Saddle Creek Records is an American record label based in Omaha, Nebraska and named after Saddle Creek Road, a major street in midtown Omaha. Started as a college class project on entrepreneurship, the label was founded in 1993 by Mike Mogis and Justin Oberst. Mogis soon turned over his role in the company to Robb Nansel. It was initially called Lumberjack Records; 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 documentary).Spend an Evening with Saddle Creek. Dir. Jason Kulbel and Rob Walters. DVD. Plexifilm, 2005. Distribution is handled by Redeye Distribution. SCR continues to be the flagship label of a style of music called "The Omaha Sound", characterized by a slight country twang. A "sister label" of sorts to Saddle Creek is Team Love, which was begun by Justin Oberst's brother Conor Oberst in 2004.
History The company was incorporated in 1993 as Lumberjack Records. It was started as part of a college class in entrepreneurship by Mike Mogis and Justin Oberst. Mogis was soon succeeded by Robb Nansel. The label's first release was "Water", a solo recording on cassette by Oberst's younger brother Conor Oberst, who was 13 years old at the time. When national distribution began in 1996, to avoid confusion with another distributor the name was changed to Saddle Creek Records, for Saddle Creek Road in Omaha. Artists who recorded for the label including Conor Oberst and Tim Kasher were at the time members of a local music scene centered on Saddle Creek Road whose members were known as "Creekers", and the label name was partly inspired by the A-side single of Polecat's 1994 -ismist Recordings release 2500 Ft of Our Love, "Saddle Creek".
Initially a local label, Saddle Creek opened its arms to non-Omaha bands in 2001 with releases by Now It's Overhead and Sorry About Dresden. Other artists not from Nebraska followed including Los Angeles' Rilo Kiley, Eric Bachmann (formerly the leader of Archers of Loaf from Chapel Hill, North Carolina and Crooked Fingers from North Carolina), Georgie James (Washington D.C.), Two Gallants (San Francisco), and most recently Tokyo Police Club (Toronto).
On June 8, 2007, the label opened their own music venue in downtown Omaha, named Slowdown after the group Slowdown Virginia.Slowdown
Documentary
Spend an Evening with Saddle Creek is a documentary focusing on the first ten years of the Saddle Creek scene in Omaha, Nebraska. It was released in 2005 by Plexifilm. It was directed by Jason Kulbel and Rob Walters.
Interviews for the film were conducted in December 2003 and January 2004 with the active bands on the Saddle Creek roster at that time.
Bands featured
Azure Ray Bright Eyes Cursive Desaparecidos The Faint The Good Life Mayday Now It's Overhead Rilo Kiley Son, Ambulance Sorry About Dresden
Bands
Current
Ada Lea Algernon Cadwallader Art in Manila Azure Ray Beep Beep Big Thief Black Belt Eagle Scout Bright Eyes Criteria Cursive Desaparecidos Disq Feeble Little Horse Hop Along The Good Life Icky Blossoms Indigo De Souza Ladyfinger (ne) Eastern Youth Eric Bachmann Land of Talk Maria Taylor Mayday Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson The Mynabirds Neva Dinova Now It's Overhead Old Canes Orenda Fink Palm The Rural Alberta Advantage Sebastien Grainger Sam Evian Shalom Son, Ambulance Sorry About Dresden The Spirit of the Beehive Stef Chura Tim Kasher Tokyo Police Club Tomberlin Twinsmith Young Jesus
Former
Broken Spindles Commander Venus The Faint Gabardine Georgie James Park Ave. Polecat PUJOL Rilo Kiley Slowdown Virginia The Thermals Two Gallants We'd Rather Be Flying
Discography
All releases marked either LBJ (Lumberjack) or SCE (Saddle Creek Europe) Year No. Artist Title Format1993LBJ-01Conor OberstWaterCS1993LBJ-02PolecatDilly DallyCS1994LBJ-03Slowdown VirginiaDead SpaceCD1995LBJ-04SmashmouthSome of You Will Be HermitsCS1995LBJ-05Polecat/SunbrainHappy Valentine's Day/Makeout PartySplit 7-inch1995LBJ-06Commander VenusDo You Feel at Home?CD1995LBJ-07We'd Rather Be FlyingThe Solution for Your Thinning HairCD1995LBJ-08Norman BailerSine SierraCS1996LBJ-09VariousMusic Me All Over7-inch1996LBJ-10CursiveThe DisruptionCDr, 7-inch1996LBJ-11Lullaby for the Working ClassConsolation7-inch1996LBJ-12Lullaby for the Working