Saddle Creek Records is an American

record label A record label, or record company, is a brand or trademark of music recordings and music videos, or the company that owns it. Sometimes, a record label is also a publishing company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the produ ...

based in

Omaha, Nebraska Omaha ( ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Nebraska and the county seat of Douglas County. Omaha is in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about north of the mouth of the Platte River. The nation's 39th-largest cit ...

. Started as a college class project on entrepreneurship, the label was founded by Mike Mogis and Justin Oberst in 1993 (as Lumberjack Records). Mogis soon turned over his role in the company to

Robb Nansel Robb Nansel (AKA the indie rock Elon Musk) is an Omaha musician and co-founder / president of Saddle Creek Records (originally Lumberjack Records). He is also credited as a member of Commander Venus and Bright Eyes. Nansel met Mike Mogis while a ...

. The label is named after Saddle Creek Road, a major street that cuts through Midtown Omaha, and the beginnings of a scene whose members included Justin's brother Conor Oberst (then a solo artist, currently of Bright Eyes,

Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band is the name taken by Conor Oberst and his backing band. The band is composed of Nik Freitas (guitar), Taylor Hollingsworth (guitar), Macey Taylor (bass), Nate Walcott (keyboards/organ) and Jason Boesel (dru ...

, Desaparecidos, and

Monsters of Folk Monsters of Folk was an American supergroup, consisting of Jim James from My Morning Jacket, Conor Oberst and Mike Mogis from Bright Eyes, Will Johnson from Centro-matic and M. Ward, solo artist and half of She & Him. The band was formed in 200 ...

Tim Kasher Timothy J. Kasher (born August 19, 1974) is an American musician from Omaha, Nebraska, and is the frontman of indie rock groups Cursive and the Good Life, both of which are on the Omaha-based record label Saddle Creek Records. Music Slowdo ...

(then of

Slowdown Virginia Slowdown Virginia was an indie rock band from Omaha, Nebraska. Formed in 1993, the band recorded and released one album, ''Dead Space'', on Lumberjack Records in 1994, the predecessor to today's Saddle Creek Records. After playing an influentia ...

, currently of

Cursive Cursive (also known as script, among other names) is any style of penmanship in which characters are written joined in a flowing manner, generally for the purpose of making writing faster, in contrast to block letters. It varies in functionalit ...

and The Good Life), and others. Collectively, they were known unofficially as the "Creekers". Saddle Creek first appeared in print on a show flyer, offering to "Spend an evening with Saddle Creek" (later to be the title of the label's DVD.)Spend an Evening With Saddle Creek. Dir. Jason Kulbel and Rob Walters. DVD. Plexifilm, 2005. Saddle Creek became an incorporated entity as a result of a class project on entrepreneurship. Distribution is handled by

Redeye Distribution Redeye Distribution, is an American independent record label based in Hillsborough, North Carolina, United States. It was founded in 1996 by Tor Hansen, Kim Hansen, Glenn Dicker. The label focuses on independent music. History Redeye is represen ...

. Saddle Creek Records continues to be the flagship label of a style of music called "The

Omaha Sound Music in Omaha, Nebraska, has been a diverse and important influence in the culture of the city. Long a home to jazz, blues, funk and rock, today Omaha has dozens of subgenres represented, including Latin, alternative rock and hip hop. Omaha's his ...

", characterized by a slight country twang. This is increasingly inaccurate, though, with the rise of more electronic sounds such as those favored by

The Faint The Faint is an American indie rock band. Formed in Omaha, Nebraska, the band consists of Todd Fink, Graham Ulicny, Dapose and Clark Baechle. The Faint was originally known as Norman Bailer and included Conor Oberst (of Bright Eyes, with whom T ...

and

Broken Spindles Broken Spindles was a band solely consisting of Joel Petersen of Omaha, Nebraska, who also played bass, guitar and keyboards in The Faint. The music of Broken Spindles ranged from instrumental electronic songs to sparse piano pieces to rock-infl ...

. The eclectic sounds of Saddle Creek's disparate member bands is somewhat explained by their history; a number of the original members of the label attended grade school together. A "sister label", of sorts, to Saddle Creek is

Team Love Team Love is an independent record label based in New Paltz, New York, founded by Conor Oberst and Nate Krenkel in 2003. It has released albums by several other recording artists. Team Love also released the documentary film by Roy Germano, Th ...

