Richard Buckner played a set for The Line of Best Fit when he was last in Europe, and has just announced another trip for May. Don’t miss Richard on the road, either here or abroad, in 2012. Our Blood is available in stores and online now!

Richard Buckner on tour:
Feb 22 New Haven, CT BAR
Feb 24 Lexington, KY Cosmic Charlie’s
Feb 25 Atlanta, GA Highland Inn Ballroom
Feb 27 Easton, MD The NightCat
Mar 02 Bayport, NY The Grey Horse Tavern
Mar 10 North Adams, MA MASS MoCA
May 01 Winchester, UK The Railway
May 02 York, UK Dutchess of York
May 03 Bury, UK The Met
May 04 Kilkenny, IE Kilkenny Festival
May 05 Kilkenny, IE Kilkenny Festival
May 06 Belfast, IE Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival
May 07 London, UK Cecil Sharp House
May 08 Newcastle, UK The Cluny 2

After Mangum’s recent NYC Town Hall show, RollingStone.com said, “Few dared to expect it, but Jeff Mangum is back, and the music world is immeasurably richer for it.” Spin.com offered “Five Reasons Why Jeff Mangum is Magical” saying, “For two generations of listeners who grew up with Mangum’s intimate voice coming through the headphones, alone in that peculiar sound-world he conjured and feeling they were its sole inhabitant, this is the moment they’ve all been waiting for.”

The line-up for the rescheduled All Tomorrow’s Parties festival curated by Jeff Mangum has been announced and will include the Magnetic Fields, Versus, the Music Tapes, Sebadoh and more! Special “family tickets” are being issued and all original bookings will be honored. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit ATPfestival.com.

More information and links to purchase tickets are below.

Jeff Mangum on tour:
Jan 18 New Haven, CT Shubert Theater On Sale Now
Jan 20 Brooklyn, NY Gilman Opera House at Brooklyn Academy of Music SOLD OUT
Jan 20 Brooklyn, NY Gilman Opera House at Brooklyn Academy of Music SOLD OUT
Jan 25 Philadelphia, PA Irvine Auditorium at University of Pennsylvania SOLD OUT
Jan 27 Washington, DC Lincoln Theatre SOLD OUT
Jan 28 Washington, DC Lincoln Theatre SOLD OUT
Jan 30 Chapel Hill, NC Memorial Hall at University of North Carolina On Sale Now
Feb 01 Atlanta, GA Variety Playhouse SOLD OUT
Feb 04 Minneapolis, MN Pantages Theatre SOLD OUT
Feb 06 Chicago, IL Athenaeum Theater SOLD OUT
Feb 07 Chicago, IL Athenaeum Theater SOLD OUT
Feb 08 Milwaukee, WI Pabst Theater SOLD OUT
Feb 10 Athens, GA 40 Watt Club SOLD OUT
Feb 11 Athens, GA 40 Watt Club SOLD OUT
Mar 07 Dublin, IRE Vicar Street (Rescheduled Date) SOLD OUT
Mar 09 – Mar 11 Minehead, UK All Tomorrow’s Parties Curated By Jeff Mangum  (Rescheduled Dates)
Mar 13 London, UK Union Chapel (Rescheduled Date) SOLD OUT
Mar 14 London, UK Union Chapel (Rescheduled Date) SOLD OUT

Watch the performance now at Relix.com.

Richard also stopped by the Daytrotter studios on his travels to play a few tracks. Listen online now.

Our Blood is available on CD, LP and digital download now in the Merge store.

Richard Buckner on tour:
Nov 06 Winchester, UK – The Railway
Nov 07 London, UK – Pancras Old Church
Nov 08 Leeds, UK – Brudenell Social Club
Nov 09 Cardiff, UK – The Buffalo Bar
Nov 10 Glasgow, UK – The Captain’s Rest
Nov 12 Liverpool, UK – Americana UK Festival
Nov 13 Brighton, UK – The Basement
Nov 14 London, UK – The Social
Nov 18 Trondheim, NO – Credo
Nov 19 Oslo, NO – Mono
Nov 21 Stockholm, SE – Debaser
Nov 22 Gothenburg, SE – Jazzhuset
Nov 23 Malmo, SE – KB
Nov 24 Norderstedt, DE – The Music Star
Nov 25 Utrecht, NL – Le Guess Who Festival
Nov 26 Den Haag, NL – Paard
Nov 27 Ottersum, NL – Roepaen
Nov 29 Ravenna, IT – Bronson Club

Gary spoke to Monty Manatee about visual art’s involvement in the Ladybug Transistor releases. You can read the interview here.

You can listen to Clutching Stems in its entirety in the Merge store!

To celebrate the release, The AV Club has posted live video of Eric Bachmann and Liz Durrett playing “Bad Blood” and “Your Apocalypse” on the top of the Chicago Tribune building.

SPIN writes:

Crooked Fingers has been Eric Bachmann’s primary band for the past decade, but before that, he fronted Archers of Loaf, the seminal college rock act that sprung from Chapel Hill, North Carolina’s vaunted ’90s indie rock scene. And while Bachmann made news this year by reuniting Archers in January, then taking them out on the road at festivals like Sasquatch, he was holding an ace the whole time: Breaks in the Armor, a new, superb Crooked Fingers album.

Bachmann, who writes, records, and performs songs mainly under the name Crooked Fingers, lives in Athens, Georgia, these days, where he recorded at The Bakery with Matt Yelton (live sound engineer for the Pixies) throughout the winter of 2010/2011, enlisting the help of Liz Durrett on backing vocals. It’s a cohesive and diverse set of songs with less adorned and more direct and affecting arrangements. Beautifully understated, artfully phrased, and ultimately a paean to perseverance, the album seems to suggest that the breaks in the armor are more important than the armor itself.

Over the course of the coming year, Bachmann will alternate between touring as Crooked Fingers and with Archers of Loaf, making the most of two distinct and rewarding modes of expression and performance. All of which seems to be exactly where he should be again.

