Watch Wye Oak’s cover of “Christmas Will Be Just Another Lonely Day” now

Wye Oak have just finished almost a year of touring in support of Civilian, but you can see them on TV on Last Call with Carson Daly when their performance re-airs December 29th. They have just announced a show at the Troubadour in Los Angeles on February 23, and an appearance at the Noise Pop Festival in San Francisco on February 24.

Wye Oak’s Civilian is available on CD, LP and digital download in the Merge store. If you enjoyed their previous visits to the AV Club Undercover, check out our limited-edition “Strangers” b/w “Mother” 7-inch (and digital) also in the Merge store.

Check out Tracey Thorn‘s new Night Time and You Are a Lover digital EPs. These EPs are also available limited-edition import vinyl. The Night Time 12-inch is even signed by Tracey and pressed on cool blue vinyl!

Merge is selling the limited-edition Wye Oak 7-inch of covers recorded as part of the AV Club Undercover series. “Strangers” b/w “Mother” is limited to only 1,000 copies and includes a cover of “Strangers” by the Kinks and “Mother” by Danzig. Also for Wye Oak fans, we have reissued their sophomore album The Knot on vinyl, and orders in the Merge store will include a signed poster!

Pre-orders are also available now for our January releases including Merge freshmen Hospitality and the return of Imperial Teen. Pre-order Hospitality’s self-titled debut album on CD or LP before its official release on January 31 to also receive via email their 6-song EP recorded in 2008 at their Red Hook apartment by Karl Blau. Imperial Teen’s fifth album Feel The Sound is also available for pre-order on CD and LP. Order now and your CD or LP will come with a cool poster. Hear tracks from both of these albums on our new Spotify “New Release” playlist!

Got your music fix but need new gear? Merge has you covered. She & Him Christmas winter accessories make a great addition to A Very She & Him Christmas and are available just in time for the holidays and winter season. Hats & mittens are going fast, so order yours today!

New additions to Merge Gear are Cranberry Merge Hoodies and Gray Track Jackets.  These American Apparel outerwear options have metallic gold and silver Merge logos screened on them.  They will keep you cozy while looking awesome. Not to mention, they are ridiculously comfortable!

Watch her performance of “Holy Holy” and the full interview at the AV Club

Wye Oak’s whole catalog, including their latest album Civilian which includes “Holy Holy” and the newly released vinyl reissue of The Knot, are also available in the Merge store.

Wye Oak

We were not content to have these two great covers exist only on the AV Club website, and so on November 22, Merge will release “Strangers” b/w “Mother” as a limited-edition 7-inch and digital download!

In the spring of 2010, Wye Oak first visited the round room to cover The Kinks’ “Strangers.” They were joined by Jonathan Meiburg of Shearwater, and the resulting performance was one of the finalists in the AV Club’s poll for “Best of the Series.” Jenn and Andy were invited back in the spring of 2011 and this time, they chose to go a darker route. Complete with a sleeveless black hoodie and a “Wolfs Blood” tattoo, Jenn offered a spooky take on former Misfits frontman Glenn Danzig’s vocal stylings in their cover of “Mother,” complete with Callers’ Don “Donzig” Godwin on tenor horn.

Jenn says, “We had a blast participating in the AV Club’s Undercover series and were pleasantly surprised that so many people enjoyed our take on these two songs. We’re happy to have these versions released for those who were interested in owning them for themselves. Thanks to Merge and the AV Club for making it all happen.”

The AV Club visited Jenn in Baltimore to visit her favorite local haunts and discuss “Holy Holy” from Civilian as part of their new “One Track Mind” series. Watch Jenn’s episode now at the AV Club.

Pre-order the limited-edition 7-inch “Strangers” b/w “Mother” now in the Merge store. Wye Oak’s whole catalog, including their latest album Civilian and the newly released vinyl reissue of The Knot, are also available in the Merge store.

At the end of 2009, SPIN magazine deemed The Knot one of the “10 Best Albums You May Have Missed” (along with Telekinesis’ self-titled debut!) and apparently, people took note. Since then, Jenn and Andy have put out an EP and another full-length and garnered heaps of praise from fans and critics alike for their recordings as well as for their compelling live shows. Wye Oak will join The National at the end of November, with some solo shows sprinkled in as well. Check their tour page for a full list of live dates.

Watch Wye Oak’s newest video below, for the song “Holy Holy” off of their latest album, Civilian:

Click here to view the embedded video.

The Knot track listing:
1. Milk and Honey
2. For Prayer
3. Take It In
4. Siamese
5. Talking About Money
6. Mary Is Mary
7. Tattoo
8. I Want for Nothing
9. That I Do
10.  Sight, Flight

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!

Wye Oak

Click here to view the embedded video.

Tonight, Wye Oak play the first of two shows at Philadelphia’s Academy of Music with Yo La Tengo and The National. Next week, they embark on a tour opening for Okkervil River and then for Explosions in the Sky later in the month. Don’t miss them! Visit the band’s tour page for a full list of their live dates.