, started by Conor Oberst in 2004.

History

The label opened arms to their first bands not based in Omaha in 2001 with releases by

Now It's Overhead Now It's Overhead was an indie rock band fronted by singer/songwriter Andy LeMaster and based in Athens, Georgia. Their first album, a self-titled collection of songs LeMaster wrote over a period of two years in the late 1990s, quickly rose from a ...

and

Sorry About Dresden Sorry About Dresden was an indie rock band from Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The band formed in 1997 and was signed to Saddle Creek Records. Career Combining elements of traditional alternative rock and punk rock, the band has drawn compariso ...

. Other non-Nebraskan artists followed, including Los Angeles's Rilo Kiley,

Eric Bachmann Eric Bachmann is an American multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and producer. He rose to prominence as the frontman of Archers of Loaf and Crooked Fingers. Originally a saxophone major at Appalachian State University, Bachmann’s music is disti ...

(formerly leader of Archers of Loaf and Crooked Fingers from North Carolina), Georgie James (Washington D.C.), Two Gallants (band), Two Gallants (San Francisco), and most recently Tokyo Police Club (Toronto). In 2005, ''Spend an Evening with Saddle Creek'', a documentary detailing the first ten years of the record label's history, was released. The DVD features extensive interviews with the Saddle Creek bands, archival footage, and rare live performances. On June 8, 2007, the label opened their own music venue named Slowdown (venue), SlowdownSlowdown
/ref> (after the group

), located in downtown

. The label's name was inspired partially by the A-side single of Polecat (band), Polecat's 1994 -ismist Recordings release ''2500 Ft of Our Love'', "Saddle Creek."

Bands

* Art in Manila * Azure Ray * Beep Beep (band), Beep Beep * Big Thief * Katherine Paul, Black Belt Eagle Scout * Bright Eyes * Criteria (band), Criteria *

* Desaparecidos * Hop Along * The Good Life * Icky Blossoms * Indigo De Souza * Ladyfinger (ne) * Eastern Youth *

* Land of Talk * Maria Taylor (musician), Maria Taylor * Mayday (American band), Mayday * Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson * The Mynabirds * Neva Dinova *

* Old Canes * Orenda Fink * Palm (band), Palm * The Rural Alberta Advantage * Sebastien Grainger * Sam Evian * Son, Ambulance *

*The Spirit of the Beehive (band), The Spirit of the Beehive * Stef Chura * The Thermals *

* Tokyo Police Club *Tomberlin * Young Jesus (band), Young Jesus

Past bands

*Commander Venus *

*Gabardine (band), Gabardine *Georgie James *Park Ave. *Polecat (band), Polecat * Rilo Kiley *

*Two Gallants (band), Two Gallants *We'd Rather Be Flying

Discography

*LBJ-034 Bright Eyes/Son, Ambulance - Oh Holy Fools: The Music of Son, Ambulance & Bright Eyes CD/LP *LBJ-035 Cursive - Burst and Bloom CD/LP *LBJ-036 Son, Ambulance - Euphemystic CD/LP *LBJ-037 The Faint - Danse Macabre (album), Danse Macabre CD/LP *LBJ-038

- Now It's Overhead (album), Now It's Overhead CD/LP *LBJ-039

- The Convenience of Indecision CD *LBJ-040 Desaparecidos - The Happiest Place on Earth CD5 *LBJ-041 Azure Ray - November EP CD *LBJ-042 Desaparecidos - Read Music/Speak Spanish CD/LP *LBJ-043 The Good Life - Black Out (The Good Life album), Black Out CD/LP *LJB-044 Mayday (American band), Mayday - Old Blood CD *LBJ-045 Bright Eyes - There Is No Beginning To The Story EP CD/12" *LBJ-046 Bright Eyes - Lifted or The Story Is in the Soil, Keep Your Ear to the Ground CD/2xLP *LBJ-047 Rilo Kiley - The Execution of All Things CD/LP *LBJ-048 Bright Eyes - A Christmas Album (Bright Eyes album), A Christmas Album CD *LBJ-049 Cursive - Art Is Hard CD *LBJ-050 Various Artists - Saddle Creek 50 2xCD/LP *LBJ-051 Cursive - The Ugly Organ CD/LP *LBJ-052 Sorry About Dresden - Let It Rest CD *LBJ-053 Bright Eyes - Vinyl Box Set 5xLP + 2x12" + box set *LBJ-054 Azure Ray - Hold On Love CD/LP *LBJ-055 Azure Ray - The Drinks We Drank Last Night CD *SCE-056 Rilo Kiley - The Execution of All Things CD *LBJ-057 Azure Ray - New Resolution CD *LBJ-058 Now It's Overhead - Fall Back Open CD *LBJ-059 Cursive - The Recluse (Cursive song), The Recluse CD *SCE-060 Bright Eyes/Neva Dinova - One Jug of Wine, Two Vessels CD/LP *LBJ-061

