Dip into the myth of the stag bunny; drink the milk of the horned rabbit. Eleven young musicians have gathered to a common table. They began on Thanksgiving Day in the year of two thousand and six. They are calling themselves Dear Records, the music is good, and the image is slick.



I heard a voice of Brandon Hughes, all of 20 and on his game. He spoke of the 11 like a family, “We have made many recordings.”



Limited editions have all been sold. Dearrecords.com is free downloads. “Lets make our hobby a lifestyle,” and the proof is in the packed shows.



In February ’08 there was a release: An Evening with Dear Records. We all went to The Helm gallery, somehow Saul Williams was there.



There were handmade albums; I paid $3 for 15 songs, a compilation of many local bands. Simple recordings of artful music and artwork embedded into the package. Soft damage to quiet minds is good. There have been three compilations since then, plus a Fourth of July mix.



None of these kids are over 25, and all of them are going to be famous. Banners, Make Up Monsters, The Skins, Freeze and Fur Coat, Tree Roots In The Basement, Molly Hamilton, just to name a few …



“The comps are to promote the label, we are working on official releases from every band,” says Brandon H. You can buy current albums for $5 on the Web site, look for vinyl soon.



I went to Dear Fest this Fourth of July; it was in the yard of the headquarters, but I’m not at liberty to disclose location. All of the bands were wonderful, they gave away free CDs and T’s and grilled food all day with no cover. I felt included in something good, perhaps a true music community, albeit young and insecure; golden and interested in finding better ways to live and love and make art together. Dreamers and trippers and lovers, but so were your parents and is war fun?



It’s about time we heard someone hope with their music again.



[Dear Records, www.myspace.com/dearrecords]