merge blog

Happy Thanksgiving!

noreply@blogger.com (ohmerge) — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 15:00:00 +0000

Julian - son of Friend of Merge, Karen Glauber

Bebban - daughter of Sasha Bell (The Essex Green)

Here are a couple of Merge babies to send you off on your Thanksgiving holiday. In the true spirit of giving, instead of running out to the mall on "Black Friday," subscribe to SCORE! in the comfort of your own home! All proceeds go to charity. And check back on Monday for some excellent sales in the Merge store.

Also, this just in! Listen to NPR's Morning Edition on Friday morning for an interview with Conor Oberst!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Love,
Merge

Lambchop in a Black Cab

noreply@blogger.com (ohmerge) — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 16:48:00 +0000

Check out other Black Cab sessions including Spoon at blackcabsessions.com.

Caribou donates Polaris money to charity

noreply@blogger.com (ohmerge) — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 16:35:00 +0000

photo from Polaris awards ceremony

Caribou Donates Polaris Prize Money to Charities
11/20/2008 By Brock Thiessen
Exclaim.ca

If there was any doubt Dan Snaith was an all-around nice guy, the man better known as Caribou is giving his $20,000 Polaris Prize money to charity. Via Caribou’s website, Snaith recently announced that two Canadian charities — Ecojustice and the Stephen Lewis Foundation — will receive the bulk of the cash prize, while the remaining money will be used to finance Caribou’s next album, which he’s in the early stages of recording, he revealed.

When discussing his choices of charities, Snaith had this to say about donating to Ecojustice: "I have always thought of Canada as an environmentally progressive place... however, recently the Canadian government has acted as a global obstacle to climate action. In a study this year Canada ranked 29th out of 30 industrialized nations for tackling climate change."

On the Stephen Lewis Foundation, he said: "They fund community-based projects in Sub-Saharan Africa, which address the fact that the AIDS epidemic affects not only those infected but their care networks and communities as a whole, emphasizing women, orphans and grandmothers."

According to CBC Radio 3 (which alerted us to this story), previous Polaris Prize winner Patrick Watson allegedly spent the $20,000 on a hot tub and a crashed rental van, while Final Fantasy invested his money back into Blocks Recording Club and helped his boyfriend pay off some student loans. (We’ll leave it up to you to decide which winner has spent his money most wisely.)

As previously reported, Caribou took home this year’s Polaris Prize for his 2007 album, Andorra.

The Rosebuds LIVE on KEXP today, 11/20!!

noreply@blogger.com (ohmerge) — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 19:58:00 +0000

Tune in to KEXP.ORG today, 11/20, at 4pm pacific to hear The Rosebuds LIVE on KEXP!

The Rosebuds are currently rocking the west coast, so be sure to catch them!

11.20 Seattle WA Tractor Tavern
11.21 Anacortes WA The Department of Safety
11.22 Portland OR Doug Fir Lounge
11.24 San Francisco CA The Independent
11.25 Los Angeles CA The Echo
11.26 Tucson AZ Solar Culture Gallery
11.28 Denton TX Hailey's
11.29 Austin TX Mohawk
12.01 Atlanta GA The Earl
12.03 Raleigh NC The Pour House

The Broken West retool on Daytrotter

noreply@blogger.com (ohmerge) — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 15:03:00 +0000

The Broken West stopped by Daytrotter on their last tour to rework some of the songs on I Can't Go On, I'll Go On, and this fall's Now or Heaven.

Give it a listen!

"You wouldn't be there, I'd be out with my ho's"

noreply@blogger.com (ohmerge) — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 15:35:00 +0000

Wye Oak: Life Swap.

Wye Oak discuss Lil Wayne and much more at Uncensoredinterview.com. Watch clips or view the interview in it's entirety.

Wye Oak's debut album, If Children, is available on CD and digital download in the Merge store.

Chazzy from Guv'ner checks in!

noreply@blogger.com (ohmerge) — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 19:23:00 +0000

hallelujah

Truly great things are afoot, what with the election of our new president on Tuesday, and more recently, the nationwide release of Role Models.

First: Obama!! Tied for first: Role Models, a raunchy comedy with a sweet aftertaste (not official tagline). The number two movie in our renewed democracy!! (not official tagline either)

I wrote and performed the end-credits song "Love Take Me Down" and helped my good friend Craig Wedren with the score. The soundtrack should be on iTunes any day. Paul Rudd stars, David Wain directs! Don't bring the kids, but do spread the word!

