Merge Records

2010 Year End Lists: Lou Barlow

Here are my top ten music related events:
1.KXLU boosts their signal, now reaching my car and kitchen, free-form terrestrial radio!
2. Owen PallettLewis Takes His Shirt Off
3. Beach House – “Walk in the Park”
4. Tammy Wynette, Tragic Country Queen biography, Jimmy Mcdonough
5. Royal Headache live at the Golden Plains Festival, Australia
6. Eddy Current Suppression RingRush to Relax (LP)
7. Wye Oak
8. Touring with the Missingmen as my backing band (Tom Watson, Raul Morales)
9. Going to Brazil with Dinosaur Jr
10. “Baby” – Justin Bieber

A Guide to 2010 Merge Digital releases

It’s easy to miss out on some of the digital-only releases we throw your way—the Internet is a pretty crowded place these days! Here’s a quick summary of what you may have missed:

The limited-edition Destroyer 12-inch “Archer on the Beach” is out-of-print in the Merge store, but you can now buy the songs via digital download!

Don’t miss out on Swim RemixesCaribou’s answer to what happens when you put one of the year’s hottest dance records in the hands of some of the world’s best DJs! With reworks of some of Swim’s hottest cuts by Junior Boys, Fuck Buttons, Nite Jewel, DJ Koze, Walls, Gold Panda, Gavin Russom, and more, Swim Remixes contains over an hour-and-a-half of new, fresh takes on Caribou’s latest opus.

Let’s Wrestle bring us a tasty piece of next year’s sophomore record with the “Getting Rest”/“When I Was In Hospital” digital single. Be warned: these young Londoners are not to be missed.

Shout Out LoudsFall Hard EP expands upon Work’s catchy first single with non-album cuts “Fall Hard Pt. 2” and “Can’t Explain.”

Lou Barlow + the missingmen’s = Sentridoh III is Lou’s first recorded output with new backing band the missingmen. Described by the band as “an almost live representation of the Lou Barlow + the missingmen live show,” this mini-album breathes new, rocking life into Sebadoh and Sentridoh classics, Lou’s solo material, and even a haunting cover of the timeless Skip James song “I’m So Glad.”

Tracey Thorn followed up this year’s gorgeous Love and Its Opposite with a pair of digital EPs, Why Does the Wind? and Opposites, that offer up wildly creative remixes of some of the album’s most-loved songs. Why Does the Wind? pairs the album track of the same name with remixes by Morgan Geist, Michel Clies, and André Lodemann, along with a radio edit and dub version. As for the Opposites EP, Tracey herself probably says it best: “If the remixes for the last single ‘Why Does the Wind?’ were aimed at the dancefloor, these are perhaps aimed more at the head.” Visionquest (“Swimming”), Walls (“Kentish Town”), and Blue Daisy (“Late in the Afternoon”) provide penetrating new takes presented alongside the originals.

Let’s also revisit Lambchop’s magnetic Live at XX Merge performance; Portastatic’s Make It Sound In Tune EP; digital reissues of Richard Buckner’s landmark albums Impasse, The Hill, and Bloomed; and The Ladybug Transistor’s fantastic Here Comes the Rain covers EP.

Our Holiday Coupon applies to digital releases, too, so download away!



Wye Oak & Lou Barlow tour starts today!

Wye Oak & Lou Barlow + the missingmen start their tour together today in Milford, CT at Daniel Street Club. The tour will wind its way to the midwest and then back to the east coast to finish up at Maxwell’s in Hoboken on Sept 4. Don’t miss them!

Wye Oak recently released My Neighbor / My Creator which is available via digital download and on limited-edition CD from the band and in select record stores only. Lou Barlow + the missingmen have a new digital EP, = Sentridoh III available now in the Merge store.

