Merge Records

2010 Year End Lists: BJ Burton, The Love Language

December 21, 2010 – 5:19 pm

BJ & Stuart on halloween

Favorite Albums of 2010:

Birds of Avalon – “Birds of Avalon”
Not sure if this has been released yet, but this record slays in just about every angle.

War on Drugs – “Future Weather EP”
Probably played this guy a dozen times on the drive from Austin to LA this year. Can not wait for their next one.

Wye Oak – “My Neighbor/My Creator”
So glad to meet these guys this year and be introduced to their brilliance. A couple of shredders for sure. This record gives me chills at times.

Gayngs – “Relayted”
A super group of good friends who party harder than you do, and made one smooth ass record.

Tallest Man on Earth – “The Wild Hunt”
If you can get on board with Kristian’s beast of an incredible voice, he’ll take you to some pretty sweet places with his music.

Sharon Van Etten – “Epic”
Dark, beautiful and intimate. I’m a sucker for harmonium as well.

Here We Go Magic – “Pigeons”
Jen Turner is one hell of an engineer, and I love these songs.

Local Natives – “Gorilla Manor”
Justin and Jordan played Sun Hands waaayy too many times in the van this year. But I’m not complaining

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2010 Year End Lists: Stuart McLamb, The Love Language

December 17, 2010 – 11:14 am

FOR LOKOLS or…STREET HITZ: vol. 2

Like last year, I made a mix tape of my favorite music from my home state, North Carolina. This year I focused exclusively on music coming out of NC’s triangle area (Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill). This hardly showcases the breadth of talent this particular scene has to offer but only so many songs could fit on a 45 minute mix. With every tour and venture out of town, I am consistently reminded of how great it is to call this place home. The songs are available for free download (with the artist/label’s consent of course). Enjoy!

Note: Beach Body is our bass player Justin Rodermond’s project and he had that song title long before another certain Merge band released theirs! :)

Click to download For Lokols.
01. The Dirty Little Heaters – City Square (Churchkey)
02. Gross Ghost – Leslie (Grip Tapes)
03. Last Year’s Men – I’ll Be Gone (Churchkey)
04. Penname – U R U N I M E (Self Released)
05. Veelee – Blood’s Sake (Grip Tapes)
06. The Moaners – Ramblin’ (Holidays for Quince)
07. Old Bricks – Splinter (Grip Tapes)
08. Naps – Beast in the Jungle (Digg Up Tapes)
09. Cassis Orange – Listen Heartbeat (Grip Tapes)
10. Beach Body – Month of May (Song Donkey)
11. Spiderbags – Take It Easy Tonite (Churchkey)
12. Towers - Big Sky (Self Released)
13. Shit Horse - Get Out of My Face (Odessa)
14. Jeremy Walton – Eden (Self Released)
15. Wild Wild Geese – Stuck Inside (Odessa)

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The Love Language & Telekinesis team up for spring tour

December 16, 2010 – 5:23 pm

The Love Language and Telekinesis will join up for a co-headlining tour beginning in February! The tour will include a stop at the Noise Pop Festival with Versus.

Telekinesis are touring in support of their new album, 12 Desperate Straight Lines which is available for pre-order on CD and LP in the Merge store. The Love Language’s Merge debut, Libraries is available on CD, LP, and digital download in the Merge store, too!

Full tour dates for both bands are listed below, and follow The Love Language & Telekinesis on twitter.

Telekinesis on tour:
* = w/ The Love Language
Feb 18 Bellingham, WA Jinx Arts Space
Feb 20 Portland, OR Doug Fir Lounge *
Feb 23 San Francisco, CA Noise Pop Festival – Cafe Du Nord w/ Versus & The Love Language
Feb 24 Los Angeles, CA The Echo *
Feb 25 San Diego, CA The Casbah *
Feb 26 Tempe, AZ The Sail Inn *
Feb 28 Norman, OK The Opolis *
Mar 01 Omaha, NE Slowdown Jr *
Mar 02 Minneapolis, MN 7th St. Entry *
Mar 04 Chicago, IL Schubas *
Mar 05 Detroit, MI Magic Stick *
Mar 06 Toronto, ON Horseshoe Tavern
Mar 07 Montreal, QC Casa Del Popolo
Mar 08 Cambridge, MA TT the Bear’s Place *
Mar 09 New York, NY Mercury Lounge *
Mar 10 Brooklyn, NY The Rock Shop *
Mar 11 Philadelphia, PA Johnny Brenda’s *
Mar 12 Washington, DC The Red Palace *
Mar 13 Chapel Hill, NC Local 506
Mar 14 Atlanta, GA The Earl *
Mar 22 Denver, CO Hi Dive
Mar 23 Salt Lake City, UT Kilby Court
Mar 24 Boise, ID Neurolux
Mar 26 Seattle, WA The Crocodile
Mar 27 Vancouver, BC Media Club