Wye Oak‘s latest album, Civilian, is available now on CD, LP, and digital download from the Merge store and your favorite retail outlets.

Read about the Invisible Children project here.

Wye Oak are on tour through October. Don’t miss them!

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 #

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

Of Civilian, NPR’s Jacob Ganz wrote:

“I know my thoughts, but I can hide them,” Jenn Wasner sings in the title track to Wye Oak‘s third and best album. Control, and the loss of it, seems to be an almost obsessive concern for the Baltimore duo, and on Civilian, Wasner and Andy Stack tilt the balances between restraint and indulgence, clarity and obfuscation, independence and need. They go clear-eyed, quiet and scary; they thrash with joy. Wye Oak hits hard, even when it sounds like it’s breaking down.

Read NPR’s Favorite 25 (so far), listen to the NPR music crew discuss their choices, and vote for your favorite albums so far in their poll which includes even more Merge releases now at NPR.org/music.

Also, last month, Wye Oak performed at the Sasquatch Music Festival at The Gorge outside of Seattle, WA. NPR has their entire set streaming now at NPR.org/music.

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

Wye Oak on tour:
* – w/ Explosions in the Sky
# – w/ Yo La Tengo & The National
Jun 16 London, UK – Hoxton Bar & Kitchen
Jul 15 Hartford, CT – Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art
Jul 16 Northampton, MA – Iron Horse Music Hall
Jul 18 New York, NY – Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
Aug 03 Cleveland, OH – Beachland Ballroom
Aug 05–06 Chicago, IL – Lollapalooza
Aug 07 Happy Valley, OR – Pickathon
Aug 09 Seattle, WA – The Crocodile
Aug 12 Los Angeles, CA – Greek Theatre (w/ The Decemberists)
Aug 14 San Francisco, CA – Outside Lands Music & Arts Festival
Sep 06 Columbia, MD – Merriweather Post Pavilion #
Sep 07 Philadelphia, PA – Academy of Music #
Sep 08 Philadelphia, PA – Academy of Music #
Sep 09 Boston, MA – Bank of America Pavilion #
Sep 28 New Orleans, LA – Tipitina’s *
Sep 29 Atlanta, GA – The Tabernacle *
Sep 30 Asheville, NC – Orange Peel *
Oct 06 Montreal, QC – Metropolis Theatre *
Oct 07 Toronto, ON – The Sound Academy *
Oct 08 Royal Oak, MI – Royal Oak Music Theatre *
Oct 10 Minneapolis, MN – First Ave *
Oct 11 Des Moines, IA – Val Air Ballroom *
Oct 12 Kansas City, MO – Uptown Theater *
Oct 13 Oklahoma City, OK – Diamond Ballroom *

Photo from NPR.org by James Bailey for KEXP

Wye Oak performed at the Sasquatch Music Festival last weekend at The Gorge outside of Seattle, WA. NPR had their entire set streaming now at NPR.org/music.

Click to stream Wye Oak’s set at the Sasquatch Music Festival

Wye Oak have just announced new tour dates with Explosions in the Sky in addition to their summer festival dates. Go see them!

Wye Oak’s Civilian is available on CD, LP and digital download now in the Merge store.

Wye Oak on tour:
* = w/ Explosions in the Sky
May 28 George, WA – Sasquatch Festival
Jun 07 Amsterdam, NE – Paradiso
Jun 08 Ghent, BE – Vooruit
Jun 12 Vienna, AT – Chelsea Club
Jun 13 Frankfurt, DE – Sinkkasten
Jun 14 Berlin, DE – Comet
Jun 16 London, UK – Hoxton Bar & Kitchen
Jul 18 New York, NY – Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
Aug 05–06 Chicago, IL – Lollapalooza
Aug 12 Los Angeles, CA – Greek Theatre w/ The Decemberists
Aug 13–14 San Francisco, CA – Outside Lands Music & Arts Festival
Sep 28 New Orleans, LA – Tipitina’s *
Sep 29 Atlanta, GA – The Tabernacle *
Sep 30 Asheville, NC – Orange Peel *
Oct 06 Montreal, QC – Metropolis Theatre *
Oct 07 Toronto, ON – The Sound Academy *
Oct 08 Royal Oak, MI – Royal Oak Music Theatre *
Oct 11 Des Moines, IA – Val Air Ballroom *
Oct 12 Kansas City, MO – Uptown Theater *
Oct 13 Oklahoma City, OK – Diamond Ballroom *

By Amanda Hatfield for BrooklynVegan

Wye Oak channeled Dinosaur Jr. last night at the Bowery Ballroom for the 10th anniversary celebration concert of Michael Azerrad’s Our Band Could Be Your Life. Listen to their performance now at NPR Music! Also, Wye Oak joined a collection of other musicians from the event for an encore of Nirvana songs also available at NPR Music.

BrooklynVegan and Stereogum have great photos & video, too!

