Dan Bejar started Destroyer as a solo home-recording project in the early to mid-nineties. In 1996, he released his debut full length of stripped-down, lo-fi electric folk, We'll Build Them a Golden Bridge. Soon the Destroyer template expanded to include a rhythm section, and Bejar was compelled to head into a proper studio to record City of Daughters in 1998. It was with Daughters that Bejar began to develop his own unique lyrical voice, a voice that continued to evolve and refine itself over the course of his next two records, Thief and Streethawk: A Seduction. Destroyer seemingly had produced its masterwork with Streethawk, a highly refined send-up and condemnation of popular culture, an idea honed to razor-sharp precision. The album became one of the most acclaimed recordings of 2001, and the Destroyer mystique captured music fans and critics alike.
This Night, the Destroyer debut for Merge, is an epic full of indulgences and flights of fancy-the perfect foil to the sleek and streamlined approach of earlier recordings. This Night both baffles and seduces, leaving jaws on the floor and confounding both fans and critics. Bejar took another turn towards the unexpected with Your Blues, his second recording for Merge, wherein he stripped Destroyer down to its barest essentials once again, with MIDI-synthesizer symphonies that explored what Bejar dubbed "European Blues," a vainglorious retreat from American rock traditions, celebrating an exercise in old-world excess within limited means. Those who had been pining for a new Streethawk were left shaking their heads, forced to admit that the last thing Destroyer was ever going to give them was anything close to what they expected (or hoped for). Bejar had everyone right where he wanted: dazed, confused, and not knowing what was to come next.
What came next was yet another triumph. Destroyer's Rubies was hailed as the second coming by many longtime fans and firmly established Destroyer as a critical and commercial success without ever having compromised Bejar's vision at any point along the way. On its March 2006 cover, The Fader proclaimed him "Rock's Exiled King" and we could not agree more. But it was a case of self-imposed exile, as Bejar and company have never had much use for the trappings of indie-rock "fame."
Trouble in Dreams (2008) continued Dan Bejar's lyrical and musical assault on all that is stagnant in modern, popular music. His is a body of work that consistently flouts convention in favor of musical leaps of faith, statements of purpose cloaked in subterfuge, and the joyous refrain of an optimist's heart cloaked in cynicism. Anthems sprawl with shifting layers of guitar and piano, spinning just to the edge of chaos and back, while referencing fantastical realms and mysterious women who may or may not approve of our interloping voyeurism.
Written during an extended stay in Spain during the spring and summer of 2007, Trouble in Dreams is both soothing and jarring, sparing us neither his lyrical bite nor pulling any punches. Trouble in Dreams is yet another brilliant entry in the astonishing Destroyer canon.
Over the course of his career as Destroyer, Dan Bejar has established himself and his band as one of the most unpredictable success stories in modern, popular music. As a songwriter, Bejar is recognized as having few peers. As a musician, he is like the court jester, waiting in the wings, poking fun at those who take themselves too seriously and skewering those who would celebrate commerce as art.
www.destroyersongs.com
This Night, the Destroyer debut for Merge, is an epic full of indulgences and flights of fancy-the perfect foil to the sleek and streamlined approach of earlier recordings. This Night both baffles and seduces, leaving jaws on the floor and confounding both fans and critics. Bejar took another turn towards the unexpected with Your Blues, his second recording for Merge, wherein he stripped Destroyer down to its barest essentials once again, with MIDI-synthesizer symphonies that explored what Bejar dubbed "European Blues," a vainglorious retreat from American rock traditions, celebrating an exercise in old-world excess within limited means. Those who had been pining for a new Streethawk were left shaking their heads, forced to admit that the last thing Destroyer was ever going to give them was anything close to what they expected (or hoped for). Bejar had everyone right where he wanted: dazed, confused, and not knowing what was to come next.
What came next was yet another triumph. Destroyer's Rubies was hailed as the second coming by many longtime fans and firmly established Destroyer as a critical and commercial success without ever having compromised Bejar's vision at any point along the way. On its March 2006 cover, The Fader proclaimed him "Rock's Exiled King" and we could not agree more. But it was a case of self-imposed exile, as Bejar and company have never had much use for the trappings of indie-rock "fame."
Trouble in Dreams (2008) continued Dan Bejar's lyrical and musical assault on all that is stagnant in modern, popular music. His is a body of work that consistently flouts convention in favor of musical leaps of faith, statements of purpose cloaked in subterfuge, and the joyous refrain of an optimist's heart cloaked in cynicism. Anthems sprawl with shifting layers of guitar and piano, spinning just to the edge of chaos and back, while referencing fantastical realms and mysterious women who may or may not approve of our interloping voyeurism.
