Merge Records

She & Him aka Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward will release their third album of original material, entitled Volume 3, on on May 7 (May 13 in UK/Europe). The duo will also be hitting the road for a month-long tour this summer, which kicks off at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville on June 13, and includes a headlining show at the legendary Hollywood Bowl on June 23, as well as an evening at Central Park Summerstage in July. Emmylou Harris & Rodney Crowell and Camera Obscura provide support on select dates.  A full list of tour dates are below, and ticket presale information is at SheandHim.com.

With fourteen songs – 11 Deschanel originals and 3 covers – Volume 3 is an effortlessly effervescent, bleached-out-in-the-sun pop record. The album features some of the most dynamic, complex songs Deschanel has ever written, allowing for tempo shifts, disco grooves, string arrangements on multiple tracks, and horn flourishes that perfectly suit the She & Him sound.  Produced by M. Ward, and recorded in Los Angeles, Portland, and New York City, Volume 3 features guest contributions from NRBQ’s Joey Spampinato, Mike Watt, Tilly and the Wall, Pierre de Reeder from Rilo Kiley, and Tom Hagerman from Devotchka.

Since the release of the band’s album Volume Two in 2010, much has happened to both She and to Him. Deschanel, whose television show New Girl has cemented her status as a sitcom star, continued to hone her songwriting skills, writing the theme song for her new show, in addition to being nominated for a Grammy for Best Original Song for  the movie Winnie the Pooh.  She wrote songs for Volume 3 during small pockets of downtime while filming New Girl, as Ward toured the world behind his latest solo creation, A Wasteland Companion, which was released to massive critical acclaim last year. Together and separately, the duo has sold over a million albums domestically – a testament to their classic sonic arrangements, their rich, incomparable voices, and their ability to craft pitch-perfect, Brill Building-esque choruses around timeless, universal themes.

Track listing for Volume 3:
1. I’ve Got Your Number, Son
2. Never Wanted Your Love
3. Baby
4. I Could’ve Been Your Girl
5. Turn to White
6. Somebody Sweet to Talk To
7. Something’s Haunting You
8. Together
9. Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me
10. Snow Queen
11. Sunday Girl
12. London
13. Shadow of Love
14. Reprise (I Could’ve Been Your Girl)

She & Him on tour:
More information on tickets here
Jun 13    Nashville, TN   Ryman Auditorium
Jun 15    Grand Prairie, TX   Verizon Theater at Grand Prairie
Jun 16    Austin, TX   ACL Live at the Moody Theatre
Jun 18    Phoenix, AZ   Comerica Theater
Jun 19    Las Vegas, NV   The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas
Jun 21    San Diego, CA   SDU Open Air Theatre
Jun 22    Berkeley, CA   Greek Theatre*
Jun 23    Los Angeles, CA   Hollywood Bowl*
Jun 25    Salt Lake City, UT   Red Butte Gardens
Jun 27    Council Bluffs, IA   Harrah’s Stir Cove
Jun 29    Chicago, IL   Aragon Ballroom #
July 1      Ann Arbor, MI   Hill  Auditorium #
July 3      Montreal, QUE   Montreal Jazz Festival – Symphony Hall #
July 4      Toronto, ON   Toronto Urban Roots Festival #
July 6      New York, NY   Central Park Summerstage #
July 9      Philadelphia, PA   Mann Center for Performing Arts #
July 10    Boston, MA   Bank of America Pavilion #
July 11     Vienna, VA   Filene Center at Wolf Trap #
* with Emmylou Harris & Rodney Crowell
# with Camera Obscura

Today, Team Coco premiered the new video for M. Ward’s “Me and My Shadow” from A Wasteland Companion. Directed by Scott Jacobson and featuring some very special cameos, the video tells the story of a young popster rescued from the grips of an evil manager.

Watch “Me and My Shadow” now at TeamCoco.com

M. Ward will be at the Austin City Limits festival this weekend and a few shows still to come. Download the M. Ward radio app in the iTunes store, and find A Wasteland Companion on CD, LP and digital now in the Merge store.

M. Ward on tour:
Oct 12 Austin, TX Austin City Limits Festival
Oct 14 Mexico City, MEX Corona Capital 2012
Oct 21 Los Angeles, CA Orpheum Theatre
Oct 25 Chicago, IL Park West

 

M. Ward’s free iTunes App is now available in the iTunes store. The app allows users the ability to listen live to hundreds of public radio station across the United States. Searchable alphabetically by state and by map, the M. Ward App allows users to locate nearly 1,000 of Matt’s favorite independent and public radio stations across the country. Wherever you’re traveling in the US, the M. Ward App will locate the nearest quality radio station to keep you company.