In other news, my music is featured in a film on photographer Catherine Opie's retrospective at the Guggenheim. Watch it!

hallelujah
Charles "Chazzy" Gansa of Guv'ner

Conor Oberst debuts "Nicorette" on Conan

noreply@blogger.com (ohmerge) — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 19:41:00 +0000

The Broken West LIVE on KEXP Today, 11/11!

noreply@blogger.com (ohmerge) — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 20:30:00 +0000

The Broken West will stop by KEXP this afternoon for a live session! Tune in around 4pm pacific, 7 eastern, for the set and interview!

Later tonight, they're playing the Tractor Tavern in Seattle with the Heartless Bastards.

Lambchop & Wye Oak cheer Obama to victory in a European truckers' lounge!

noreply@blogger.com (ohmerge) — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 16:05:00 +0000

email & photos sent to Merge from Wye Oak

Hey Pals,

I'm sure everyone over at Merge HQ has had a spring in their step in the last few days. We each breathed a huge sigh of relief when the election returns came in. As it happened, we were on a ferry boat between England and France when the election got called. We (Jenn and myself, and the members of Dr. Dog) all huddled around the only television we could find, in the commercial truckers' lounge on the boat, and watched Obama make his speech. And who should we happen to run into in that lounge but Kurt Wagner and his Lambchop team! They were on the same boat, headed for continental Europe to play some shows. We all shared a drink in the spirit of hope and then parted ways. Since then, everyone over here at our European shows has been in high spirits about the shift in US politics. It's a great time to be American!

xo
Andy + Jenn

new Music Tapes video for "Majesty"!

noreply@blogger.com (ohmerge) — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 14:53:00 +0000

Directed by Belliah Gallons!

There is one more chance to catch Julian Koster on the road this year! Check MergeRecords.com for The Music Tapes Caroling Tour beginning next week!

These will be caroling events (not house concerts) and there will be no monetary recompense of any kind asked for. People who wish to make a donation to the Carolers Travel Fund via the orbitinghumancircus.com website where all Caroling updates and information will be found.

Richard Buckner Speaks

noreply@blogger.com (ohmerge) — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 16:41:00 +0000

To all of you (you know who you are):

There’s a web site, richardbuckner.com, with a ‘be-back-later’ note. Since there’s nothing going on right now, it sits as a future dig, waiting for a body. In the meantime, the iron chefs at Merge have been kind enough to set me up with a kitchen island to use as a rant-site until my cookies are baked. We’ll begin in grand O.C.D. style, with a syllabus:

I. What Happened

II. What’s Happening

III. What Might Happen

Thank you. Please turn off your cell phone and pour a drink. The following may or may not include images of punk-assed music critics (“fast-eating tongue swallowers”-Merck Manual 2008), the world outside of the music industry (from Know Where Your Head Is Stuck: A Guide), and audience/performer perimeters (“Really? I don’t remember doing that...”).

Enjoy.

I. What Happened

I have no idea.

II. What’s Happening

In 2007, while touring on fumes, I finished a film score for a movie called “Dreamboy”, based on a book by Jim Grimsley and directed by James Bolton. The movie is currently club-hopping around the theater scene after being featured at the Berlin Film Festival earlier this year.

“Awake, My Soul: The Story of the Sacred Harp” is a documentary that was featured on PBS. Sacred Harp singing is a form of a cappella, shape-note singing born in the churches of the rural deep south over 200 years ago. The soundtrack to this film has been released this year along with “Help Me To Sing”, a compilation of Sacred Harp songs reinterpreted by artists such as Danielson Famile and John Paul Jones. I was asked to contribute and recorded a song called “Windham”. Beginning with the lyrics “Broad is the road that leads to death...” , my version aurally lends itself to an apparition of the Osmond Brothers waking up hungover in a Nashville cathouse after finding Andy Williams’ Pall Mall stash.

I was also commissioned by Timothy McSweeney’s Quarterly Concern to write a poem for an upcoming theme issue called “Endangered Species”, focusing on archaic literary genres from various cultures and time periods. I was assigned the task of writing a piece based on the rules of what are referred to as troubadours’ songs. As the editors described, “In the high middle ages, the troubadours wrote songs of chivalry, political disputes, and the ubiquitous maidens fair. These songs took a narrative form; some told stories of noble adventure (cansos), while others focused on politically-charged satire (sirventes).” While a fist-clenching politico was tempting, I chose to write a canso and set it to music for an accompanying track that will be available on their web site at some point in the alleged future.

Currently, I’m trolling through ideas and accidents for another record or two and trying to settle internal arguments on presentation and format. I’m also attempting to construct a series of short stories based on views and visions from my various allotted Catskill detentions.

