Trouble In Mind Forever: Celebrating 2009-2025 Through Essential Tracks [ENG]

On September 26, 2025, Chicago’s Trouble In Mind Records announced the end of its operations as an active label—a moment that sent ripples of emotion through the indie-pop and psychedelic music communities. For many of us passionate fans, it felt like losing one of the coolest and most endearing North American labels of the 2010s and beyond, folding in these tough times for independent music.

Founded by the passionate couple Bill and Lisa Roe, Trouble In Mind went through several distinct phases over its 16-year run. In its early days (2009-2010), the Chicago label specialized in 7-inch singles, building a catalog filled with main acts of the era like The Fresh & Onlys and Wounded Lion. A year or two later, they branched into full albums, initially leaning heavily into garage-rock and powerpop—with standout releases like those from The Wrong Words.

By 2011, Trouble In Mind fully embraced the psychedelic wave and truly found its groove. The label unleashed a near-continuous run of gems from artists like Jacco Gardner, The Paperhead, Maston, Doug Tuttle, and Morgan Delt—albums adored by critics and psych enthusiasts alike for their dreamy, ’60s-inspired brilliance.

As the years progressed, the label delved deeper into indie-pop, particularly tapping into Australia’s rich scene. For their 50th release in 2013, Bill and Lisa treated themselves (and us) to a reissue of the magnificent debut album by the UK’s The Dentists—a Medway band whose sounds bridged the ’60s and indie-pop eras. In many ways, that record encapsulated the label’s philosophy over its decade-and-a-half of dedicated service.

Quietly but consistently, Trouble In Mind built an international pop community, discovering gems from across the globe: the US, England (Ultimate Painting), Australia (Dick Diver, The Shifters, Chook Race), New Zealand (Salad Boys), France (En Attendant Ana), and Spain (Melenas).

Guided purely by their passion and impeccable taste, Bill and Lisa Roe connected dots across those multiple scenes. They always maintained an fiercely independent path and a sure ear, reflected in their bold and original choices year after year.The end of Trouble In Mind is heartbreaking, not just for the couple, but for the artists they championed and for fans like us. It was a true compass in an ever-shifting musical landscape. Trouble In Mind will be deeply missed.

Let’s celebrate these years of activism and discovery together with a 20-track playlist spanning the label’s incredible journey !

01 – CoCoComa « Ask Don’t Tell » (2009, Chicago)

The very first release on Trouble In Mind holds a special flavor. It’s a record by CoCoComa—and while this band might not be the most famous in the catalog, it carries huge significance: Bill and Lisa Roe, the couple who founded the label, actually played in the group! It’s also their only release on Trouble In Mind.

02 – The Limiñanas « Je ne suis pas très drogue » (2010, Perpignan)

The Limiñanas are now one of the most recognized contemporary French rock bands, both in France and abroad. But their story kicked off on MySpace, of all places. Two Chicago labels quickly took notice: Trouble In Mind and HoZac. The two imprints alternated releasing the Perpignan duo’s early albums. Fun fact: The Limiñanas weren’t even the first French act on TiM. That honor goes to Sonic Chicken 4, their pals from the same Perpignan scene! Long live the south of France!

03 – Jacco Gardner « Where Will You Go » (2012, Netherlands)

The Dutch artist Jacco Gardner marked a real turning point for Trouble In Mind. His debut album generated media buzz far beyond the label’s usual reach. It’s also a masterpiece of popsike. Many consider this record one of the artistic peaks in Trouble In Mind’s catalog. Beyond its aesthetic triumph, Jacco Gardner’s first album undoubtedly helped the label expand its vision on a larger scale.

04 – The Night Beats « Puppet on a String » (2011, Seattle)

Night Beats have enjoyed a solid career for about fifteen years now. Yet their debut album, released on Trouble In Mind, remains my absolute favorite. The Seattle band strikes a perfect balance between frantic garage rock and psychedelia. At the time, this record stood out as one of the best in the genre—a true gem worth rediscovering!

05 – Morgan Delt « Barbarian Kings » (2013, Los Angeles)

Morgan Delt’s debut album is, for me, one of the label’s outright masterpieces. It has such a singular sound and unique production. Back then, Morgan Delt completely blew my mind. The record blends the best of the ’60s with a refreshing contemporary approach. Naturally, he was soon snapped up by Sub Pop, where he released a second (and final) album featuring his most famous track, « Some Sunsick Day. » The video for that one was directed by Vinyl Williams—another musician we absolutely love. If you’ve never listened to Morgan Delt’s self-titled debut, I highly recommend it. It was a massive slap in the face at the time, and still his best work.

06 – Maston « Judge Alabaster » (2013, Los Angeles)

Frank Maston’s debut album was another huge shock when it dropped. It’s part of that incredible psychedelic run on Trouble In Mind. The Chicago label wasn’t alone in eventually moving away a bit from that style—Maston himself later shifted toward soundtrack and library music. Last I heard, he’s now based in Paris.

07 – Doug Tuttle « Forget the Days » (2014, Rochester)

Doug Tuttle might take a more purist approach to psychedelia than Morgan Delt or Maston, but his debut album is absolutely insane. An epic and grandiose record—another triumph thanks to Bill and Lisa Roe’s enlightened tastes!