ClassBlanket WarmLP1996LBJ-13Drip/Commander VenusLast Go/Bow to the Prom KingSplit 7-inch1997LBJ-14The Wrens/Park Ave.Split SingleSplit 7-inch1997LBJ-15Lullaby for the Working Class...In Honor of My Stumbling7-inch1997LBJ-16comm.venus*The Uneventful VacationLP1997LBJ-17Lullaby for the Working ClassI Never Even Asked for LightLP1997LBJ-18CursiveThe Icebreaker7-inch EP1998LBJ-19Bright EyesA Collection of Songs Written and Recorded 1995–1997LP1997LBJ-20VariousA Sampler CDCD1998LBJ-21The FaintMediaCD1998LBJ-22CursiveThe Storms of Early Summer: Semantics of SongCD1998LBJ-23Bright EyesLetting Off the HappinessCD/LP1999LBJ-24Lullaby for the Working ClassThe Ebb & Flow, the Come Go, the To & Fro7-inch1999LBJ-25The Faint/Ex-Action FiguressplitSplit 7-inch1999LBJ-26GabardineGabardineCD1999LBJ-27Lullaby for the Working ClassSongLP1999LBJ-28The FaintBlank-Wave ArcadeLP1999LBJ-29SpoonThe Agony of LaffitteCD Single1999LBJ-30Bright EyesEvery Day and Every NightEP CD/12"2000LBJ-31CursiveDomesticaCD/LP2000LBJ-32Bright EyesFevers and MirrorsCD/LP2000LBJ-33The FaintBlank-Wave Arcade Remixes12-inch
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 CD/LP LBJ-038 Now It's Overhead - Now It's Overhead CD/LP LBJ-039 Sorry About Dresden - 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 CD/LP LBJ-044 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/2×LP LBJ-047 Rilo Kiley - The Execution of All Things CD/LP LBJ-048 Bright Eyes - A Christmas Album CD LBJ-049 Cursive - Art Is Hard CD LBJ-050 Various Artists - Saddle Creek 50 2×CD/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 5×LP + 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 CD SCE-060 Bright Eyes/Neva Dinova - One Jug of Wine, Two Vessels CD/LP LBJ-061 Broken Spindles - fulfilled/complete CD/LP LBJ-062 The Good Life - Lovers Need Lawyers CD/10" LBJ-063 Beep Beep - Business Casual CD/LP LBJ-064 The Good Life - 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 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 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 - 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 LBJ-078 unassigned SCE-079 Bright Eyes - First Day of My Life CD/7" LBJ-080 Criteria - 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/2×7″ LBJ-085 Criteria - Prevent the World CD LBJ-086 Orenda Fink - Bloodline iTunes single LBJ-087 Various Artists - Lagniappe SCE-088 Bright Eyes - Motion Sickness: Live Recordings CD LBJ-089 Saddle Up and Love It - Saddle Creek/Lovitt Records Hot Topic Compilation CD LBJ-090 Two Gallants - Las Cruces Jail 7-inch 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 CD/LP LBJ-095 Eric Bachmann - 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 - Heavy Hands CD LBJ-099 Bright Eyes - Noise Floor: Rarities 1998-2005 CD, 2*LP LBJ-101 Bright Eyes - Four Winds CD/12" LBJ-102 Maria Taylor - Lynn Teeter Flower CD LBJ-103 Bright Eyes - Cassadaga CD/2×LP SCE-104 Cursive - Big Bang digital single LBJ-105 Two Gallants - The Scenery of Farewell CD/12" LBJ-106 The Good Life - Heartbroke 7-inch/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 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 - Dressed Up for the Letdown CD LBJ-114 Cursive - Rhapsody Original EP Digital LBJ-115 Cursive - Bad Sects 12-inch 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-inch/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-inch 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-inch/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-inch 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-inch/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-147 Azure Ray - Drawing Down the Moon - CD/LP/Digital LBJ-148 Cursive - Discovering America Digital Single LBJ-149 Land of Talk - Cloak and Cipher CD/LP/Digital LBJ-150 Land of Talk - Swift Coin 7-inch/Digital LBJ-151 Tim Kasher - Cold Love 7-inch/Digital LBJ-152 Tim Kasher - 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 Tim Kasher - Delirium Tantrums 7-inch (online-store exclusive) LBJ-156 The Mynabirds - All I Want is Truth (for Christmas) 7-inch/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 LBJ-161 Big Harp - White Hat - CD/LP/Digital LBJ-162 Maria Taylor - Overlook - CD/LP/Digital