Dan Bejar started Destroyer as a solo home-recording project in the early to mid-nineties. In 1996, he released his debut full length of stripped-down, lo-fi electric folk, We'll Build Them a Golden Bridge. Soon the Destroyer template expanded to include a rhythm section, and Bejar was compelled to head into a proper studio to record City of Daughters in 1998. It was with Daughters that Bejar began to develop his own unique lyrical voice, a voice that continued to evolve and refine itself over the course of his next two records, Thief and Streethawk: A Seduction. Destroyer seemingly had produced its masterwork with Streethawk, a highly refined send-up and condemnation of popular culture, an idea honed to razor-sharp precision. The album became one of the most acclaimed recordings of 2001, and the Destroyer mystique captured music fans and critics alike.
This Night, the Destroyer debut for Merge, is an epic full of indulgences and flights of fancy-the perfect foil to the sleek and streamlined approach of earlier recordings. This Night both baffles and seduces, leaving jaws on the floor and confounding both fans and critics. Bejar took another turn towards the unexpected with Your Blues, his second recording for Merge, wherein he stripped Destroyer down to its barest essentials once again, with MIDI-synthesizer symphonies that explored what Bejar dubbed "European Blues," a vainglorious retreat from American rock traditions, celebrating an exercise in old-world excess within limited means. Those who had been pining for a new Streethawk were left shaking their heads, forced to admit that the last thing Destroyer was ever going to give them was anything close to what they expected (or hoped for). Bejar had everyone right where he wanted: dazed, confused, and not knowing what was to come next.
What came next was yet another triumph. Destroyer's Rubies was hailed as the second coming by many longtime fans and firmly established Destroyer as a critical and commercial success without ever having compromised Bejar's vision at any point along the way. On its March 2006 cover, The Fader proclaimed him "Rock's Exiled King" and we could not agree more. But it was a case of self-imposed exile, as Bejar and company have never had much use for the trappings of indie-rock "fame."
Trouble in Dreams (2008) continued Dan Bejar's lyrical and musical assault on all that is stagnant in modern, popular music. His is a body of work that consistently flouts convention in favor of musical leaps of faith, statements of purpose cloaked in subterfuge, and the joyous refrain of an optimist's heart cloaked in cynicism. Anthems sprawl with shifting layers of guitar and piano, spinning just to the edge of chaos and back, while referencing fantastical realms and mysterious women who may or may not approve of our interloping voyeurism.
Written during an extended stay in Spain during the spring and summer of 2007, Trouble in Dreams is both soothing and jarring, sparing us neither his lyrical bite nor pulling any punches. Trouble in Dreams is yet another brilliant entry in the astonishing Destroyer canon.
Over the course of his career as Destroyer, Dan Bejar has established himself and his band as one of the most unpredictable success stories in modern, popular music. As a songwriter, Bejar is recognized as having few peers. As a musician, he is like the court jester, waiting in the wings, poking fun at those who take themselves too seriously and skewering those who would celebrate commerce as art.
www.destroyersongs.com
This Night, the Destroyer debut for Merge, is an epic full of indulgences and flights of fancy-the perfect foil to the sleek and streamlined approach of earlier recordings. This Night both baffles and seduces, leaving jaws on the floor and confounding both fans and critics. Bejar took another turn towards the unexpected with Your Blues, his second recording for Merge, wherein he stripped Destroyer down to its barest essentials once again, with MIDI-synthesizer symphonies that explored what Bejar dubbed "European Blues," a vainglorious retreat from American rock traditions, celebrating an exercise in old-world excess within limited means. Those who had been pining for a new Streethawk were left shaking their heads, forced to admit that the last thing Destroyer was ever going to give them was anything close to what they expected (or hoped for). Bejar had everyone right where he wanted: dazed, confused, and not knowing what was to come next.
What came next was yet another triumph. Destroyer's Rubies was hailed as the second coming by many longtime fans and firmly established Destroyer as a critical and commercial success without ever having compromised Bejar's vision at any point along the way. On its March 2006 cover, The Fader proclaimed him "Rock's Exiled King" and we could not agree more. But it was a case of self-imposed exile, as Bejar and company have never had much use for the trappings of indie-rock "fame."
Trouble in Dreams (2008) continued Dan Bejar's lyrical and musical assault on all that is stagnant in modern, popular music. His is a body of work that consistently flouts convention in favor of musical leaps of faith, statements of purpose cloaked in subterfuge, and the joyous refrain of an optimist's heart cloaked in cynicism. Anthems sprawl with shifting layers of guitar and piano, spinning just to the edge of chaos and back, while referencing fantastical realms and mysterious women who may or may not approve of our interloping voyeurism.
Written during an extended stay in Spain during the spring and summer of 2007, Trouble in Dreams is both soothing and jarring, sparing us neither his lyrical bite nor pulling any punches. Trouble in Dreams is yet another brilliant entry in the astonishing Destroyer canon.
Over the course of his career as Destroyer, Dan Bejar has established himself and his band as one of the most unpredictable success stories in modern, popular music. As a songwriter, Bejar is recognized as having few peers. As a musician, he is like the court jester, waiting in the wings, poking fun at those who take themselves too seriously and skewering those who would celebrate commerce as art.
www.destroyersongs.com
04/18/13
Record Store Day is this Saturday, April 20, and we have two very special vinyl releases to mark the occasion of one of our favorite days of the year! The only way to get your hands on them is to visit your local independent record store on April 20.