My first six recordings Bloomed, Devotion & Doubt, Since, The Hill, Richard Buckner (an untitled collection of acoustic recordings) and Impasse are out of print. They will all be legally available online very soon.

III. What Might Happen

I’m afraid to ask.

In the meantime...

Please check out my friend Willy Vlautin’s writings.

Thanks again for reading. I’ll write again when something happens, whether it happens or not.

R

Elephant 6 Concert & Julian Koster interview on NPR

noreply@blogger.com (ohmerge) — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 15:49:00 +0000

NPR recorded the Elephant 6 Holiday Surprise Tour when it visited Chicago last week. They also interviewed Julian, and took some amazing photos. Listen, look and download at npr.com/music.

Start your letter writing campaign for Julian and the Singing Saws to come caroling at your house next month, and order your copies of Music Tapes for Clouds and Tornadoes and The Singing Saw at Christmastime.

(CONTINUED: Click permalink below for a video of Jeff Mangum's appearance at the Chicago e6 show from The Onion.

video of Jeff Mangum singing "Engine" from The Onion

The Onion's review of the Chicago show.

The Broken West on WFUV!

noreply@blogger.com (ohmerge) — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 20:47:00 +0000

The Broken West visited WFUV in the Bronx while they were in New York for this year's CMJ events! Watch a studio taping of "Gwen, Now and Then" below!

CMJ 2008

noreply@blogger.com (ohmerge) — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 17:11:00 +0000

Portastatic @ Merge showcase
photo from Metromix by Ryan Muir

See lots more Merge showcase photos and mini-interviews at Metromix Reports, photos and videos are rolling in from CMJ 2008. Post 'em if we missed some!

Wye Oak @ Merge Showcase
Nicholas Roberts for NY Times

(CONTINUED: Click permalink below for more CMJ 2008 wrap up photos, videos and chat. Click all links for even more photos.

Wye Oak @ BrooklynVegan party
video from NY Times

photo from Prefix Media
The Rosebuds @ The Bell House

photo from Stereogum
The Music Tapes @ Merge Showcase

photo from Brooklyn Vegan
Wye Oak @ BrooklynVegan Party

Idolator has several other Wye Oak videos!

The Music Tapes mini-video taken of the metronome at the Merge showcase!

The Broken West @ Paste/KCRW Space
photo from hooves on the turf

From QRO Magazine's CMJ coverage.

Rock Baltimore For Change With Wye Oak

noreply@blogger.com (ohmerge) — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 20:31:00 +0000

(clicky for bigger readin' words)

HOPE NIGHT

An Event to Support Barack Obama

featuring Wye Oak and Caleb Stine

Sunday, October 26th 7:00pm

The Metro Gallery

Hope. The word is in deep trouble. But help is on the way. HOPE is on the way. On October 26th, Baltimoreans can gather together to impact an election that is probably the most important of our lives. Wye Oak and Caleb Stine invite you to Hope Night at Metro Gallery, an evening of music, film, and activism in support of Democratic Presidential candidate Barack Obama.

Obama campaign coordinators will be on hand collecting donations, signing up volunteers, and explaining ways that everyone out there can help. All proceeds from the event will go directly to the Obama campaign's efforts to support Maryland volunteers traveling to Virginia and Pennsylvania on Election Day. This is an all-ages family event that carries the spirit of Obama's campaign, which has thrived on participation from everyone.

Fear and negativity have been far too prevalent in the political process as of late, but we believe that elections should be based on the issues and a sense of positive change. That's why so many of us feel empowered by Obama's vision. Please join us for a fun night as we celebrate hope and look toward a brighter future for America.

Metro Gallery is located at 1700 N. Charles St., Baltimore, MD.
For questions about the event, please contact Caleb Stine @ 443-742-4828

Holiday Surprise Photoblogging!

noreply@blogger.com (ohmerge) — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 17:19:00 +0000

Last Thursday, the Elephant 6 Collective stopped by to share their music, movie, and presents! The first stop: a fantastic all-ages in-store at CD Alley, followed later by the full Holiday Surprise performance at Local 506. Let's see if we can give you a little view into what we saw:

JULIAN KOSTER on SINGING SAW

NANA GRIZOL IN-STORE

THEO/ANDREW

ELEPHANT 6 ORCHESTRA

CIRCULATORY SYSTEM

THE MUSIC TAPES

THE GERBILS

ELF POWER

JULIAN & SCOTT playing "THE FOOL"

Many thanks to Will C. and Marc S. for taking these pictures! Thanks to CD Alley for letting us overrun the store for a few hours, and to the 506 for being generally awesome! And lastly, thanks to the Elephant 6 for brightening our lives!

