Undercard is the first new album from this distinguished partnership since 2002′s Martial Arts Weekend and is comprised of eleven original songs and a pretty ominous-sounding cover song, and will include copious song notes from John and Franklin. The artwork features an illustration by Ian Dingman and a vintage boxing poster feel inspired by the title, Undercard, which references the fights listed under the main event at a boxing match.

The Extra Lens have a few surprises in store for us this fall, so stay tuned! Download a free MP3 of  “Only Existing Footage,” and be sure to follow the Extra Lens on twitter!

The new release and tour are sure to get everyone all warmed up for Telekinesis’ 2011 full-length follow-up to the acclaimed debut Telekinesis! – the EP contains a full-band version of the first album’s “Calling All Doctors,” plus covers of Guided By Voices’ “Game of Pricks” and “The Drawback” (borrowed from the proto-Joy Division project Warsaw) and a dazzling new Michael Benjamin Lerner treat called “Dirty Thing” that just could be the summer hit you’ve been waiting for!

Watch the new and sprightly video for “Dirty Thing” now!

To complement the new Parallel Seismic Conspiracies EP (and maybe even to begin previewing material that will appear on the upcoming full-length), a new incarnation of the Telekinesis band will be on tour starting today and finishing up on October 19 in LA at the Music Box with Superchunk. Featuring Jason Narducy (Robert Pollard band, Verbow) on bass and Cody Votolato (Jaguar Love, The Blood Brothers) on guitar, the new line-up will be delivering energy and fun nightly.

Telekinesis on tour:
(with Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin unless noted)
Aug 31 St. Louis, MO Firebird
Sep 1 Urbana, IL Canopy Club
Sep 2 Chicago, IL Lincoln Hall
Sep 3 Detroit, MI Magic Stick
Sep 4 Toronto, ON El Mocambo
Sep 6 Montreal, QC Casa Del Popolo
Sep 7 Cambridge, MA TT The Bear’s
Sep 8 New York, NY Bowery Ballroom
Sep 10 Washington, DC Black Cat
Sep 11 Philadelphia, PA The Barbary
Sep 12 Cleveland Heights, OH Grog Shop
Sep 13 Columbus, OH The Basement
Oct 13 Vancouver, BC Venue Nightclub    w/ Superchunk
Oct 14 Seattle, WA Showbox at the Market w/ Superchunk, Teenage Fanclub
Oct 15 Portland, OR Wonder Ballroom    w/ Superchunk, Teenage Fanclub
Oct 19 Los Angeles, CA The Music Box    w/ Superchunk

Taking its name from a lyric from the aforementioned song–“so when the lights cut out, I was lost, standing in the wilderness downtown”–“The Wilderness Downtown” exemplifies the Google “Chrome Experience” and HTML5 technology, cueing the opening of multiple browser windows, visually incorporating viewers’ childhood addresses (if they are available via Google Street View), allowing the viewers to write and share messages to their younger selves and more.

“The Wilderness Downtown,” an interactive film by Chris Milk featuring “We Used To Wait” from Arcade Fire’s new album The Suburbs can be experienced now at http://thewildernessdowntown.com/. Order The Suburbs on CD, dbl-LP, and digital download now in the Merge store.

Back in the physical world, Arcade Fire’s October 7 and 8 shows at Los Angeles’ Shrine Auditorium have sold out completely, with all of the approximately 12,000 tickets going  within hours of on sale. Popular demand has also necessitated the adding of a second show at the Greek Theater in Berkeley CA, where the band will now perform October 2 and 3.

ARCADE FIRE ON TOUR FALL 2010:
9/22  St. Paul, MN   Roy Wilkins Arena
9/23  Winnipeg, MB   MTS Centre
9/25  Saskatoon, SK   Credit Union Centre
9/26  Calgary, AB   Stampede Corral * SOLD OUT
9/28  Vancouver, BC   Pacific Coliseum  * SOLD OUT
9/29  Seattle, WA   Key Arena
9/30  Portland, OR   Memorial Coliseum
10/2  Berkeley, CA   Greek Theatre * SOLD OUT
10/3  Berkeley, CA   Greek Theatre
10/5  Big Sur, CA   Henry Miller Library * SOLD OUT
10/7  Los Angeles, CA   Shrine Auditorium   * SOLD OUT
10/8 Los Angeles, CA   Shrine Auditorium   * SOLD OUT
10/10  Mexico City (MX)   Palacio de los Deportes
10/12  Monterrey (MX)   Banamex Theater

The Clean’s latest release Mister Pop is available along with other great selections from their catalog in the Merge store.

The Clean on tour:
Sep 29 Hoboken, NJ Maxwell’s
Sep 30 Chicago, IL Bottom Lounge
Oct 04 San Francisco, CA The Independent
Oct 05 Portland, OR Holocene

While most bands are lucky to have one great songwriter, Teenage Fanclub are blessed with three, hence Shadows is overflowing with the kind of gorgeous, harmony-driven classics you’d expect to find on a greatest hits album.