Superchunk – “Void” b/w “Faith” 7-inch
Two brand-new Superchunk songs on coke-bottle clear vinyl, with art designed by Mac. This 7-inch features hand-numbered sleeves printed at Barefoot Press (the original printer of all the 7-inches Merge put out “back in the day”) and is limited to 1,000 copies worldwide. It’s only available at your local record store beginning April 20!
Mac shared the inspiration behind the single:
The 2002 Merge debut of Destroyer, remastered and available on vinyl for the first time in the US. This special pressing of This Night is limited to 2,000 copies worldwide and is a Record Store Day exclusive. Visit our SoundCloud page to stream two tracks from This Night.
When asked for his thoughts about the album, Dan Bejar responded:
Superchunk – “Void” b/w “Faith” 7-inch
Two brand-new Superchunk songs on coke-bottle clear vinyl, with art designed by Mac. This 7-inch features hand-numbered sleeves printed at Barefoot Press (the original printer of all the 7-inches Merge put out “back in the day”) and is limited to 1,000 copies worldwide. It’s only available at your local record store beginning April 20!
Mac shared the inspiration behind the single:
I was in high school when I first heard one of my favorite hardcore records, the split album on Dischord with the bands Faith and Void, two very different DC punk bands. It’s a favorite of a lot of people, I think. I love both sides but everyone always refers to it as “Faith/Void,” so I wanted to have a single called “Void/Faith” and set about to write those songs. Thematically the titles were already in the neighborhood of where Superchunk’s next album was going anyway. The cover is even an abstracted homage to art on the Void side of the original. Musically we aren’t like either of those bands, but that era influences a lot of what we do. We recorded the single at Overdub Lane with Beau Sorenson and John Plymale, and it was mixed by Beau Sorenson.Destroyer – This Night double-LP
The 2002 Merge debut of Destroyer, remastered and available on vinyl for the first time in the US. This special pressing of This Night is limited to 2,000 copies worldwide and is a Record Store Day exclusive. Visit our SoundCloud page to stream two tracks from This Night.
When asked for his thoughts about the album, Dan Bejar responded:
Dear Customers,Remember, both of these releases will be available exclusively at your local independent record stores beginning Saturday, April 20! Find more information and a full list of releases & participating stores at RecordStoreDay.com.
For 10 years I’ve been telling people that This Night is my favorite of Destroyer’s nine LPs. I have not been lying. It’s got mystery and sass, lots of guitar playing in the style that I like, drumming that is so hard to capture you maybe had to be there. It is the first Destroyer album with full-on rock poetry of the kind I would chase deep into the 2000s, then abandon in this new corrupt decade. It is the first instance of me learning how to sing with my actual voice. We learned the songs fast and recorded them fast, but took our sweet time while playing them, which I think is a good mix. I turned 30 four days before the record hit the streets. But even before that, I knew This Night was doomed.
Yours,
db
08/09/12
The Destroyer band offered their take on Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci’s “Face Like Summer” to the A.V. Club’s Undercover “Summer Break.” The A.V. Club met up with Destroyer at the lovely Turner Hall in Milwaukee while the band was on tour earlier this summer.
Listen & watch Destroyer’s cover of Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci’s “Face Like Summer”
Also, see Destroyer perform “Libby’s First Sunrise” from Trouble in Dreams and read Dan’s 5-10-15-20 feature at Pitchfork.com.
Destroyer’s most recent release Kaputt is available now on CD, LP and digital download in the Merge store. Destroyer’s Rubies is also available in the Merge store on recently reissued double white vinyl.
Listen & watch Destroyer’s cover of Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci’s “Face Like Summer”
Also, see Destroyer perform “Libby’s First Sunrise” from Trouble in Dreams and read Dan’s 5-10-15-20 feature at Pitchfork.com.
Destroyer’s most recent release Kaputt is available now on CD, LP and digital download in the Merge store. Destroyer’s Rubies is also available in the Merge store on recently reissued double white vinyl.
06/04/12
Destroyer is now on tour in the US with the Kaputt band, and Destroyer’s Rubies is available on double white vinyl.
Previously only available on “ruby red” vinyl for Record Store Day, the dbl-LP is now available on “hot white vinyl” and features “Loscil’s Rubies,” a 24-minute bonus track remixed by Scott Morgan (Loscil), who also collaborated with Dan Bejar on the Kaputt LP’s bonus material.
Upon its release in 2006, Destroyer’s Rubies received near universal critical praise and was hailed as Bejar’s defining work up to that point. The full band Destroyer is touring North America once again in support of last year’s critically-acclaimed and Juno-nominated Kaputt.
Destroyer’s Rubies is available on double white vinyl, CD and digital download now in the Merge store. Destroyer’s latest album Kaputt as well the rest of the band’s catalog can be found in the Merge store as well. Listen to “3000 Flowers” at the Merge SoundCloud page, too.