A long rumored Luddite renowned for recording his albums onto analog tape, M. Ward’s love of radio is well documented. His 2005 album, Transistor Radio was a collection of songs inspired by “memories of a utopian radio power” which he dedicated to “the last of the remaining independent radio stations.” Touring the US over the past few years Ward often found it a challenge to find a great local radio station to accompany him. In creating this App – which also streams M. Ward music and provides up to the minute touring information and social networking content – Ward has created the perfect traveling companion for radio connoisseurs everywhere.

The free M. Ward app is available now in the iTunes store

M. Ward and his formidable band are taking to the road in August for a run of dates including a special show with Yo La Tengo in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park. Wyatt Cenac from Comedy Central’s The Daily Show has been confirmed as an exciting new addition to the bill. He’ll be opening the show with a comedy set.

A Wasteland Companion is available on CD, LP and digital download in the Merge store.

M. Ward on tour:
Aug 7 Brooklyn, NY Celebrate Brooklyn at Prospect Park Bandshell w/ Yo La Tengo & Wyatt Cenac
Aug 23 Salt Lake City, UT  Twilight Concert Series
Aug 25 Boulder, CO  Boulder Theatre
Aug 30 Vancouver, BC The Commodore Ballroom
Sept 1 Seattle, WA  Bumbershoot Festival
Oct 12 Austin, TX  Austin City Limits Festival

M. Ward visited WXPN’s World Cafe studios on their recent tour to perform songs from April’s A Wasteland Companion. The session will air today on NPR’s World Cafe. Listen now at NPR.org.

Also, stream M. Ward’s performances at WNYC Soundcheck and WFUV Words and Music. The M. Ward band recently visited CBS’ Late Show With David Letterman, too. Watch their performance of “Primitive Girl” here.

M. Ward’s A Wasteland Companion is available on CD, LP and digital download now in the Merge store.

M. Ward on tour:
Jul 27 Icheon-si, KR – Jissan Valley Rock Festival
Jul 29 Niigata, JP – Fuji Rock Festival
Aug 07 Brooklyn, NY – Celebrate Brooklyn! at Prospect Park Bandshell w/ Yo La Tengo
Aug 23 Salt Lake City, UT –Twilight Concert Series
Sep 01 Seattle, WA – Bumbershoot
Oct 12 Austin, TX – Austin City Limits Festival

Visit iTunes to download the new Merge Spring sampler! Featuring songs from our recent releases as well as a song from our forthcoming reissue of Sugar’s Copper Blue, the sampler makes a great mixtape for your spring BBQ all for the low price of $2.99.

Visit iTunes to download Merge Records Spring Sampler 2012 now

Visit the Merge store to find full-length albums from these artists, and bookmark our SoundCloud page where we are adding new songs all the time!

Track list:
1.  The Magnetic Fields “Andrew in Drag”
2.  Sugar “A Good Idea”
3.  Times New Viking “Try Harder”
4.  Eleanor Friedberger “Heaven”
5.  The Rosebuds “Second Bird of Paradise”
6.  Archers of Loaf “Dead Red Eyes”
7.  Wild Flag “Electric Band”
8.  Imperial Teen “Out from Inside”
9.  Hospitality “Friends of Friends”
10.  M. Ward “The First Time I Ran Away”
11.  Stephin Merritt “Forever and a Day”
12.  Lambchop “Gone Tomorrow”
13.  Crooked Fingers “Heavy Hours”

Our 2012 Record Store Day releases from Richard Buckner, M. Ward and Arcade Fire are now available at all of our usual digital outlets including the Merge store, iTunes, Amazon & Spotify.

Richard Buckner – “Willow” b/w “Lost” – Two new Richard Buckner songs! Stream “Willow” now at our SoundCloud page.

M. Ward – “Primitive Girl” b/w “The Twist” & “Roll Over Beethoven” – “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) – The original versions of “Sprawl II” and “Ready to Start” can be found on Arcade Fire’s GRAMMY-winning album The Suburbs, but now you can add the remixes of the two songs by Damian Taylor and Arcade Fire to your collection.