See Wye Oak at Sasquatch this weekend! Full list of tour dates below with new dates opening for Explosions in the Sky!

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

Wye Oak on tour:
* = w/ Explosions in the Sky
May 28 George, WA – Sasquatch Festival
Jun 07 Amsterdam, NE – Paradiso
Jun 08 Ghent, BE – Vooruit
Jun 12 Vienna, AT – Chelsea Club
Jun 13 Frankfurt, DE – Sinkkasten
Jun 14 Berlin, DE – Comet
Jun 16 London, UK – Hoxton Bar & Kitchen
Jul 18 New York, NY – Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
Aug 05–06 Chicago, IL – Lollapalooza
Aug 12 Los Angeles, CA – Greek Theatre w/ The Decemberists
Aug 13–14 San Francisco, CA – Outside Lands Music & Arts Festival
Sep 28 New Orleans, LA – Tipitina’s *
Sep 29 Atlanta, GA – The Tabernacle *
Sep 30 Asheville, NC – Orange Peel *
Oct 06 Montreal, QC – Metropolis Theatre *
Oct 07 Toronto, ON – The Sound Academy *
Oct 08 Royal Oak, MI – Royal Oak Music Theatre *
Oct 11 Des Moines, IA – Val Air Ballroom *
Oct 12 Kansas City, MO – Uptown Theater *
Oct 13 Oklahoma City, OK – Diamond Ballroom *

Complete with a sleeveless black hoodie and a “Wolfs Blood” tattoo, Jenn offers a spooky take on former Misfits’ frontman Glenn Danzig’s vocal stylings. Jenn & Andy were joined by Callers’ Don “Donzig” Godwin on tenor horn, too.

Watch Wye Oak cover “Mother” by Danzig.

Wye Oak are the only band to be asked back for a second AV Undercover visit, because as the AV Club says “they’re awesome.” Watch their cover of The Kinks’ “Strangers” from last year’s series, too.

Civilian is available on CD, LP and digital download in the Merge store. Wye Oak just wrapped their first US tour in support of Civilian, and can next be seen channeling Dinosaur Jr at the “Our Band Could be Your Life” 10th anniversary show at the Bowery Ballroom in NYC on May 22 and the Sasquatch Festival on May 28 before heading to Europe.

Wye Oak on tour:
May 22 New York, NY  Bowery Ballroom  Our Band Could be Your Life Anniversary show
May 28 George, WA Sasquatch Festival
June 7 Amsterdam, NE Paradiso
June 8 Ghent, BE Vooruit
June 12 Vienna, AT Chelsea Club
June 13 Frankfurt, DE Sinkkasten
June 14 Berlin, DE Comet
June 16 London, UK Hoxton Bar & Kitchen
July 18 New York, NY Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
Aug 14 San Francisco, CA Outside Lands Music & Arts Festival

photo by Lauren Miller

The closing performance will be Friday, April 22nd from 7-10 PM. Tickets are available at brownpapertickets.com.

Watch the video for “Fish” now at NPR.org.

You can see more great “behind the scenes” photos at our blog. Wye Oak are currently on tour, and Civilian is available on CD, LP and digital download.

Wye Oak on tour:
Apr 08 Detroit, MI – Magic Stick
Apr 09 Toronto, ON – El Mocambo
Apr 10 Montreal, QC – Casa Del Popolo
Apr 12 Cambridge, MA – Middle East Upstairs
Apr 14 New York, NY – Bowery Ballroom
Apr 15 Philadelphia, PA – Johnny Brenda’s
Apr 16 Baltimore, MD – 2640 Space
May 22 New York, NY – Bowery Ballroom – Our Band Could Be Your Life show
May 28 George, WA – Sasquatch Music Festival

photo by Neal Golden

photo by Neal Golden

photo by Neal Golden

photo by Neal Golden

photo by Neal Golden

photo by Neal Golden

Wye Oak visited Oregon Public Broadcasting while they were in Portland last month, and the session is now archived online!

There are just a handful of US dates left for the band, so catch them while you can, and order Civilian on LP, CD, or digital download from the Merge Store now.

Apr 07 Chicago, IL – Schuba’s
Apr 08 Detroit, MI – Magic Stick
Apr 09 Toronto, ON – El Mocambo
Apr 10 Montreal, QC – Casa Del Popolo
Apr 12 Cambridge, MA – Middle East Upstairs
Apr 14 New York, NY – Bowery Ballroom
Apr 15 Philadelphia, PA – Johnny Brenda’s
May 28 George, WA – Sasquatch Music Festival

Wye Oak’s new album Civilian is available on CD, LP and digital download in the Merge store.