- fulfilled/complete CD/LP *LBJ-062 The Good Life - Lovers Need Lawyers CD/10" *LBJ-063 Beep Beep (band), Beep Beep - Business Casual (Beep Beep album), Business Casual CD/LP *LBJ-064 The Good Life - Album of the Year (The Good Life album), Album of the Year CD/LP *LBJ-065 Now It's Overhead - Wait in a Line CD *LBJ-066 The Faint - I Disappear CD *LBJ-067 The Faint - Wet From Birth CD/LP *LBJ-068 Bright Eyes - Lua (song), Lua CD *LBJ-069 Bright Eyes - Take It Easy (Love Nothing) CD *LBJ-070 Cursive - The Difference Between Houses and Homes CD/LP *LBJ-071 Son, Ambulance - Key (Son, Ambulance album), Key CD *LBJ-072 Bright Eyes - I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning CD/LP *LBJ-073 Bright Eyes - Digital Ash in a Digital Urn CD/LP *LBJ-074 Maria Taylor (musician), Maria Taylor - 11:11 (Maria Taylor album), 11:11 CD *LBJ-075 Orenda Fink - Invisible Ones CD *LBJ-076 Mayday - Bushido Karaoke CD *LBJ-077 Bright Eyes - When the President Talks to God iTunes exclusive *SCE-079 Bright Eyes - First Day of My Life (Bright Eyes song), First Day of My Life CD/7" *LBJ-080 Criteria (band), Criteria - En Garde (album), En Garde (reissue) CD *LBJ-081 Criteria - When We Break CD/LP *LBJ-082 Broken Spindles - inside/absent CD/LP *LBJ-083 The Faint - Desperate Guys CD *LBJ-084 Bright Eyes - Easy/Lucky/Free CD/2x7" *LBJ-085 Criteria - Prevent the World CD *LBJ-086 Orenda Fink - Bloodline iTunes single *LBJ-087 Various Artists - Lagniappe (album), Lagniappe *SCE-088 Bright Eyes - Motion Sickness (Bright Eyes song), Motion Sickness: Live Recordings CD *LBJ-089 Saddle Up and Love It - Saddle Creek/Lovitt Records Hot Topic Compilation CD *LBJ-090 Two Gallants (band), Two Gallants - Las Cruces Jail 7" *LBJ-091 Two Gallants - What the Toll Tells CD/LP *SCE-092 Two Gallants - Steady Rollin' iTunes Exclusive *LBJ-093 Cursive - Dorothy at Forty CD/7" *LBJ-094 Cursive - Happy Hollow (album), Happy Hollow CD/LP *LBJ-095

