We’re happy to welcome Crooked Fingers back to the Merge family with the release of Breaks in the Armor, available today on CD, LP, and digital download.

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 lives in Athens, Georgia, these days, where he recorded Breaks in the Armor 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 – Maxwell’s
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

The holiday season starts a little earlier this year with the release of She & Him’s first-ever holiday collection, A Very She & Him Christmas, on October 24.

Fans who pre-order A Very She & Him Christmas on CD or red vinyl LP in the Merge store have the option of ordering the album with a knitted She & Him holiday hat and/or mittens. Physical pre-orders will include exclusive She & Him wrapping paper, while supplies last. Pre-order the digital version of the album at iTunes. A portion of the album’s sales will support literary organization 826 National.

Inspired by seminal holiday albums by the likes of The Carpenters, Vince Guaraldi, The Beach Boys, Elvis Presley and more, She & Him set out to create an intimate holiday recording of Christmas classics that helps bring new emotions out of old songs. On A Very She & Him Christmas, Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward let the songs speak for themselves, oftentimes recording them with just acoustic guitar and vocals. Consistent in everything are the elements that have made She & Him one of the most loved bands of the last few years–Deschanel’s soulful vocal delivery and Ward’s impressive guitar work, both sounding as timeless as ever.

Get into the holiday spirit with a free download of “The Christmas Waltz,” the album’s opening track.

A Very She & Him Christmas track listing:
1. The Christmas Waltz
2. Christmas Day
3. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
4. I’ll Be Home for Christmas
5. Christmas Wish
6. Sleigh Ride
7. Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree
8. Silver Bells
9. Baby, It’s Cold Outside
10. Blue Christmas
11. Little Saint Nick
12. The Christmas Song

Wild Flag, the 4-piece rock group that includes Carrie Brownstein, Mary Timony, Rebecca Cole, and Janet Weiss, recently kicked off an extensive tour to promote its acclaimed self-titled debut album. Eleanor Friedberger joins them on a number of dates this month. Don’t miss these ladies when they come through your town!

Rolling Stone reviewed Wild Flag, saying: “There are no wasted moments here–these are lifers who know exactly what they’re doing.” Watch as the band members lead double lives in the Tom Scharpling-directed video for the song “Romance.”

Order the album on CD, LP or digital download in the Merge store, or buy it from your favorite retail outlet today!

Wild Flag on tour:
# – w/ Eleanor Friedberger
Oct 11 Toronto, ON – Lee’s Palace
Oct 13 Middletown, CT – Wesleyan University
Oct 14 Boston, MA – Paradise #
Oct 15 Brooklyn, NY – Bell House
Oct 16 Hoboken, NJ – Maxwell’s #
Oct 18 New York, NY – Bowery Ballroom # w/ Hospitality
Oct 19 Philadelphia, PA – Union Transfer #
Oct 20 Washington, DC – Black Cat #
Oct 21 Carrboro, NC – Cat’s Cradle #
Oct 22 Athens, GA – 40 Watt #
Oct 24 Birmingham, AL – Bottletree #
Oct 26 New Orleans, LA – One Eyed Jacks #
Oct 27 Houston, TX – Fitzgerald’s Downstairs
Oct 28 Dallas, TX – The Loft
Oct 29 Austin, TX – Emo’s
Oct 31 Tempe, AZ – Rhythm Room
Nov 01 San Diego, CA – Casbah
Nov 02 Los Angeles, CA – Troubadour
Nov 03 Los Angeles, CA – Troubadour
Nov 04 San Francisco, CA – Great American Music Hall
Nov 05 San Francisco, CA – Great American Music Hall
Nov 07 Arcata, CA – Humboldt State
Nov 09 Portland, OR – Doug Fir
Nov 10 Portland, OR – Doug Fir
Nov 11 Seattle, WA – Neumos
Nov 12 Vancouver, BC – Biltmore Cabaret
Dec 08 London, UK – The Lexington
Dec 09 Minehead, UK – ATP Nightmare Before Christmas

On October 24, Merge Records will reissue The Magnetic Fields’ classic Holiday on 180-gram vinyl, marking the album’s first appearance in LP format. Holiday was originally released in 1994 by Feel Good All Over and subsequently reissued on CD by Merge in 1999. The album has been remastered for vinyl by Jeff Lipton at Peerless Mastering.

