Yellow Racket Records has some big plans
After launching last fall with the release of Telemonster’s album Introspecter, Chattanooga’s Yellow Racket Records has maintained its creative momentum with two digital singles.
First comes the lush strum-pop of “Half the Day” from El Rocko (a.k.a. Chase Waller) and the misty calm of “Rabbit Hollow” from Joel Harris, followed by the domestic release of the full-length album I Was Told to Be Quiet from the Portugal-based Brazilian artist MOMO, whose work has been praised by the likes of Patti Smith and David Byrne.
Yellow Racket’s latest news comes at a time when the revenue from vinyl record sales is projected to surpass that of CD sales for the first time since 1986, according to the Recording Industry Association of America.
The label’s plan is to open a new 2,000-square-foot record store and coffee bar—in partnership with Goodman Coffee—in Chattanooga next April, which will host events such as in-store performances, artist meet-and-greets, and listening parties.
Label founder Ben VanderHart (also a member of Telemonster) answered some questions about this news for The Pulse.
The Pulse: Did you have some specific stores in mind as models for Yellow Racket’s upcoming store?
Ben VanderHart: Grimey’s in Nashville is a great example of a store that keeps customers coming back with the curation of their collection, the vibe of the space, and the appeal of regular in-store events.
I think a great record store is one that offers an experience you can’t get online. The type of events and the space itself act as a lightning rod for music lovers of all kinds—even ones who don’t buy vinyl.
TP: As creative director of Yellow Racket, what goes into the artist selection process?
BV: I would say that I’m most drawn to music that feels immediately familiar, but offers a new take on an old sound. I think nostalgia appeals to our hearts and originality appeals to our brains. So great music will resonate with me emotionally, but challenge my expectations of what’s possible.
Practically speaking, when an artist sends me a new release, I listen for both those things, and if it hooks me, I usually share it with the artists on the label and ask for their opinion. If everybody digs it, we start talking about adding them to our roster.
In the case of El Rocko, the music appealed to my love of ‘80s pop and new wave, but it also had the honesty and lo-fi sensibilities of ‘90s acts like Elliott Smith or Red House Painters. When I first heard MOMO’s album, I was blown away with how it was immediately accessible and extremely catchy, even though I am not well-versed in Latin music, and I don’t speak French or Portuguese (which makes up half the album). It also incorporated elements of bossa nova and psych folk in a way that I hadn’t heard before, so it had both a cerebral and a visceral appeal.
TP: A new promo video about the upcoming store mentioned the “physicality of listening” regarding physical media; what are your own listening habits and favorite ways to share and discover music?
BV: I don’t demonize Spotify or Apple Music or other streaming services. I think it’s better to roll with the punches and try to adapt, rather than fighting tooth and nail against the inevitable changing of the tides.
The writing is on the wall: streaming is here to stay. But we can adapt to the times while also advocating for fair compensation and encouraging people to be educated about their listening habits.
I use Spotify, YouTube and Bandcamp on a regular basis—primarily as a way of discovering and sharing new music or as a way of listening to music on the go (driving, exercising, working remotely, etc.). But when I fall in love with an album, I want to add it to my vinyl collection. I listen to records as a reminder to be intentional about listening to music—that sometimes it’s best to sit down and give an album your undivided attention the way you would a movie or a TV show.
Because only then can you experience all the subtlety and nuance of this work of art that took hundreds of hours to create. And by buying the record, you show the artist that you really care about the effort they put into making it, and you can support them financially to make the next one.
As I mentioned before, I love the immediacy of sharing a new discovery on Spotify or Apple Music, but it doesn’t compare to the joy of giving or receiving a favorite record as a gift that says, “I know you; I know what kind of music you enjoy; and I think you’ll dig this.”