.