Destroyer on tour:
Jun 04 Portland, OR Aladdin Theatre
Jun 05 San Francisco, CA The Fillmore
Jun 06 Los Angeles, CA El Rey Theatre
Jun 07 Phoenix, AZ The Crescent Ballroom
Jun 08 Albuquerque, NM Launchpad
Jun 09 Denver, CO The Bluedbird Theatre
Jun 10 Lawrence, KS The Granada
Jun 11 Iowa City, IA The Blue Moon Tap House
Jun 13 Milwaukee, WI Turner Hall
Jun 14 Grand Rapids, MI The Ladies Literary Club
Jun 15 Cleveland, OH Beachland Ballroom
Jun 16 Washington, DC 930 Club
Jun 17 Philadelphia, PA Union Transfer
Jun 18 Brooklyn, NY Brooklyn Masonic Temple
Jun 20 Boston, MA Paradise
Jun 21 Montreal, QC Rialto Theatre
Jun 23 Toronto, ON The Opera House
Jun 24 Chicago, IL Metro
Jun 25 Minneapolis, MN Cedar Cultural Center
Previously only available on “ruby red” vinyl for Record Store Day, the dbl-LP is now available on “hot white vinyl” and features “Loscil’s Rubies,” a 24-minute bonus track remixed by Scott Morgan (Loscil), who also collaborated with Dan Bejar on the Kaputt LP’s bonus material.
Upon its release in 2006, Destroyer’s Rubies received near universal critical praise and was hailed as Bejar’s defining work up to that point. The full band Destroyer is touring North America once again in support of last year’s critically-acclaimed and Juno-nominated Kaputt.
Destroyer’s Rubies is available on double white vinyl, CD and digital download now in the Merge store. Destroyer’s latest album Kaputt as well the rest of the band’s catalog can be found in the Merge store as well. Listen to “3000 Flowers” at the Merge SoundCloud page, too.
Destroyer on tour:
Jun 04 Portland, OR Aladdin Theatre
Jun 05 San Francisco, CA The Fillmore
Jun 06 Los Angeles, CA El Rey Theatre
Jun 07 Phoenix, AZ The Crescent Ballroom
Jun 08 Albuquerque, NM Launchpad
Jun 09 Denver, CO The Bluedbird Theatre
Jun 10 Lawrence, KS The Granada
Jun 11 Iowa City, IA The Blue Moon Tap House
Jun 13 Milwaukee, WI Turner Hall
Jun 14 Grand Rapids, MI The Ladies Literary Club
Jun 15 Cleveland, OH Beachland Ballroom
Jun 16 Washington, DC 930 Club
Jun 17 Philadelphia, PA Union Transfer
Jun 18 Brooklyn, NY Brooklyn Masonic Temple
Jun 20 Boston, MA Paradise
Jun 21 Montreal, QC Rialto Theatre
Jun 23 Toronto, ON The Opera House
Jun 24 Chicago, IL Metro
Jun 25 Minneapolis, MN Cedar Cultural Center
05/24/12
Next week, Destroyer will begin touring North America once again in support of last year’s critically-acclaimed and Juno-nominated Kaputt.
Dan Bejar and the Kaputt band will kick off their tour in Seattle on June 3rd. Kaputt is available on CD, dbl-LP and digital download now in the Merge store.
“Indie eccentric Dan Bejar made the most immersive “soft rock” album of the year, turning smooth sounds to clever, cryptic ends.”- New York Magazine, Top 10 Albums of the Year (#4)
Destroyer on tour:
Jun 03 Seattle WA – The Showbox
Jun 04 Portland OR – Aladdin Theatre
Jun 05 San Francisco CA – The Fillmore
Jun 06 Los Angeles CA – El Rey Theatre
Jun 07 Phoenix AZ – The Crescent Ballroom
Jun 08 Albuquerque NM – Launchpad
Jun 09 Denver CO – The Bluedbird Theatre
Jun 10 Lawrence KS – The Granada
Jun 11 Iowa City IA – The Blue Moon Tap House
Jun 13 Milwaukee WI – Turner Hall
Jun 14 Grand Rapids MI – The Ladies Literary Club
Jun 15 Cleveland OH – Beachland Ballroom
Jun 16 Washington DC – 930 Club
Jun 17 Philadelphia PA – Union Transfer
Jun 18 Brooklyn NY – Brooklyn Masonic Temple
Jun 20 Boston MA – Paradise
Jun 21 Montreal QC – Rialto Theatre
Jun 23 Toronto ON – The Opera House
Jun 24 Chicago IL – Metro
Jun 25 Minneapolis MN – Cedar Cultural Center
Click here to view the embedded video.
Dan Bejar and the Kaputt band will kick off their tour in Seattle on June 3rd. Kaputt is available on CD, dbl-LP and digital download now in the Merge store.
“Indie eccentric Dan Bejar made the most immersive “soft rock” album of the year, turning smooth sounds to clever, cryptic ends.”- New York Magazine, Top 10 Albums of the Year (#4)
Destroyer on tour:
Jun 03 Seattle WA – The Showbox
Jun 04 Portland OR – Aladdin Theatre
Jun 05 San Francisco CA – The Fillmore
Jun 06 Los Angeles CA – El Rey Theatre
Jun 07 Phoenix AZ – The Crescent Ballroom
Jun 08 Albuquerque NM – Launchpad
Jun 09 Denver CO – The Bluedbird Theatre
Jun 10 Lawrence KS – The Granada
Jun 11 Iowa City IA – The Blue Moon Tap House
Jun 13 Milwaukee WI – Turner Hall
Jun 14 Grand Rapids MI – The Ladies Literary Club
Jun 15 Cleveland OH – Beachland Ballroom
Jun 16 Washington DC – 930 Club
Jun 17 Philadelphia PA – Union Transfer
Jun 18 Brooklyn NY – Brooklyn Masonic Temple
Jun 20 Boston MA – Paradise
Jun 21 Montreal QC – Rialto Theatre
Jun 23 Toronto ON – The Opera House
Jun 24 Chicago IL – Metro
Jun 25 Minneapolis MN – Cedar Cultural Center
Click here to view the embedded video.