Order your copy of Crooked Fingers’ Breaks in the Armor on CD, LP, and digital download in the Merge store today.

Crooked Fingers on tour:
Oct 15 Carrboro NC – Cat’s Cradle – OCSC 10-Year Anniversary
Oct 27 Asheville NC – Grey Eagle
Oct 28 Knoxville TN – Pilot Light
Oct 29 Charlotte NC – The Evening Muse
Oct 30 Richmond VA – The Camel
Nov 01 Washington DC – IOTA
Nov 02 Philadelphia PA – Johnny Brenda’s
Nov 03 Hoboken NJ – Maxwells
Nov 04 New York NY – Mercury Lounge
Nov 05 Brooklyn NY – Cameo Gallery
Nov 06 Boston MA – TT the Bear’s
Nov 07 Montreal QC – Casa Del Popolo
Nov 08 Toronto ON – Drake
Nov 09 Detroit MI – Magic Stick
Nov 10 Cincinnati OH – MOTR Pub
Nov 11 Chicago IL – Schubas
Nov 12 Milwaukee WI – Cactus Club
Nov 13 Minneapolis MN – Triple Rock Social Club
Nov 14 Omaha NE – Waiting Room
Nov 15 Denver CO – Larimer Lounge
Nov 19 Portland OR – Mississippi studios
Nov 20 Seattle WA – The Crocodile
Nov 22 Santa Cruz CA – The Crepe Place
Nov 23 San Francisco CA – Bottom of the Hill
Nov 25 Los Angeles CA – The Echo
Nov 26 San Diego CA – Casbah
Nov 28 Tempe AZ – Club Red
Dec 01 Austin TX – Mohawk
Dec 02 Houston TX – Fitzgerald’s Downstairs
Dec 03 New Orleans LA – One Eyed Jacks
Dec 04 Atlanta GA – The Earl

A European tour for Richard has just been announced! Be sure to catch him on the road in October and November, and check back for a few more dates.

Our Blood is available in stores and online now.

Richard Buckner on tour:
Sep 28 Little Rock, AR Sticky Fingerz Rock ‘N’ Roll Chicken Shack
Sep 29 Memphis, TN HiTone Cafe
Oct 01 Ft. Worth, TX Ft. Worth Music Fest after show at Lola’s
Oct 02 Austin, TX Cactus Café
Oct 04 Mobile, AL Satori Coffee House
Oct 07 Columbia, SC Tapp’s Art Center
Oct 08 Asheville, NC The Grey Eagle
Nov 06 Winchester, UK The Railway
Nov 07 London, UK Pancras Old Church
Nov 08 Leeds, UK Brudenell Social Club w/ Mark Eitzel
Nov 09 Cardiff, UK The Buffalo Bar w/ Mark Eitzel
Nov 10 Glasgow, UK The Captain’s Rest
Nov 12 Liverpool, UK Americana UK Festival w/ Mark Eitzel
Nov 13 Brighton, UK The Basement
Nov 18 Trondheim, NO Credo
Nov 19 Oslo, NO Mono
Nov 21 Stockholm, SE Debaser
Nov 22 Gothenburg, SE Jazzhuset
Nov 23 Malmo, SE KB
Nov 24 Norderstedt, DE The Music Star
Nov 25 Utrecht, NL Le Guess Who Festival
Nov 26 Den Haag, NL Paard
Nov 27 Ottersum, NL Roepaen
Nov 29 Ravenna, IT Bronson Club

Last Call with Carson Daly

Wye Oak are currently on tour with Explosions in the Sky, and have announced more dates with the National and Neko Case at the end of the year! Check the tour page for the most up-to-date list of shows.

Order Civilian on CD, LP or digital in the Merge Store now!

The Rosebuds

Visit Magnet for an exclusive Rosebuds mixtape!

The Rosebuds on tour:
Oct 07 Wilmington, NC – The Pour House Music Hall
Oct 10 Philadelphia, PA – Johnny Brenda’s
Oct 11 Allston, MA – Brighton Music Hall
Oct 12 New York, NY – Bowery Ballroom
Oct 13 Buffalo, NY – Tralf Music Hall
Oct 14 Detroit, MI – Magic Stick
Oct 15 Chicago, IL – Schubas Tavern
Oct 16 Appleton, WI – Lawrence University
Oct 19 Carrboro, NC – Cat’s Cradle
Oct 20 Washington, DC – Rock and Roll Hotel
Oct 29 Paris, France – Pitchfork Music Festival – La Grande Halle de la Villette

Click here to view the embedded video.

To celebrate, all physical Telekinesis items are on sale in the Merge store through the weekend, and 12 Desperate Straight Lines is on sale at iTunes!

Telekinesis on tour:
# w/ Death Cab for Cutie
Sep 30 Cincinnati, OH – PNC Pavilion at Riverbend Music #
Oct 01 Champaign, IL – University of Illinois – Assembly #
Oct 02 St. Louis, MO – Vintage Vinyl (in-store performance @ 3pm)
Oct 02 St. Louis, MO – The Pageant #
Oct 03 Kansas City, MO – Midland Theater #
Oct 05 Memphis, TN – Mud Island Amphitheatre #
Oct 06 Birmingham, AL – Alabama Theatre #
Oct 07 Jacksonville, FL – Florida Theatre #
Oct 10 Houston, TX – Verizon Wireless Theatre #
Oct 11 Austin, TX – Austin Music Hall #
Oct 13 Orlando, FL – Beacham Theater w/ The New Pornographers
Oct 14 Tallahassee, FL – The Moon w/ The New Pornographers
Oct 15 Pensacola Beach, FL – De Luna Fest

Purim’s Shadows, the new digital EP from The Music Tapes, is available now in the Merge store and from all your favorite digital outlets. The kazoos have sold out in our store, but Julian will have some on tour with him. Stop by the merch table to pick one up!

