Well, I Don't See Why Not, Vol. One (now FREE!)

After having to reprint Well, I Don't See Why Not, Vol. One at least a dozen times, we have finally decided to give it a rest in the physical realm and declare it free in the digital realm. While the subtitle declared it “A Compilation of Unsigned/Barely Signed Northwest Artists,” we’ve realized that a lot of these artists have moved onto other things and maybe it was time to, like them, move on. And many of them are signed- Yes Please is in Grass Widow now, Kendl Winter of Kite is signed to K Records, Hail Seizures are on Black Powder, Foxdye gets her records released on labels the world over, the list goes on. Point is, perhaps it worked?

An interesting collection that spans from strange lo-fi pop and cello punk to sample-heavy indie electronic and tape collage music, Well, I Don’t See Why Not Vol. One is a great recent history time capsule of underground Northwest music.

1. Twig Palace- Wicker Frames-still in existence, Twig Palace is now split between Olympia and Oakland. Playing in bands such as Upside Drown, The Hive Dwellers, The Mumlers, and Lazer Zepplin in their time apart.

2. Yes Please- Crucial Things- no longer in existence, Yes Please now plays in Grass Widow, who have left their former home at Kill Rock Stars to start their own label, Wizard Mountain.

3. Hail Seizures- Daddy- still in existence, Hail Seizures tour the world and also play in a number of other bands (including the super amazing Shark Pact).          

4. If It Ain't Breakfast Don't Fix It- October- still in existence, this is perhaps one of my favorite songs ever. Currently living in North Carolina, this winter will find If It Ain't Breakfast moving back to Olympia.

5. Eleanor Murray- River- still in existence, taking the winter off to work on a new album and playing shows with side project Tattered Dress. 

6. A Collective of Dirt- Leaving- no longer in existence, members of this group always play in a thousand groups at once. Crystal Fists and If It Ain't Breakfast Don't Fix It are the ones I know pretty for sure are still going. 

7. The Background Front ft Pet Club- Lullaby- neither group still being in existence, members of these groups play in Letters, Gumar, Grass Widow and co-run Dropping Gems Records. This song was recently redone on the Letters' album All the Adventures to See Them I Will.      

8. Ariel Birks- At Best- still in existence, a full length album years in the making will someday appear.

9. Kleinen Fruhstuck- What the Turtle Tolled Me- no longer in existence, Kleinen can be found in groups such as Little Angry, The Hive Dwellers, Lazer Zepplin, and running Bellhead Studios.         

10. My Peach is Pickled- Rerun- no longer in existence (?), My Peach now plays in bands such as Corespondents and the Contraband Country Band.

11. Kite- Fill My Glass- no longer in existence, some of the songs from the Kite project are being redone for the new Kendl Winter album on K Records.            

12. Hecka Ar- My Memory's Fine- no longer in existence, members of Hecka Ar can be found playing in Corespondents and DJ Dogwater.

13. Tapestry- Little Buddy- still in existence, but on hiatus.This song was redone on the Letters album Letters Plays Selections from the Tapestry Songbook.

14. Gumar- Seventy-Six- still in existence and producing, dj'ing, mastering, and co-running Dropping Gems out of Portland, Or.        

15. Foxdye- Harp Heart- still in existence, putting out albums and touring the world.

16. Blindfolder ft Makeout Hangover- Buckets Full of Honey- Blindfolder is still existence, making sporadic recordings out of Seattle, Wa. The current state of Makeout Hangover is unknown.       

17. Letters- Pull on the Reins- still in existence, but typically making music that sounds a good deal different than this.