The Love Language on tour:
* = w/ Telekinesis
Jan 14 Wilmington, NC The Soapbox Laundro-Lounge w/ Onward Soldiers
Jan 15 Carrboro, NC Cat’s Cradle
Feb 20 Portland, OR Doug Fir Lounge *
Feb 23 San Francisco, CA Noise Pop Festival – Cafe Du Nord w/ Telekinesis & The Love Language
Feb 24 Los Angeles, CA The Echo *
Feb 25 San Diego, CA The Casbah *
Feb 26 Tempe, AZ The Sail Inn *
Feb 28 Norman, OK The Opolis *
Mar 01 Omaha, NE Slowdown Jr *
Mar 02 Minneapolis, MN 7th St. Entry *
Mar 04 Chicago, IL Schubas *
Mar 05 Detroit, MI Magic Stick *
Mar 08 Cambridge, MA TT the Bear’s Place *
Mar 09 New York, NY Mercury Lounge *
Mar 10 Brooklyn, NY The Rock Shop *
Mar 11 Philadelphia, PA Johnny Brenda’s *
Mar 12 Washington, DC The Red Palace *
Mar 14 Atlanta, GA The Earl *

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2010 Holiday Bundles available in the Merge Holiday store!

December 14, 2010 – 12:08 pm

Specially priced for this holiday season! Get more bang for your buck when you purchase these items together:

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!

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The Love Language & The Rosebuds join Big Star tribute benefit Dec 9 & 10 at the Cat’s Cradle in Carrboro

December 9, 2010 – 11:52 am

Big Star’s third album, Sister Lovers, has long been revered by artists and critics as one of the most influential albums ever produced. Written and recorded when the legendary 70s band was primarily a studio project consisting of Alex Chilton and Jody Stephens, the third album has never been performed in public with the original string and wind orchestrations.

That will change December 9 and 10, 2010 when Cat’s Cradle in Carrboro, NC hosts Stroke It, Noel, a special performance of this important piece of music. The all-star band will include Jody Stephens (Big Star), Mike Mills (R.E.M.), Mitch Easter (Let’s Active), Chris Stamey (the dB’s), and Jeff Crawford and Charles Cleaver (the Tomahawks). North Carolina’s own acclaimed chamber pop group Lost in the Trees, as well as members of Birds and Arrows and the NC Symphony, will comprise the orchestra. Guest vocalists will include members of the Love Language, the Old Ceremony, Megafaun, The Rosebuds and other special guests. In addition to performing Sister Lovers in its entirety, the band will play a few additional Big Star and Chris Bell selections during the show.

The concerts will be filmed as a major component of “Nothing Can Hurt Me: The Big Star Story,” a documentary film by Danielle McCarthy and Drew DeNicola slated for 2011 release.

Tickets are $17 in advance and $20 day of show and are available at www.catscradle.com or by calling the Cat’s Cradle box office at (919)967-9053.

Proceeds from the concerts will be donated to two charities focused on improving the lives of musicians–KidZNotes of Durham, NC and the New Orleans Musicians Clinic. KidZNotes is focused on classical and orchestral music training in pre-school years as a means to combat poverty and foster positive decision-making in inner cities. The New Orleans Musicians Clinic provides affordable, comprehensive health care to musicians.

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The Love Language live at KEXP

November 24, 2010 – 1:14 pm

KEXP has posted video of The Love Language playing live in their studio. Visit the KEXP Radio page on YouTube to see them all. The Love Language are working on 2011 tour dates, and you can see them at the Cat’s Cradle in Carrboro, NC on January 15.