Wye Oak & Lou Barlow + the missingmen on tour:
Aug 17 Milford, CT – Daniel Street Club
Aug 18 Washington, DC – Rock N Roll Hotel
Aug 19 Carrboro, NC – Cat’s Cradle
Aug 20 Asheville, NC – Grey Eagle
Aug 21 Nashville, TN – The Basement
Aug 22 St. Louis, MO – Off Broadway
Aug 23 Madison, WI – The Frequency
Aug 25 Minneapolis, MN – 400 Bar
Aug 26 Chicago, IL – Schubas Tavern
Aug 27 Cleveland, OH – Grog Shop
Aug 28 Toronto, ON – Horseshoe Tavern
Aug 29 Montreal, QC – Il Motore
Aug 31 Northampton, MA – Iron Horse
Sep 01 New York, NY – Mercury Lounge
Sep 02 Cambridge, MA – Middle East
Sep 03 Philadelphia, PA – Johnny Brenda’s
Sep 04 Hoboken, NJ – Maxwell’s

More Wye Oak dates:
% = w/ The Mountain Goats
# = w/ David Bazan
Oct 02 Urbana, IL – Canopy Club
Oct 04 Lawrence, KS – Bottleneck %
Oct 05 Columbia, MO – The Blue Note %
Oct 06 Oklahoma City, OK – ACM @ UCO Performance Lab %
Oct 08 San Antonio, TX – The Korova #
Oct 11 Lubbock, TX – The Foundation #
Oct 12 Albuquerque, NM – Launchpad #
Oct 13 Tucson, AZ – Club Congress #
Oct 15 Los Angeles, CA – Spaceland #
Oct 16 San Diego, CA – The Casbah #
Oct 17 San Luis Obispo, CA – Downtown Brewing Co. #
Oct 18 San Francisco, CA – The Independent #
Oct 21 Portland, OR – Mississippi Studios w/ Fruit Bats
Oct 22 Seattle, WA – The Showbox w/ Blitzen Trapper

Lou Barlow talks Dirty Laundry & tours with Wye Oak

Lou Barlow + the missingmen have a new EP, = Sentridoh III, and are touring with Wye Oak beginning August 17 in Mitford, CT. Don’t miss them!

Lou Barlow + the missingmen with Wye Oak:
Aug 17 Milford, CT – Daniel Street Club
Aug 18 Washington, DC – Rock N Roll Hotel
Aug 19 Carrboro, NC – Cat’s Cradle
Aug 20 Asheville, NC – Grey Eagle
Aug 21 Nashville, TN – The Basement
Aug 23 Madison, WI – The Frequency
Aug 25 Minneapolis, MN – 400 Bar
Aug 26 Chicago, IL – Schubas Tavern
Aug 27 Cleveland, OH – Grog Shop
Aug 28 Toronto, ON – Horseshoe Tavern
Aug 29 Montreal, QC – Il Motore
Aug 31 Northampton, MA – Iron Horse
Sep 01 New York, NY – Mercury Lounge
Sep 02 Cambridge, MA – Middle East
Sep 03 Philadelphia, PA – Johnny Brenda’s
Sep 04 Hoboken, NJ – Maxwell’s

Lou Barlow visits KXT Dallas

YouTube Preview Image

Lou Barlow + the missingmen are currently on tour in support of Lou’s Goodnight Unknown, and Lou Barlow + the missingmen = Sentridoh III.

06-21 Seattle, WA Tractor Tavern
06-22 Vancouver, BC Media Club
06-23 Portland, OR Doug Fir
06-25 San Francisco, CA Cafe Du Nord
06-26 Los Angeles, CA Bootleg Theater
08-17 Milford, CT Daniel Street
08-18 Washington, DC Rock N Roll Hotel
08-19 Carrboro, NC Cat’s Cradle
08-20 Asheville, NC Grey Eagle
08-21 Nashville, TN The Basement
08-22 St. Louis, MO Off Broadway
08-24 Madison, WI The Frequency
08-26 Chicago, IL Schuba’s Tavern
08-27 Cleveland, OH Grog Shop
08-28 Toronto, ON The Legendary Horseshoe Tavern
08-29 Montreal, QC Il Motore
08-31 Northampton, MA Iron Horse
09-01 New York, NY Mercury Lounge
09-02 Cambridge, MA Middle East
09-03 Philadelphia, PA Johnny Brenda’s

08/17 through 09/03 with Wye Oak

New Lou Barlow + the missingmen video!

directed by Adam Harding

“On the Face” from the new Lou Barlow + the missingmen digital ep = Sentridoh III available now in the Merge store!

