Merge Records

The Clientele visit BaebleMusic’s Guest Apartment

Alasdair MacLean recently visited BaebleMusic’s Guest Apartment in NYC to perform a few songs for you! The band is currently on tour state-side in support of Bonfires on the Heath. Don’t miss them!

02-26 Birmingham, AL Bottletree
02-27 Baton Rouge, LA Spanish Moon
02-28 Dallas, TX Granada Theater
03-01 Austin, TX The Mohawk
03-02 Marfa, TX Marfa Book Co.
03-04 San Diego, CA The Casbah
03-05 Los Angeles, CA Spaceland
03-06 Los Angeles, CA Spaceland
03-07 Visalia, CA The Cellar Door
03-09 San Francisco, CA Great American Music Hall
03-11 Portland, OR Doug Fir
03-12 Seattle, WA Tractor Tavern
03-15 Minneapolis, MN Cedar Cultural Center
03-16 Madison, WI High Noon Saloon
03-17 Chicago, IL Lincoln Hall
03-18 Ann Arbor, MI Blind Pig
03-19 Toronto, ON Canada The Legendary Horseshoe Tavern
03-20 Montreal, QC Canada Il Motore
03-21 Allston, MA Great Scott
03-23 New York, NY Bowery Ballroom

2009 Year End List: Alasdair Maclean, The Clientele

The Clientele at XX Merge

1. Liam Hayes and Plush live at the Kings Head, London, 16th October
This was my musical experience of the year, no contest. Liam Hayes’ has a gift for writing these slowly unravelling, restlessly beautiful songs, and as great as they sound in the studio with a full horn section, drums etc. this performance in a tiny pub, with just a Wurlitzer and a Fender Rhodes was even better. Certain friends of mine would say he has a unique sense of harmonic progression, all I could think of was that I’ve never heard such gorgeous chords, I wanted to stop him and write them down. But the audience – many of whom were moved to tears -  would have murdered me.

2. Ubuweb
OK, this has been going since 1996, but I only discovered it this year, so it counts for me. It’s a free resource for avant-garde sound and video. It pretty much only features stuff that’s hard to get hold of commercially, so anyone wanting to stick it to the man in the shape
of multimedia conglomerates like Actuel Records or Cold Blue Music Recordings will be disappointed. But I found, among many, many incredible things, the uncharacteristic and haunting ‘Litany For The Whale’ by John Cage, ‘Body Meta’ by Ornette Coleman from 1975, where we find him playing free funk(!) and a scratchy but totally captivating 9 minute version of Erik Satie’s ‘Vexations’.

3. Destroyer – Bay of Pigs 12”
I always go on about Destroyer, but they keep getting better with every release. And the music is just as extraordinary as the words;
the sounds on this record are incredible.

4. Louis Philippe and Testbild!
This hasn’t been released yet, but he’s recording it in the same studio that Lupe and I are making our Amor de Dias record in, and as a work-in-progress it sounds fantastic. They’ve found a way to record a string quartet using fancy mic placements which make it sound like a Nelson Riddle string section.

4. Billy Mahonie live at the Lexington, London, 8th October
Howard from Billy Mahonie used to drum for the Clientele around the time of ‘Suburban Light’. His first love, though, was always Billy Mahonie, who split up in the early 2000s. John Peel loved them and the NME used to hype them but they never really achieved the success they deserved. They reunited for a one-off show this year, and once again I just watched in awe at the unbelievable, eerie telepathy between the musicians; I’ve never seen anything like it before or since. At times they were so in sync it was almost comical. Despite the fact they have no singer, they have to be the best live band I’ve ever seen; there’s an exquisite pace and economy to their stuff, I think they’re now being re-appraised as one of the best bands of their era, so good luck to them, better late than never.

The Clientele announce North American tour!

clientele_umbrellaAlasdair, Mark, James & Mel will be stateside in February to support their new album, Bonfires on the Heath.

