Misra Records, Absolutely Kosher Records Join Forces

Absolutely Kosher Records and Misra Records today announced a strategic partnership under which the management of both record labels will come together under one roof.  By sharing overhead and operating costs, the two labels will be free to increase staff and devote more resources to what they do best: discovering, releasing and promoting great music.

Since its founding in 1999, Misra Records has compiled an impressive catalog of releases, including eye-opening projects from Centro-matic, South San Gabriel, The Mendoza Line, Shearwater, Evangelicals, Great Lakes Swimmers, and Phosphorescent.  The label's extensive back catalog includes many significant albums, including Destroyer's masterpiece Streethawk:  A Seduction, Jenny Toomey's Antidote and releases from Bablicon, Chris Lee, Flotation Toy Warning and others. The label's most recent release, Summer Hymns' Backward Masks, was issued in November. 

The label was founded by Michael Bracy, a prominent activist and the co-founder and Policy Director of the Future of Music Coalition, Timothy Bracy, singer/guitarist of the Mendoza Line, noted DC-based attorney and artist advocate Paige Conner Totaro, and businessman John Matouk. The founding partners have since been joined by songwriter Nicholas Bischoff and financial analyst John Clardy. Attorney John P. Strohm (also a musician and former member of the Blake Babies and the Lemonheads) is serving as the label's general counsel.  

Phil Waldorf, who since Misra's founding served as label manager and oversaw most day to day operations, recently announced his intention to leave the label to pursue other interests. "Misra simply would not have accomplished what it has if it wasn't for Phil's vision and work ethic," said Timothy Bracy, "since I first met Phil in Athens, I've known that he was basically born to run a record label.  On behalf of all of our partners, we can't express enough appreciation for all he has done for Misra.  We wish him nothing but the best in his future ventures."

Misra's next release will be All things, forests, the landmark fourth album by the label's newest signing (and first since the partnership), Brooklyn's Palomar, due in stores on March 20, 2007.  Other future projects include the debut release of another new signing, Boston's Hallelujah the Hills, a Mendoza Line 10th Anniversary compilation, and more to be announced.

Absolutely Kosher Records was founded in 1998 by Cory Brown and has steadily grown over the years, releasing music from a diverse roster now including such artists as The Wrens, The Court and Spark, Frog Eyes, and the Dead Science.  The label's catalog includes key releases by the Jim Yoshii Pile-Up, the Mountain Goats, Pinback, and Xiu Xiu .  The label's most recent release, ± {Plus/Minus}'s Let's Build a Fire, was released in October.

Absolutely Kosher's next releases will be the January 23rd debuts by The Affair (Yes Yes to You) and Chris Garneau (Music For Tourists), both of Brooklyn, NY.  This will be followed by the April 10 release of Frog Eyes' fourth album Tears of the Valedictorian and forthcoming full lengths by Okay, Bottom of the Hudson, Pidgeon, Get Him Eat Him and the Wrens.

As should be clear from the above release schedules, Misra and Absolutely Kosher will continue to be separate entities with separate rosters run by a common staff.  Both labels have moved to a new expanded office space in Emeryville, California (just south of Absolutely Kosher's home in Berkeley).  Brown will continue to run Absolutely Kosher and has now assumed management of Misra.  He is joined by director of sales and marketing Richard Tran Davis, publicist Sikwaya Condon and business affairs associate Melody Diehl.   Effective February 1, 2007, both labels will be distributed in the U.S. by Fontana (UMD) and Revolver as well as through direct sales.

Comments

Misra co-owner Michael Bracy: "Timothy and I formed this label with a very specific mission in mind:  to try our best to empower great music in an artist-friendly business environment.  We recognized some time ago that, while the label was a huge success creatively, we needed more resources and capacity to help our artists find as large an audience as they deserve.  We have been in the midst of a multi-year plan to add resources and staff to Misra.  Now, this partnership with Absolutely Kosher helps complete that job.  This is great news for Misra, the bands who work with us and fans of the label.  We simply couldn't be more excited about Misra's future."

Cory Brown: "As a longtime fan of Misra Records, I am delighted to be working with Misra and its partners and help navigate the label into new territories. With the perils of the modern marketplace threatening labels large and small, I am excited and invigorated by this partnership and its opportunity to maximize the potential of both Misra and Absolutely Kosher."

MP3's of recent and upcoming releases from both labels:
Misra Records
Palomar - Our Haunt
Summer Hymns - Pity and Envy | Start Swimming

Absolutely Kosher Records
The Affair - Left at the Party
Chris Garneau - Not Nice
+/- Plus-Minus – Steal the Blueprints

Further inquiries and requests for CD samplers from both labels should be directed to:
Sikwaya Condon
sikwaya at absolutelykosher dot com
sikwaya at misrarecords dot com
Misra / Absolutely Kosher
1501 Powell Street
Suite H
Emeryville, CA 94608
USA