Pj Harvey – Let England Shake
Dale Watson & The Texas Two  - The Sun Sessions
Ty Segall – Goodbye Bread
Handsome Furs – Sound Kapital
Cold Cave – Cherish The Light Years
Cliff Martinez – Drive Soundtrack
Black Lips – Arabia Mountain
Girls – Father Son Holy Ghost
Eleanor Friedberger – Last Summer
Nurses – Dracula
Zoo Kid – “Out Getting Ribs”
Factory Floor – “Lying”

All proceeds from the sale of Luz de Vida will go to the Tucson Together Fund, the only officially sanctioned fund established to assist victims, families, and witnesses of the January 8 shooting tragedy that occurred there. Read more about this worthwhile effort at musicagainstviolence.org.

In other Spoon-related news, the band has announced that it will be performing at Fun Fun Fun Fest on Saturday, November 5, at Auditorium Shores in Austin, TX. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to catch Spoon live in concert. Full-festival and single-day tickets are available here.

Pick up Spoon’s most recent full-length, Transference, or any of their previous releases in the Merge store today.

Visit A Heart is a Spade for links to more songs!

Spoon: Transference + “Written in Reverse” 7-inch

She & Him: Volume One + Volume Two (CD and LP)

Superchunk: Majesty Shredding + On the Mouth + No Pocky for Kitty (CD and LP)

Destroyer: reissues of City of Daughters + Thief + Streethawk: A Seduction (CD only)

Telekinesis: Parallel Seismic Conspiracies EP + Record Store Day 7-inch

The Love Language: Libraries + Record Store Day split 7-inch

Let’s Wrestle: In the Court of the Wrestling Let’s + Record Store Day split 7-inch

The Love Language/Let’s Wrestle + Telekinesis Record Store Day limited-edition 7-inches

Each full-length from Merge freshmen Telekinesis, Wye Oak, The Love Language, and Let’s Wrestle

All orders in the Merge store include free shipping and it’s not too late to use our Holiday Coupon and all orders over $150 get a free tote bag designed by The Clientele’s Alasdair Maclean!

Directed by Peter Simonite and edited by Daniel Gibbs, the video was shot in September at Cake Shop in New York City.

Transference is available on CD, LP and digital download in the Merge store.

Click here to watch & listen!

Spoon joined by Questlove & Owen Biddle from The Roots performed “Nobody Gets Me But You” on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon last night.

See Spoon on tour! They are playing Madison Square Garden with Arcade Fire tonight & tomorrow night in NYC and will be at Lollapalooza this weekend.

Spoon are currently joining Arcade Fire for a few dates and will continue to tour through the rest of the summer/fall in support of their latest release, Transference. Los Angeles fans will finally get to see Spoon on Sep 30 at the Palladium!  Tickets on sale now!

Visit spoontheband.com and follow the band on twitter, too!

Spoon on tour!
Aug 4 New York, NY – Madison Square Garden with Arcade Fire
Aug 5 New York, NY – Madison Square Garden with Arcade Fire
Aug 6 Columbia, MD – Merriweather Post Pavilion with Arcade Fire
Aug 7 Chicago, IL – Lollapalooza
Aug 9 Columbus, OH – LC Pavilion Outdoor Amphitheatre
Aug 10 Covington, KY – Madison Theatre
Aug 11 Atlanta, GA – Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre with Arcade Fire
Sep 11 Harrisburg, PA – The Forum
Sep 12 Clark, NJ – Union County Music Festival
Sep 30 Los Angeles, CA – The Palladium with Cold Cave
Oct 1 San Diego, CA – SOMA
Oct 2 Las Vegas, NV – Matador’s 21
Oct 4 Tucson, AZ – Rialto Theatre with Dale Watson
Oct 5 Albuquerque, NM – Sunshine Theatre with Dale Watson
Oct 6 El Paso, TX – Club 101 with Dale Watson
Oct 8  ACL Festival
Nov 10 Rockefeller, Oslo Norway
Nov 11 Tradgarn, Gothenburg Sweden
Nov 12 Vega, Copenhagen Denmark
Nov 13 Rolling Stone Weekender, Germany
Nov 15 Elysee Montmartre, Paris
Nov 16 Shepherds Bush Empire, London
Nov 17 Cockpit, Leeds
Nov 18 Academy, Dublin, Ireland
Nov 20 Crossing Border Festival, The Hague Holland
Nov 21 Crossing Border Festival, Antwerp Belgium

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)

Click here to view the embedded video.

