Pitchfork

These days, with the record industry in what seems like a constant state of crisis, nobody is immune to the cruel whims of economics. Not even David Byrne, arguably the coolest person in the world.

When the American arm of the V2 record company collapsed last month, it wasn't just bands like the Raconteurs and the Blood Brothers who were left homeless. Byrne's eclectic label Luaka Bop also found itself in the lurch. The imprint, which has put out albums by the likes of Os Mutantes, Tom Zé, Cornershop, and Nouvelle Vague in its almost two-decade-long existence, was without distribution on our shores.

According to label manager Yale Evelev, the American distribution problem hasn't been solved just yet. "Outside of the U.S. we are distributed through something called Cooperative Music, which is part of V2 Europe," Evelev explained in an email interview. "They do a great job and we are very happy with them there. Now there is a plan afoot that Cooperative Music come over here and set up an office to handle us and the other labels they distribute in Europe: Bella Union, City Slang, Moshi Moshi, etc.

"However, we have some other options as well in case the V2/Cooperative Music deal doesn't happen as quickly as we would like. Of course, we are always open to other suggestions."

So, what does Luaka Bop have on its schedule that might entice potential partners? How about an expanded reissue of the 1999 Os Mutantes collection Everything Is Possible!, featuring unreleased tracks and videos from the 1960s? Or a live CD/DVD chronicling Os Mutantes' performance at London's Barbican last year, their first performance in 30 years?

That's just a piece of what Luaka Bop plans to release this year. This spring will bring the compilation What's Happening in Pernambuco: New Sounds of the Brazilian Northeast and Futurismo, the latest album by Kassin + 2. Futurismo features band members Kassin, Moreno Veloso and Domenico Lancellotti in collaboration with John McEntire (Tortoise, the Sea and Cake) and Sean O'Hagan (the High Llamas). The lovely Futurismo track "Ya Ya Ya" is available for download below.

Also in the cards are a new album from singer/songwriter Jim White (with Ollabelle as his backing band) as well as the fourth entry in Luaka Bop's World Psychedelic Classics series, Nobody Can Live Forever: The Existential Soul of Tim Maia.

Of the latter, Evelev said, "Tim was the first Brazilian soul singer who planned to have an American career until he was jailed for dealing drugs and stealing cars in Florida and was then deported back to Brazil. He recorded in both Portuguese and English and at one point joined a cult that believed we are descended from space aliens which were going to come back to earth and take back the folks who had purified themselves and read the cult's books.

"[Nobody Can Live Forever] is comprised of some wonderful records he made while in the cult singing the cult's praises along with some of his more hit-driven material."

Drug dealing? Stealing cars? Cults? Aliens? Come on, distributors, step your game up! This stuff has to come out in America.