04/20/12
Record Store Day is this Saturday, April 21, and we have four very special releases to mark the occasion of one of our favorite days of the year! Also, Hospitality, the Love Language & M. Ward will visit independent record stores for celebratory in-store performances. The only way to get your hands on these releases is to visit your local independent record store on April 21.
In addition to our exclusive releases (listed below), Hospitality, the Love Language & M. Ward have special in-store performances planned for Saturday. M. Ward will be performing a sold out in-store at Fingerprints in Long Beach, CA. Hospitality will take time out of their tour with Eleanor Friedberger to perform at Horizon Records in the Bohemian Cafe in Greenville, SC at 1:30 p.m., and Stuart McLamb from the Love Language will visit Gravity Records in Wilmington, NC for a solo set around 3 p.m.
Merge exclusive Record Store Day releases available only at independent record stores:
Richard Buckner – “Willow” b/w “Lost” 7-inch
“Willow” b/w “Lost” is Richard Buckner’s first 7-inch ever and will be available exclusively on Record Store Day! Containing two new songs and a free download with purchase, the 7-inch will also include a digital-only cover of The Cars’ “Candy-O.” Watch video of Buckner performing “Willow” live at Horizon Records at RecordStoreDay.com.
M. Ward – “Primitive Girl” b/w “The Twist” & “Roll Over Beethoven” 7-inch
M. Ward’s limited-edition Record Store Day exclusive 7-inch comes less than two weeks after the release of his highly anticipated new solo album, A Wasteland Companion. The 7-inch features “Primitive Girl,” the first single from his new record, as well as two non-album b-sides including long-time live favorite “Roll Over Beethoven.”
Arcade Fire – “Sprawl II” b/w “Ready to Start” (Remixed by Damian Taylor & Arcade Fire) 12-inch
The original versions of “Sprawl II” and “Ready to Start” can be found on Arcade Fire’s GRAMMY-winning album The Suburbs, but this special 12-inch pressing marks the first physical release of the remixes of those two songs by Damian Taylor and Arcade Fire. The remix of “Sprawl II” can be heard in the dance motion-activated music video by Vincent Morisset at Sprawl2.com, while the “Ready to Start” remix has previously only been available as a bonus download with the deluxe film-bundled version of the album.
Destroyer – Destroyer’s Rubies dbl-LP reissue
Destroyer’s Rubies will be released on vinyl for the first time in the US! The double-LP reissue will be pressed in limited quantities on ruby red vinyl exclusively for Record Store Day and will include a free download of the entire album. Side 3 features “Loscil’s Rubies,” a 20-minute bonus track remixed by Scott Morgan, who also remixed the bonus tracks on 2011’s Kaputt double-LP. Listen to “3000 Flowers” from Destroyer’s Rubies via the Merge SoundCloud page.
In addition to our exclusive releases (listed below), Hospitality, the Love Language & M. Ward have special in-store performances planned for Saturday. M. Ward will be performing a sold out in-store at Fingerprints in Long Beach, CA. Hospitality will take time out of their tour with Eleanor Friedberger to perform at Horizon Records in the Bohemian Cafe in Greenville, SC at 1:30 p.m., and Stuart McLamb from the Love Language will visit Gravity Records in Wilmington, NC for a solo set around 3 p.m.
Merge exclusive Record Store Day releases available only at independent record stores:
Richard Buckner – “Willow” b/w “Lost” 7-inch
“Willow” b/w “Lost” is Richard Buckner’s first 7-inch ever and will be available exclusively on Record Store Day! Containing two new songs and a free download with purchase, the 7-inch will also include a digital-only cover of The Cars’ “Candy-O.” Watch video of Buckner performing “Willow” live at Horizon Records at RecordStoreDay.com.
M. Ward – “Primitive Girl” b/w “The Twist” & “Roll Over Beethoven” 7-inch
M. Ward’s limited-edition Record Store Day exclusive 7-inch comes less than two weeks after the release of his highly anticipated new solo album, A Wasteland Companion. The 7-inch features “Primitive Girl,” the first single from his new record, as well as two non-album b-sides including long-time live favorite “Roll Over Beethoven.”
Arcade Fire – “Sprawl II” b/w “Ready to Start” (Remixed by Damian Taylor & Arcade Fire) 12-inch
The original versions of “Sprawl II” and “Ready to Start” can be found on Arcade Fire’s GRAMMY-winning album The Suburbs, but this special 12-inch pressing marks the first physical release of the remixes of those two songs by Damian Taylor and Arcade Fire. The remix of “Sprawl II” can be heard in the dance motion-activated music video by Vincent Morisset at Sprawl2.com, while the “Ready to Start” remix has previously only been available as a bonus download with the deluxe film-bundled version of the album.
Destroyer – Destroyer’s Rubies dbl-LP reissue
Destroyer’s Rubies will be released on vinyl for the first time in the US! The double-LP reissue will be pressed in limited quantities on ruby red vinyl exclusively for Record Store Day and will include a free download of the entire album. Side 3 features “Loscil’s Rubies,” a 20-minute bonus track remixed by Scott Morgan, who also remixed the bonus tracks on 2011’s Kaputt double-LP. Listen to “3000 Flowers” from Destroyer’s Rubies via the Merge SoundCloud page.