Libraries is available on CD, LP and digital download in the Merge store. Also, we now have Love Language t-shirts!

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The Love Language to play “The Silver Factory Gala” at the Ackland Art Museum in Chapel Hill

November 1, 2010 – 11:47 am

The Love Language will play The Silver Factory Gala after-party at Top of the Hill in Chapel Hill. A benefit for The Ackland Art Museum exhibit and education programs, The Silver Factory Gala is an avant-garde evening of fine food and drink, performances, live music, and dancing at the Top of the Hill and the Ackland Art Museum, all in the spirit of Andy Warhol’s Silver Factory.

Picture the scene: Art is being made on the floor and the walls around you, you’re rubbing shoulders with poets and musicians, the room is abuzz with an air of celebrit…A photographer snaps pictures of the crowd…Silver balloons float by…

7:00 PM — The GALA begins at the Top of the Hill — enjoy delicious food, signature drinks, instant photos, live music by the Shakedown, on-site portrait making by artist Louis St. Lewis, and silk screening by Ron Liberti.

8:00 PM — The Ackland Art Museum opens its doors to all GALA ticket holders and guests may move between the two venues (mind the paparazzi on the red carpet!). The evening continues with Warhol-inspired screen tests, period music, gallery tours, and poetry performances by The Sacrificial Poets.

10:30 PM — THE AFTER PARTY begins. Enjoy great food and free beer at Top of the Hill. Local indie-rock legends The Love Language perform at 11 PM. A midnight dance party includes Deejay Pez spinning a specially-curated mix of the best dance tunes. Stay until 2:00 AM and party knowing that daylight savings gets you an extra hour of sleep!

Tickets to the SILVER FACTORY GALA and AFTER PARTY are in limited supply!

SILVER FACTORY GALA Tickets: $200 ($125 deductible)
Includes admission to the Gala and After Party, as well as valet parking.

THE AFTER PARTY Tickets: $50 ($37.50 deductible)
Includes admission to the After Party, 10:30 PM – 2:00 AM.

1/2 price AFTER PARTY tickets ($25) available to Student Friends of the Ackland (SFA). Any local college student with valid ID may sign up for a FREE SFA Membership at the Ackland Art Museum.

All Gala proceeds benefit the Ackland’s exhibition and education programs.

Purchase your tickets by credit card by calling Allison Portnow at 919-843-3687. To pay by check, go to ackland.org and print an order form to mail.

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The Love Language “Heart to Tell” video!

October 29, 2010 – 1:37 pm

Director: Tim Kiernan Director of Photography: Jason Arthurs

The Love Language are playing shows with Guided by Voices this weekend. Libraries is available on CD, LP and digital download in the Merge store.

The Love Language with Guided by Voices:
Oct 29 Bloomington, IN Bluebird
Oct 30 Detroit, MI Majestic Theatre
Oct 31 Oberlin, OH Oberlin College Hales Gym

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The Love Language cover Smashing Pumkins’ “Tonight, Tonight”

October 22, 2010 – 2:58 pm

The Love Language with a little help from their friends in Lost in the Trees covered The Smashing Pumpkins’ “Tonight, Tonight” last night at King’s Barcade in Raleigh.

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

See the Love Language on tour!
Oct 23 Durham, NC Motorco Music Hall
Oct 25 Baltimore, MD Ram’s Head Live
Oct 26 Charlottesville, VA Jefferson Theater
Oct 29 Bloomington, IN Bluebird
Oct 30 Detroit, MI Majestic Theatre
Oct 31 Oberlin, OH Oberlin College – Hayes Gym

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The Love Language play for KEXP & add more tour dates

September 29, 2010 – 2:25 pm

photo by Cheater Slicks

Stuart, Missy, BJ, Justin & Jordan have been on tour almost non-stop since the release of their Merge debut, Libraries in July! They are in Lincoln, NE tonight at the 12th Street Pub and will continue on through the end of October with newly added dates opening for Jenny and Johnny.

While in Seattle recently, The Love Language visited the KEXP studios to play a few songs. Listen to the whole session and a chat with afternoon host Kevin Cole archived now at KEXP.org.