Salon wrote a review of the album back in 1999, saying “Holiday [...] shouldn’t be missed–it’s Merritt’s most sonically striking record to date, and it’s full of darkly hilarious, inconceivably catchy songwriting.” You can read the full article here.

In addition to the LP pre-order, we are offering a limited-time, specially priced 4x LP pre-order bundle of all three Magnetic Fields vinyl reissues (Holiday, Charm of the Highway Strip, and Get Lost) plus Stephin Merritt’s recently released Obscurities. All LPs include a download coupon.

Holiday track listing:
1. BBC Radiophonic Workshop
2. Desert Island
3. Deep Sea Diving Suit
4. Strange Powers
5. Torn Green Velvet Eyes
6. The Flowers She Sent and the Flowers She Said She Sent
7. Swinging London
8. In My Secret Place
9. Sad Little Moon
10. The Trouble I’ve Been Looking For
11. Sugar World
12. All You Ever Do Is Walk Away
13. In My Car
14. Take Ecstasy With Me

On October 24, Wye Oak’s sophomore album, The Knot, will be available for the first time ever on vinyl! All LP copies will include a digital download coupon. Be one of the first 90 customers to pre-order the LP in the Merge store and receive a poster signed by the band.

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 have been on the road almost constantly and play the last of their dates with Explosions in the Sky this week. They’ll join The National at the end of November, with some solo shows sprinkled in as well. Check the band’s tour page for a full list of dates.

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

Remember, the first 90 pre-orders of The Knot on vinyl in the Merge store will include a poster signed by Wye Oak, so reserve your copy today!

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

The Rosebuds are back on the road this fall for a headlining tour of the east coast and midwest! You can catch new Merge artists Hospitality opening for them on a handful of dates as well.

Read a recent interview with Kelly and Ivan at AbsolutePunk.net, and visit Magnet for an exclusive Rosebuds mixtape!

You can pick up their latest album, Loud Planes Fly Low, on CD, LP or digital in the Merge store today.

The Rosebuds on tour:
Oct 11 Allston, MA – Brighton Music Hall w/ Mount Moriah
Oct 12 New York, NY – Bowery Ballroom w/ Mount Moriah
Oct 13 Buffalo, NY – Tralf Music Hall w/ Mount Moriah
Oct 14 Detroit, MI – Magic Stick w/ Hospitality (early show – 7pm)
Oct 15 Chicago, IL – Schubas Tavern w/ Hospitality
Oct 16 Appleton, WI – Lawrence University
Oct 19 Carrboro, NC – Cat’s Cradle w/ Hospitality & Heather McEntire
Oct 20 Washington, DC – Rock & Roll Hotel w/ Hospitality & The Moderate
Oct 21 Richmond , VA – The Camel w/ Mount Moriah
Oct 29 Paris, France – Pitchfork Music Festival @ Le Grande Halle de la Villette

Hospitality, the newest band on the Merge roster, will be joining The Rosebuds for a few live shows this fall! Their debut full-length will be released on Merge in early 2012. More details will be announced soon.

The angular, intricate, and intelligent compositions of Hospitality signal a sophisticated new pop voice. Singer Amber Papini’s idiosyncratic songwriting and incisive lyrics coupled with the band’s rich arrangements on its self-titled debut explore youth, New York, and the bittersweet commingling of past and present in a way that feels just right, right now.

Papini’s singing has a wisp of an English accent via Kansas City (she learned to sing by imitating Richard Butler on The Psychedelic Furs’ Talk Talk Talk), and her lyrics create a moonstruck, even cinematic vision of New York City, where the band formed in 2007. The production by Shane Stoneback (Vampire Weekend, Sleigh Bells) and band member Nathan Michel imbues the entire record with an intimate yet prodigious sound, layering period keyboards with horns, synthesizers, and treated guitars.

Hospitality is Brian Betancourt, Nathan Michel, Kyle Olson, and Amber Papini.

Listen to “Friends of Friends,” a track from the forthcoming Hospitality album, visit the band’s Facebook page, and follow them on Twitter!