See Jenn & Andy on tour now:

Apr 05 St. Paul, MN – Turf Club
Apr 06 Appleton, WI – Lawrence University
Apr 07 Chicago, IL – Schuba’s
Apr 08 Detroit, MI – Magic Stick
Apr 09 Toronto, ON – El Mocambo
Apr 10 Montreal, QC – Casa Del Popolo
Apr 12 Cambridge, MA – Middle East Upstairs
Apr 14 New York, NY – Bowery Ballroom
Apr 15 Philadelphia, PA – Johnny Brenda’s
May 28 George, WA – Sasquatch Music Festival

The full list of Wye Oak tour dates is below, don’t miss them! Civilian is available on CD, LP and digital download now in the Merge store.

Wye Oak on tour:
# = w/ Lower Dens
% = w/ Callers
Mar 11 Washington, DC – Black Cat #
Mar 12 Chapel Hill, NC – Local 506 #
Mar 13 Atlanta, GA – The Earl #
Mar 15 Norman, OK – The Opolis #
Mar 18 Austin, TX – The Parish – Merge SXSW Showcase
Mar 21 Tucson, AZ – Solar Culture %
Mar 22 San Diego, CA – Casbah %
Mar 24 Los Angeles, CA – The Echo %
Mar 25 San Francisco, CA – Bottom of the Hill %
Mar 27 Vancouver, BC – Media Club %
Mar 29 Portland, OR – Mississippi Studios %
Mar 31 Nampa, ID – Flying M Coffee %
Apr 01 Salt Lake City, UT – Kilby Court %
Apr 02 Denver, CO – Larimer Lounge %
Apr 03 Omaha, NE – Slowdown Jr %
Apr 04 Iowa City, IA – The Mill %
Apr 05 St. Paul, MN – Turf Club %
Apr 06 Appleton, WI – Lawrence University %
Apr 07 Chicago, IL – Schuba’s %
Apr 08 Detroit, MI – Magic Stick
Apr 09 Toronto, ON – El Mocambo %
Apr 10 Montreal, QC – Casa Del Popolo %
Apr 12 Cambridge, MA – Middle East Upstairs %
Apr 14 New York, NY – Bowery Ballroom %
Apr 15 Philadelphia, PA – Johnny Brenda’s %
May 28 George, WA – Sasquatch Music Festival

NPR’s Stephen Thompson says of the record, “Civilian‘s title track stands out as an alternately ominous and furious rock ringer, but the rest of the record is similarly satisfying while finding practical uses for the spaces between notes. Pay special attention to the masterfully slow-burning, quiet build of ‘We Were Wealth,’ which blooms subtly into something special. In doing so, it’s emblematic of an enormously promising band that’s doing the exact same thing.”

Stream the album now at NPR.org. Civilian is available for pre-order in the Merge store on CD, LP and digital download.

Wye Oak have a hometown CD release in-store at Sound Garden in Baltimore on March 8 at 7:30, and they will kick off their North American tour March 11 at the Black Cat in Washington, D.C. See the full list of dates below, and be sure to follow Wye Oak on twitter, too!

Wye Oak on tour:
# = w/ Lower Dens
% = w/ Callers
Mar 11 Washington, DC – Black Cat #
Mar 12 Chapel Hill, NC – Local 506 #
Mar 13 Atlanta, GA – The Earl #
Mar 15 Norman, OK – The Opolis #
Mar 18 Austin, TX – The Parish – Merge SXSW Showcase
Mar 21 Tucson, AZ – Solar Culture %
Mar 22 San Diego, CA – Casbah %
Mar 24 Los Angeles, CA – The Echo %
Mar 25 San Francisco, CA – Bottom of the Hill %
Mar 27 Vancouver, BC – Media Club %
Mar 29 Portland, OR – Mississippi Studios %
Mar 31 Nampa, ID – Flying M Coffee %
Apr 01 Salt Lake City, UT – Kilby Court %
Apr 02 Denver, CO – Larimer Lounge %
Apr 03 Omaha, NE – Slowdown Jr %
Apr 04 Iowa City, IA – The Mill %
Apr 05 St. Paul, MN – Turf Club %
Apr 06 Appleton, WI – Lawrence University %
Apr 07 Chicago, IL – Schuba’s %
Apr 08 Detroit, MI – Magic Stick
Apr 09 Toronto, ON – El Mocambo %
Apr 10 Montreal, QC – Casa Del Popolo %
Apr 12 Cambridge, MA – Middle East Upstairs %
Apr 14 New York, NY – Bowery Ballroom %
Apr 15 Philadelphia, PA – Johnny Brenda’s %
May 28 George, WA – Sasquatch Music Festival

Visit the Merge store to sample the most recent albums from all seven bands, and to pre-order their upcoming releases!

Merge @ SXSW 2011
Friday, March 18
The Parish (214 E. 6th Street)
Austin, TX
Doors at 7p

WILD FLAG 12:45a
Wye Oak 11:45p
Versus 10:45p
American Music Club 9:45p
Telekinesis 9p
Apex Manor 8:15p
Times New Viking 7:30p

Also, we are joining forces with the Home Slice Pizza “Music by the Slice” party again!