Featured on individual critic’s year end lists at The Onion AV Club, Pitchfork, NPR Music, and more, Bonfires on the Heath is in a sense a return to the Clientele’s roots; the dreamlike suburban landscapes first encountered in the early singles, their trippy sense of menace stronger now. Back in London, they’ve drawn on older traditions of English folk, which exist here side by side with the band’s more familiar bossa and pop elements. Mel Draisey’s contributions on piano and violin add beautifully to MacLean’s timeless, eerie songs.

Bonfires on the Heath is available on CD, LP (with MP3 download) and digital download in the Merge store, and watch video of The Clientele playing a stripped-down version of “Bonfires on the Heath” from XX Merge!

The Clientele on tour:
2/21  Hoboken, NJ Maxwell’s
2/22  Philadelphia, PA  Johnny Brenda’s
2/23  Washington, DC Black Cat
2/24  Chapel Hill, NC Cats Cradle
2/25  Atlanta, GA The Earl
2/26  Birmingham, AL Bottletree
2/27  Baton Rouge, LA Spanish Moon
2/28  Dallas, TX Granada Theatre
3/01  Austin, TX Mohawk
3/04  San Diego, CA Casbah
3/05  Los Angeles, CA  Spaceland
3/06  Los Angeles, CA  Spaceland
3/07  Visalia, CA Cellar Door
3/09  San Francisco, CA Great American Music Hall
3/11  Portland, OR Doug Fir Lounge
3/12  Seattle, WA Tractor Tavern
3/15  Minneapolis, MN Cedar Cultural Center
3/16  Madison, WI High Noon Saloon
3/17  Chicago, IL Lincoln Hall
3/19  Toronto, ONT Horseshoe Tavern
3/20  Montreal, QC Il Motore
3/21  Allston, MA Great Scott
3/23  New York, NY Bowery Ballroom

The Clientele talk about film; play the twigs

clientele_umbrellaThe Clientele chatted with the Independent Film Channel about film, art, and music. Read the full interview here. And, if you haven’t seen the beautiful video of The Clientele playing “Bonfires on the Heath” by the railroad tracks in Carrboro, watch it now!

The Clientele’s new album, Bonfires on the Heath is available on CD, LP and digital download in the Merge store.

Alasdair of The Clientele visits WFMU

Alasdair MacLean stopped by WFMU this week to play Irwin Chusid’s show on Wednesday. The session is online for your enjoyment.

Bonfires on the Heath is in stores & the Merge Store now! Visit Converse.com for a pastoral version of the title track, performed by the band on a late July day in honor of XX Merge.

The Clientele release “Bonfires on the Heath”; Alasdair announces NYC show

clientele_bonfiresThe Clientele’s new album, Bonfires on the Heath, is now available in stores on CD and LP! You can stream the entire album in the Merge store, and order it while you’re there!

Frontman Alasdair MacLean will visit New York for an intimate performance at Joe’s Pub on October 29th at 10 PM. Tickets are available now.

Also, visit Converse.com for a beautiful video of a pastoral, twigs-and-all take on “Bonfires on the Heath” from XX Merge.

New live video of The Clientele from XX Merge

clientele_umbrellaToday on Converse.com, see The Clientele play a pastoral version of “Bonfires on the Heath” from their new album of the same name.

The Clientele video is the second in a series showcasing six Merge bands performing stripped-down sets somewhat spontaneously in various locations during the festival. Superchunk kicked off the series with one of their new songs, “Crossed Wires.”

Check back next week for the next clip in this series of unique sessions courtesy of Converse.com.

Visit the XX Merge page for a selection of photos that capture some of our favorite moments from our 20th anniversary festival!

The Clientele give away new MP3

clientele_miniDownload “Harvest Time,” a new MP3 from The Clientele’s forthcoming album, Bonfires on the Heath.

“languidly psychedelic new track “Harvest Time”, flows forth in hazy technicolor” ~Pitchfork

The gorgeous mix of drone, strings, and Alasdair MacLean’s evocative “Harvest Time” narrative perfectly sets this hauntingly beautiful tone. ~Stereogum

XX Merge: Wednesday

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louoakleyhallclientele1clientele2rosebuds1wed_crowdconorconor2

All photos by Brian Vetter

The Clientele light “Bonfires on the Heath”

clientele_bonfiresOn October 6, The Clientele will release their 5th album, Bonfires on the Heath on CD, LP and digital download.