Spoon finished off their North American tour with a stop at Jimmy Kimmel Live! Bradford Cox guests on guitar on “Who Makes Your Money,” and Stephen Patterson from White Rabbits on percussion! Pick up Transference at the Merge Store now!

Sign up

Spoon is currently on tour, and their new album Transference is available on CD, LP and digital download in the Merge store.

photo by Shantell Mitchell for NPR

Spoon played to a packed crowd at NPR’s showcase on the opening night of SXSW. Listen to their entire 75 minute set now at NPR.org/music.

BBC World News America also caught up with Spoon at Stubbs. Watch the segment here.

Also, NPR’s World Cafe is re-airing their Spoon episode today! Visit WorldCafe.org for more information.

Spoon are currently on tour in support of Transference. See them in your town and order Transference on CD, LP and digital download in the Merge store!

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.

Having just completed a largely sold out UK/Europe trek, the dudes of Spoon are gearing up for their 2010 North American tour, which commences with a March 17 South by Southwest kick off show at Stubbs in Austin, with Spoon headlining a bill featuring Broken Bells, Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings, The Walkmen and more. Tickets are selling out fast, so don’t wait!

Spoon’s new album Transference is available now on CD, LP and digital download in the Merge store.

SPOON NORTH AMERICAN TOUR 2010
17-March Stubbs – Austin, TX
18-March Republic – New Orleans, LA
19-March Workplay Soundstage – Birmingham, AL
20-March Tabernacle – Atlanta, GA
22-March 9:30 Club – Washington, DC * SOLD OUT
23-March 9:30 Club – Washington, DC * SOLD OUT
24-March The National – Richmond, VA
26-March Radio City Music Hall – New York, NY * SOLD OUT
27-March House of Blues – Boston, MA, USA * SOLD OUT
29-March Sound Academy – Toronto, ON
30-March Royal Oak Music Theatre Royal – Oak, MI
1-April Aragon Ballroom – Chicago, IL
2-April First Avenue – Minneapolis, MN * SOLD OUT
3-April First Avenue – Minneapolis, MN * SOLD OUT
5-April Ogden Theatre – Denver, CO
6-April Ogden Theatre – Denver, CO
7-April In the Venue – Salt Lake City, UT
9-April Moore Theatre – Seattle, WA
10-April Moore Theatre – Seattle, WA
11-April Orpheum Theatre – Vancouver, BC
12-April McDonald Theater – Eugene , OR
13-April Fox Theater – Oakland, CA
17-April Indio, CA – Coachella

World Cafe can also be heard worldwide online at the WXPN/Philadelphia stream on weekdays from 2pm to 4pm EST.

from KCRW.com

The 1000th song offered by KCRW’s “Today’s Top Tune” is a special live track from Spoon. While in the studio for a recent Morning Becomes Eclectic session in support of their new record Transference, they recorded, “Something to Look Forward to,” a song they rarely play live from their album Kill the Moonlight. They played it live for the first time in 5 years the night before the session.

Download this unique version of “Something to Look Forward to” and sign up for KCRW’s “Today’s Top Tune” podcast for free songs chosen daily from KCRW’s all Music Channel.

The video, directed by Danny Clinch (photographer extraordinaire whose directorial credits include Tom Waits’ “Lie To Me,” Bruce Springsteen’s Devils & Dust DVD and Foo Fighters’ Skin + Bones), documents an actual live performance of the song recorded expressly for the video, expertly rendered in stark black and white.

Watch the video below and visit the Merge store to order Transference on CD, 180 gm LP (with download coupon) and digital download.