Home Slice Pizza
MXTS Party
1415 South Congress
Austin, TX

Thursday, March 17
Apex Manor 3:30 p
American Music Club 5p

Friday, March 18
Versus 1p

Saturday, March 19
Times New Viking 2:20 p
Wye Oak 3:30 p

Be sure to follow Merge on twitter and check back for more opportunities to see our bands at SXSW!

Click to view the Merge Madness poster in full!

To celebrate “Merge Madness,” local record stores (listed below) will be giving away these collectible 12″ x 18″ screenprinted posters designed by our very own Maggie Fost, with the purchase of any full-length release from Merge.

Visit the Merge store for new albums from Superchunk, Wye Oak, Telekinesis & The Love Language!

Get your limited-edition Merge Madness poster at the following stores beginning Tuesday, Feb 22:
Schoolkids in Raleigh
Offbeat Records in Durham
Bull City Records in Durham
CD Alley in Chapel Hill
All Day Records in Carrboro

Merge Madness shows!
Mar 4 Superchunk @ Cat’s Cradle
Mar 11 WILD FLAG @ Local 506
Mar 12 Wye Oak @ Local 506
Mar 13 Telekinesis & The Love Language @ Local 506 *SOLD OUT*

Superchunk kicks off the madness on March 4 with their first show at the Cat’s Cradle since before the release of Majesty Shredding. Next, WILD FLAG will play Local 506 on March 11. WILD FLAG is the new “supergroup” featuring Carrie Brownstein, Mary Timony, Janet Weiss and Rebecca Cole. On March 12, Wye Oak will celebrate the release of their third album Civilian at Local 506. Telekinesis and The Love Language will wrap up Merge Madness on March 13 with an already sold out show at Local 506.

To celebrate, local record stores (listed below) will be giving away these collectible 12″ x 18″ screenprinted posters designed by our very own Maggie Fost, with the purchase of any full-length release from Merge.

Tickets are already gone for the Telekinesis / Love Language show and are going fast for the other three, so don’t waste any time getting your tickets to Superchunk, WILD FLAG & Wye Oak!

Visit the Merge store for new albums from Superchunk, Wye Oak, Telekinesis & The Love Language!

Merge Madness shows!
Mar 4 Superchunk @ Cat’s Cradle
Mar 11 WILD FLAG @ Local 506
Mar 12 Wye Oak @ Local 506
Mar 13 Telekinesis & The Love Language @ Local 506 *SOLD OUT*

Get your limited-edition Merge Madness poster at the following stores beginning Tuesday, Feb 22:
Schoolkids in Raleigh
Offbeat Records in Durham
Bull City Records in Durham
CD Alley in Chapel Hill
All Day Records in Carrboro

Civilian has made the “most-anticipated” lists from NPR who called it “blustery and mysterious” and The AV Club who wrote that the title-track made a “whole album’s worth seem very enticing indeed.”

See live video from Wye Oak’s “secret” show during the recent blizzard in NYC, and download the title track “Civilian.”

Civilian is available for pre-order on CD and LP in the Merge store. Also in the Merge store, My Neighbor / My Creator is available again on CD (this time in green!) and digital download.

Wye Oak on tour:
# = w/ Lower Dens
% = w/ Callers
Mar 11 Washington, DC – Black Cat #
Mar 12 Chapel Hill, NC – Local 506 #
Mar 13 Atlanta, GA – The Earl #
Mar 15 Norman, OK – The Opolis #
Mar 21 Tucson, AZ – Solar Culture %
Mar 22 San Diego, CA – Casbah %
Mar 24 Los Angeles, CA – The Echo %
Mar 25 San Francisco, CA – Bottom of the Hill %
Mar 27 Vancouver, BC – Media Club %
Mar 29 Portland, OR – Mississippi Studios %
Mar 31 Nampa, ID – Flying M Coffee %
Apr 01 Salt Lake City, UT – Kilby Court %
Apr 02 Denver, CO – Larimer Lounge %
Apr 03 Omaha, NE – Slowdown Jr %
Apr 04 Iowa City, IA – The Mill %
Apr 05 St. Paul, MN – Turf Club %
Apr 06 Appleton, WI – Lawrence University %
Apr 07 Chicago, IL – Schuba’s %
Apr 08 Detroit, MI – Magic Stick
Apr 09 Toronto, ON – El Mocambo %
Apr 10 Montreal, QC – Casa Del Popolo %
Apr 12 Cambridge, MA – Middle East Upstairs %
Apr 14 New York, NY – Bowery Ballroom %
Apr 15 Philadelphia, PA – Johnny Brenda’s %
May 28 George, WA – Sasquatch Music Festival

Superchunk’s limited-edition 7-inches, “Crossed Wires” and “Digging for Something” are now available via digital download for the first time.

“Crossed Wires” track listing:
1. Crossed Wires (single version)
2. Blinders (fast version)
3. Crossed Wires (demo)
Available in the Merge store, Amazon.com, and iTunes.

“Digging for Something”
1. Digging for Something (feat. John Darnielle)
2. February Punk
3. Digging for Something (acoustic demo)
Available in the Merge store, Amazon.com, and iTunes.