Written during an extended stay in Spain during the spring and summer of 2007, Trouble in Dreams is both soothing and jarring, sparing us neither his lyrical bite nor pulling any punches. Trouble in Dreams is yet another brilliant entry in the astonishing Destroyer canon.
Over the course of his career as Destroyer, Dan Bejar has established himself and his band as one of the most unpredictable success stories in modern, popular music. As a songwriter, Bejar is recognized as having few peers. As a musician, he is like the court jester, waiting in the wings, poking fun at those who take themselves too seriously and skewering those who would celebrate commerce as art.
www.destroyersongs.com
05/04/10
Spring has sprung and it is time for a new free Merge sampler! Featuring hit songs from the latest albums of Radar Brothers, Spoon, Let’s Wrestle, She & Him and more, visit amazon.com now to download all fourteen free songs with special cover art by Let’s Wrestle’s Wesley Patrick Gonzalez!
As always, you can find new albums from all of these artists and more in our handy Merge store.
Free Merge 2010 digital sampler track listing:
1. Radar Brothers – Horses Warriors (from The Illustrated Garden)
2. Let’s Wrestle – I Won’t Lie to You (from In the Court of the Wrestling Let’s)
3. Destroyer – The Very Modern Dance (from Streethawk: A Seduction)
4. Shout Out Louds – Fall Hard (from Work)
5. Spoon – Written in Reverse (from Transference)
6. Lou Barlow – Don’t Apologize (from Goodnight Unknown)
7. She & Him – Thieves (from Volume Two)
8. Superchunk – Learned to Surf (from Leaves in the Gutter)
9. Alec Bathgate – Glide (from Stroke: Songs for Chris Knox)
10. The Clientele – I Wonder Who We Are (from Bonfires on the Heath)
11. Caribou – Odessa (from Swim)
12. The Clean – In the Dreamlife U Need a Rubber Soul (from Mister Pop)
13. Wye Oak – I Hope You Die (from My Neighbor / My Creator)
14. Lambchop – Give It (from Live at XX Merge)
As always, you can find new albums from all of these artists and more in our handy Merge store.
Free Merge 2010 digital sampler track listing:
1. Radar Brothers – Horses Warriors (from The Illustrated Garden)
2. Let’s Wrestle – I Won’t Lie to You (from In the Court of the Wrestling Let’s)
3. Destroyer – The Very Modern Dance (from Streethawk: A Seduction)
4. Shout Out Louds – Fall Hard (from Work)
5. Spoon – Written in Reverse (from Transference)
6. Lou Barlow – Don’t Apologize (from Goodnight Unknown)
7. She & Him – Thieves (from Volume Two)
8. Superchunk – Learned to Surf (from Leaves in the Gutter)
9. Alec Bathgate – Glide (from Stroke: Songs for Chris Knox)
10. The Clientele – I Wonder Who We Are (from Bonfires on the Heath)
11. Caribou – Odessa (from Swim)
12. The Clean – In the Dreamlife U Need a Rubber Soul (from Mister Pop)
13. Wye Oak – I Hope You Die (from My Neighbor / My Creator)
14. Lambchop – Give It (from Live at XX Merge)
02/26/10
On April 20, we will reissue Destroyer’s City of Daughters and Thief on CD and Streethawk: A Seduction on CD and LP. All three releases have been remastered and the CDs will feature shiny new packaging.
In the hallowed Destroyer discography, the early trinity of City of Daughters / Thief / Streethawk: A Seduction holds an important place; not only does it document Dan Bejar’s evolution from lo-fi bedroom tyro to bona fide master of the rock album, it also contains a massive percentage of superlative Destroyer “classics.” 1998’s City of Daughters features some of the first steps out of the demo-tapey experimentation of earlier recordings, with songs like “Comments on the World as Will” refining the sound of that stripped-down earlier work, and the seminal “No Cease Fires!” offering us the first taste of just what a full-band Destroyer might conjure. 2000’s Thief naturally went further down that road, and from the opening strums of “The Temple” to the arty quirk of “Queen of Languages” to the gentle, jagged comedown of the title track, it soon became clear that Dan Bejar was master of a singular songcraft—and one who was only just getting started, because the following year brought us Streethawk: A Seduction. And every last inch—and we don’t mean this hyperbolically: EVERY. LAST. INCH.—of Streethawk is a true classic.