03/05/12
Record Store Day is Saturday, April 21, and we have four very special releases to mark the occasion of one of our favorite days of the year! The only way to get your hands on these releases is to visit your local independent record store on April 21.
Richard Buckner – “Willow” b/w “Lost” 7-inch
“Willow” b/w “Lost” is Richard Buckner’s first 7-inch ever and will be available exclusively on Record Store Day! Containing two new songs and a free download with purchase, the 7-inch will also include a digital-only cover of The Cars’ “Candy-O.” Listen to “Willow” below via the Merge SoundCloud page.
M. Ward – “Primitive Girl” b/w “The Twist” & “Roll Over Beethoven” 7-inch
M. Ward’s limited-edition Record Store Day exclusive 7-inch comes less than two weeks after the release of his highly anticipated new solo album, A Wasteland Companion. The 7-inch features “Primitive Girl,” the first single from his new record, as well as two non-album b-sides including long-time live favorite “Roll Over Beethoven.”
M. Ward will be performing at Fingerprints in Long Beach, CA, on Record Store Day. If you live in the area, secure a spot for the show by pre-ordering your copy of A Wasteland Companion on CD or LP directly from Fingerprints.
Arcade Fire – “Sprawl II” b/w “Ready to Start” (Remixed by Damian Taylor & Arcade Fire) 12-inch
The original versions of “Sprawl II” and “Ready to Start” can be found on Arcade Fire’s GRAMMY-winning album The Suburbs, but this special 12-inch pressing marks the first physical release of the remixes of those two songs by Damian Taylor and Arcade Fire. The remix of “Sprawl II” can be heard in the dance motion-activated music video by Vincent Morisset at Sprawl2.com, while the “Ready to Start” remix has previously only been available as a bonus download with the deluxe film-bundled version of the album.
Destroyer – Destroyer’s Rubies dbl-LP reissue
Destroyer’s Rubies will be released on vinyl for the first time in the US! The double-LP reissue will be pressed in limited quantities on ruby red vinyl exclusively for Record Store Day and will include a free download of the entire album. Side 3 features “Loscil’s Rubies,” a 20-minute bonus track remixed by Scott Morgan, who also remixed the bonus tracks on 2011’s Kaputt double-LP. Listen to “3000 Flowers” from Destroyer’s Rubies below via the Merge SoundCloud page.
Richard Buckner – “Willow” (from Record Store Day exclusive 7-inch)
Destroyer – “3000 Flowers” from Destroyer’s Rubies
Richard Buckner – “Willow” b/w “Lost” 7-inch
“Willow” b/w “Lost” is Richard Buckner’s first 7-inch ever and will be available exclusively on Record Store Day! Containing two new songs and a free download with purchase, the 7-inch will also include a digital-only cover of The Cars’ “Candy-O.” Listen to “Willow” below via the Merge SoundCloud page.
M. Ward – “Primitive Girl” b/w “The Twist” & “Roll Over Beethoven” 7-inch
M. Ward’s limited-edition Record Store Day exclusive 7-inch comes less than two weeks after the release of his highly anticipated new solo album, A Wasteland Companion. The 7-inch features “Primitive Girl,” the first single from his new record, as well as two non-album b-sides including long-time live favorite “Roll Over Beethoven.”
M. Ward will be performing at Fingerprints in Long Beach, CA, on Record Store Day. If you live in the area, secure a spot for the show by pre-ordering your copy of A Wasteland Companion on CD or LP directly from Fingerprints.
Arcade Fire – “Sprawl II” b/w “Ready to Start” (Remixed by Damian Taylor & Arcade Fire) 12-inch
The original versions of “Sprawl II” and “Ready to Start” can be found on Arcade Fire’s GRAMMY-winning album The Suburbs, but this special 12-inch pressing marks the first physical release of the remixes of those two songs by Damian Taylor and Arcade Fire. The remix of “Sprawl II” can be heard in the dance motion-activated music video by Vincent Morisset at Sprawl2.com, while the “Ready to Start” remix has previously only been available as a bonus download with the deluxe film-bundled version of the album.
Destroyer – Destroyer’s Rubies dbl-LP reissue
Destroyer’s Rubies will be released on vinyl for the first time in the US! The double-LP reissue will be pressed in limited quantities on ruby red vinyl exclusively for Record Store Day and will include a free download of the entire album. Side 3 features “Loscil’s Rubies,” a 20-minute bonus track remixed by Scott Morgan, who also remixed the bonus tracks on 2011’s Kaputt double-LP. Listen to “3000 Flowers” from Destroyer’s Rubies below via the Merge SoundCloud page.
Richard Buckner – “Willow” (from Record Store Day exclusive 7-inch)
Destroyer – “3000 Flowers” from Destroyer’s Rubies
08/31/11
Directed by David Galloway, Destroyer‘s new music video takes you on a nerve-wracking ride through the streets of Vancouver and is the first that features Dan Bejar in the clip! Go to Pitchfork.tv to view, or watch below.
Kaputt is in stores on CD, double-LP, and digital download now!
Click here to view the embedded video.
Kaputt is in stores on CD, double-LP, and digital download now!
Click here to view the embedded video.