Also, Wye Oak’s 2010 EP, My Neighbor / My Creator was previously released on limited-edition CD in June. Due to popular demand, we have re-issued the EP on CD with new cover art on another limited-edition run of 1,000 printed at Stumptown Printers in Portland. Get My Neighbor / My Creator on CD or digital download now in the Merge store or on CD directly from the band on their tour beginning later this month! Pre-order Wye Oak’s new album, Civilian on CD or LP in the Merge store, too!

My Neighbor / My Creator track listing:
1. My Neighbor
2. Emmylou
3. My Creator
4. I Hope You Die
5. That I Do (Mickey Free Remix)

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!

Wye Oak wrote what became Civilian between December of 2009 and July of 2010.  The songs “are, as a whole, about aloneness (the positive kind), loneliness (the horrible kind), moving on, and letting go (of people, places, and things),” lyricist/guitarist Jenn Wasner reveals.

After recording and mixing the previous two albums themselves, Wye Oak brought in mixing engineer John Congleton (St. Vincent, Shearwater), who played a pivotal role in the sound of Civilian. “JC definitely pushed us into some exciting and sometimes scary new territory,” multi-instrumentalist Andy Stack says. “It was the most that Jenn and I had ever relinquished control of our music to someone else, but it gave us a chance to step back and see the big picture, whereas on previous recordings we got embroiled in the technical details.”

Civilian is a kind of 21st-century folk music, imbued with dense shoegaze guitars, nearly melodic rhythms, and impeccable splashes of electronic color. Without leaning on conventional structure, the songs beguile with fascinating chords and melodies, Jenn’s voice and riveting lyrics, mesmerizing rhythms, and an intoxicating aural landscape. Just as good writing has meaning between the lines, Civilian has meaning between the sounds: the combinations of harmonies, timbres, and words summon vivid and ineffable associations just beyond reach.

Jenn sums up the meaning of the album saying, “this collection of songs is called Civilian because I believe everyone wants to be normal, but no one truly is.”

Wye Oak is Jenn Wasner and Andy Stack.

Download the title track, “Civilian” and get your tickets for Wye Oak’s spring tour now!

Track listing:
1. Two Small Deaths
2. The Alter
3. Holy Holy
4. Dogs Eyes
5. Civilian
6. Fish
7. Plains
8. Hot as Day
9. We Were Wealth
10. Doubt

Wye Oak on tour:
* = The Decemberists
# = Lower Dens
% = Callers
1/24 – 26 New York, NY Beacon Theatre *
1/28 – 29 Boston, MA House of Blues *
1/31 Montreal, QC Olympia de Montreal *
2/1 Toronto, ON The Sound Academy *
2/2 Royal Oak, MI Royal Oak Music Theatre *
2/4 Chicago, IL Riviera Theatre *
3/11 Washington, DC Black Cat #
3/12 Chapel Hill, NC Local 506 #
3/13 Atlanta, GA The Earl #
3/15 Norman, OK The Opolis #
3/21 Tucson, AZ Solar Culture %
3/22 San Diego, CA Casbah %
3/24 Los Angeles, CA The Echo %
3/25 San Francisco, CA Bottom of the Hill %
3/27 Vancouver, BC Media Club %
3/29 Portland, OR Mississippi Studios %
3/31 Nampa, ID Flying M Coffee %
4/1 Salt Lake City, UT Kilby Court %
4/2 Denver, CO Larimer Lounge %
4/3 Omaha, NE Slowdown Jr %
4/4 Iowa City, IA The Mill %
4/5 St. Paul, MN Turf Club %
4/6 Appleton, WI Lawrence University %
4/15 Philadelphia, PA Johnny Brenda’s

Vote for The Clientele’s cover of MIA’s “Paper Planes,” Wye Oak’s cover of The Kinks’ “Strangers,” & Superchunk’s cover of The Cure’s “In Between Days to make the “Top 5″ and watch a wrap up of all 25 covers at the AV Club.

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

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

Their new EP, My Neighbor / My Creator is available via digital download in the Merge store and at your favorite digital outlets and local record stores.

Wye Oak on tour:
* = w/ Lou Barlow
% = w/ The Mountain Goats
# = w/ David Bazan
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 *
Oct 04 Lawrence, KS – Bottleneck %
Oct 05 Columbia, MO – The Blue Note %
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 #

Wye Oak’s new EP My Neighbor / My Creator is available now at all digital outlets. The limited-edition CDEP will be in stores on June 8, but you can pre-order it now in the Merge store. Wye Oak have just completed their tour with Shearwater, but check back for more dates soon, and if you haven’t yet, watch Jenn and Andy perform live from NPR’s “tiny desk”!

“The Baltimore duo’s most beautiful recording yet.” ~Tripwire

As always, you can find new albums from all of these artists and more in our handy Merge store.

