Sebadoh was formed in 1986 in Northampton, Massachusetts, by Eric Gaffney and Lou Barlow (Dinosaur Jr., The Folk Implosion), with multi-instrumentalist Jason Loewenstein completing the line-up in 1989, and Bob Fay taking Gaffney’s spot in 1994. By 1994, the band had released five albums and more or less changed the pockmarked face of indie rock. Their albums were mostly home recordings, decried for their lack of sharp production, but embraced by fans of Barlow’s intimate songwriting style, which owed as much to Joni Mitchell as Bob Mould. In 1996 “Harmacy”, their breakout sixth album, arrived, finding Sebadoh as conflicted as ever: torn between screaming punk and gentle crooning, replete with highly personal songs guaranteed to bring down even the most super-charged midnight ravers.
Released in the wake of The Folk Implosion’s Top 40 hit “Natural One,” “Harmacy” became Sebadoh’s first charting album in the U.S., and yielded the hit “Ocean.” Interview said, “Harmacy” is nothing short of a masterpiece.” The New Yorker called it a collection of “perfectly crafted, honest (read: ambiguous and emotionally twisted), impassioned songs about love and hate.” Harmacy” was hailed as one of the best albums of 1996 by Rolling Stone, The Village Voice, and NME.
releases November 20th, 2026 via Sub Pop Records