Lambchop's Kurt Wagner gets tiny

noreply@blogger.com (ohmerge) — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 16:07:00 +0000

Kurt dropped by Bob Boilen's (not Dylan!) office to regale the NPR tastemakers with a few songs. Listen and watch!

Order OH (ohio) now!

Wye Oak on Daytrotter - 2 new songs!

noreply@blogger.com (ohmerge) — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 14:05:00 +0000

Check out the Wye Oak session on Daytrotter for two unreleased songs - "Mary is Mary" and "Remember, Above" from the band's visit to Daytrotter earlier this year.

Tour Dates:
10.23 Brooklyn, NY @ The Bell House w/ The Rosebuds, The Ladybug Transistor
10.25 New York, NY @ Mercury Lounge MERGE CMJ SHOWCASE
12.04 Washington, DC @ Black Cat Backstage
12.05 New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom

Holiday Surprise Tour Starts Tonight!/Music Tapes Popfest

noreply@blogger.com (ohmerge) — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 15:36:00 +0000

(stealing your pic, ~~Optical Atlas~~ quixoticgoat!)

To honor of the kick-off of the great Elephant 6 Holiday Surprise Tour (which starts tonight at Ciné in Athens, GA), here is the amazing Music Tapes set (mp3/flac) from this year's Athens Popfest, as recorded by the great Lance Stack.

The Rosebuds on the cover of the Indy!

noreply@blogger.com (ohmerge) — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 14:10:00 +0000

The Rosebuds are on the cover of this week's Independent, the weekly paper in the triangle. Read the article and pre-order Life Like on CD/LP/MP3/FLAC in the Merge store.

Shout Out Louds make Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist!

noreply@blogger.com (ohmerge) — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 16:00:00 +0000

Notice anything awesome about the posters in Nick's room, too?

Shout Out Louds' Our Ill Wills available on CD/LP/MP3/FLAC in the Merge store.

The Broken West visit KUT TODAY!

noreply@blogger.com (ohmerge) — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 17:52:00 +0000

Tune in at 2pm Central time today, 10/1, to hear The Broken West live on Austin's KUT!

The band is heading home for a few short weeks, but will hit the road again before you know it (aka November)!

November
11.07 Los Angeles CA Spaceland
11.08 San Francisco CA The Independent
11.10 Portland OR Doug Fir Lounge
11.11 Seattle WA Tractor Tavern

Now or Heaven is in stores now.

Oakley Hall

noreply@blogger.com (ohmerge) — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 15:14:00 +0000

Oakley Hall played at Webster Hall with Calexico and Brooklyn Vegan has some great pictures (including the one above).

See Oakley Hall live, and order a copy of I'll Follow You.

10/23 New York NY @ 92nd St Y - w/ Charlie Louvin
10/25 New York NY @ The Mercury Lounge - Merge CMJ showcase!

Elephant 6 Holiday Surprise Tour Surprise Date!

noreply@blogger.com (ohmerge) — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 18:26:00 +0000

Did you really expect the much-anticipated Holiday Surprise Tour not to have an Athens date? Georgians and non-Georgians alike can head down to Ciné on October 7th to catch the world premiere of the "Major Organ and the Adding Machine" short film by Joey Foreman and Eric Harris, followed by the Elephant 6 Orchestra's first presentation of the tour event of the fall!

(Hey Orange Twin, I stole your picture and hope that's ok!)

Major Organ and the Adding Machine trailer:

In other Music Tapes news, there has been an update to the always-fun, ever-mysterious Orbital Human Circus.

Places in time and space:

10/07 Athens, GA @ Ciné
10/09 Chapel Hill, NC @ Local 506
10/11 NYC, NY @ Knitting Factory
10/12 Boston, MA @ The Church
10/14 Portland, ME @ Space Gallery
10/15 New Haven, CT @ The Space
10/16 Purchase, NY @ SUNY Purchase
10/17 Rochester, NY @ The Bug Jar
10/18 Pittsburgh, PA @ Brillobox
10/19 Columbus, OH @ Wexner Center
10/20 Pontiac, MI @ Pike Room - Crofoot
10/21 Chicago, IL @ Bottom Lounge
10/22 Bloomington, IN @ Cinemat
10/23 Lexington, KY @ University of Kentucky
10/25 NYC, NY @ Mercury Lounge (The Music Tapes only)