The Illustrated Garden is the punchiest, most lyrically direct set of songs Radar Brothers’ has released to date. The songs are unmistakably Radar Brothers, but the Treichel/Hussey rhythm section often pushes them in unexpected directions.

Teenage Fanclub & Radar Brothers on tour:
9/24 Montreal, QC Le National
9/25 Boston, MA Royale
9/27 New York, NY Bowery Ballroom
9/28 New York, NY Bowery Ballroom
10/01 Philadelphia, PA Trocadero
10/02 Washington, DC 9:30 Club
10/03 Millvale, PA Mr. Small’s Theater
10/05 Chicago, IL Lincoln Hall
10/06 Chicago, IL Lincoln Hall
10/07 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue
10/11 Los Angeles, CA El Rey Theater
10/12 San Francisco, CA The Fillmore

Destroyer mastermind Dan Bejar says, “The reason why this has to be seen as a collaboration, rather than strictly a Destroyer release, is that, for the first time, I’m not responsible for any of the music contained on this EP aside from the vocals, the general chord progression of ‘Archer on the Beach,’ and maybe a couple of the sound effects.”

“Archer on the Beach” is a meditation on the need to grapple with the 20th century in one’s own special way and with style, this time through singing quietly, through repetition, and through leaving lots of space between words, as well as finally learning to love crowds and nature.

“Grief Point” is the first recording Bejar made after deciding never to record again. It is a one-time exploration of the self-explanatory world, recorded in an office and on the street. Inspired by the writings of Michael Herr and the production design of Dean Tavoularis, the words occasionally obsess over the need to make certain things that don’t need to be made, while the music—written, played, and produced in its entirety by Loscil, aka Scott Morgan—tackles wholly separate issues. “Grief Point” was, at one point, the working title of a song called “Bay of Pigs.”

The artists’ intentions can best be illuminated by this fragment of email correspondence from Bejar to Hecker: “Shit, just give it that Michael Mann-meets-Thomas Mann sound that you do!”

The “Archer on the Beach” b/w “Grief Point” 12-inch will be limited to an edition of 1,000 copies that include a digital download coupon. Pre-order your copy now in the Merge store!

Tickets are going fast for Teenage Fanclub’s previously announced September 27 Bowery Ballroom show, so they have added a second show at the Bowery Ballroom on September 28 (tickets on sale 8/25 at noon)! Radar Brothers will join Teenage Fanclub on both NYC dates and more that are listed below.

Don’t miss your chance to see this very special tour!

Teenage Fanclub North American tour:
* = w/ Radar Brothers
9/22 Toronto, ON Horseshoe Tavern
9/23 Toronto, ON Horseshoe Tavern
9/24 Montreal, QC Le National*
9/25 Boston, MA Royale*
9/27 New York, NY Bowery Ballroom*
9/28 New York, NY Bowery Ballroom*
9/28 New York, NY Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
9/30 Brooklyn, NY Williamsburg Waterfront w/ Belle and Sebastian
10/01 Philadelphia, PA Trocadero*
10/02 Washington, DC 9:30 Club*
10/03 Millvale, PA Mr. Small’s Theater*
10/05 Chicago, IL Lincoln Hall*
10/06 Chicago, IL Lincoln Hall*
10/07 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue*
10/11 Los Angeles, CA El Rey Theater*
10/12 San Francisco, CA The Fillmore*
10/14 Seattle, WA Showbox w/ Superchunk & Telekinesis
10/15 Portland, OR Wonder Ballroom w/ Superchunk & Telekinesis
10/16 Vancouver, BC Biltmore Cabaret

Remastered by Jason Ward at Chicago Mastering Company from the original 1/2″ reels, both albums will be available for the first time on 180 gram vinyl (with download coupon), and on CD newly packaged in LP-style cardboard sleeves.

Order On the Mouth and No Pocky for Kitty on CD, LP or digital download in the Merge store, and don’t forget to pre-order the new Superchunk album, Majesty Shredding on CD or LP while you are there!

Superchunk will be on tour this fall beginning with their CD release show on Sept 16 at the Nasher Museum in Durham, NC. A new show in Montreal has just been added, too!

Superchunk on tour:
9/16 Durham, NC – The Nasher Museum
9/17  Washington, DC- 930 Club
9/18  New York, NY – Bowery Ballroom
9/19  Brooklyn, NY- Music Hall of Williamsburg
9/20  New York, NY – Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
9/21  Boston, MA- Royale
9/22  Philadelphia, PA- Trocadero
9/23 Montreal, QC- Le National
10/2 Las Vegas, NV – Matador 21
10/13 Vancouver, BC – Venue Nightclub
10/14 Seattle, WA – The Showbox
10/15 Portland, OR – Wonder Ballroom
10/19 Los Angeles, CA – The Music Box at Fonda

The next installation of North American dates will begin September 22 at the Roy Wilkins Arena in St. Paul MN, swinging through western Canada, the pacific northwestern U.S., and California before concluding October 12 at Monterrey, Mexico’s Banamex Theater.