The Music Tapes on tour:
All dates with The Olivia Tremor Control
Sep 14 Columbus, OH – Wexner Center for the Arts
Sep 15 Pittsburgh, PA – The Warhol at New Hazlett Theater
Sep 16 Toronto, ON – Lee’s Palace
Sep 17 Montréal, QC – Il Motore
Sep 19 Allston, MA – Brighton Music Hall
Sep 21 New York, NY – Le Poisson Rouge
Sep 23 Philadelphia, PA – UPenn Rotunda (SPEC Jazz & Grooves’ Fall Concert)

Sep 05 Vancouver, BC – Zulu Records @ 4 p.m.
Sep 06 Seattle, WA – Sonic Boom Records @ 6 p.m.
Sep 09 Berkeley, CA – Amoeba Records @ 6:30 p.m.

And don’t forget: Eleanor will be joining Wild Flag on tour in October! Go here for a full list of tour dates.

Get your copy of Eleanor’s debut solo album, Last Summer, on LP, CD, and digital download in the Merge store.

The Ladybug Transistor

Prefix Media reviewed the new album saying “Clutching Stems is the band’s finest record since The Albemarle Sound, and the kind of pop record that may break your heart, may even tear you apart, but it’s also generous and complex enough to put you back together in the end.”

Blurt‘s Lee Zimmerman says Clutching Stems is “as intoxicating as ever, it conveys a jubilant first impression that lingers long after.”

And The Line of Best Fit says, “that innate knack for crafting durable, radiant melodies is the real strength of Olson’s songwriting talents”

Stream the full album in the Merge Store now!

We are giving away one limited-edition cassette of Clutching Stems, courtesy of Glasgow’s . If you’d like to win this special collector’s item, email with your address and full name. We will pick a winner on September 7! Edit: we had an amazing response to this contest, and decided to give two copies away! Thanks for entering & stay tuned for more Merge contests!

The Ladybug Transistor on tour:
Sep 06 Los Angeles, CA The Satellite
Sep 07 Santa Barbara, CA Muddy Waters
Sep 08 San Francisco, CA Hemlock Tavern
Sep 09 Portland, OR Musicfest NW
Sep 10 Seattle, WA The Comet Tavern

Purim’s Shadows, the new digital EP from The Music Tapes, is available now in the Merge store and from all your favorite digital outlets. The kazoos have sold out in our store, but Julian will have some on tour with him. Stop by the merch table to pick one up!

The Music Tapes on tour:
All dates with The Olivia Tremor Control
Aug 31 Austin, TX – Mohawk
Sep 05 San Francisco, CA – Great American Music Hall
Sep 08 Seattle, WA – The Vera Project
Sep 09 Portland, OR – MFNW – Someday Lounge
Sep 12 Minneapolis, MN – Varsity Theater
Sep 13 Chicago, IL – Bottom Lounge
Sep 14 Columbus, OH – Wexner Center for the Arts
Sep 15 Pittsburgh, PA – The Warhol at New Hazlett Theater
Sep 16 Toronto, ON – Lee’s Palace
Sep 17 Montréal, QC – Il Motore
Sep 19 Allston, MA – Brighton Music Hall
Sep 21 New York, NY – Le Poisson Rouge
Sep 23 Philadelphia, PA – UPenn Rotunda (SPEC Jazz & Grooves’ Fall Concert)

You can also listen to her archived World Cafe radio session on NPR.org now.

During a recent stop in her hometown of Chicago, Eleanor recorded a takeaway session with Paste which was filmed in one of her favorite guitar shops. Watch her perform two songs from Last Summer as well as a brand-new tune called “I’ll Never Be Happy Again.”

And last but not least, Eleanor will be at Sonic Boom Records – Ballard for an in-store performance on September 6 at 6pm. This will be her only appearance in the Seattle area on this tour, though, so mark your calendars!

Last Summer is in stores now and available from Merge on CD, LP, and digital download.

Eleanor Friedberger on tour:
Sep 05 Vancouver, BC – Commodore Ballroom w/ The Kills, Mini Mansions
Sep 06 Seattle, WA – Sonic Boom Records – Ballard (in-store performance @ 6pm)
Sep 07 Portland, OR – Crystal Ballroom (for MusicfestNW) w/ The Kills, Mini Mansions
Sep 09 Oakland, CA – Fox Theater w/ The Kills, Mini Mansions
Sep 10 Los Angeles, CA – Wiltern Theatre w/ The Kills, Mini Mansions
Sep 11 San Diego, CA – House of Blues w/ The Kills, Mini Mansions
Oct 14 Boston, MA – Paradise w/ Wild Flag
Oct 19 Philadelphia, PA – Union Transfer w/ Wild Flag
Oct 20 Washington, DC – Black Cat w/ Wild Flag
Oct 21 Carrboro, NC – Cat’s Cradle w/ Wild Flag
Oct 22 Athens, GA – 40 Watt w/ Wild Flag
Oct 24 Birmingham, AL – The Bottletree w/ Wild Flag
Oct 26 New Orleans, LA – One Eyed Jacks w/ Wild Flag
Oct 27 Oxford, MS – Proud Larry’s
Oct 28 St. Louis, MO – The Luminary Center for the Arts
Oct 29 Chicago, IL – Subterranean
Oct 30 Cleveland Heights, OH – Grog Shop

Download “Typhoon” from the Merge SoundCloud page now!

Bachmann, who writes, records, and performs songs mainly under the name Crooked Fingers, lives in Athens, Georgia, these days, where he recorded at The Bakery with Matt Yelton (live sound engineer for the Pixies) throughout the winter of 2010/2011, enlisting the help of Liz Durrett on backing vocals. It’s a cohesive and diverse set of songs with less adorned and more direct and affecting arrangements. Beautifully understated, artfully phrased, and ultimately a paean to perseverance, the album seems to suggest that the breaks in the armor are more important than the armor itself.

Over the course of the coming year, Bachmann will alternate between touring as Crooked Fingers and with Archers of Loaf, making the most of two distinct and rewarding modes of expression and performance. All of which seems to be exactly where he should be again.

Pre-order Breaks in the Armor through the Merge website now on CD or LP, and receive the bonus acoustic album download on the October 11th release day!