City of Daughters, Thief, and Streethawk: A Seduction are available now for preview and pre-order in the Merge store. Pre-order all three of these releases on CD in the Merge store for a special “bundle” price of $29.98 until release date. All pre-orders will ship to arrive on or around the April 20 release date.
In the hallowed Destroyer discography, the early trinity of City of Daughters / Thief / Streethawk: A Seduction holds an important place; not only does it document Dan Bejar’s evolution from lo-fi bedroom tyro to bona fide master of the rock album, it also contains a massive percentage of superlative Destroyer “classics.” 1998’s City of Daughters features some of the first steps out of the demo-tapey experimentation of earlier recordings, with songs like “Comments on the World as Will” refining the sound of that stripped-down earlier work, and the seminal “No Cease Fires!” offering us the first taste of just what a full-band Destroyer might conjure. 2000’s Thief naturally went further down that road, and from the opening strums of “The Temple” to the arty quirk of “Queen of Languages” to the gentle, jagged comedown of the title track, it soon became clear that Dan Bejar was master of a singular songcraft—and one who was only just getting started, because the following year brought us Streethawk: A Seduction. And every last inch—and we don’t mean this hyperbolically: EVERY. LAST. INCH.—of Streethawk is a true classic.
City of Daughters, Thief, and Streethawk: A Seduction are available now for preview and pre-order in the Merge store. Pre-order all three of these releases on CD in the Merge store for a special “bundle” price of $29.98 until release date. All pre-orders will ship to arrive on or around the April 20 release date.
08/19/09
Destroyer joined by Loscil will perform a rare collaborative set of original music from each artist’s catalog as part of the Wordless Music series at the Miller Theatre at Columbia University in New York on September 12th.
Wordless Music is a series of performances devoted to the idea that the sound worlds of classical and contemporary instrumental music — in genres such as indie rock and electronica — share more in common than conventional thinking might suggest. Their goal is to bring audiences together, and to introduce listeners from both worlds to composers that they might otherwise not encounter, for a completely new concert experience.
Wordless Music
September 12, 2009
Miller Theatre at Columbia University
2960 Broadway (at 116th Street)
DESTROYER
LOSCIL
JACK QUARTET
Doors open at 7:30pm, show at 8pm. Tickets on sale via the Miller Theatre box office and Web site.
Wordless Music is a series of performances devoted to the idea that the sound worlds of classical and contemporary instrumental music — in genres such as indie rock and electronica — share more in common than conventional thinking might suggest. Their goal is to bring audiences together, and to introduce listeners from both worlds to composers that they might otherwise not encounter, for a completely new concert experience.
Wordless Music
September 12, 2009
Miller Theatre at Columbia University
2960 Broadway (at 116th Street)
DESTROYER
LOSCIL
JACK QUARTET
Doors open at 7:30pm, show at 8pm. Tickets on sale via the Miller Theatre box office and Web site.
08/04/09
On August 18, we will release the new Destroyer EP, Bay of Pigs, exclusively on 12-inch vinyl. Bay of Pigs is limited to only 1000 copies and includes over 20 minutes of new Destroyer material and a digital download code. Pre-order Bay of Pigs now in the Merge store.
At 13:37, “Bay of Pigs” is the longest of Destroyer songs. It is also Destroyer’s first foray into the ambient disco market. The song was recorded throughout the winter of 2009 with longtime Destroyer collaborators/members John Collins and David Carswell at their JCDC Studio in downtown Vancouver. “Bay of Pigs” is an account of the 1961 American invasion of Cuba, often referred to as The Bay Of Pigs.
The music for “Ravers” was played entirely on analogue synthesizer, and recorded, by Ted Bois (Destroyer, Pink Mountaintops) in April 2009. It explores some of the more meditative realms of 20th Century classical composition. The song itself is a casual rumination on parties, political parties, madness and suffering (for one’s art).
Listen now exclusively at Stereogum.com!
Side A:
Bay Of Pigs – 13:37
Side B:
Ravers – 7:50
Destroyer on Tour!
08.02.09 Sackville, NB Sackville United Church
10.02.09 Montreal, QC Ukrainian Federation
10.03.09 Toronto, ON Horseshoe Tavern
At 13:37, “Bay of Pigs” is the longest of Destroyer songs. It is also Destroyer’s first foray into the ambient disco market. The song was recorded throughout the winter of 2009 with longtime Destroyer collaborators/members John Collins and David Carswell at their JCDC Studio in downtown Vancouver. “Bay of Pigs” is an account of the 1961 American invasion of Cuba, often referred to as The Bay Of Pigs.
