Merge Records

Julian Koster of the Music Tapes plays the Chicago streets

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)

Eleanor Friedberger record store appearances!

Eleanor Friedberger will be opening for The Kills on the west coast all this week, and she’ll be making an appearance at a few cool record stores along the way. Celebrate Labour Day with her at Zulu in Vancouver!

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 Summeron LP, CD, and digital download in the Merge store.

The Ladybug Transistor tours the west coast, win a limited-edition cassette!

The Ladybug Transistor’s new album Clutching Stems is now in stores, and the band will bring their new songs on the road this week!

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

The Music Tapes on tour with The Olivia Tremor Control!

The Music Tapes are currently opening for The Olivia Tremor Control! Don’t miss the live full-band Music Tapes experience!

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)

 

Stream new Eleanor Friedberger sessions, catch her on the west coast!

On August 24, Eleanor Friedberger visited the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater for a very special WFMU program, Seven Second Delay! You can now stream the performance, along with appearances by Wyatt Cenac and David Carr, on WFMU.org.

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


Crooked Fingers announces “Breaks in the Armor” pre-order bonus, download “Typhoon” now!

Eric Bachmann’s sixth full-length album as Crooked Fingers, Breaks in the Armor, will be in stores on October 11, 2011. Pre-orders of Breaks in the Armor through the Merge website will include acoustic demo versions of all eleven album tracks. The bonus material will be available for download on the day of release.

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

Listen to Richard Buckner & David Kilgour’s archived KEXP sessions now!

Richard Buckner & David Kilgour are currently on the road together in support of their new releases, Our Blood and Left by Soft! Don’t miss this opportunity to see two legendary songwriters and guitar “gods” share the stage!

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

The Love Language on the road, again!

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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

The Love Language play for Sleepover Shows

YouTube Preview Image

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

“Icky Mettle” deluxe reissue earns raves & Archers play more live dates!

This week, Merge reissued Archers of Loaf‘s acclaimed 1993 debut album Icky MettleRe-mastered by Bob Weston and featuring new liner notes by Robert Christgau, Icky Mettle comes packed with bonus material including the entire Archers of Loaf vs. The Greatest of All Time EP as well as singles and b-sides from the Icky Mettle era.

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 announce fall tour dates!

Telekinesis have had a long year of touring in support of their sophomore release 12 Desperate Straight Lines, and they aren’t done yet! The band has just announced fall tour dates with Death Cab for Cutie and The New Pornographers.

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

Wild Flag premieres album trailer!

The debut self-titled album from Wild Flag, the 4-piece Portland, OR- and Washington, DC-based rock group including Carrie Brownstein, Mary Timony, Rebecca Cole and Janet Weiss, will be in stores on September 13. You can now sample all the tracks in the official album trailer, directed by Andrew Ellmaker & Lara Gallagher.

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

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On Tour

Archers of Loaf [+]

May
27 London Alexandra Palace
30 Barcelona Primavera Sound
June
16 Toronto, ON Phoenix
23 Calgary, AB Sled Island Festival

Richard Buckner [+]

May
21 Zurich El Lokal
23 Belgrade Gun Club
24 Zagreb Tvornici kulture
July
27 Edmonton, AB Interstellar Rodeo
September
01 North Dorset End of the Road Festival

Caribou [+]

May
29 Mansfield, MA Comcast Center
31 Newark, NJ Prudential Center
June
01 Newark, NJ Prudential Center
03 Washington, DC Verizon Center Arena
05 Cincinnati, OH Riverbend Music Center
[see all]

The Clean [+]

May
30 Los Angeles, CA The Echo
June
02 Austin, TX Chaos in Tejas - Club De Ville
04 Allston, MA Brighton Music Hall
05 New York, NY Le Poisson Rouge
06 Philadelphia, PA Johnny Brenda's
[see all]

Destroyer [+]

June
03 Seattle, WA The Showbox
04 Portland, OR Aladdin Theater
05 San Francisco, CA The Fillmore
06 Los Angeles, CA El Rey Theatre
07 Phoenix, AZ The Crescent Ballroom
[see all]

Eleanor Friedberger [+]

June
29 Brooklyn, NY Galapagos Art Space

Hospitality [+]

May
21 Denver, CO Hi Dive
22 Aspen, CO Belly Up
23 Salt Lake City, UT Urban Lounge
24 Boise, ID Reef
25 Portland, OR Bunk Bar
[see all]

Lambchop [+]

September
06 Raleigh, NC Hopscotch Music Festival

Jeff Mangum [+]

May
30 Barcelona Primavera Sound - Date TBA
June
07 Porto Primavera Sound - Date TBA
July
27 Calgary, AB Calgary Folk Music Festival

the Mountain Goats [+]

June
22 Vancouver, BC The Rio Theatre
23 Seattle, WA Columbia City Theater
25 Portland, OR The Mission Theater
27 San Francisco, CA Swedish American Hall
28 San Francisco, CA Swedish American Hall
[see all]

Conor Oberst [+]

July
06 Ottawa, ON Ottawa Bluesfest
24 Bethlehem, PA Musikfest Café At Artsquest Center
25 Albany, NY Swyer Theatre @ The Egg
26 Fairfield, CT StageOne
27 Newport, RI Jane Pickens Theater
[see all]

Pipe [+]

September
06 Raleigh, NC Hopscotch Music Festival

Portastatic [+]

September
06 Raleigh, NC Hopscotch Music Festival

Shark Quest [+]

September
06 Raleigh, NC Hopscotch Music Festival

Superchunk [+]

September
06 Raleigh, NC Hopscotch Music Festival
23 Pensacola, FL DeLuna Festival

Times New Viking [+]

June
04 Allston, MA Brighton Music Hall
05 New York, NY Le Poisson Rouge
06 Philadelphia, PA Johnny Brenda's
07 Washington, DC Rock & Roll Hotel
08 Chapel Hill, NC Local 506

Versus [+]

September
06 Raleigh, NC Hopscotch Music Festival

M. Ward [+]

May
22 Chicago, IL Vic Theatre
23 Madison, WI Barrymore Theatre
24 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue
26 Missoula, MT Wilma Theatre
27 George, WA Sasquatch Music Festival
[see all]

Wild Flag [+]

May
27 George, WA Sasquatch Music Festival
July
14 Chicago, IL Pitchfork Music Festival
August
03 Brooklyn, NY Celebrate Brooklyn at Prospect Park Bandshell

Wye Oak [+]

July
05 Hamden, CT The Space
06 Wellfleet, MA The Beachcomber
07 Northampton, MA Iron Horse Music Hall
08 Hudson, NY Club Helsinki
10 Brooklyn, NY Celebrate Brooklyn!
[see all]
see all tour dates

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