Crooked Fingers on tour:
Sep 07 Portland OR – Music Fest NW
Oct 15 Carrboro NC – Cat’s Cradle
Oct 27 Asheville NC – Grey Eagle
Oct 28 Knoxville TN – Pilot Light
Oct 29 Charlotte NC – The Evening Muse
Nov 01 Washington DC – IOTA
Nov 02 Philadelphia PA – Johnny Brenda’s
Nov 03 Hoboken NJ – Maxwells
Nov 04 New York NY – Mercury Lounge
Nov 05 Brooklyn NY – Cameo Gallery
Nov 06 Boston MA – TT the Bear’s
Nov 07 Montreal QC – Casa Del Popolo
Nov 08 Toronto ON – Drake
Nov 09 Detroit MI – Magic Stick
Nov 10 Cincinnati OH – MOTR Pub
Nov 11 Chicago IL – Schubas
Nov 12 Milwaukee WI – Cactus Club
Nov 13 Minneapolis MN – Triple Rock Social Club
Nov 14 Omaha NE – Waiting Room
Nov 15 Denver CO – Larimer Lounge
Nov 23 San Francisco CA – Bottom of the Hill
Nov 25 Los Angeles CA – The Echo
Nov 26 San Diego CA – Casbah
Dec 01 Austin TX – Mohawk
Dec 02 Houston TX – Fitzgerald’s Downstairs
Dec 03 New Orleans LA – One Eyed Jacks
Dec 04 Atlanta GA – The Earl

David Malitz of the Washington Post writes, “The new Left by Soft is his seventh album and solidifies his status as an unlikely guitar god.” Read the interview with David Kilgour interview here.

Both Richard & David stopped by KEXP Seattle last week. You can now listen to the sessions online! David Kilgour’s set is archived here, and Richard Buckner’s set is here.

Richard Buckner & David Kilgour on tour:
Aug 23 Atlanta, GA – Smith’s Olde Bar
Aug 24 Chapel Hill, NC – The ArtsCenter
Aug 25 Arlington, VA – IOTA Club & Café
Aug 27 Brooklyn, NY – The Bell House
Aug 28 Boston, MA – Brighton Music Hall
Aug 31 Los Angeles, CA – Old Style Guitar Shop * David Kilgour only

Watch a clip of The Love Language on the road, and see them this weekend in DC and New York!

Aug 19 Washington, DC Rock & Roll Hotel
Aug 20 Brooklyn, NY The Rock Shop
Sep 08 Raleigh, NC Hopscotch Music Festival

Jordan & Stu McLamb played a few songs on the street for Boston’s Sleepover Shows. Watch Heart to Tell above, and Sparxxx & Summer Dust on the Sleepover Shows website.

Libraries is in stores now.

The Love Language on tour:
Aug 19 Washington, DC Rock & Roll Hotel
Aug 20 Brooklyn, NY The Rock Shop
Sep 08 Raleigh, NC Hopscotch Music Festival

This re-release has gotten a lot of folks excited, garnering an “A” from Entertainment Weekly and a spot on its “Must List.” Read what Pitchfork (who named it “Best New Reissue”), The Big Takeover, and Rolling Stone also have to say about the deluxe reissue.

Fans in DC and Philadelphia: Be sure to catch Archers of Loaf live when they play in your town this weekend!

Order Icky Mettle on double-CD, limited-edition blue vinyl LP, and digital in the Merge store.

Archers of Loaf on tour:

Aug 05 Washington, DC – Black Cat
Aug 06 Philadelphia, PA - Trocadero Theatre
Aug 19 Carrboro, NC - Cat’s Cradle
Aug 20 Carrboro, NC - Cat’s Cradle
Sep 02 San Francisco, CA - Great American Music Hall
Sep 03 San Francisco, CA - Great American Music Hall
Sep 08 Portland, OR - Musicfest NW – Crystal Ballroom
Sep 09 Seattle, WA - Neumos
Dec 09 Minehead, UK - Butlin’s Holiday Center – ATP’s “Nightmare Before Christmas” curated by Les Savy Fav

Telekinesis

Telekinesis recently recorded five songs for Reverb’s Mile Marker feature. Video, audio, and lots of photos can be found here.

Order your copy of 12 Desperate Straight Lines on CD, LP, and digital download now in the Merge store, and be sure to catch one of Telekinesis’ electric live shows this fall!

Telekinesis on tour:
# – w/ Death Cab for Cutie
$ – w/ The New Pornographers
Sep 09 Chicago, IL – AV Fest
Sep 17 Austin, TX – Austin City Limits Festival
Sep 30 Cincinnati, OH – PNC Pavilion at Riverbend Music #
Oct 01 Champaign, IL – University of Illinois – Assembly Hall #
Oct 02 St. Louis, MO – The Pageant #
Oct 03 Kansas City, MO – Midland Theater #
Oct 05 Memphis, TN – Mud Island Amphitheatre #
Oct 06 Birmingham, AL – Alabama Theatre #
Oct 07 Jacksonville, FL – Florida Theatre #
Oct 10 Houston, TX – Verizon Wireless Theatre #
Oct 13 Orlando, FL – Beacham Theater $
Oct 14 Tallahassee, FL – The Moon $
Oct 15 Pensacola Beach, FL – De Luna Fest

Click here to view the embedded video.

The group is touring North America throughout the fall including dates with Eleanor Friedberger in October.

Wild Flag is in stores on September 13, and you can pre-order it now on CD or LP in the Merge store.