07/26/11
Dan Bejar was interviewed by Numerocero for this mini-documentary, filmed during Destroyer‘s recent appearance at the Día de la Música Festival in Madrid.
Kaputt is available on CD, double-LP, and digital download in the Merge store.
Click here to view the embedded video.
Kaputt is available on CD, double-LP, and digital download in the Merge store.
Click here to view the embedded video.
07/06/11
Destroyer‘s Kaputt and Arcade Fire‘s The Suburbs have both been included on the Polaris Music Prize’s Short List of Canada’s 10 best albums.
The Polaris Music Prize gala will be held Monday, September 19, at Toronto’s Masonic Temple and will feature live performances by this year’s Short List nominees. It will be webcast live on MuchMusic.com and broadcast on MuchMusic on Saturday, September 24, at 10 p.m. and midnight EST. The gala will also air on MusiquePlus at a date and time to be announced.
Previous Polaris winners have been Final Fantasy, Patrick Watson, Caribou, Fucked Up, and Karkwa.
The Suburbs Deluxe Edition CD+DVD is in stores on August 2 and available for pre-order from Merge now. Destroyer will play the Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago, IL on Saturday, July 16.
The Polaris Music Prize gala will be held Monday, September 19, at Toronto’s Masonic Temple and will feature live performances by this year’s Short List nominees. It will be webcast live on MuchMusic.com and broadcast on MuchMusic on Saturday, September 24, at 10 p.m. and midnight EST. The gala will also air on MusiquePlus at a date and time to be announced.
Previous Polaris winners have been Final Fantasy, Patrick Watson, Caribou, Fucked Up, and Karkwa.
The Suburbs Deluxe Edition CD+DVD is in stores on August 2 and available for pre-order from Merge now. Destroyer will play the Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago, IL on Saturday, July 16.
02/22/11
Destroyer will make their television debut on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon tonight! The full 8-piece band will take the stage to perform a song from their new album Kaputt. Tune in to NBC at 12:35 AM or set your DVR!
Destroyer will hit the road beginning March 17 in Vancouver and wind their way across the US and Canada finishing up April 16 in Calgary. Don’t miss them!
Destroyer on tour:
All dates with The War on Drugs
Mar 17 Vancouver BC – The Commodore Ballroom
Mar 18 Seattle WA – The Crocodile
Mar 19 Portland OR – Doug Fir Lounge
Mar 21 San Francisco CA – Great American Music Hall
Mar 22 Los Angeles CA – Troubadour
Mar 23 Tucson AZ – Club Congress
Mar 25 Austin TX – The Mohawk
Mar 26 Dallas TX – The Loft
Mar 27 Little Rock AR – Sticky Fingers Chicken Shack
Mar 28 St Louis MO – The Luminary Center for the Arts
Mar 29 Chicago IL – Lincoln Hall
Mar 30 Pontiac MI – The Pike Room at the Crofoot
Mar 31 Toronto ON – Lee’s Palace
Apr 01 Montreal QC – La Cabaret du Mile End
Apr 02 Cambridge MA – Middle East Downstairs
Apr 03 New York NY – Webster Hall
Apr 04 Philadelphia PA – First Unitarian Church
Apr 05 Washington DC – Black Cat
Apr 06 Asheville NC – Grey Eagle
Apr 07 Carrboro NC – Cat’s Cradle
Apr 08 Atlanta GA – The Earl
Apr 09 Nashville TN – Mercy Lounge
Apr 11 Madison WI – High Noon Saloon
Apr 12 Minneapolis MN – Cedar Cultural Centre
Apr 13 Winnipeg MB – West End Cultural Center
Apr 15 Edmonton AB – Starlite Room
Apr 16 Calgary AB – #1 Royal Canadian Legion
Destroyer will hit the road beginning March 17 in Vancouver and wind their way across the US and Canada finishing up April 16 in Calgary. Don’t miss them!
Destroyer on tour:
All dates with The War on Drugs
Mar 17 Vancouver BC – The Commodore Ballroom
Mar 18 Seattle WA – The Crocodile
Mar 19 Portland OR – Doug Fir Lounge
Mar 21 San Francisco CA – Great American Music Hall
Mar 22 Los Angeles CA – Troubadour
Mar 23 Tucson AZ – Club Congress
Mar 25 Austin TX – The Mohawk
Mar 26 Dallas TX – The Loft
Mar 27 Little Rock AR – Sticky Fingers Chicken Shack
Mar 28 St Louis MO – The Luminary Center for the Arts
Mar 29 Chicago IL – Lincoln Hall
Mar 30 Pontiac MI – The Pike Room at the Crofoot
Mar 31 Toronto ON – Lee’s Palace
Apr 01 Montreal QC – La Cabaret du Mile End
Apr 02 Cambridge MA – Middle East Downstairs
Apr 03 New York NY – Webster Hall
Apr 04 Philadelphia PA – First Unitarian Church
Apr 05 Washington DC – Black Cat
Apr 06 Asheville NC – Grey Eagle
Apr 07 Carrboro NC – Cat’s Cradle
Apr 08 Atlanta GA – The Earl
Apr 09 Nashville TN – Mercy Lounge
Apr 11 Madison WI – High Noon Saloon
Apr 12 Minneapolis MN – Cedar Cultural Centre
Apr 13 Winnipeg MB – West End Cultural Center
Apr 15 Edmonton AB – Starlite Room
Apr 16 Calgary AB – #1 Royal Canadian Legion
01/06/11
On January 25th, Destroyer’s ninth LP, Kaputt will be in stores. Dan Bejar and his eight-piece “orchestra” will tour in support of the release with North American dates beginning in March.
