MATT DRISCOLL: WHAT THE HECKFEST IS THIS WEEKEND >>>

This week, in celebration of an awesome music festival that probably, like, four people from Tacoma are going to, I dove into Knw-Yr-Own Records’ soon to be released compilation No Band is an Island â€" which features 22 songs from 22 artists playing this weekend’s What the Heckfest in Anacortes.  The festival stretches from tomorrow (Friday, July 18) through Sunday (July 20), and is probably the coolest thing that ever happens in the tiny village. In its seventh year now, and the creation of Bret Lunsford whose name may sound familiar from his time in Beat Happening, What the Heckfest has never had a major sponsor, never had a big ass venue, or never had any real intention of making money. What it has had, thanks to Lunsford’s musical connections, is some of the best indie/underground/folk musical lineups you’ll find anywhere. Kimya Dawson, Mirah, Karl Blau, the Blow, Mt. Eerie and the king of Olympia himself, Calvin Johnson, are all annual performers at What the Heckfest.

But this isn’t really about this weekend’s festival; it’s about No Band is an Island, the compilation CD put together by Knw-Yr-Own to capture the essence of this weekend’s festival. Though No Band is an Island won’t be officially released until Aug. 5, which seems weird to me, when it does come out perhaps it can provide a retrospective glimpse at all the cool shit people who were at What the Heckfest this year saw, and what all of us here in Tacoma missed.

While I might hate their spelling, Knw-Yr-Own Records knows how to put together a compilation. In fact, No Band is an Island may be one of the top 10 best compilations I’ve ever heard. (Editor’s note: Matt Driscoll doesn’t actually have a top 10 list of best compilations. He just wanted to write something complimentary and figured no one would call his bluff.)

Check out my review here.