Wild Flag on tour:
# w/ Eleanor Friedberger
12 Aug Brooklyn, NY Williamsburg Waterfront w/ Sonic Youth
03 Oct Minneapolis, MN Varsity Theatre
04 Oct Omaha, NE Waiting Room
05 Oct Kansas City, MO Record Bar
07 Oct Champaign, IL High Dive
08 Oct Chicago, IL Empty Bottle
09 Oct Chicago, IL Empty Bottle
10 Oct Cleveland, OH Grog Shop
11 Oct Toronto, ON Lee’s Palace
14 Oct Boston, MA Paradise #
19 Oct Philadelphia, PA Union Transfer #
20 Oct Washington, DC Black Cat #
21 Oct Carrboro, NC Cat’s Cradle #
22 Oct Athens, GA 40 Watt #
24 Oct Birmingham, AL Bottletree #
26 Oct New Orleans, LA One Eyed Jacks #
28 Oct Dallas, TX The Loft
29 Oct Austin, TX Emo’s
31 Oct Tempe, AZ Rhythm Room
01 Nov San Diego, CA Casbah
02 Nov Los Angeles, CA Troubadour
03 Nov Los Angeles, CA Troubadour
04 Nov San Francisco, CA Great American Music Hall
05 Nov San Francisco, CA Great American Music Hall
07 Nov Arcata, CA Humboldt State
09 Nov Portland, OR Doug Fir
10 Nov Portland, OR Doug Fir
11 Nov Seattle, WA Neumo’s
12 Nov Vancouver, BC Biltmore Cabaret
09 Dec Minehead, UK ATP Nightmare Before Christmas

Eleanor recently stopped by BrightestYoungThings in DC and played two songs, including a brand new tune called “Stare at the Sun.” Watch the session online now.

Order Last Summer on CD, LP, and digital download in the Merge store.

Eleanor Friedberger on tour:
* – w/ The Kills
# – w/ Wild Flag
28 Jul Los Angeles, CA – Wombleton Records @ 8 p.m.
29 Jul Los Angeles, CA – Origami Vinyl @ 7 p.m.
22 Aug New York, NY – Webster Hall w/ Deerhunter
23 Aug New York, NY – Webster Hall w/ Deerhunter
05 Sep Vancouver, BC – Commodore Ballroom *
07 Sep Portland, OR – Crystal Ballroom *
09 Sep Oakland, CA – Fox Theater *
10 Sep Los Angeles, CA – Wiltern Theatre *
11 Sep San Diego, CA – House of Blues *
14 Oct Boston, MA – Paradise Rock Club #
19 Oct Philadelphia, PA – Union Transfer #
20 Oct Washington, DC – Black Cat #
21 Oct Carrboro, NC – Cat’s Cradle #
22 Oct Athens, GA – 40 Watt Club #
24 Oct Birmingham, AL – Bottletree #
26 Oct New Orleans, LA – One Eyed Jacks #
27 Oct Oxford, MS – Proud Larry’s
28 Oct St. Louis, MO – The Luminary Center for the Arts
29 Oct Chicago, IL – Subterranean
30 Oct Cleveland Heights, OH – Grog Shop

Kindness of Ravens has a great interview with the band, discussing cover image location, Saint Bernards, and recording Clutching Stems. Read it here.

Order Clutching Stems on CD or digital download from the Merge store, or visit your local record store now!

The Ladybug Transistor on tour:
Sept 06 Los Angeles, CA The Satellite
Sept 07 Santa Barbara, CA Muddy Waters
Sept 08 San Francisco, CA Hemlock Tavern
Sept 09 Portland, OR Musicfest NW
Sept 10 Seattle, WA The Comet Tavern

Watch Wye Oak on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon now.

The band have also just added tour dates with Okkervil River between their already-scheduled dates with Yo La Tengo, The National, and Explosions in the Sky! Catch them on the road this summer!

Order Civilian on CD, LP or digital in the Merge Store.

Wye Oak on tour:

$ w/ Yo La Tengo & The National
% w/ Okkervil River
# w/ Explosions in the Sky
Aug 2 Pittsburgh PA @ Club Cafe
Aug 3 Cleveland OH @ Beachland Tavern
Aug 5 Chicago IL @ Lollapalooza
Aug 5 Chicago IL @ Double Door – Lollapalooza After-party with Portugal The Man
Aug 7 Happy Valley OR @ Pickathon
Aug 9 Seattle WA @ The Crocodile w/ Say Hi
Aug 12 Los Angeles CA @ Greek Theatre w/ The Decemberists
Aug 14 San Francisco CA @ Outside Lands Music & Arts
Sept 6 Columbia MD @ Merriweather Post Pavillion $
Sept 7 Philadelphia PA @ Academy of Music $
Sept 8 Philadelphia PA @ Academy of Music $
Sept 9 Boston MA @ Bank of America Pavilion $
Sept 10 Big Indian NY @ Truck America
Sept 11 Richmond VA @ The National %
Sept 13 Raleigh NC @ The Lincoln %
Sept 14 Athens GA @ 40 Watt Club %
Sept 15 Pensacola FL @ Vinyl Music Hall %
Sept 17 Dallas TX @ Granada Theater %
Sept 19 Lawrence KS @ The Granada %
Sept 20 St. Louis MO @ The Pageant %
Sept 21 Milwaukee WI @ Pabst Theater %
Sept 24 Rochester NY @ The Club at Water Street %
Sept 28 New Orleans LA @ Tipitina’s #
Sept 29 Atlanta GA @ The Tabernacle #
Sept 30 Asheville NC @ Orange Peel #
Oct 6 Montreal Quebec @ Metropolis Theatre #
Oct 7 Toronto Ontario @ The Sound Academy #
Oct 8 Royal Oak MI @ Royal Oak Music Theatre #
Oct 10 Minneapolis MN @ First Avenue #
Oct 11 Des Moines IA @ Val Air Ballroom #
Oct 12 Kansas City MO @ Uptown Theater #
Oct 13 Oklahoma City OK @ Diamond Ballroom #

Click here to view the embedded video.

Superchunk is in New York for a free show at the House of Vans, and then plays Chicago’s Pitchfork Music Festival on Sunday! Stop by the Merge Records Booth if you’re at the fest & come on Saturday to see Destroyer!

