They grow up so fast. One day they’re a little baby record label, staffed entirely by volunteers and two human-sized, sentient cans of Red Bull, just struggling to figure out how to put a one-sheet together. Then next thing you know they’re releasing a 20th-anniversary compilation.
And so it happens that beloved alt-country/indie label Bloodshot is releasing While No One Was Looking: Toasting 20 Years of Bloodshot Records on November 18. The album is a collection of 38 label artists performing covers from other label artists, and will be available as a limited-edition 2CD/3LP/digital release. If you pre-order this thing, you can get it — appropriately enough — on blood-red vinyl. You’ll get music from the likes of Mike Watt, Blitzen Trapper, Andrew Bird and Nora O’Connor, Ben Kweller, Nicki Bluhm and the Gramblers, Shakey Graves, Chuck Ragan, Superchunk, and loads of other folks doing their takes on tracks by artists such as Neko Case, Justin Townes Earle, Ryan Adams, Scott H. Biram, Ha Ha Tonka, Lydia Loveless, Old 97’s, Murder By Death, Robbie Fulks, Cory Branan… and the list goes on. To check out the Blitzen Trapper cover of Ryan Adams’ “To Be Young (Is to be Sad, Is to be High),” you can mosey on over to Rolling Stone, or just listen below:
While No One Was Looking: Toasting 20 Years of Bloodshot Records tracklisting:
Disc 1
01. Blitzen Trapper, “To Be Young (Is to Be Sad, Is to be High)”
02. Chris Shiflett & The Dead Peasants, “Look the Other Way”
03. Samantha Crain, “Cold Forgiver”
04. Chuck Prophet, “Dirt”
05. Hiss Golden Messenger, “Where I Fell”
06. Dave Davison (of Maps & Atlases), “Things I Didn’t Say”
07. Ted Leo, “Dragging My Own Tombstone”
08. Into It. Over It., “Deep Red Bells”
09. Split Single, “My Backyard”
10. Limbeck, “Sound of Running”
11. Tim Kasher, “Aspidistra”
12. Shakey Graves, “Happy Birthday Julie”
13. Ivan & Alyosha, “My Winding Wheel”
14. Chuck Ragan, “Survivor Blues”
15. The Minus 5, “Cherokee Grove”
16. Carolyn Mark, “Last to Know”
17. Daniel Romano, “Strange Birds”
18. Charlie Parr, “Manifold”
19. The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band, “St. Nick on the Fourth in a Fervor”
20. Possessed By Paul James, “I Came Around”
Disc 2
01. Andrew Bird and Nora O’Connor, “I’ll Trade You Money for Wine”
02. Ben Kweller, “2:00 AM”
03. Frank Turner , “The Corner”
04. Superchunk, “Come Pick Me Up”
05. KOJI, “East Jefferson”
06. The Great Crusades, “Fake Out Jesus” (Live)
07. Mike Watt & The Missingmen, “Up to My Neck In This”
08. Nicki Bluhm & the Gramblers, “Oh My Sweet Carolina”
09. Jerry David DeCicca, “Broken Bottle”
10. The Handsome Family, “1000 Dollar Car”
11. Warm Soda, “All Grown Up”
12. James Leg (of Black Diamond Heavies), “Is That You in the Blue?”
13. Two Gallants, “Truck Driver”
14. Diarrhea Planet, “Dry Land”
15. Kevin “Shinyribs” Russell, “All the Time”
16. The North Carolina Music Love Army (featuring Caitlin Cary, Chip Robinson, and Kenny Roby), “Stick to the Plan”
17. William Elliott Whitmore, “I Wish I Was the Moon”
18. Samuel Fogarino (of Interpol), “Liked It a Lot”
• Bloodshot: https://www.bloodshotrecords.com
More about: Andrew Bird, Blitzen Trapper, Lydia Loveless, Mike Watt, Neko Case, Ryan Adams, Superchunk