The music for “Ravers” was played entirely on analogue synthesizer, and recorded, by Ted Bois (Destroyer, Pink Mountaintops) in April 2009. It explores some of the more meditative realms of 20th Century classical composition. The song itself is a casual rumination on parties, political parties, madness and suffering (for one’s art).
Listen now exclusively at Stereogum.com!
Side A:
Bay Of Pigs – 13:37
Side B:
Ravers – 7:50
Destroyer on Tour!
08.02.09 Sackville, NB Sackville United Church
10.02.09 Montreal, QC Ukrainian Federation
10.03.09 Toronto, ON Horseshoe Tavern
05/21/09
On August 18, we will release the new Destroyer EP, Bay of Pigs, exclusively on 12-inch vinyl. Bay of Pigs is a limited-edition EP with over 20 minutes of new Destroyer material. Destroyer will be on tour in July on the East Coast and will perform at XX Merge.
At 13:37, “Bay of Pigs” is the longest of Destroyer songs. It is also Destroyer’s first foray into the ambient disco market. The song was recorded throughout the winter of 2009 with longtime Destroyer collaborators/members John Collins and David Carswell at their JCDC Studio in downtown Vancouver. “Bay of Pigs” is an account of the 1961 American invasion of Cuba, often referred to as The Bay Of Pigs.
The music for “Ravers” was played entirely on analogue synthesizer, and recorded, by Ted Bois (Destroyer, Pink Mountaintops) in April 2009. It explores some of the more meditative realms of 20th Century classical composition. The song itself is a casual rumination on parties, political parties, madness and suffering (for one’s art).
Side A:
Bay Of Pigs – 13:37
Side B:
Ravers – 7:50
At 13:37, “Bay of Pigs” is the longest of Destroyer songs. It is also Destroyer’s first foray into the ambient disco market. The song was recorded throughout the winter of 2009 with longtime Destroyer collaborators/members John Collins and David Carswell at their JCDC Studio in downtown Vancouver. “Bay of Pigs” is an account of the 1961 American invasion of Cuba, often referred to as The Bay Of Pigs.
The music for “Ravers” was played entirely on analogue synthesizer, and recorded, by Ted Bois (Destroyer, Pink Mountaintops) in April 2009. It explores some of the more meditative realms of 20th Century classical composition. The song itself is a casual rumination on parties, political parties, madness and suffering (for one’s art).
Side A:
Bay Of Pigs – 13:37
Side B:
Ravers – 7:50
We'll Build Them a Golden Bridge (1996, Tinker)
Thief (2000, Catsup Plate)
Streethawk: A Seduction (2001, Misra)
This Night (2002, Merge)
Your Blues (2004, Merge)
Notorious Lightning And Other Works (2005, Merge)
Destroyer's Rubies (2006, Merge)
Trouble In Dreams [CD/LP] (2008, Merge)
Thief (2000, Catsup Plate)
Streethawk: A Seduction (2001, Misra)
This Night (2002, Merge)
Your Blues (2004, Merge)
Notorious Lightning And Other Works (2005, Merge)
Destroyer's Rubies (2006, Merge)
Trouble In Dreams [CD/LP] (2008, Merge)
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Arcade Fire [+]
| July | ||
| 31 | Montreal | Osheaga Festival |
| August | ||
| 01 | Boston, MA | Bank of America Pavillion |
| 02 | Philadelphia, PA | Mann Centre for the Performing Arts |
| 04 | New York, NY | Madison Square Garden |
| 05 | New York, NY | Madison Square Garden |
| [see all] | ||
Lou Barlow [+]
| August | ||
| 17 | Milford, CT | Daniel Street |
| 18 | Washington, DC | Rock N Roll Hotel |
| 19 | Carrboro, NC | Cat's Cradle |
| 20 | Asheville, NC | Grey Eagle |
| 21 | Nashville, TN | The Basement |
| [see all] | ||
Richard Buckner [+]