Click here to view the embedded video.

photo by Andrew Youssef from Stereogum.com

Spoon has been very busy celebrating the release of their new album, Transference: an appearance on the Tonight Show, secret shows in LA & NYC, in-stores, interviews, photo shoots, etc. They also took the time to live chat with fans and Bob Boilen for NPR Music and a live performance at KCRW’s Morning Becomes Eclectic. NPR’s All Things Considered chatted with Britt & Jim, too!

Today, Spoon will perform in the parking lot of Waterloo Records in Austin! They have also announced their US tour which begins in New Orleans, LA and includes their first appearance at New York City’s Radio City Music Hall!

Follow Spoon (& Merge!) on twitter for more updates!

A Night of Comedy and Music to Benefit Haiti
Presented By Bowery Presents and BrooklynVegan
With short sets by:
Zach Galifianakis, Britt Daniel (of Spoon), Justin Vernon (Bon Iver), St. Vincent, Janeane Garofalo, Wyatt Cenac (of the Daily Show), the live debut of John Shade (ex Dave Godowsky) & possibly more TBA (stay tuned)

Venue: Music Hall of Williamsburg
Date: Sat 1/23
Notes: 18+, Doors 6:30 PM / Show 8:00 PM

Tickets (on sale Friday at noon) are only going to be $35 in advance, and $40 at the door if there are any left. A more expensive VIP option will be available so we can raise as much money as possible. 100% of the proceeds will be split between an orphanage in Haiti (that Zach chose) and the Red Cross.

You can order your copy of Transference on CD, 180-gram vinyl LP (with digital download coupon) and digital download in the Merge store now! And don’t forget to order the limited edition “Written in Reverse” 7-inch on pink vinyl featuring non-album B-side “Mean Red Spider,” too!

There are a multitude of release-week activities planned in Los Angeles, New York, and Austin. Visit spoontheband.com or follow Spoon on Twitter for updates and opportunities to celebrate the release of Transference with the band!

Also, Spoon has announced their spring North American tour. The dates kick off with a March 17th headlining appearance at Stubb’s in Austin as part of the annual South by Southwest conference, and include the band’s first-ever headline engagement at New York’s Radio City Music Hall.

Tonight!
Spoon on The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien on NBC at 11:35 p.m. EST

Wednesday, Jan. 20
Spoon on KCRW’s Morning Becomes Eclectic—streaming live beginning at 11:15 a.m. PST / 2:15 p.m. EST

Thursday, Jan 21
Spoon play live at the Mercury Lounge in NYC. Password: Transference

Saturday, Jan. 23
Britt Daniel solo at Sound Fix in Brooklyn at 7 p.m. EST

Monday, Jan. 25
Spoon on KGSR 93.3 FM in Austin at 12 p.m. CST
Spoon performance at Waterloo Records in Austin at 4 p.m. CST

Transference, the seventh Spoon album and the first produced by the band itself, began streaming in its entirety today as an NPR First Listen. Also, Spoon will commemorate Transference’s release with a January 19 appearance on The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien.

Pre-order the CD or LP from the Merge store and don’t forget to add the limited edition 7″ with the exclusive b-side, “Mean Red Spider” to your cart! While you listen, read the fantastic NY Times cover feature on Spoon from this Sunday’s Arts & Leisure section!

SPOON North America Tour 2010
3/17  Stubbs   Austin, TX  SXSW
3/18  Republic   New Orleans, LA
3/19  Workplay Soundstage   Birmingham, AL
3/20  Tabernacle  Atlanta, GA
3/22  9:30 Club  Washington, DC
3/23  9:30 Club  Washington, DC
3/24  The National  Richmond, VA
3/26  Radio City Music Hall  New York, NY
3/27  House of Blues  Boston, MA, USA
3/29  Sound Academy Toronto, ON
3/30  Royal Oak Music Theatre   Royal Oak, MI
4/1    Aragon Ballroom   Chicago, IL
4/2   First Avenue  Minneapolis, MN
4/3   First Avenue  Minneapolis, MN
4/5   Ogden Theatre  Denver, CO
4/6   Ogden Theatre  Denver, CO
4/7    In the Venue  Salt Lake City, UT
4/9    Moore Theatre  Seattle, WA
4/10  Moore Theatre  Seattle, WA
4/11  Orpheum Theatre  Vancouver, BC
4/13  Fox Theater  Oakland, CA