Pitchfork premiered the video for the title track “Kaputt.” Featuring flying whales, desert ladies, and a geeky teenager, the “Kaputt” video will delight and confuse you. Watch it now!
Pre-order Kaputt now on CD and dbl-LP in the Merge store.
Destroyer on tour:
All dates with The War on Drugs
Mar 17 Vancouver BC – The Commodore Ballroom
Mar 18 Seattle WA – The Crocodile
Mar 19 Portland OR – Doug Fir Lounge
Mar 21 San Francisco CA – Great American Music Hall
Mar 22 Los Angeles CA – Troubadour
Mar 23 Tucson AZ – Club Congress
Mar 25 Austin TX – The Mohawk
Mar 26 Dallas TX – The Loft
Mar 27 Little Rock AR – Sticky Fingers Chicken Shack
Mar 28 St Louis MO – The Luminary Center for the Arts
Mar 29 Chicago IL – Lincoln Hall
Mar 30 Pontiac MI – The Pike Room at the Crofoot
Mar 31 Toronto ON – Lee’s Palace
Apr 01 Montreal QC – La Cabaret du Mile End
Apr 02 Cambridge MA – Middle East Downstairs
Apr 03 New York NY – Webster Hall
Apr 04 Philadelphia PA – First Unitarian Church
Apr 05 Washington DC – Black Cat
Apr 06 Asheville NC – Grey Eagle
Apr 07 Carrboro NC – Cat’s Cradle
Apr 08 Atlanta GA – The Earl
Apr 09 Nashville TN – Mercy Lounge
Apr 11 Madison WI – High Noon Saloon
Apr 12 Minneapolis MN – Cedar Cultural Centre
Apr 13 Winnipeg MB – West End Cultural Center
Apr 15 Edmonton AB – Starlite Room
Apr 16 Calgary AB – #1 Royal Canadian Legion
Pitchfork premiered the video for the title track “Kaputt.” Featuring flying whales, desert ladies, and a geeky teenager, the “Kaputt” video will delight and confuse you. Watch it now!
Pre-order Kaputt now on CD and dbl-LP in the Merge store.
Destroyer on tour:
All dates with The War on Drugs
Mar 17 Vancouver BC – The Commodore Ballroom
Mar 18 Seattle WA – The Crocodile
Mar 19 Portland OR – Doug Fir Lounge
Mar 21 San Francisco CA – Great American Music Hall
Mar 22 Los Angeles CA – Troubadour
Mar 23 Tucson AZ – Club Congress
Mar 25 Austin TX – The Mohawk
Mar 26 Dallas TX – The Loft
Mar 27 Little Rock AR – Sticky Fingers Chicken Shack
Mar 28 St Louis MO – The Luminary Center for the Arts
Mar 29 Chicago IL – Lincoln Hall
Mar 30 Pontiac MI – The Pike Room at the Crofoot
Mar 31 Toronto ON – Lee’s Palace
Apr 01 Montreal QC – La Cabaret du Mile End
Apr 02 Cambridge MA – Middle East Downstairs
Apr 03 New York NY – Webster Hall
Apr 04 Philadelphia PA – First Unitarian Church
Apr 05 Washington DC – Black Cat
Apr 06 Asheville NC – Grey Eagle
Apr 07 Carrboro NC – Cat’s Cradle
Apr 08 Atlanta GA – The Earl
Apr 09 Nashville TN – Mercy Lounge
Apr 11 Madison WI – High Noon Saloon
Apr 12 Minneapolis MN – Cedar Cultural Centre
Apr 13 Winnipeg MB – West End Cultural Center
Apr 15 Edmonton AB – Starlite Room
Apr 16 Calgary AB – #1 Royal Canadian Legion
12/14/10
Specially priced for this holiday season! Get more bang for your buck when you purchase these items together:
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!
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!
12/02/10
It’s easy to miss out on some of the digital-only releases we throw your way—the Internet is a pretty crowded place these days! Here’s a quick summary of what you may have missed:
The limited-edition Destroyer 12-inch “Archer on the Beach” is out-of-print in the Merge store, but you can now buy the songs via digital download!
Don’t miss out on Swim Remixes—Caribou’s answer to what happens when you put one of the year’s hottest dance records in the hands of some of the world’s best DJs! With reworks of some of Swim’s hottest cuts by Junior Boys, Fuck Buttons, Nite Jewel, DJ Koze, Walls, Gold Panda, Gavin Russom, and more, Swim Remixes contains over an hour-and-a-half of new, fresh takes on Caribou’s latest opus.
Let’s Wrestle bring us a tasty piece of next year’s sophomore record with the “Getting Rest”/“When I Was In Hospital” digital single. Be warned: these young Londoners are not to be missed.
Shout Out Louds’ Fall Hard EP expands upon Work’s catchy first single with non-album cuts “Fall Hard Pt. 2” and “Can’t Explain.”
Lou Barlow + the missingmen’s = Sentridoh III is Lou’s first recorded output with new backing band the missingmen. Described by the band as “an almost live representation of the Lou Barlow + the missingmen live show,” this mini-album breathes new, rocking life into Sebadoh and Sentridoh classics, Lou’s solo material, and even a haunting cover of the timeless Skip James song “I’m So Glad.”
