Team Love is an

independent record label An independent record label (or indie label) is a record label that operates without the funding or distribution of major record labels; they are a type of small and medium-sized enterprise, small- to medium-sized enterprise, or SME. The labels ...

based in New Paltz,

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...

, and Portland, Maine. The label was founded by

Conor Oberst Conor Mullen Oberst (born February 15, 1980) is an American singer-songwriter best known for his work in Bright Eyes (band), Bright Eyes. He has also played in several other bands, including Desaparecidos (band), Desaparecidos, the Faint (previou ...

and Nate Krenkel in 2003. It has released albums by several recording artists. Team Love also released the documentary film by Roy Germano, The Other Side of Immigration. An early distinguishing marketing tactic of Team Love was the free release of complete albums for download in unprotected mp3 format at no cost on their website in addition to traditional record and CD sales. This practice evolved and was eventually dropped as the age of streaming came to dominate the user experience.

History

Formation

The label was founded in 2003 in part due to Oberst's frustration at not being able to sign and showcase talent quickly enough through the record label on which his own Bright Eyes albums are released,

Saddle Creek Records Saddle Creek Records is an American record label based in Omaha, Nebraska. 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 ...

. Saddle Creek was a label his brother helped co-found but was operated and managed by various individuals. Team Love, while once distributed through Saddle Creek, is now distributed directly through

Alternative Distribution Alliance Alternative Distribution Alliance (ADA) is a music distribution company owned by Warner Music Group, which represents the rights to various independent record labels. ADA provides "independent artist and label partners with access to the resource ...

Early years

Team Love's first release was Tilly and the Wall's ''Wild Like Children'' on June 22, 2004. In 2006, Team Love released

Jenny Lewis Jennifer Diane Lewis (born January 8, 1976) is an American singer-songwriter, musician, and actress. She is the lead singer, rhythm guitarist, and keyboardist for the indie rock band Rilo Kiley. Lewis gained prominence in the 1980s as a child ...

' solo debut with The Watson Twins and later the Tilly and the Wall follow-up ''Bottoms of Barrels''. The year before, it put out records by David Dondero and

Craig Wedren Craig Benjamin Wedren (born August 15, 1969) is an American singer-songwriter, musician and composer, who began his career fronting post-hardcore band Shudder to Think. Following the disbandment of Shudder to Think, Wedren pursued a career as a ...

as well as the Bright Eyes live album ''

Motion Sickness Motion sickness occurs due to a difference between actual and expected motion. Symptoms commonly include nausea, vomiting, cold sweat, headache, dizziness, tiredness, loss of appetite, and increased salivation. Complications may rarely include ...

'' (though the band's studio albums are still released through the

Saddle Creek Saddle Creek Records is an American record label based in Omaha, Nebraska. 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 ...

imprint). Team Love reissued Park Ave.'s '' When Jamie Went to London... We Broke Up'' in late 2005. The album was produced on Urinine Records in 1999, but in 2005 Urinine closed, making the album

out of print An out-of-print (OOP) or out-of-commerce item or work is something that is no longer being published. The term applies to all types of printed matter, visual media, sound recordings, and video recordings. An out-of-print book is a book that is ...

Later years

In later years, Team Love released Candylion by

Super Furry Animals Super Furry Animals are a Welsh rock band formed in Cardiff in 1993. For the duration of their professional career, the band consisted of Gruff Rhys (lead vocals, guitar), Huw Bunford (lead guitar, vocals), Guto Pryce (bass guitar), Cian C ...

', frontman

Gruff Rhys Gruffudd Maredudd Bowen Rhys (; born 18 July 1970) is a Welsh musician, composer, producer, filmmaker and author. He performs solo and with several bands, including Super Furry Animals, which obtained mainstream success in the 1990s. He forme ...

, a live album by art-rock band Shudder To Think, and a remix EP for the Tilly and the Wall single Love Riot, taken from the band's 4th studio album Heavy Mood (2012) which included remixes by Cycad and

Distal Standard anatomical terms of location are used to describe unambiguously the anatomy of humans and other animals. The terms, typically derived from Latin or Greek roots, describe something in its standard anatomical position. This position provi ...