*Deerhunter direct support on all dates.
*New Orleans – Royal Oak w/ The Strange Boys
*Chicago – Oakland w/ Micachu & the Shapes

From “10 Best Albums You May Have Missed“
WYE OAK – The Knot

For this Baltimore couple, love is a hazy tornado of sound. Singer/guitarist Jenn Wasner’s hpnotic songwriting has obvious Americana roots, but on the duo’s sophomore full-length, her dreamy vocals artfully join ragged riffs to drummer/keyboardist Andy Stack’s layers of thunderstorm drums and surging keyboard drones. “Mary Is Mary” builds a wall of gorgeous chaos that surrounds Wasner’s calm center. W.G.

From “10 Best Albums You May Have Missed“
TELEKINESIS – Telekinesis!

If there was a Now! That’s What I Call Music for indie power pop, “Coast of Carolina” by 22-year-old Seattle native Michael Benjamin Lerner would definitely make the cut. Distorted, Big Star-style guitar chords give way to one of the year’s catchiest choruses, complete with a melodic build that would have Maria Von Trapp whistlin’ along. If you don’t like Telekinesis, your ears don’t work. W.G.

Produced by the band, Transference will be preceded by first single “Written In Reverse,” which is available digitally now. A seven-inch vinyl release will follow January 5 featuring the exclusive B-side “Mean Red Spider,” which will not be available digitally. Stream and download “Written in Reverse” and pre-order the limited edition 7″ on pink vinyl now in the Merge store.

Transference track listing:
1. Before Destruction
2. Is Love Forever?
3. The Mystery Zone
4. Who Makes Your Money
5. Written in Reverse
6. I Saw the Light
7. Trouble Comes Running
8. Goodnight Laura
9. Out Go the Lights
10. Got Nuffin
11. Nobody Gets Me But You

In addition to the Spoon cover above, Spin.com has a review and more live videos of Mac’s performances at the Our Noise reading last week at Housing Works in New York City.

Order Our Noise now in the Merge store or from your local bookstore.

Go to Spoon’s website this week to download four mp3s in honor of the deluxe digital releases of classic Spoon albums: Telephono/Soft Effects, A Series of Sneaks, Girls Can Tell, and Kill The Moonlight.  “Get Out of The State,” “Metal Detektor,” “Chicago at Night,” and “Paper Tiger” are all up for free download!

Paul & Adam from Merge

Paul, Adam & Spoon's Hot Pocket

Long-time Spoon sound engineer Hot Pockets mixed multi-track HD recordings of each of the three shows, and they are now available as MP3 or FLAC downloads in the Spoon store.

Get Spoon’s new single, “Got Nuffin’” on CD and digital download now in the Merge store. Preorder your limited edition copy of the “Got Nuffin” 12″ vinyl, too!

Brian & Shannon Vetter

Spoon will return to its birthplace to commandeer Austin’s Stubbs Amphitheater July 9, 10 and 11 for SPOONX3, which will feature the live debut of new material from the band’s forthcoming album as well as different special guests nightly, all handpicked by the band. Spoon will also perform as part of our 20th anniversary celebration, XX Merge July 22-26th.

The lineup for the shows at Stubbs is as follows:

July 9 – SPOON, Quasi, Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears
July 10 – SPOON, Low, Dale Watson
July 11 – SPOON, Atlas Sound, the Strange Boys

For further information, check www.spoontheband.com.

The Onion AV Club alerted us to this live video of Spoon performing “Got Nuffin” from their brand new single released today! Get your copy now on CD or digital download in the Merge store. Limited edition 12″ vinyl coming soon!

“Got Nuffin” was recorded by Nicolas Vernhes at Rare Book Room. B-sides “Tweakers” and “Stroke Their Brains” were recorded by Spoon.