The Clientele formed a long time ago in the backwoods of suburban Hampshire, playing together as kids at school, rehearsing in a thatched cottage remote from any kind of music scene, but hypnotized by the magical strangeness of Galaxie 500 and Felt and the psych pop of Love and the Zombies.

Bonfires on the Heath is in a sense a return to the Clientele’s roots; the dreamlike suburban landscapes first encountered in the early singles, their trippy sense of menace stronger now. Now in London, they’ve drawn on older traditions of English folk, which exist here side by side with the band’s more familiar bossa and pop elements. Mel Draisey’s contributions on piano and violin add beautifully to MacLean’s timeless, eerie songs.

The Clientele will play in Brooklyn, NY at the Music Hall of Williamsburg on July 19th with Richard Buckner, and as part of XX Merge. Visit their blog for more news, photos and stories.

On Tour

Caribou [+]

April
19 Manchester Deaf Institute
20 London Corsica Studios
21 Amsterdam Paradiso
22 Brussels Beursschouwburg
23 Paris Le Point Ephemere
[see all]

The Clientele [+]

March
15 Minneapolis, MN Cedar Cultural Center
16 Madison, WI High Noon Saloon
17 Chicago, IL Lincoln Hall
18 Ann Arbor, MI Blind Pig
19 Toronto, ON The Legendary Horseshoe Tavern
[see all]

The Ladybug Transistor [+]

March
19 New York, NY Bowery Electric

Let's Wrestle [+]

March
15 New York, NY The Knitting Factory
18 Austin , TX Cedar Street
21 El Paso, TX Black Market
22 Scottsdale, AZ Chyro Arts
23 Los Angeles, CA Bootleg Theater
[see all]

The Love Language [+]

March
15 Atlanta, GA The Earl
16 Baton Rouge, LA Red Star Bar
18 Austin, TX Home Slice Pizza
18 Austin, TX Cedar Street Courtyard
April
03 Harrisonburg, VA Clementine Cafe'
[see all]

Oakley Hall [+]

April
02 Brooklyn, NY Knitting Factory

Radar Bros. [+]

March
26 Los Angeles, CA Spaceland

The Rosebuds [+]

March
19 Asheville, NC UNCA Alumni Hall in Highsmith
20 Carrboro, NC Cat's Cradle
May
08 Beaufort, NC Beaufort Music Festival

She & Him [+]

March
15 Los Angeles, CA Largo at the Coronet
25 Los Angeles, CA El Rey Theatre
27 Savannah, GA Trustees Theatre (Savannah Music Festival)
29 New York, NY Bowery Ballroom
30 New York, NY Bowery Ballroom
[see all]

Shout Out Louds [+]

March
23 Rostock MAU
24 Hamburg Uebel & Gefahrlich
25 Berlin Astra
26 Dresden Reithalle
27 Munchen Backstage Werk
[see all]

Spoon [+]

March
18 New Orleans, LA Republic New Orleans
19 Birmingham, AL Workplay Soundstage
20 Atlanta, GA Tabernacle
22 Washington 9:30 Club
23 Washington 9:30 Club
[see all]

Superchunk [+]

March
19 Austin, TX La Zona Rosa
April
07 Toronto, ON Royal Cinema
June
19 Denver, CO Westword Music Festival

Telekinesis [+]

May
21 Eugene, OR Sam Bond's Garage
24 Solana Beach, CA Belly Up Tavern
25 Los Angeles, CA Troubadour
27 San Francisco, CA Great American Music Hall
29 Portland, OR Wonder Ballroom
[see all]

Wye Oak [+]

March
15 Memphis, TN Hi-Tone Cafe
24 Atlanta, GA The Earl
25 Chapel Hill, NC Local 506
26 Washington, DC Rock and Roll Hotel
27 New York, NY Bowery Ballroom
[see all]
see all tour dates

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