One of the things I miss from the merch table at a show is the label sampler, For like $10 or less you’d get a CD with like 22 tracks from different artists to give you a taste of what that record label was about. They still exist, digitally, but these days they’re harder to find.
Worry Bead Records is releasing True Names: A Benefit for Trans Youth, out tomorrow, May 2, 2025, and it feels like a Sub Pop or Matador sampler from the late ‘90s. This 18-track compilation features unreleased b-sides, demos, and live cuts from indie artists across Boston, New York, Philly, and beyond. Many of these acts—like Salt, 2nd Grade and King’s Evil (who I can’t even find on Bandcamp!)—are new to me, and I’ve already queued up a bunch of records for a deeper dive.
There is a ton of musical variety here. It’s led by 22° Halo’s gentle, warm lo-fi single “Reward”, and while most of the tracks are in a similar indie-demo vein, there are a few stylistic outliers. Pink Navel brings an indie rap vibe with “interview (angel of youth),” while Remember Sports deliver a raucous live recording of “Cut Fruit”. It’s a better recording than this, but here’s the song:
Squirrel Flower, likely the best-known act here, offers a demo of “Intheskatepark” that sounds like an 8-bit dance track from a ‘90s video game. Night Moth’s “Colder (demo)” channels the raw, Liz Phair Girly-Sound tapes energy, and dust from 1000 years’ “big moon” brings harmonica and shades of Creedence Clearwater Revival.
There are also gems from emerging acts like Tuxis Giant (up top)—led by Worry Bead Records’ founder Matt O’Connor—Léna Bartels, and more, each adding their own flavour to this diverse mix.
What makes True Names absolutely essential, is its cause. All profits go to the Trans Youth Emergency Project (TYEP), which supports families of trans youth by helping them find healthcare providers, travel for appointments, and cover medication costs. I don’t need to spell it out, but young transgender Americans are being targeted in horrific ways. I’m lucky to live in Canada, but it can happen here too.
The compilation’s title is beautfully symbolic. It’s drawn from Ursula K. Le Guin’s Earthsea books, where True Names hold sacred, transformative power, and sharing your True Name is an act of vulnerability and courage.
True Names is a steal for $10, and with Bandcamp Friday tomorrow there’s no better time to grab it—Bandcamp waives its fees, so even more money goes directly to TYEP. This is great music for a cause that desperately needs support, and I can’t recommend it enough.
Further Reading
Trans Youth Emergency Project Website