 

M. Ward released his critically acclaimed seventh solo album, A Wasteland Companion, last month and is currently on a tour of the US. M. Ward performed live on WNYC’s Soundcheck earlier this week. Stream the performance archive at WNYC.org.

Also, the M. Ward band will visit CBS’ Late Show With David Letterman on Friday, May 11. Tune in at 11:35 p.m. ET.

Watch M. Ward and his band bring the magic to Conan O’Brien’s studio

“…Ward’s songs are at their best, and at their most enduring, when his songwriting bears the weight of mistakes made and life lived.” ~NPR

“Ward sheds his old-bluesman tics for a soul-folk croon—and the guitars, as usual, are sublime” ~Rolling Stone

M. Ward’s A Wasteland Companion is available on CD, LP and digital download now in the Merge store.

M. Ward on tour:
May 11 New York, NY – Webster Hall (SOLD OUT)
May 12 Philadelphia, PA – Union Transfer
May 13 Washington, DC – 9:30 Club (SOLD OUT)
May 15 Durham, NC – Page Auditorium at Duke University
May 16 Athens, GA – Georgia Theatre
May 17 Atlanta, GA – Buckhead Theatre
May 18 Gulf Shores, AL – Hangout Music Fest
May 20 Nelsonville, OH – Nelsonville Music Festival
May 22 Chicago, IL – Vic Theatre
May 23 Madison, WI – Barrymore Theatre
May 24 Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue
May 26 Missoula, MT – Wilma Theatre
May 27 George, WA – Sasquatch! Music Festival
Jul 27 Niigata, JP – Fuji Rock Festival
Aug 07 Brooklyn, NY – Celebrate Brooklyn! at Prospect Park Bandshell w/ Yo La Tengo

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.

 

M. Ward‘s highly anticipated new solo album A Wasteland Companion is in stores today, April 10. To celebrate, listen to the archived KCRW Morning Becomes Eclectic at Apogee’s Berkeley Street Studio session here. The release day festivities continue with a live performance tonight on Conan, which airs at 11pm Eastern/10pm Central on TBS.

In their introduction to the “First Listen,” NPR describes M. Ward:

Some musicians write for car stereos; others for laptops, boom boxes or weight-room sound systems. M. Ward writes for beat-up transistor radios, as if he were sending his songs hurtling backward through time and space, to a point where music coexists with a ghostly, almost otherworldly crackle.

NPR’s Morning Edition also interviewed M. Ward about his inspirations and traveling.

Watch the video for “The First Time I Ran Away” and order A Wasteland Companion on CD or LP now in the Merge store, or at your local record store.

M. Ward on tour:
April 11 San Francisco, CA The Fillmore
April 12 Santa Cruz, CA The Cocoanut Grove Ballroom
April 13 Indio, CA Coachella **SOLD OUT**
April 14 Santa Barbara, CA SoHo **SOLD OUT**
April 16 San Diego, CA Belly Up **SOLD OUT**
April 17 Phoenix, AZ Crescent Ballroom
April 18 Flagstaff, AZ The Orpheum
April 20 Indio, CA Coachella **SOLD OUT**
May 5 Portland, ME State Theatre
May 6 Burlington, VT Higher Ground
May 7 New Haven, CT Toads Place
May 8 Boston, MA House of Blues
May 11 New York, NY Webster Hall
May 12 Philadelphia, PA Union Transfer
May 13 Washington, DC 9:30 Club
May 15 Durham, NC Duke Performances at Page Auditorium
May 16 Athens, GA Georgia Theatre
May 17 Atlanta, GA Buckhead Theatre
May 18 Gulf Shores, AL Hang Out Music Festival
May 20 Nelsonville, OH Nelsonville Music Festival
May 22 Chicago, IL Vic Theatre
May 23 Madison, WI Barrymore Theatre
May 24 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue
May 26 Missoula, MT Wilma Theatre
May 27 George, WA Sasquatch Festival

Jonathan Richman supports 4/11
fIREHOSE supports 4/12, 4/16-4/18
Lee Ranaldo Band supports 5/5-5/22

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

Merge Records will host a showcase at the annual SXSW Music Festival in Austin, TX at Frank on Friday, March 16. As usual, we will have the best showcase of the festival including the bands below and perhaps a surprise or two. The Magnetic Fields will also be at SXSW and will play Austin City Limits Live on Friday, March 16 as well!