Lou Barlow kicks off summer tour with new EP “= Sentridoh III”

Lou Barlow + the missingmen will kick off their first headlining US tour on June 10 at the Casbah in San Diego. New dates with Wye Oak have just been added! To celebrate, we are releasing a brand-new digital EP entitled = Sentridoh III.

Described by the band as “an almost live representation of the Lou Barlow + the missingmen live show,” =Sentridoh III is another step forward for Lou Barlow, and his first release with new backing band the missingmen (guitarist Tom Watson and drummer Raul Morales). With new cuts, rocking reworks of songs from Lou’s Merge debut Emoh and his latest solo record Goodnight Unknown, as well as a hauntingly beautiful cover of Skip James’s “I’m So Glad,” = Sentridoh III is a must-have testament to this remarkable partnership.

= Sentridoh III is available via digital download now in the Merge store, and you can watch a brand new video of “On the Face” at the Merge Vimeo page.

Track listing:
1. Apologize
2. Gravitate / One Machine
3. On the Face
4. Caterpillar Girl
5. Faith Defies the Night
6. Losercore (FREE MP3)
7. Praise
8. I’m So Glad

Lou Barlow + the missingmen on tour:
Jun 10 San Diego, CA – The Casbah
Jun 11 Tucson, AZ – Plush
Jun 12 Santa Fe, NM – Santa Fe Brewing Co.
Jun 14 Austin, TX – Mohawk
Jun 15 Dallas, TX – The Loft
Jun 16 Norman, OK – The Opolis
Jun 17 Kansas City, MO – Record Bar
Jun 18 Denver, CO – Larimer Lounge
Jun 19 Salt Lake City, UT – Urban Lounge
Jun 21 Seattle, WA – Tractor Tavern
Jun 22 Vancouver, BC – Media Club
Jun 23 Portland, OR – Doug Fir Lounge
Jun 25 San Francisco, CA – Café Du Nord
Jun 26 Los Angeles, CA – Bootleg Theater

All dates below with Wye Oak:
Aug 18 Washington, DC – Rock N Roll Hotel
Aug 19 Carrboro, NC – Cat’s Cradle
Aug 20 Asheville, NC – Grey Eagle
Aug 21 Nashville, TN – The Basement
Aug 23 Madison, WI – The Frequency
Aug 25 Minneapolis, MN – 400 Bar
Aug 26 Chicago, IL – Schubas Tavern
Aug 27 Cleveland, OH – Grog Shop
Aug 28 Toronto, ON – Horseshoe Tavern
Aug 29 Montreal, QC – Il Motore
Aug 31 Northampton, MA – Iron Horse
Sep 01 New York, NY – Mercury Lounge
Sep 02 Cambridge, MA – Middle East
Sep 03 Philadelphia, PA – Johnny Brenda’s

Lou Barlow update at loobiecore.com

Lou Barlow has updated his always entertaining website with news, tour dates, and some helpful tips on holding newborns as illustrated by Hendrix Barlow!

Don’t miss Lou Barlow + the missingmen on tour this summer, and order your copy of Goodnight Unknown on CD or digital download in the Merge store.

Lou Barlow on Tour!
6/10 San Diego, CA The Casbah
6/11 Tucson, AZ Plush
6/12 Santa Fe, NM Santa Fe Brewing Co.
6/14 Austin, TX Mohawk
6/15 Dallas, TX The Loft
6/16 Norman, OK Opolis
6/17 Kansas City, MO Record Bar
6/18 Denver, CO Larimer Lounge
6/19 Salt Lake City, UT Urban Lounge
6/21 Seattle, WA Tractor Tavern
6/22 Vancouver, BC Media Club
6/23 Portland, OR Doug Fir Lounge
6/25 San Francisco, CA Cafe Du Nord
6/26 Los Angeles, CA Bootleg Theater

Free Merge sampler at Amazon.com!

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)

Lou Barlow + the missingmen announce summer tour!