As previously announced, Spoon will return to its birthplace to commandeer Austin’s Stubbs Amphitheater July 9, 10 and 11 for SPOONX3, which will feature the live debut of new material from the band’s forthcoming album as well as different special guests nightly, all handpicked by the band. Spoon will also perform as part of our 20th anniversary celebration, XX Merge July 22-26th.

The lineup for the shows at Stubbs is as follows:

July 9 – SPOON, Quasi, Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears
July 10 – SPOON, Low, Dale Watson
July 11 – SPOON, Atlas Sound, the Strange Boys

For further information, check www.spoontheband.com.

Fan-made video of The Rosebuds cover of Spoon’s “Change My Life.”  Kelly offers a few suggestions on The Rosebuds’ blog, “I’d suggest watching it with headphones.  Sorta trippy, as a warning. Just saying. Maybe you wanna think about the drugs you’re on before you get into this…”

If you are in Durham, come to a benefit for the Durham Arts Council at Golden Belt this Friday night!

Should you find yourself in West Hollywood in the next couple of days and happen upon Spoon front man Britt Daniel—he of the original hip bedhead, well-fitted shirt (pronounced “fi’ed”), and permanent expression of determined bemusement, like he gets a joke you won’t—he’ll most likely be coming to or from a recording studio.

From Texas Monthly, click for full article.

The band still have a few more tour dates, so check them out!

Unless you were born with one of those silver spoons, you likely work a day job, sneaking time for your own business when not taking care of someone else’s. You’re not alone. Every week, Brandon Stosuy finds out how our favorite indie artists make ends meet…

STEREOGUM: How long have you been at Golden West Cafe? I noticed, via the website, that they relocated a few years ago. Were you there during that transition?

JENN WASNER: I’ve been working at Golden West for almost three years now. The restaurant used to be in a tiny storefront on the Avenue in Hampden; now it’s a much bigger place with about thirty tables, a stage, and a bar in the back. I started working there a couple of years after they made the move to the bigger place.

STEREOGUM: What shift do you work? Or does it switch?

JW: Tricky question, because part of the reason that I’m still working there is because of their unbeatable flexibility with my schedule. The general routine is that anyone who needs a shift covered puts up a sign and another employee usually snaps it up, no problem. A good part of the staff at GW are artists and musicians, precisely because you can get shifts covered for your show or tour, and come back in a couple of months still gainfully employed.

CONTINUE READING:
Quit Your Day Job with Jenn Wasner of Wye Oak

And just because it was so great the first time, Wye Oak perform I Don’t Feel Young in a Yaris (again)!

If Children is in stores and online today!

Wye Oak on TOUR:
04.10.2008 * Baltimore MD @ G-Spot
w/ Musee Mecanique & Deer Tick
04.12.2008 * Brooklyn NY @ Union Hall
w/ Musee Mecanique & Deer Tick
04.13.2008 * Washington @ Black Cat
w/ These United States
05.01.2008 * Pittsburgh PA @ Garfield Artworks
05.02.2008 * Toronto ON @ Over the Top Festival @ Sneaky Dee’s
w/ Ruby Sons
05.03.2008 * Albany NY @ Valentine’s Downstairs
05.04.2008 * Boston MA @ Great Scott

Also out today: Spoon – Don’t You Evah EP and Shout Out Louds – Impossible EP!

See Spoon on tour, here!

Handsome Furs – Plague Park
Bright Eyes – Cassadaga
Feist – The Reminder
John Vanderslice – Emerald City
LCD SoundSystem – Sound of Silver
The Clientele – God Save the Clientele
Arcade Fire – Neon Bible
Wilco – Sky Blue Sky
Low – Drums and Guns
Interpol – Our Love To Admire

While we were groaning under the weight of Thanksgiving turkey & dressing, our friends at World Cafe aired the Spoon session recorded in October. Full band live session and an interview with David Dye can be found here!

Spoon will be playing some holiday shows starting next week and ending with a New Year’s Eve celebration in Chicago! See the list here!

Idolator treated us to a live-blogging account of the The MTVU Woodies last night. No mention of the fact that SPOON won the “Alumni Woodie”! Click HERE to watch all the nominees’ videos.