08 – Ultimate Painting « She’s a Bomb » (2014, London)

I have a soft spot for every project involving James Hoare (Veronica Falls, The Proper Ornaments, Penny Arcade), including Ultimate Painting—the duo he formed with Jack Cooper (Mazes). Their self-titled debut is already seriously cool! The band’s entire discography comes highly recommended. Sadly, Ultimate Painting imploded just weeks before the release of a much-anticipated fourth album.

09 – Klaus Johann Grobe « Traumhaft » (2013, Switzerland)

Klaus Johann Grobe is one of my absolute favorite acts from Trouble In Mind’s rich catalog. The Swiss group has been a label mainstay since 2013, starting with this already excellent single. Over the years, they’ve explored a wide range of musical genres, perfectly showcasing the openness and eclecticism of the label’s roster.

10 – The Resonars « Paint my Window Green » (2012, Tucson)

The Resonars remain a hidden treasure among ’60s-inspired bands. Their discography is exemplary, whether on Trouble In Mind or elsewhere. For the Chicago label, the Tucson group released a 7-inch single, a compilation, and two albums (if we count the one under the name The Butterscotch Cathedral). If you’re not familiar with the band, the compilation put out by Trouble In Mind is a remarkable entry point. Trouble In Mind was also excellent in this role as a gateway and discoverer.

11 – Chook Race « Hard to Clean » (2016, Melbourne)

Chook Race’s Around the House (2016) is probably one of my favorite indie-pop albums released by Trouble In Mind. Sadly, after this second record, the Australian band never put out anything else—what a shame. “Hard to Clean” has everything I love in indie-pop: energy, vitality, and memorable melodies. This song is fantastic!

12 – The Tubs « Freak Mode » (2024, Cardiff)

Released ahead of their second album, “Freak Mode” is a little gem from the Welsh band The Tubs. Their album Cotton Crown (2025) is one of my favorite indie records of 2025. The distinctive voice might throw you off at first, but it’s also what gives the band its unique identity. It’s hard to stand out in this genre, yet The Tubs pull it off brilliantly.

13 – Dummy « Null Space » (2024, Los Angeles)

In 2024, Los Angeles-based Dummy released their second album on Trouble In Mind—the fantastic Free Energy. It’s a vibrant record with bold production choices, a long way from many indie-pop releases that can sometimes feel like they’re going through the motions. Dummy puts real heart into their albums. They take risks and refuse to rely on tired, overused formulas.

14 – Klaus Johann Grobe « Ja! » (2018, Switzerland)

Du Bist So Symmetrisch (2018) marked a turning point in Klaus Johann Grobe’s discography. After two albums that were punk in their own way, the Swiss duo delivered a record with a sleek, polished production. Seven years later, it still has a special flavor. I love this shift toward synth-pop while keeping the lyrics in German. Truly a great album! Their latest, Io Tu Il Loro (2024), takes another sharp turn, this time sailing into yacht rock/soft rock territory. That one’s another little gem!

15 – Omni « Wire » (2016, Atlanta)

Omni’s debut album Deluxe already has everything going for it. The Atlanta trio had already developed their magic formula: angular, distinctive post-punk, executed to perfection. This album is already a small classic of the 2010s. Like Morgan Delt a few years earlier, Omni switched labels and joined Sub Pop. They’ve continued to explore a sound that’s proven itself since this memorable first record.

16 – The Butterscotch Cathedral « Loud Heavy Sun » (2015, Tucson)

The Butterscotch Cathedral is one of the aliases of Matt Rendon from The Resonars—a band that’s criminally underrated. Under this name, he released a single album on Trouble In Mind in 2015 that’s well worth rediscovering!

17 – Ultimate Painting « Song for Brian Jones » (2016, London)

Ultimate Painting improved with every album. I truly think that Dusk (2016) is probably my favorite from the British band. It’s also their last proper album. Let’s not lose hope that Up! might one day see the light of day, even though the band no longer exists. In the meantime, let’s savor the superb “Song for Brian Jones.”

18 – Salad Boys « Dream Date » (2015, Christchurch)

Salad Boys are a New Zealand band keeping the Dunedin Sound flame alive. “Dream Date,” from their second album (out of three total), is a little gem of jangle pop with just the right amount of edge to hook you!

19 – The Love-Birds « Hit my Head » (2018, San Francisco)

The Love-Birds only released one album, but it’s a treat for fans of jangle pop, the Byrds, Teenage Fanclub, or powerpop. Some members later formed The Telephone Numbers, who found a home on the Spanish label Meritorio Records before recently dropping their second album on Slumberland Records.

20 – En Attendant Ana « In/out » (2019, Paris)

En Attendant Ana is one of the latest French signings to the Chicago label Trouble in Mind. After reissuing their debut album, the label put out their follow-ups: Juillet (2020) and Principia (2023). Those records made quite a splash in English-speaking indie pop circles!

This article is a revised and rewritten version of these two playlists:

• Trouble In Mind – 2009-2014 (link)
• Trouble In Mind – 2015-2025 (link)