The September-October shows will follow a current run of dates including a recent two-night stand at New York’s Madison Square Garden, a headline set at Lollapalooza and an upcoming August 14 headline at Toronto’s Olympic Island. Following that and prior to the band’s return to North America, Arcade Fire will make a select number of UK and European appearances, including headline stands at the Reading and Leeds festivals in the UK.

Arcade Fire on tour:
8/14 Toronto, ON – Olympic Island
8/27 Leeds, UK – Leeds Festival
8/28 Reading, UK – Reading Festival
8/29 Saint Cloud, France – Rock En Seine
9/2 Bologna, Italy – I-Day Festival
9/22   St. Paul, MN   Roy Wilkins Arena
9/23   Winnipeg, MB   MTS Centre
9/25   Saskatoon, SK   Credit Union Centre
9/26   Calgary, AB   Stampede Corral
9/28   Vancouver, BC   Pacific Coliseum
9/29   Seattle, WA   Key Arena
9/30   Portland, OR   Memorial Coliseum
10/2   Berkeley, CA   Greek Theatre
10/5   Big Sur, CA   Henry Miller Library
10/7   Los Angeles, CA   Shrine Auditorium
10/8  Los Angeles, CA   Shrine Auditorium
10/10   Mexico City (MX)   Palacio de los Deportes
10/12   Monterrey (MX)   Banamex Theater

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart airs on Comedy Central at 11 PM EDT / 10 PM CST. Check your local listings for channel information and set your DVRs.

The Suburbs is available on CD, dbl-LP and digital download (with special digital artwork) in the Merge store. And you should also check out this one-day special happening through twitter @earlybird!

The full Caribou band have been on tour all over the world for most of 2010 in support of their Polaris-prize nominated album, Swim. Visit their website for photos and videos from the road, including a ride on the Great Wall of China, and follow them on twitter! Also, watch their recently released video for “Sun.”

Swim is available on CD, dbl-LP and digital download in the Merge store.

“Swim is a reminder that even at his most challenging, the man’s compositional capabilities can dazzle.” – Pitchfork

Caribou on tour:
Sep 14 Guelph ON – Ebar^
Sep 15 Ottawa ON – Babylon ^
Sep 16 Montreal PQ – National^
Sep 17 Toronto ON – Phoenix ^
Sep 18 London ON – Lolafest @ Victorias Park
Sep 19 Boston MA – Paradise*
Sep 22 New York, NY – Webster Hall*
Sep 23 Washington DC – Black Cat*
Sep 24 Cincinnati OH – Midpoint Music Festival
Sep 25 Champaign IL – Pygmalion Music Festival
Sep 26 Chicago IL – Metro*
Sep 27 Minneapolis MN – First Avenue*
Sep 28 Winnipeg MB – West End Cultural Center*
Sep 29 Saskatoon SK – Amigos*
Sep 30 Edmonton AB – Starlite*
Oct 01 Calgary AB – Republik*
Oct 03 Vancouver BC – Vogue*
Oct 04 Seattle WA – Showbox*
Oct 05 Portland, OR – Wonder Ballroom *
Oct 06 San Francisco CA – Regency*
Oct 07 Los Angeles CA – Dance Right @ La Cita
Oct 08 Los Angeles CA – Music Box*
Oct 09 Tempe AZ – The Clubhouse
Oct 11 Salt Lake City UT – Urban Lounge
Oct 12 Boulder CO – Fox Theatre*
Oct 14 Austin TX – La Zona Rosa
Oct 15 Baton Rouge LA – Spanish Moon
Oct 16 Tallahassee FL – Engine Room
Oct 17 Tampa FL – Crowbar
Oct 18 Orlando FL – Backbooth
Oct 19 Miami FL – Grand Central
Oct 21 Guanajuanto, Mexico – Mutek/Cervantino Festival
Oct 23 Santiago, Chile – Festival Fauna Primavera
Oct 27 Sao Paulo, BR – Clash Club
Oct 28 Bogota, Colombia – Downtown
Oct 30 Asheville NC – Moog Festival
Oct 31 Chapel Hill NC – Cat’s Cradle*
^With Russian Futurists
*With Emeralds

Watch the video below, see Versus on tour, and buy On the Ones and Threes on CD, deluxe-edition dbl-LP and digital download now in the Merge store!

photo by PJ Sykes

Click here to view the embedded video.

Versus on tour:
8/12 Brooklyn, NY Rock Shop CD release show w/ True Love Always
8/13 Toronto, ON Lee’s Palace w/ Polvo
8/14 Montreal, QC Cabaret Juste Pour Rire w/ Polvo
9/21 Boston, MA Royale w/ Superchunk
9/22 Philadelphia, PA Trocadero Theatre w/ Superchunk & Jenny and Johnny