Like so many independent labels, Jagjaguwar began with little more than a hope and a prayer, founded by a music enthusiast (in this case, Darius Van Arman) eager to put out records but with scant knowledge of the practicalities and logistics involved. Elle Carroll's profile for Bandcamp celebrates the label's 25th birthday, tracing its gradual growth into an imprint whose name/logo on a release almost always serves as a reliable marker of quality.
I say "almost always", because my feelings on what became Jagjaguwar's game-changer - Bon Iver's For Emma, Forever Ago - soon flipped from appreciation into weariness. But, personally speaking, it's a real outlier. For giving the world Angel Olsen and the Besnard Lakes alone, Van Arman deserves immeasurable gratitude.
Both feature prominently in the list of "personal favorites, hidden gems, and defining records of Jagjaguwar's catalog", as chosen by Van Arman and the label's A&R head Eric Deines, which is a handy reminder of the stature of some of the artists that are/have been on their roster: Women, Black Mountain, Sharon Van Etten, Okkervil River. Bon Iver is included - for i,i, though, rather than For Emma, Forever Ago - but the likes of Oneida, Mitski and Phoebe Bridgers all miss out.
Understandably, the focus of Carroll's article falls largely on Jagjaguwar's ear for new talent and willingness to go out on a limb on artistic rather than commercial grounds. But it's worth noting that since 2009 the label has also been home to legendary alt-rock amp-botherers Dinosaur Jr, putting out four albums of consistently high quality.
And now Olsen - described by Van Arman with no overstatement whatsoever as "probably one of the most important songwriters in the world" - is heavily hinting at the prospect of a new release. Given how extraordinary the last three albums have been - and especially All Mirrors - "soon" can't come soon enough.
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