| July | ||
| 31 | Baltimore, MD | Ram's Head Live |
| September | ||
| 08 | Asheville, NC | The Grey Eagle |
| 09 | Columbia, SC | Columbia Museum of Art |
| 10 | Raleigh, NC | Hopscotch Music Festival |
| 11 | Charlotte, NC | Evening Muse |
| [see all] | ||
Caribou [+]
| September | ||
| 15 | Ottawa, ON | Babylon |
| 18 | London, ON | Victoria Park Bandshell |
| 24 | Cincinnati, OH | Midpoint Music Festival |
| 25 | Champaign-Urbana, IL | Pygmalion Festival |
| October | ||
| 04 | Seattle, WA | Showbox at the Market |
The Clientele [+]
| September | ||
| 06 | Seattle, WA | TBA |
| 07 | Portland, OR | Doug Fir |
| 09 | Oakland, CA | New Parish |
| 10 | San Francisco, CA | Independent |
| 11 | Los Angeles, CA | Echoplex |
| [see all] | ||
Fucked Up [+]
| July | ||
| 30 | Moscow | Aktzal |
| August | ||
| 06 | Hertfordshire | Standon Calling |
| 07 | Kent | Hevy Festival |
| 08 | Blackpool | Rebellion Festival |
| 09 | London | Hoxton Bar & Grill |
| [see all] | ||
Let's Wrestle [+]
| September | ||
| 04 | Los Angeles, CA | FYF Fest |
| 05 | Santa Barbara, CA | Club Mercy Presents |
| 06 | San Francisco, CA | Great American Music Hall |
| 08 | Seattle, WA | Neumo's |
| 09 | Vancouver, BC | Rickshaw Theatre |
| [see all] | ||
The Love Language [+]
| August | ||
| 28 | Wilmington, NC | The Soapbox |
| September | ||
| 03 | Atlanta, GA | The Earl |
| 04 | Charlotte, NC | Visulite Theatre |
| 11 | Raleigh, NC | Hopscotch Festival |
| 12 | Nashville, TN | Exit / In |
| [see all] | ||
Polvo [+]
| August | ||
| 12 | Pittsburgh, PA | Brillobox |
| 13 | Toronto, ON | Lee's Palace |
| 14 | Montreal, QC | La Sala Rossa |
The Rosebuds [+]
| September | ||
| 10 | Raleigh, NC | Hopscotch Festival |
She & Him [+]
| August | ||
| 26 | Salt Lake City, UT | Twilight Music Series |
| 28 | Omaha, NE | Anchor Inn |
| 29 | St. Louis, MO | LouFest |
| 30 | Kansas City, MO | Uptown Theatre |
| September | ||
| 01 | Nashville, TN | Ryman Auditorium |
| [see all] | ||
Spoon [+]
| August | ||
| 02 | Philadelphia, PA | Mann Centre for the Performing Arts |
| 04 | New York, NY | Madison Square Garden |
| 05 | New York, NY | Madison Square Garden |
| 06 | Washington, DC | Merriweather Post Pavilion |
| 07 | Chicago, IL | Lollapalooza |
| [see all] | ||
Superchunk [+]
| September | ||
| 16 | Durham, NC | The Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University |
| 17 | Washington | 9:30 Club |
| 18 | New York, NY | Bowery Ballroom |
| 19 | Brooklyn, NY | Music Hall of Williamsburg |
| 21 | Boston, MA | Royale |
| [see all] | ||
Teenage Fanclub [+]
| September | ||
| 22 | Toronto, ON | The Legendary Horseshoe Tavern |
| 23 | Toronto, ON | The Legendary Horseshoe Tavern |
| 24 | Montreal, QC | Le National |
| 25 | Boston, MA | Royale |
| 27 | New York, NY | Bowery Ballroom |
| [see all] | ||
Telekinesis [+]
| August | ||
| 31 | St. Louis, MO | Firebird |
| September | ||
| 01 | Urbana, IL | Canopy Club |
| 02 | Chicago, IL | Lincoln Hall |
| 03 | Detroit, MI | Magic Stick |
| 04 | Toronto, ON | El Mocambo |
| [see all] | ||
Versus [+]
| August | ||
| 12 | Brooklyn, NY | Rock Shop |
| 13 | Toronto, ON | Lee's Palace |
| 14 | Montreal | La Sala Rossa |
| September | ||
| 21 | Boston, MA | Royale |
| 22 | Philadelphia, PA | Trocadero Theatre |
Wye Oak [+]
| August | ||
| 17 | Milford, CT | Daniel Street |
| 18 | Washington, DC | Rock N Roll Hotel |
| 19 | Carrboro, NC | Cat's Cradle |
| 20 | Asheville, NC | Grey Eagle |
| 21 | Nashville, TN | The Basement |
| [see all] | ||
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