Jul 14 Brooklyn, NY House of Vans
Jul 17 Chicago, IL Pitchfork Music Festival
Sep 08 Atlanta, GA Buckhead Theatre
Sep 10 Raleigh, NC Hopscotch Festival – City Plaza Stage
Dec 01 London, UK Scala
Dec 02 Minehead, UK All Tomorrow’s Parties curated by Jeff Mangum

Also, David Kilgour & the Heavy Eights have just released a live video for the title track off their latest release, Left by Soft. David shares some details about the video and his one-of-a-kind guitar:

“We were playing at the Empire in Dunedin, an old bar that only holds abut 140 people and was made famous by the old Dunedin Sound-ers. The guitar I’m playing is a hybrid—the neck is off an oldish Epiphone acoustic, and the body was made by a guitar dude called Rob Scott. One weird thing about it is that the pickups sit on rails, so I can move them to whatever position/sound I want. It has the sound of mountains collapsing, especially at volume.”

Watch David Kilgour & the Heavy Eights perform “Left by Soft” live in New Zealand

Richard Buckner’s new album Our Blood is available for pre-order on CD and LP now in the Merge store. While supplies last, Our Blood pre-orders come with a limited-edition “Don’t Blame Me I Voted for Richard Buckner” bumper sticker! Also, David Kilgour’s new album Left by Soft is available on CD and digital download now in the Merge store.

Richard Buckner & David Kilgour on tour:

Prefix Media reviewed the new album saying “Clutching Stems is the band’s finest record since The Albemarle Sound, and the kind of pop record that may break your heart, may even tear you apart, but it’s also generous and complex enough to put you back together in the end.”

Blurt‘s Lee Zimmerman says Clutching Stems is “as intoxicating as ever, it conveys a jubilant first impression that lingers long after.”

Order Clutching Stems now on CD in the Merge store, and don’t miss The Ladybug Transistor on tour beginning June 28 including special west coast dates!

The Ladybug Transistor on tour:
Jun 28 Hudson, NY – Spotty Dog Bookes & Ale
Jun 29 New Haven, CT – BAR (FREE SHOW!)
Jun 30 Cambridge, MA – TT the Bear’s
July 06 Brooklyn, NY – Knitting Factory
July 07 Pittsburgh, PA – Carnegie Museum of Art Sculpture Court
July 08 Kalamazoo, MI – The Strutt
July 09 Madison, WI – UW Madison Union Terrace
July 10 Chicago, IL – Schuba’s
July 11 North Manchester, IN – The Firehouse (FREE SHOW!)
July 12 Cincinnati, OH – Mayday (FREE SHOW!)
July 15 Baltimore, MD – Ottobar
July 16 Raleigh, NC – Kings Barcade
July 17 Charlottesville, VA – The Southern
Sept 06 Los Angeles, CA – Satellite
Sept 07 Santa Barbara, CA – Muddy Waters
Sept 08 San Francisco – the Hemlock Tavern
Sept 09 Portland, OR – Musicfest NW
Sept 10 Seattle, WA – The Comet Tavern

Don’t miss Amor de Días on tour this month! Street of the Love of Days is in stores now!

Norman Blake of Teenage Fanclub & Euros Childs of Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci have been playing shows around the globe for a few months now, but they’re heading state-side in a matter of weeks! Don’t miss these shows!

“the combination of Childs’ distinctively fantastical songwriting and Blake’s immaculate songcraft can’t help but be a winning combination.” ~ Chromewaves

“one of the purest, most effusive pop records in recent memory, an outstanding example of retro rock celebration simply dubbed Jonny” ~ Amplifier

All dates with Apex Manor except June 20 & 21 with Yo La Tengo!
June 03 Toronto, ON The Drake Hotel
June 04 Toronto, ON The Drake Hotel
June 07 Northampton, MA Iron Horse Music Hall
June 08 Boston, MA Brighton Music Hall
June 09 New York, NY Le Poisson Rouge
June 10 Brooklyn, NY The Bell House
June 11 Philadelphia, PA World Cafe Live Upstairs
June 12 Vienna, VA Jammin’ Java
June 14 Carrboro, NC Cat’s Cradle
June 15 Decatur, GA Eddie’s Attic
June 16 Nashville, TN The Bluebird Cafe
June 17 Louisville, KY Zanzabar
June 18 Chicago, IL Old Town School of Folk Music @ Gary and Laura Maurer Concert Hall
June 20 Columbia, MO Blue Note w/ Yo La Tengo
June 21 Iowa City, IA Englert Theater w/ Yo La Tengo

The Mountain Goats head to Europe in a few weeks but will be back on the North American roads in June! Check the tour page for all new shows!

May 22 Dubin, Ireland Whelans
May 24 Brighton, UK Coalition
May 25 London, UK KOKO
May 27 Manchester, UK Academy 3
May 28 Leeds, UK Brudenell Social Club
May 29 Glasgow, Scotland King Tuts
May 30 Newcastle, UK Cluny
June 14 Minneapolis, MN Varsity Theater
June 16 Seattle, WA The Showbox
June 17 Vancouver, BC The Biltmore Cabaret
June 18 Portland, OR Aladdin Theater
June 20 San Francisco, CA The Fillmore
June 21 Costa Mesa, CA Detroit Bar
June 23 Los Angeles, CA El Rey Theatre
June 24 Santa Barbara, CA SoHo Music Club
June 26 Bloomington, IN Plan-it-X REcords
July 27 Lewiston, NY Art Park #
July 28 Belknap, NH Meadowbrook Pavilion #
July 29 Shelburne, VT Ben & Jerry’s Concerts on the Green #
July 30 Montreal, QC Osheaga Festival
July 31 Baldwinsville, NY Paper Mill Island Amphitheater #
August 03 Grand Rapids, MI Meijer Gardens #
August 04 Indianapolis, IN Egyptian Room #
August 05 Chicago, IL Lollapalooza
August 06 Chicago, IL Lollapalooza
# with Bright Eyes

Apex Manor visited the Grooveshark bus while they were in Austin! You can now watch the band performing “Under the Gun” on Vimeo. Check out Grooveshark and listen to your favorite Merge bands on their site.