Hospitality on tour:
Oct 14 Detroit, MI – Magic Stick w/ The Rosebuds (early show – 7pm)
Oct 15 Chicago, IL – Schubas Tavern w/ The Rosebuds & Heather McEntire
Oct 18 New York, NY – Bowery Ballroom w/ Wild Flag & Eleanor Friedberger
Oct 19 Carrboro, NC – Cat’s Cradle w/ The Rosebuds
Oct 20 Washington, DC – Rock & Roll Hotel w/ The Rosebuds

Michael, Jason, and Cody of Telekinesis recently made their TV debut on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. Watch the clip here!

The trio have been touring with Death Cab for Cutie, and they play their final show together at Austin Music Hall tonight. Just prior to that, Telekinesis will be appearing at Waterloo Records at 6 p.m. Don’t miss them!

The second full-length from Telekinesis, 12 Desperate Straight Lines, is available now in the Merge store and at your favorite retail outlets.

Telekinesis on tour:
Oct 11 Austin, TX – Waterloo Records (in-store performance @ 6pm)
Oct 11 Austin, TX – Austin Music Hall w/ Death Cab for Cutie
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

The remastered reissue of Superchunk’s landmark 1994 album Foolish is available now on CD, LP, and digital download in the Merge store and at your favorite retail outlets.

The CD and LP versions include the following bonus material: The Clambakes, Vol. 6: One in a Row, a 64-minute live recording from 1994 of Superchunk’s show at First Avenue in Minneapolis during the Foolish tour; three songs from rehearsals in Jon Wurster’s basement taped just before the band entered the studio to record the album; and the three acoustic b-sides from the “Driveway to Driveway” EP.

Pitchfork explains why Foolish has held up so well over the years in its glowing review. And you can watch Jon Wurster dance around in his pajamas in the video for “The First Part” directed by Phil Morrison and Peyton Reed.

Superchunk will be playing a handful of European dates in late November/early December, including a show at London’s Scala with Let’s Wrestle!

Be sure to pick up your copy of Foolish on CD, LP, or digital download today!

Superchunk on tour:
Nov 25 Madrid, Spain – Primavera Club 2011
Nov 26 Barcelona, Spain – Primavera Club 2011
Dec 01 London, UK – Scala w/ Let’s Wrestle
Dec 02 Minehead, UK – All Tomorrow’s Parties, curated by Jeff Mangum

Richard Buckner stopped by the KDHX studios in St. Louis before playing the Billiken Club and played a 4-song set for the radio waves. The session is now archived at KDHX.org!

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

Our Blood is available in stores and online now.

Richard Buckner European tour:
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

The duo of Alasdair MacLean of The Clientele and Lupe Núñez-Fernández of Pipas, collectively known as Amor de Días, have released a second video from their debut album, Street of the Love of Days. This latest video is for the song “Season of Light” and was filmed and edited by Alasdair.

“The songs are rich in sound and with Alasdair’s bossa nova-tinged guitar lines (and those voices), perfect for any occasion, but mostly crisp autumn nights” ~Blurt

Amor de Días will perform at Seekmagic Sunday at the Social in London on October 16.

Street of the Love of Days is available now on CD, LP, and digital download in the Merge store.

Spoon will be contributing a song to the forthcoming benefit compilation Luz de Vida: A Compilation to Benefit the Victims of the Tucson Tragedy, which will be released on Fort Lowell Records on October 18. The other musicians on the album either hail from Tucson or have ties to the city and include Calexico, John Vanderslice, Robyn Hitchcock, and Neko Case, among many others.

All proceeds from the sale of Luz de Vida will go to the Tucson Together Fund, the only officially sanctioned fund established to assist victims, families, and witnesses of the January 8 shooting tragedy that occurred there. Read more about this worthwhile effort at musicagainstviolence.org.

In other Spoon-related news, the band has announced that it will be performing at Fun Fun Fun Fest on Saturday, November 5, at Auditorium Shores in Austin, TX. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to catch Spoon live in concert. Full-festival and single-day tickets are available here.

Pick up Spoon’s most recent full-length, Transference, or any of the band’s previous releases in the Merge store today.