Back in 1996, Chris Swanson, Ben Swanson, Eric Weddle, Jonathan Cargill founded the Bloomington, Indiana-based label Secretly Canadian. Indie music fans know the label well, of course, as it has been home to many era-defining artists, like The War On Drugs, Whitney, Jason Molina, and plenty of others. Now that the label has been around for 25 years, they are celebrating in a number of ways.
https://twitter.com/secretlycndian/status/1383074954162372613
All of these ways are part of the year-long SC25 initiative to help fight homelessness in Bloomington, which aims to raise a quarter of a million dollars for Bloomington organization New Hope For Families. The label shared a statement about the initiative, which also addresses the recent fatal FedEx shooting in Indianapolis, writing:
“Like all of our neighbors here in Indiana, the Secretly family are devastated by the news that developed overnight. Our hearts are with all of those affected by the tragedy in Indianapolis.
Secretly was founded in 1996, just down the road in Bloomington, and today we are sharing plans — long in the works — to mark our 25th anniversary with a mission to aid families experiencing homelessness in our hometown. Though our hearts are heavy, we feel more connected to our local community than ever, and it is with grief and gratitude that we go forward with these plans today.”
The celebration will include the SC25 Editions series of rereleases, a collection of 12 albums re-issued in limited editions. Releases will arrive in groups of four throughout the year, and the first set includes Jens Lekman’s When I Said I Wanted To Be Your Dog, The War On Drugs’ Wagonwheel Blues, Tig Notaro’s Live, and Whitney’s Light Upon The Lake.
On top of that, there’s also the SC25 Singles series, which will feature “25 new, rare and unreleased songs, covers and collaborations from artists both within and outside the Secretly Canadian family.” The first two of these singles have been released today: Stella Donnelly’s cover of Jens Lekman’s “If I Could Cry (It Would Feel Like This)” and Porridge Radio’s rendition of Scout Niblett’s “Wet Road.” Proceeds from all the aforementioned releases will go to New Hope For Families.
Learn more about the SC25 Editions series here and listen to the new Donnelly and Porridge Radio tracks below.