- To The Races CD *LBJ-096 Now It's Overhead - Dark Light Daybreak (Live in the Studio) iTunes Exclusive *LBJ-097 Now It's Overhead - Dark Light Daybreak CD *LBJ-098 Ladyfinger (ne), Ladyfinger - Heavy Hands CD *LBJ-099 Bright Eyes - Noise Floor: Rarities 1998-2005 CD, 2*LP *LBJ-101 Bright Eyes - Four Winds (EP), Four Winds CD/12" *LBJ-102 Maria Taylor - Lynn Teeter Flower CD *LBJ-103 Bright Eyes - Cassadaga (album), Cassadaga CD/2xLP *SCE-104 Cursive - Big Bang digital single *LBJ-105 Two Gallants - The Scenery of Farewell CD/12" *LBJ-106 The Good Life - Heartbroke 7"/Digital Single *LBJ-107 Art in Manila - Set the Woods on Fire CD *LBJ-108 The Good Life- Help Wanted Nights CD/LP *LBJ-109 Two Gallants - Two Gallants (album), Two Gallants CD/LP *LBJ-110 Georgie James - Places CD/LP *SCE-111 Two Gallants - Despite What You've Been Told Digital Single *SCE-112 Georgie James - Need Your Needs Digital Single *SCE-113 Richard Swift (musician), Richard Swift - Dressed Up for the Letdown CD *LBJ-114 Cursive - Rhapsody Original EP Digital *LBJ-115 Cursive - Bad Sects 12" *LBJ-116 Tokyo Police Club - Elephant Shell CD/LP *LBJ-117 Neva Dinova - You May Already Be Dreaming CD/LP *LBJ-118 Georgie James - Cake Parade 7"/Digital *LBJ-119 Tokyo Police Club - Elephant Shell (Remixes) Digital *LBJ-120 Son, Ambulance - Someone Else's Deja Vu CD/LP *LBJ-121 Tokyo Police Club - Tessellate 7" *SCE-122 Two Gallants - Miss Meri Digital Single *LBJ-123 Beep Beep - Enchanted Islands CD *LBJ-124 Neva Dinova - Neva Dinova (2009 Reissue) Digital *LBJ-125 O+S - O+S CD/LP *LBJ-126 Land of Talk - Some Are Lakes CD/LP *LBJ-127 Sebastien Grainger - American Names 7"/Digital EP *LBJ-128 Sebastien Grainger - Sebastien Grainger & The Mountains CD/LP *LBJ-129 Ladyfinger (ne) - Dusk CD *LBJ-130 Tokyo Police Club - FNMTV Live (Rhapsody Exclusive) *LBJ-131 Tokyo Police Club - Live Session iTunes Exclusive EP *LBJ-132 Cursive - Mama, I'm Swollen CD/LP *LBJ-133 Cursive/Ladyfinger (ne) - Record Store Day Picture 10" *LBJ-134 Sebastien Grainger - Who Do We Care For Digital Single *LBJ-135 Tokyo Police Club - Baskervilles Remix Digital Single *SCE-136 Dag för Dag - Shooting from the Shadows CD EP *LBJ-137 UUVVWWZ - UUVVWWZ CD *LBJ-138 The Rural Alberta Advantage - Hometowns CD/LP *LBJ-139 Orenda Fink - Ask The Night CD/LP *LBJ-140 Old Canes - Feral Harmonic CD/LP *LBJ-141 O+S - We Do What We Want to Digital *LBJ-142 Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson - Summer of Fear CD/LP/Digital *LBJ-143 Land of Talk - Fun & Laughter EP CD/Digital *LBJ-144 The Rural Alberta Advantage - Drain the Blood 7"/Digital *LBJ-145 Bright Eyes / Neva Dinova - One Jug of Wine, Two Vessels CD/LP/Digital (2010 Reissue) *LBJ-146 The Mynabirds - What We Lose in the Fire We Gain in the Flood CD/LP/Digital *LBJ-148

- Discovering America Digital Single *LBJ-149 Land of Talk - Cloak and Cipher CD/LP/Digital *LBJ-150 Land of Talk - Swift Coin 7"/Digital *LBJ-151

- Cold Love 7"/Digital *LBJ-152

- The Game of Monogamy CD/LP/Digital *LBJ-153 Adam Haworth Stephens - We Live on Cliffs CD/LP/Digital *LBJ-154 Azure Ray - Don't Leave My Mind Digital Single *LBJ-155

- Delirium Tantrums 7" (online-store exclusive) *LBJ-156 The Mynabirds - All I Want is Truth (for Christmas) 7"/Digital *LBJ-157 The Rural Alberta Advantage - Departing CD/LP/Digital *LBJ-158 Bright Eyes - The People's Key CD/LP/Digital *LBJ-159 Bright Eyes - Singularity Digital *LBJ-160 Azure Ray (feat. Sparklehorse) - Silverlake Digital

Compilations

*''Saddle Creek Records, A Sampler'' (1998) *''Saddle Creek 50'' (2002) *''Lagniappe (album), Lagniappe: A Saddle Creek Benefit for Hurricane Katrina'' (2005)

References

External links

Saddle Creek Records official website

with

Lazy-i Interview: September 2004
with Rilo Kiley
Lazy-i Interview: March 2005
with

and Jason Kulbel {{Authority control Saddle Creek Records, Conor Oberst Record labels established in 1993 American independent record labels Companies based in Omaha, Nebraska Music of Omaha, Nebraska Indie rock record labels