Visit the Merge store to sample the most recent albums from all of the bands, and to pre-order their upcoming releases! Check out the Merge SoundCloud page for songs to hear now, too!

Merge SXSW Showcase 2012
Friday, March 16 @ Frank
Doors at 7; show at 7:30

from first to last:
M. Ward
Hospitality
Eleanor Friedberger
the Love Language
Crooked Fingers
Imperial Teen

The Magnetic Fields at SXSW
Friday, March 16 @ Austin City Limits Live
Doors are at 6:30, and the band goes on at 8:30

M. Ward‘s forthcoming album A Wasteland Companion will be released on April 10th.  The first single, “Primitive Girl” has been posted for streaming on mwardmusic.com and below via the Merge SoundCloud page. The track is now available for purchase from iTunes and can also be found on Spotify.

“Primitive Girl” features M. Ward on vocal, piano and guitar, John Parish on percussion/marimba, Mike Mogis on organ, and Susan Sanchez providing backing vocals.

M. Ward – “Primitive Girl” by Merge Records

In the three years since Portland, OR-based troubadour M. Ward released his last solo album – the universally lauded Hold Time – he’s toured the globe, released two albums as one half of Grammy-nominated duo She & Him as well as one with the talented group of friends collectively know as Monsters Of Folk.

A Wasteland Companion is available for pre-order on CD and LP in the Merge store. Preorders will be shipped to arrive on or around the April 10th, 2012 release date and will include a poster and an M. Ward A Wasteland Companion field notebook (while supplies last).

M. Ward on tour:
April 11 San Francisco, CA The Fillmore
April 12 Santa Cruz, CA The Cocoanut Grove Ballroom
April 13 Indio, CA Coachella **SOLD OUT**
April 14 Santa Barbara, CA SoHo **SOLD OUT**
April 16 San Diego, CA Belly Up
April 17 Phoenix, AZ Crescent Ballroom
April 18 Flagstaff, AZ The Orpheum
April 20 Indio, CA Coachella **SOLD OUT**
May 5 Portland, ME State Theatre
May 6 Burlington, VT Higher Ground
May 7 New Haven, CT Toads Place
May 8 Boston, MA House of Blues
May 11 New York, NY Webster Hall
May 12 Philadelphia, PA Union Transfer
May 13 Washington, DC 9:30 Club
May 15 Durham, NC Duke Performances at Page Auditorium
May 16 Athens, GA Georgia Theatre
May 17 Atlanta, GA Buckhead Theatre
May 18 Gulf Shores, AL Hang Out Music Festival
May 20 Nelsonville, OH Nelsonville Music Festival
May 22 Chicago, IL Vic Theatre
May 23 Madison, WI Barrymore Theatre
May 24 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue

Jonathan Richman supports 4/11
fIREHOSE supports 4/12, 4/16-4/18
Lee Ranaldo Band supports 5/5-5/22

M. Ward will release A Wasteland Companion on April 10. Watch a beautiful new animated video for “The First Time I Ran Away” now!

Pre-order A Wasteland Companion on CD or LP now in the Merge store. M. Ward can be found on Twitter, Facebook, and at mwardmusic.com.

M. Ward on tour:
Feb 2 Los Angeles, CA Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever Cemetery
Apr 11 San Francisco, CA The Fillmore
Apr 12 Santa Cruz, CA The Cocoanut Grove Ballroom
Apr 13 Indio, CA Coachella **SOLD OUT**
Apr 14 Santa Barbara, CA SoHO
Apr 16 San Diego, CA Belly Up
Apr 17 Phoenix, AZ Crescent Ballroom
Apr 18 Flagstaff, AZ The Orpheum
Apr 20 Indio, CA Coachella **SOLD OUT**
May 5  Portland, ME State Theatre
May 6  Burlington, VT Higher Ground
May 7  New Haven, CT Toads Place
May 8  Boston, MA House of Blues
May 11 New York, NY Webster Hall
May 12 Philadelphia, PA Union Transfer
May 13 Washington, DC 9:30 Club
May 15 Durham, NC Duke Performances at Page Auditorium
May 16 Athens, GA Georgia Theatre
May 17 Atlanta, GA Buckhead Theatre
May 22 Chicago, IL Vic Theatre
May 24 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue
Jonathan Richman supports 4/11
fIREHOSE supports 4/12, 4/16-4/18
Lee Ranaldo Band supports 5/5-5/22