Strum & Thrum: The American Jangle Underground 1983-1987 is the first volume of Captured Tracks' new venture into compilations - Excavations. Inspired by Pebbles, Killed By Death, Soul Jazz and Numero Group compilations, Excavations is a series dedicated to compiling forgotten music from the 1970s - 1990s that has a connection to Captured Tracks' sound and aesthetic. Much like the Cleaners from Venus, the Wake, and Sa da Bonaire reissues we've put out, Excavations releases will bridge the past to our current roster and showcase the kinds of sounds that inspire us. It makes sense that the first volume of Excavations is Strum & Thrum. As an American label, we've often wondered why British, Aussie, and Kiwi indie rock from the '80s has had the most influence on modern acts and the collector's market. Granted, the music released on Creation, Sarah, Cherry Red, Postcard, Flying Nun, et al. during that era was fantastic, but a parallel to this sound existed in the US and Canada as well. Outside of bands like R.E.M., the Rain Parade, the Dream Syndicate, and a few others, most of these bands received little attention from national or international press outlets and markets - unless they opted for a