Free Merge 2010 digital sampler track listing:
1. Radar Brothers – Horses Warriors (from The Illustrated Garden)
2. Let’s Wrestle – I Won’t Lie to You (from In the Court of the Wrestling Let’s)
3. Destroyer – The Very Modern Dance (from Streethawk: A Seduction)
4. Shout Out Louds – Fall Hard (from Work)
5. Spoon – Written in Reverse (from Transference)
6. Lou Barlow – Don’t Apologize (from Goodnight Unknown)
7. She & Him – Thieves (from Volume Two)
8. Superchunk – Learned to Surf (from Leaves in the Gutter)
9. Alec Bathgate – Glide (from Stroke: Songs for Chris Knox)
10. The Clientele – I Wonder Who We Are (from Bonfires on the Heath)
11. Caribou – Odessa (from Swim)
12. The Clean – In the Dreamlife U Need a Rubber Soul (from Mister Pop)
13. Wye Oak – I Hope You Die (from My Neighbor / My Creator)
14. Lambchop – Give It (from Live at XX Merge)

Watch and listen now at NPR.org! Purchase the digital download of My Neighbor / My Creator or pre-order the limited-edition CD-EP now in the Merge store.

Our helpful flyer is below – click to make it larger & to print it to take with you! Share the link on your twitter & Facebook, too!

Spoon are headlining the NPR show at Stubbs BBQ on Wednesday, March 17 (12:15 am) and She & Him are playing a free, open to the public show at Auditorium Shores on Saturday March 20 (8 pm).  Superchunk are playing a free Village Voice day party at La Zona Rosa on March 19 (3 pm).

Merge Showcase @ Cedar Street Courtyard
208 West 4th St b/t Colorado & Lavaca
Thursday, March 18th
7 PM
(from first to last)
Special Guest
Let’s Wrestle
Radar Brothers
She & Him
Wye Oak
Lou Barlow + the missingmen
The Love Language

Merge @ Homeslice Pizza’s “Music by the Slice” Party
1415 Congress Ave.
Free & Open to the public

Thursday, March 18:
1:30 pm The Love Language
2:15 pm Radar Brothers

Friday, March 19:
Noon Let’s Wrestle
3:45  Wye Oak
6:45  Lou Barlow

Also, book events!

Our Noise event @ Book People (603 N. Lamar Blvd)
Wednesday, March 17 at 6PM
Free & Open to the Public
Mac & Laura will read selections from their book, Our Noise, and will perform covers of songs from selected bands mentioned in the book. They’ll be available to sign books afterwards, too.

Our Noise panel @ SXSW Convention Center
Thursday, March 18 at 2PM
Open to convention registrants only
Michael Azerrad will moderate a Q&A-style event with Mac & Laura about Our Noise and 20 years of Merge Records.

Collaborating with outside producers for the first time, Jenn Wasner and Andy Stack’s four new songs feel loose and direct, from the tumbling opener “My Neighbor” to the propulsive “Emmylou.” “My Creator” and “I Hope You Die” begin like ballads but soon reveal unexpected layers of saxophone and percussion over Wasner’s cascading vocals. Chris and Mickey Freeland, brothers with ties to everything from Oxes’ math-rock explorations to Baltimore’s indie hip-hop scene, helmed the new EP’s recordings in their own Beat Babies studio, and they bring new textures to Wye Oak’s ever-expanding sound. There’s a heavier reliance on keyboards, culminating in Mickey’s own stunning remix of The Knot’s “That I Do” which must be heard to be believed.

Anything but a stopgap, My Neighbor / My Creator is yet another significant step forward for this young band.

Download “I Hope You Die” from My Neighbor / My Creator now!

Track Listing:
1. My Neighbor
2. Emmylou
3. My Creator
4. I Hope You Die
5. That I Do (Mickey Free Remix)

Merge bands @ Music by the Slice!
Homeslice Pizza – 1415 S. Congress St. Austin, TX
Thursday:
1:30 The Love Language
2:15 Radar Brothers
Friday:
Noon Let’s Wrestle
3:45 Wye Oak
6:45 Lou Barlow

Full party line-up can be found here!

Spin Magazine described The Knot in their “Best Albums You May Have Missed” roundup, “Singer/guitarist Jenn Wasner’s hypnotic songwriting has obvious Americana roots, but on the duo’s sophomore full-length, her dreamy vocals artfully join ragged riffs to drummer/keyboardist Andy Stack’s layers of thunderstorm drums and surging keyboard drones.”

Preview and purchase The Knot on CD and digital download in the Merge store.

Also, listen and watch their live performance from the studios of Oregon Public Broadcasting!