Lou Barlow + the missingmen will hit the road this summer in support of Lou’s most recent release, Goodnight Unknown. This will be the first chance to see Lou playing headlining shows with the missingmen since the new album came out, so get your tickets early! If you don’t see your city below, never fear! More dates will be announced soon!

Borrowing the live-band energy of Dinosaur Jr. and the stylistic reach of Sebadoh, Barlow has built on Emoh’s full production and written a set of immediate, melodic pop songs that Lou describes as, “a cross between my later work with Folk Implosion and my earlier work with Sebadoh…to my ears, anyway.”

Visit our special LooTube channel for a series of videos and a making-of documentary from Goodnight Unknown, and you can preview the full album and order your copy on CD or digital download now in the Merge store.

Lou Barlow on Tour!
6/10 San Diego, CA  The Casbah
6/11 Tucson, AZ Plush
6/12 Santa Fe, NM Santa Fe Brewing Co.
6/14 Austin, TX Mohawk
6/15 Dallas, TX The Loft
6/16 Norman, OK Opolis
6/17 Kansas City, MO Record Bar
6/18 Denver, CO Larimer Lounge
6/19 Salt Lake City, UT Urban Lounge
6/21 Seattle, WA Tractor Tavern
6/22 Vancouver, BC Media Club
6/23 Portland, OR Doug Fir Lounge
6/25 San Francisco, CA Cafe Du Nord
6/26 Los Angeles, CA Bootleg Theater

“Barlow has released music under a number of names — Sebadoh, Sentridoh, The Folk Implosion, Lou’s Wasted Pieces — but regardless of the moniker, his songs have remained unmistakably his own.” ~NPR Music

Merge @ SXSW 2010

Merge will be well-represented at the SXSW Music Festival in Austin this year with eight bands and two special Our Noise events. Our bands will be playing all over the city during the festival, so if you will be in Austin, keep your eyes peeled for all of the cool daytime parties being announced daily.

Our helpful flyer is below – click to make it larger & to print it to take with you! Share the link on your twitter & Facebook, too!

Spoon are headlining the NPR show at Stubbs BBQ on Wednesday, March 17 (12:15 am) and She & Him are playing a free, open to the public show at Auditorium Shores on Saturday March 20 (8 pm).  Superchunk are playing a free Village Voice day party at La Zona Rosa on March 19 (3 pm).

Merge Showcase @ Cedar Street Courtyard
208 West 4th St b/t Colorado & Lavaca
Thursday, March 18th
7 PM
(from first to last)
Special Guest
Let’s Wrestle
Radar Brothers
She & Him
Wye Oak
Lou Barlow + the missingmen
The Love Language

Merge @ Homeslice Pizza’s “Music by the Slice” Party
1415 Congress Ave.
Free & Open to the public

Thursday, March 18:
1:30 pm The Love Language
2:15 pm Radar Brothers

Friday, March 19:
Noon Let’s Wrestle
3:45  Wye Oak
6:45  Lou Barlow

Also, book events!

Our Noise event @ Book People (603 N. Lamar Blvd)
Wednesday, March 17 at 6PM
Free & Open to the Public
Mac & Laura will read selections from their book, Our Noise, and will perform covers of songs from selected bands mentioned in the book. They’ll be available to sign books afterwards, too.

Our Noise panel @ SXSW Convention Center
Thursday, March 18 at 2PM
Open to convention registrants only
Michael Azerrad will moderate a Q&A-style event with Mac & Laura about Our Noise and 20 years of Merge Records.

Music by the Slice + Merge @ SXSW 2010

We have teamed up with our friends at Homeslice Pizza for their super-fun SXSW day parties on March 18th-20th called “Music by the Slice.” Totally free and open to the public! Come by, have some delicious pizza and see some great music!

Merge bands @ Music by the Slice!
Homeslice Pizza – 1415 S. Congress St. Austin, TX
Thursday:
1:30 The Love Language
2:15 Radar Brothers
Friday:
Noon Let’s Wrestle
3:45 Wye Oak
6:45 Lou Barlow

Full party line-up can be found here!

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