Libraries is available on CD, LP and digital download now in the Merge store and if you haven’t seen it yet, check out The Love Language as “Superchunk 2.0″ in the video for Superchunk’s “Digging for Something.”

The Love Language on tour:
* = w/ Local Natives
Sept 29 Lincoln, NE 12th Street Pub
Sept 30 Omaha, NE The Waiting Room *
Oct 1 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue *
Oct 2 Chicago, IL Metro *
Oct 3 Columbia, MO Blue Note *
Oct 5 Oklahoma City, OK Academy of Contemporary Music *
Oct 6 Dallas, TX House of Blues *
Oct 7 Houston, TX House of Blues *
Oct 8 New Orleans, LA Circle Bar
Oct 9 Memphis, TN Hi-Tone
Oct 12 Washington, DC Black Cat w/ Pomegranates & Lost in the Trees
Oct 13 New York, NY Bowery Ballroom w/ Here We Go Magic
Oct 14 Hoboken, NJ Maxwell’s w/ Roadside Graves
Oct 15 New Haven, CT Lilly’s Pad w/ Pomegranates
Oct 16 Philadelphia, PA Bloktoberfest
Oct 21 Raleigh, NC Kings Royal Barcade
Oct 23 Durham, NC Motorco Music Hall
Oct 25 Baltimore, MD Ram’s Head Live w/ Jenny and Johnny
Oct 26 Charlottesville, VA Jefferson Theater w/ Jenny and Johnny

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The Love Language live at Gravity Records

August 30, 2010 – 10:38 am

The Love Language played an in-store for their # 1 biggest fans at Gravity Records in Wilmington last weekend. Also, they just announced an in-store in Winston Salem at Earshot Records on September 9. Check the tour section of our website for updates as they are still adding dates to their fall tour!

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The Love Language live at Flyleaf Books + more in-stores & tour dates!

August 25, 2010 – 5:06 pm

The Love Language played an in-store performance last weekend at Flyleaf Books in Chapel Hill. See them in Wilmington, NC at Gravity Records (125-1 Kerr Ave.) on Sunday, Aug 28 at 3 pm and at Earshot Records (3254 Silas Creek Pkwy) in Winston Salem, NC on Sep 9 at 4:30 pm.

The Love Language will also begin their fall tour on Aug 28 at the Soapbox in Wilmington, NC and will play the inaugural Raleigh Hopscotch Festival on Sep 11 at City Plaza Stage with Public Enemy & No Age.

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

The Love Language on tour:
Aug 28 Wilmington, NC Gravity Records Free in-store performance 3PM
Aug 28 Wilmington, NC The Soapbox
Sep 3 Atlanta, GA The Earl
Sep 4 Charlotte, NC Visulite Theatre   w/ Soft Company
Sep 9 Winston Salem, NC Earshot Records Free in-store performance 4:30 PM
Sep 11 Raleigh, NC Hopscotch Festival w/ No Age & Public Enemy
Sep 12 Nashville, TN Exit / In
Sep 13 Baton Rouge, LA Spanish Moon
Sep 14 Austin, TX Emo’s Inside
Sep 17 Los Angeles, CA The Music Box at Fonda   w/ Local Natives
Sep 18 Los Angeles, CA The Music Box at Fonda   w/ Local Natives
Sep 19 Solana Beach, CA Belly Up Tavern   w/ Local Natives
Sep 20 Santa Barbara, CA SOHO Music Club   w/ Local Natives
Sep 22 San Francisco, CA Fillmore   w/ Local Natives
Sep 24 Seattle, WA Showbox at the Market w/ Local Natives
Sep 25 Portland, OR Wonder Ballroom   w/ Local Natives
Sep 28 Boulder, CO Fox Theatre   w/ Local Natives
Sep 30 Omaha, NE The Waiting Room   w/ Local Natives
Oct 1 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue   w/ Local Natives
Oct 3 Columbia, MO The Blue Note   w/ Local Natives
Oct 5 Oklahoma City, OK Academy of Contemporary Music   w/ Local Natives
Oct 6 Dallas, TX House of Blues   w/ Local Natives
Oct 7 Houston, TX House of Blues   w/ Local Natives
Oct 8 New Orleans, LA Circle Bar

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