Wye Oak on Tour:
1/29 Baltimore, MD G Spot
3/24 Atlanta, GA The Earl
3/25 Chapel Hill, NC Local 506
3/26 Washington, DC Rock and Roll Hotel
3/27 New York, NY Bowery Ballroom
3/28 Philadelphia, PA Johnny Brenda’s
3/30 Cambridge, MA TT The Bear’s
3/31 Montreal, QC Canada La Sala Rossa
4/01 Toronto, ON Canada Lee’s Palace
4/02 Ithaca, NY Castaways
4/04 Chicago, IL Lincoln Hall
4/06 Minneapolis, MN 400 Bar
4/07 Grinnell, IA Gardner Lounge – Grinnell College
4/09 Norman, OK The Opolis
*All shows with Shearwater except 1/29

2) Lambchop at XX Merge – You’ll find us in the front row, grinning and gawking. One of the happiest moments of the year.

3) Extra Golden at Floristree in Baltimore – Another fucking excellent show. Pure joy, and a full cardio workout. I didn’t stop twisting, bouncing and jerking with dance-spasms once in their entire hour and a half set. Additionally, their new record, Thank You Very Quickly, is totally great.

4) Lake – Let’s Build a Roof and Karl Blau - Zebra – Was fortunate enough to play with these guys here in Baltimore at the end of our last tour. Both released excellent new records. Both gave warm and inspiring performances. Both have received absurd amounts of late-fall early-winter play in our household.

5) Dirty Projectors – Bitte Orca – Have y’all heard of these guys? They’re pretty good I guess.

6) Height With Friends- Baltimore Highlands – Love to our boy Dan “Height” Keech, who has been quietly releasing a string of totally under appreciated and completely excellent records, of which this is our hands-down favorite. Featuring many talented Baltimore “Friends”  (disclosure: includes minimal contributions from yours and yours truly. Don’t let that scare you off, though.) I guess you can call this rap, if you want to be boring about it, but I really like to think of it as Blues/Rap/Other. Or Other/Blues/Spoken Word. Or Other/Other/Other. Killer beats, simple delivery, minimalist lyrics- but packs a hell of a punch.

7) Cass McCombs – Catacombs – This record is the only reason I can ever imagine wanting to get married, so that I could dance to “You Saved My Life”. Wait, fuck that, maybe I’ll just listen to it thousands of times instead. BEAUTIFUL album.

8) Animal Collective- Merriweather Post Pavilion – Being from Baltimore, I have lots of great outdoor concert memories from Merriweather Post. This record is like that, minus the $45 lawn seats and shitty overpriced chicken fingers.

9) Dan Deacon – Bromst - More Bmore love. This record helped to pass a lot of darker-than-dark, late-night drives through the most desolate parts of Utah, Idaho and eastern Oregon.

10) Akron Family- Set Em Wild, Set Em Free - Our friend Amy did the flag on the cover. That’s awesome. The record is great, too.

11) Bonus: Bon Iver- Blood Bank EP- Just for that stunning last track. Best use of autotune, ever. And I even LIKE autotune.

And more: Old favorites Yo La Tengo, Built to Spill, and Dinosaur Jr. all released sweet records this year. I probably didn’t need to tell you that. Yep, they’re great. Just wanted to acknowledge that we were aware of this.

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

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

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

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

Wye Oak played a set for MTV’s new Iggy Music while in New York a few months ago. The set is online now! Don’t forget about The Knot while compiling your Top 10 List for the year!

Wye Oak are on tour now in support of their new album, The Knot, get your copy in the Merge store!

Today on Converse.com, see Wye Oak play an acoustic version of “Take It In” from their new album, The Knot.

The Wye Oak video joins an ongoing series at Converse.com showcasing six Merge bands performing stripped-down sets somewhat spontaneously in various locations during the festival. Visit the XX Merge section of Converse.com for videos from Superchunk, The Clientele, Telekinesis, Lou Barlow, and now Wye Oak.

Check back next week for the next clip in this series of unique sessions courtesy of Converse.com. And don’t forget to check out the Merge channel at Babelgum for live footage from the XX Merge shows held July 22-26th at the Cat’s Cradle and Memorial Hall.

Jenn, Andy, and filmmaker Matthew Yake collaborated to create what Jenn describes as a “reality-meets-fantasy portrait of a day in the life of…well, whoever you want it to be.”

See Wye Oak on tour beginning next week! Preview The Knot, and order your copy now in the Merge store.

photo by Jimmy Fontaine

Wye Oak were featured in the “Breaking Out” section of the September issue of Spin Magazine on newstands now! Jenn and Andy went to NYC for a photo shoot and we think they look fabulous!

Wye Oak will be on tour throughout September and October. Their new album, The Knot, is available on CD and digital download in the Merge store.

Watch the Lou Barlow documentary-style video about the process of making Goodnight Unknown. This behind-the-scenes vignette is the first in a series of videos from Goodnight Unknown that will be unveiled weekly leading up to its October 6 release date. Download “Gravitate” from Goodnight Unknown, too, and be sure to see Lou Barlow + The Missingmen on tour this fall!

Wye Oak‘s “Take It In” from their new record The Knot was featured on NPR Music as the “Song of the Day” yesterday. Listen and read the review here and order your copy of The Knot on CD and digital download in the Merge store. Go see Wye Oak on tour this fall, too!