The band is gearing up for a June tour with Jonny (Norman Blake of Teenage Fanclub & Euros Childs of Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci), but first play Los Angeles on Friday at the Satellite! Follow Apex Manor on Twitter to keep up with Ross!

The Year of Magical Drinking is available on CD and digital download now in the Merge store.

Apex Manor on tour!
May 13 Los Angeles, CA The Satellite
Jun 3 Toronto, ON The Drake Hotel
Jun 4 Toronto, ON The Drake Hotel
Jun 7 Northampton, MA Iron Horse Music Hall
Jun 8 Boston, MA Brighton Music Hall
Jun 9 New York, NY Le Poisson Rouge
Jun 10 Brooklyn, NY The Bell House
Jun 11 Philadelphia, PA World Cafe Live Upstairs
Jun 12 Vienna, VA Jammin’ Java
Jun 14 Carrboro, NC Cat’s Cradle
Jun 15 Decatur, GA Eddie’s Attic
Jun 16 Nashville, TN The Bluebird Cafe
Jun 17 Louisville, KY Zanzabar
Jun 18 Chicago, IL Old Town School of Folk Music @ Gary and Laura Maurer Concert Hall

Tonight, the Mountain Goats’ performance of “Birth of Serpents” will re-air on Late Show with David Letterman! Catch their performance on CBS at 11:35 p.m. EST. Tune in or set your DVR! The band heads out on tour tonight starting at The National in Richmond, and have sold out three nights at the Bowery Ballroom! WNYC’s Greene Space will host a special live event on Wednesday, March 30 at 2pm. Tickets to the event are now available at WNYC.org.

On Tour:
03-24 Richmond, VA The National
03-25 Washington, DC 9:30 Club
03-26 York, PA Strand-Capitol Performing Arts
03-28 New York, NY Bowery Ballroom
03-29 New York, NY Bowery Ballroom
03-30 New York, NY Bowery Ballroom
04-01 Boston, MA Paradise
04-02 Ithaca, NY Castaways
04-03 Toronto, ON The Opera House
04-05 Chicago, IL Vic Theatre
04-06 Nashville, TN One Cannery Row
04-07 Atlanta, GA Variety Playhouse
04-08 Carrboro, NC Cat’s Cradle
04-10 Asheville, NC Grey Eagle
04-11 Columbus, OH Wexner Center
04-12 Millvale, PA Mr. Small’s Theatre
04-15 Philadelphia, PA Theatre of Living Arts
06-25 Bloomington, IN Plan-it-X REcords

Adam Vine, songwriter for Apex Manor, checked in with WFUV’s Alternate Side for a SXSW journal. This was Adam’s first experience at the festival, and thankfully he survived! The band is now touring the east cast. Don’t miss them! The Year of Magical Drinking is in stores and available online now!

Can’t help but feel the festival is an instrument you have to learn how to play. A South Asian kinda thing with more strings than there are notes, but luckily every chord sounds all right.

But that could be the hangover talking. Or the queso. One moment you’re on stage, covering Fleetwood Mac with a borrowed melodica in your hands, and the next you’re in a private karaoke room, singing a different Fleetwood Mac song.

Next thing you know, you’re riding shotgun in a limo with a driver named Cedric who wants you to play out in the Hill Country. The live oaks alone would be worth it, but you know it’s never gonna happen.

Still you say maybe next year. And despite Cedric’s best intentions to be there for you the next time you need a ride, you inevitably end up walking across the Congress Bridge, smelling the bats, and wondering if they’re the ones who called in the noise complaints. They do have sensitive ears, you know.

But it’s on to the after party, on to the secret show, on to the hotel, where all the brilliant snippets you’ve overheard will fade into your pillow. Where they will wait for you to return next year. Hopefully you remember which hotel you stayed at.

- Adam Vine
Apex Manor

Apex Manor on Tour:
03-22 New York, NY Bowery Ballroom
03-23 Cambridge, MA T.T. The Bear’s
03-26 New York, NY Mercury Lounge
03-28 Chicago, IL Schubas Tavern
03-29 Minneapolis, MN 400 Bar

Click here to view the embedded video.

03-14 Little Rock, AR Sticky Fingerz Rock ‘N’ Roll Chicken Shack
03-15 Beaumont, TX Victoria House
03-22 Nashville, TN Mercy Lounge
03-23 Asheville, NC Grey Eagle
04-02 Iowa City, IA Blue Moose Tap House

photos by PJ Sykes

Fresh from the west coast shows, Superchunk have now added new dates in December!

Dec 1 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue – On Sale Saturday, October 23 @ 10 AM CST
Dec 2 Chicago, IL Metro – Pre-Sale Friday, October 22 @ Noon CST (Password: SHREDDING)
Dec 4 Tampa, FL Czar Ybor – On Sale Now!
Dec 9 Toronto, ON Sound Academy w/ Broken Social Scene – On Sale Now!

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

Superchunk played a live set on KEXP while in Seattle for the Teenage Fanclub / Telekinesis mega-show at the Showbox on Thursday! Listen to the archive at KEXP.org.

North Carolina’s Superchunk was high on the list when it came to great indie-rock of the ‘90s (a time when that term actually made sense) and they haven’t lost a step with their 2010 LP of catchy, buzzing, riff-heavy pop “Majesty Shredding.” They play tracks from the new record and some classic singles live at KEXP. – W. Myers

Set List:
Cool
Digging for Something
Rosemarie
Cast Iron

Tour Dates:
10-15 Portland, OR Wonder Ballroom
10-17 San Francisco, CA Treasure Island
10-19 Los Angeles, CA The Music Box at Fonda
12-09 Toronto, ON Sound Academy

And check out their in-store performances in Portland, San Francisco, and LA!

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

This weekend, The Love Language celebrates the release of Libraries at a few Triangle area stores. This is your last chance to see the band locally before their US tour with Local Natives in September! Stuart talked to Aquarium Drunkard this week about the album, the influences, and their recent gigs.