Tracey Thorn followed up this year’s gorgeous Love and Its Opposite with a pair of digital EPs, Why Does the Wind? and Opposites, that offer up wildly creative remixes of some of the album’s most-loved songs. Why Does the Wind? pairs the album track of the same name with remixes by Morgan Geist, Michel Clies, and André Lodemann, along with a radio edit and dub version. As for the Opposites EP, Tracey herself probably says it best: “If the remixes for the last single ‘Why Does the Wind?’ were aimed at the dancefloor, these are perhaps aimed more at the head.” Visionquest (“Swimming”), Walls (“Kentish Town”), and Blue Daisy (“Late in the Afternoon”) provide penetrating new takes presented alongside the originals.
Let’s also revisit Lambchop’s magnetic Live at XX Merge performance; Portastatic’s Make It Sound In Tune EP; digital reissues of Richard Buckner’s landmark albums Impasse, The Hill, and Bloomed; and The Ladybug Transistor’s fantastic Here Comes the Rain covers EP.
Our Holiday Coupon applies to digital releases, too, so download away!
The limited-edition Destroyer 12-inch “Archer on the Beach” is out-of-print in the Merge store, but you can now buy the songs via digital download!
Don’t miss out on Swim Remixes—Caribou’s answer to what happens when you put one of the year’s hottest dance records in the hands of some of the world’s best DJs! With reworks of some of Swim’s hottest cuts by Junior Boys, Fuck Buttons, Nite Jewel, DJ Koze, Walls, Gold Panda, Gavin Russom, and more, Swim Remixes contains over an hour-and-a-half of new, fresh takes on Caribou’s latest opus.
Let’s Wrestle bring us a tasty piece of next year’s sophomore record with the “Getting Rest”/“When I Was In Hospital” digital single. Be warned: these young Londoners are not to be missed.
Shout Out Louds’ Fall Hard EP expands upon Work’s catchy first single with non-album cuts “Fall Hard Pt. 2” and “Can’t Explain.”
Lou Barlow + the missingmen’s = Sentridoh III is Lou’s first recorded output with new backing band the missingmen. Described by the band as “an almost live representation of the Lou Barlow + the missingmen live show,” this mini-album breathes new, rocking life into Sebadoh and Sentridoh classics, Lou’s solo material, and even a haunting cover of the timeless Skip James song “I’m So Glad.”
Tracey Thorn followed up this year’s gorgeous Love and Its Opposite with a pair of digital EPs, Why Does the Wind? and Opposites, that offer up wildly creative remixes of some of the album’s most-loved songs. Why Does the Wind? pairs the album track of the same name with remixes by Morgan Geist, Michel Clies, and André Lodemann, along with a radio edit and dub version. As for the Opposites EP, Tracey herself probably says it best: “If the remixes for the last single ‘Why Does the Wind?’ were aimed at the dancefloor, these are perhaps aimed more at the head.” Visionquest (“Swimming”), Walls (“Kentish Town”), and Blue Daisy (“Late in the Afternoon”) provide penetrating new takes presented alongside the originals.
Let’s also revisit Lambchop’s magnetic Live at XX Merge performance; Portastatic’s Make It Sound In Tune EP; digital reissues of Richard Buckner’s landmark albums Impasse, The Hill, and Bloomed; and The Ladybug Transistor’s fantastic Here Comes the Rain covers EP.
Our Holiday Coupon applies to digital releases, too, so download away!
We'll Build Them a Golden Bridge :: (Tinker) 1996
Thief :: (Catsup Plate) 2000
Streethawk: A Seduction :: (Misra) 2001
This Night :: CD (Merge) 2002
Your Blues :: CD/LP (Merge) 2004
Notorious Lightning And Other Works :: (Merge) 2005
Destroyer's Rubies :: CD/LP (Merge) 2006
Trouble In Dreams :: CD/LP (Merge) 2008
Bay of Pigs :: 12" (Merge) 2009
City of Daughters (reissue) :: CD (Merge) 2010
Streethawk: A Seduction :: CD/LP (Merge) 2010
Archer on the Beach :: 12" (Merge) 2010
Thief (reissue) :: CD (Merge) 2010
Kaputt :: CD/LP (Merge) 2011
Ideas For Songs :: (Triple Crown Audio) 2011
Destroyer's Rubies :: DBL-LP reissue (Merge) 2012
This Night :: DBL-LP (Merge) 2013
Thief :: (Catsup Plate) 2000
Streethawk: A Seduction :: (Misra) 2001
This Night :: CD (Merge) 2002
Your Blues :: CD/LP (Merge) 2004
Notorious Lightning And Other Works :: (Merge) 2005
Destroyer's Rubies :: CD/LP (Merge) 2006
Trouble In Dreams :: CD/LP (Merge) 2008
Bay of Pigs :: 12" (Merge) 2009
City of Daughters (reissue) :: CD (Merge) 2010
Streethawk: A Seduction :: CD/LP (Merge) 2010
Archer on the Beach :: 12" (Merge) 2010
Thief (reissue) :: CD (Merge) 2010
Kaputt :: CD/LP (Merge) 2011
Ideas For Songs :: (Triple Crown Audio) 2011
Destroyer's Rubies :: DBL-LP reissue (Merge) 2012
This Night :: DBL-LP (Merge) 2013
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