Relocation (2009)

In 2009, Team Love moved from the East Village of Manhattan (13th Street, or "Sugar Street") to 11 Church Street in New Paltz NY. The label opened a public space called the Team Love Ravenhouse Gallery (a partnership with Ravenhouse Management) which serves as an art gallery, record store and physical space for music and art fans. The Gallery (TL-RH.com) is open weekends and by appointment. In 2012 the label released the four band compilation album Die Pfalz which featured local artists from the Hudson Valley including Breakfast In Fur,

Shana Falana Shana Falana is an American Psychedelic pop, psych-dream pop band currently based in the Hudson Valley, New York (state), New York. They are currently signed to Team Love and Arrowhawk Records. The band consists of musicians Shana Falana and Mi ...

, Bloodletters and electronic artist Cycad. Also notably, Krenkel was a former A&R representative for 8 years with Sony/ATV Publishing before leaving to manage

and start Team Love. He was responsible for signing singer/songwriter

Jesse Harris Jesse Harris (born October 24, 1969) is an American singer-songwriter, producer, and guitarist. He has worked with Norah Jones, Melody Gardot, Madeleine Peyroux, and Lizz Wright. Early life and education Harris and his twin sister were born i ...

to Sony ATV Music Publishing, who was the main songwriter for

Norah Jones Norah Jones ( ; born Geethali Shankar; March 30, 1979) is an American singer-songwriter and musician. She has won several awards for her music and, , has sold more than 53 million records worldwide. '' Billboard'' named her the top jazz artist of ...

' debut album ''

Come Away with Me ''Come Away with Me'' is the debut studio album by American recording artist Norah Jones, released on February 26, 2002, by Blue Note Records. Recording sessions took place at Sorcerer Sound Studio in New York City and Allaire Studios in Sh ...

'', winning a

Grammy The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious a ...

for Song of the Year for her first hit

Don't Know Why "Don't Know Why" is a song written and composed by Jesse Harris that originally appeared on his 1999 album, ''Jesse Harris & the Ferdinandos.'' A cover of the song was the debut single of American singer Norah Jones from her debut studio album ...

. In 2012 Krenkel acquired Full ownership of Team Love.

Artists

* A Weather * Andrea Tomasi * Arranged Marriage (band) * Ava Mirzadegan * The Banddroidz * bentcousin * The Berg Sans Nipple * Billy Stoner * Bright Eyes * Broderick & Broderick * Capgun Coup *

Choir Boy (band) Choir Boy is an American synth-pop band from Salt Lake City, Utah. The band consists of vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Adam Klopp, guitarist Michael Paulsen, bassist Chaz Costello and keyboardist/saxophonist Jeff Kleinman. The band's sound ...

* Conduits (band) * Conor Oberst & The Mystic Valley Band *

* David Dondero * El Madmo *

The Felice Brothers The Felice Brothers are an American folk rock/country rock band from New York.Bumgardner, Ed, 8 November 2007'Music Notes: Felice Brothers are earthy, their music visceralRelish Now!''. History Originally from Palenville in the Catskill Mo ...

* Flowers Forever * Good Good Blood * Guilt Mountain *

* High Up (band) * Iji (band) * InDreama * Jason Boesel * Jemima James * Jenny Lewis with the Watson Twins * Johanna Warren * Joker's Daughter * Last Good Tooth * Long Beard (band) * The Lowest Pair * Mars Black * McCarthy Trenching * Midnight Masses (band) * MiWi La Lupa * Nik Freitas * El Madmo *

Park Ave. (band) Park Ave. was an indie pop band that started in January 1996 in Omaha, Nebraska. The band lasted only two and a half years, but still retains a substantial fanbase. During their short time together, Park Ave. (named after an actual street in ...

* Popup * QUARTERBACKS (band) * Refried Ice Cream * Roger Lion * Rig 1 * Roy Germano * Roz and The Ricecakes * Saul Conrad * SDX (band) * Sea of Bees *

* Shudder To Think * Simon Joyner * Simone Felice * Tilly and the Wall * The Wave Pictures Former artists * Willy Mason (later moved to

Astralwerks Astralwerks (or Astralwerks Records) is an American record label primarily focused on electronic music that is now owned by Universal Music Group. Its material is distributed via Capitol Music Group in the United States. The label was founded in ...

)

References

Business Week Interview: Team Love: Downloads Sell CDs

External links

* {{Authority control Alternative rock record labels American independent record labels Companies based in New York City Conor Oberst Record labels established in 2003