Saturday 8/21 – 4PM @ Schoolkids in Raleigh, NC
Sunday 8/22 – 2PM @ Flyleaf Books in Chapel Hill, NC

The Love Language on tour:
08-21 Raleigh, NC Schoolkids Records
08-22 Chapel Hill, NC Flyleaf Books
08-28 Wilmington, NC The Soapbox
09-03 Atlanta, GA The Earl
09-04 Charlotte, NC Visulite Theatre
09-11 Raleigh, NC Hopscotch Festival
09-12 Nashville, TN Exit / In
09-13 Baton Rouge, LA Spanish Moon
09-14 Austin, TX Emo’s Inside
09-17 Los Angeles, CA The Music Box at Fonda
09-18 Los Angeles, CA The Music Box at Fonda
09-19 Solana Beach, CA Belly Up Tavern
09-20 Santa Barbara, CA SOHO Music Club
09-22 San Francisco, CA Fillmore
09-24 Seattle, WA Showbox at the Market
09-25 Portland, OR Wonder Ballroom
09-28 Boulder, CO Fox Theatre
09-30 Omaha, NE The Waiting Room
10-01 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue
10-03 Columbia, MO The Blue Note
10-05 Oklahoma City, OK Academy of Contemporary Music
10-06 Dallas, TX House of Blues
10-07 Houston, TX House of Blues

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

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

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 + 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

The brilliance of Shadows, like all the best Teenage Fanclub records, is that it sounds like everything they’ve ever done and like nothing anyone else has ever done, all on one album.  It may be a considered and well put-together record, but it has all the spontaneity of Bandwagonesque. It may have a deceptively simple feel, but it’s as polished and intelligent as Grand Prix. And despite the input of others and new ideas, it’s still a record that only the three members of Teenage Fanclub could make.

Shadows is available on CD and digital download now in the Merge store, and from your favorite independent record store and digital music providers.

“Shadows is a work of rare craft, from a band now inclined to leave behind something timelessly beautiful.”
~ The Onion AV Club

“Proof that youth is a state of mind you need never outgrow.” ~ Spin Magazine

Teenage Fanclub North American tour:
9/22 Toronto, ON Horseshoe Tavern * on sale June 28
9/23 Toronto, ON Horseshoe Tavern * on sale June 28
9/24 Montreal, QC Le National
9/25 Boston, MA Royale
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

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

They will also performa at the Taste of Randolph festival with Headlights, Superchunk and Califone in Chicago and the inaugural Hopscotch Festival in Raleigh, NC with Public Enemy.

Download a free MP3 of “Heart to Tell” from Libraries now and watch this video of Stuart and producer BJ Burton in the studio! Also, visit the Merge store for a limited edition split 7-inch of “Brittany’s Back (demo version)” by The Love Language and “I’m So Lazy” by Let’s Wrestle!

The Love Language on tour:
^ = w/ Camera Obscura
6.03     Asheville, NC    The Orange Peel^
6.04     Cincinnati, OH    Fountain Square – Outdoors – FREE ^
6.05     Richmond, VA    The National ^
6.07     New York, NY    The Grand at Manhattan Center ^
6.20     Chicago, IL    Taste Of Randolph Street Festival w/ Superchunk, Califone & Headlights
9.11     Raleigh, NC    Hopscotch Music Festival w/ Public Enemy

She & Him on Tour:
5/28  Santa Cruz, CA @ Rio Theatre
5/29  Oakland, CA @ Fox Theatre
5/30  Bend, OR @ Le Schwab Amphitheatre*
5/31  George, WA @ Sasquatch! Music Festival
6/4    Milwaukee, WI  @ Verge Music Festival 2010
6/5    Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
6/6    Royal Oak, MI @ Royal Oak Theatre
6/7    Chicago, IL  @ Millennium Park – Downtown Sound Series
6/9    Toronto, ON @ Sound Academy
6/10   Cleveland, OH @ House of Blues
6/11   Manchester, TN @ Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival
7/1     Boston, MA @ House of Blues
7/2     Philadelphia, PA @ Great Plaza at Penn’s Landing
7/3     Oxford, ME @ Nateva Music Festival
7/4     New York, NY @ The Beach at Governors Island
7/6     New York, NY @ Terminal 5
7/7     Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
7/9     Atlanta, GA Atlanta @ Botanical Gardens
7/10   Birmingham, AL @ Sloss Furnaces
7/11   Louisville, KY @ TBD
7/18   Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Bowl**
8/29   St. Louis, MO @ LouFest
* w/ BAND OF HORSES & DAWES
** w/ The Swell Season & Bird and the Bee

Radar Brothers will hit the road as a five-piece in June! Dates are being updated as they come in on their tour page.

Head to the band’s MySpace page for a new cover of Rufus Wainwright’s “Oh, What a World.”

As Spin described, the audience at our SXSW showcase was “smitten” as Radar Brothers played to a packed house. Get your copy of The Illustrated Garden on CD and digital download now in the Merge store!

Radar Brothers on tour
06.17.2010 San Diego, CA Soda Bar
06.18.2010 Santa Cruz, CA The Crepe Place
06.19.2010 Merced, CA The Partisan
06.21.2010 Portland, OR Mississippi Studios
06.22.2010 Seattle, WA Sunset Tavern
06.24.2010 San Francisco, CA Rickshaw Stop

The Clientele’s latest album, Bonfires on the Heath is available on CD, LP and digital download in the Merge store. If you missed it, be sure to watch their late night television debut on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.

Sep-06 Seattle, WA TBA
Sep-07 Portland, OR Doug Fir
Sep-09 Oakland, CA  New Parish
Sep-10 San Francisco, CA  Independent
Sep-11 Los Angeles, CA Echoplex
Sep-12 San Diego, CA Casbah

Richard visited Daytrotter the last time he toured, and the session is finally online for your enjoyment. Give it a listen at daytrotter.com.

Buckner has also just been announced as part of Raleigh’s first Hopscotch Music Festival this summer! Tickets go on sale 4/1 at etix.com.

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