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Just as good writing has meaning between the lines, \u003ci\u003eCivilian\u003c\/i\u003e has meaning between the sounds: the combinations of harmonies, timbres, and words summon vivid and ineffable associations just beyond reach.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"merge records","offers":[{"title":"LP","offer_id":52739155394871,"sku":"MRG400LP","price":24.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD","offer_id":52739155460407,"sku":"MRG400CD","price":14.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Download","offer_id":52739155427639,"sku":"MRG400digital","price":8.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0966\/3935\/3143\/files\/ddb0e7110bd599380463458095c4f952c4d43b27_837feb9dfe1e4c5e53853e24a8466c5710e74241_medium_jpg.jpg?v=1785379959"},{"product_id":"destroyer-kaputt","title":"Destroyer - Kaputt","description":"\u003cp\u003eWith \u003ci\u003eKaputt\u003c\/i\u003e, Dan Bejar unveils the latest chapter in the ever-evolving musical adventure that is \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/destroyer\"\u003eDestroyer\u003c\/a\u003e.The song \"Bay of Pigs\" inspired Pitchfork to declare Bejar \"a songwriter of the highest order.\" \u003ci\u003eKaputt\u003c\/i\u003e also includes ruminations on American communism, the pointlessness of writing songs, and much more!\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"merge records","offers":[{"title":"2-LP (Black)","offer_id":52739161424183,"sku":"MRG369lp","price":32.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD","offer_id":52739161489719,"sku":"MRG369cd","price":14.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Download","offer_id":52739161456951,"sku":"MRG369digital","price":8.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0966\/3935\/3143\/files\/ba17b00169fa60ce1d6043685b8fd7bf3e24e671_4a0094b31d2b3994b4e1e83456f92e5d69fe1934_medium_jpg.jpg?v=1785380133"},{"product_id":"m-ward-hold-time","title":"M. 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It's called \"How I Met Cat Power,\" which actually is true; we were doing back-to-back promo sessions that day...\"\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"merge records","offers":[{"title":"LP (Black)","offer_id":52739186622775,"sku":"MRG175LP","price":24.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD","offer_id":52739186590007,"sku":"MRG175CD","price":18.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Download","offer_id":52739186655543,"sku":"MRG175digital-R","price":8.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0966\/3935\/3143\/files\/fbcf7858903c3dab103a8daebc0104902a27059e_b6bc3939e309ad806d687883a85a7a68d5ed1e10_medium_jpg.jpg?v=1785380915"},{"product_id":"will-butler-policy","title":"Will Butler - Policy","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIncluded on:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e-\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.undertheradarmag.com\/lists\/under_the_radars_top_100_albums_of_2015\/\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUnder the Radar's Top Albums of 2015\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e (#69)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e-\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.stereogum.com\/1847314\/the-50-best-music-videos-of-2015\/franchises\/2015-in-review\/\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eStereogum's Top Music Videos of 2015\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e (#24 \"Anna\")\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis is \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/will-butler\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWill Butler\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e’s first release under his own name.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePolicy\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e is American music—in the tradition of the Violent Femmes, The Breeders, The Modern Lovers, Bob Dylan, Smokey Robinson, The Magnetic Fields, Ghostface Killah. And John Lennon (I know, but it counts). Music where the holy fool runs afoul of the casual world.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003ePolicy\u003c\/i\u003e was recorded in one week in Jimi Hendrix’s old living room (upstairs at Electric Lady Studios). Jeremy Gara played drums; other musicians contributed woodwinds and backing vocals. Most everything else was played by Will.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"merge records","offers":[{"title":"LP (Black)","offer_id":52739186753847,"sku":"MRG540LP","price":21.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD","offer_id":52739186786615,"sku":"MRG540CD","price":14.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Download","offer_id":52739186819383,"sku":"MRG540digital","price":6.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0966\/3935\/3143\/files\/5475494482af4c0966f2a3fe8abd803361d83de5_7cea5919db10c8e14279358db85dcab978334023_medium_jpg.jpg?v=1785380919"},{"product_id":"the-clientele-suburban-light","title":"The Clientele - Suburban Light","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eSuburban Light\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e was meant to be a complicated, high-production affair rendered in a major studio. From 1997 until 2000, \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/the-clientele\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Clientele\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e had released a sterling string of 7” singles on several labels—Pointy and Fierce Panda, Elefant and Johnny Kane. These songs were demos, preparations for the smash they knew they’d doubtlessly make. When it finally came time to record that debut, the four post-graduate friends entered expensive studios during off hours. Instead of finding their sound, though, they only found frustration.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e“We were just waiting to get in a proper studio and have strings, brass, choirs—Phil Spector-crossed-with-Martin Hannett production,” MacLean remembers. “At the time, every engineer wanted to make every band sound like Radiohead, which just broke everyone’s heart. We couldn’t get a warm sound anywhere we went in those days.”\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eThey went, then, with the demos, relatively primitive but especially intimate recordings they made wherever they lived and whenever they wanted. Perhaps that was all for the best: Though The Clientele would later add more flourishes and finesse to their records, \u003ci\u003eSuburban Light\u003c\/i\u003e establishes the unwavering, minimal core of the band. MacLean’s marriage of grace and tension on the guitar ripples throughout “Lacewings,” a brilliant reverie of chemicals and romance and young-adult lassitude. Drummer Howard Monk and bassist James Hornsey conduct a minor miracle of text painting during “Joseph Cornell,” capturing MacLean’s lyrics about evaporating happiness with a rhythm section that sits somewhere between rock bustle and blues languidness. \u003ci\u003eSuburban Light\u003c\/i\u003e is very much the sound of four pals, playing songs written from a place with which they all identify. They were living these scenarios.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e“We drank then at this pub called The Queen’s Head. I woke up the next day, completely hung over, and I went out to play football at this field near my house. It was an autumn day,” says MacLean. “The sound of ‘As Night Is Falling’ is exactly how I remember that day, because I wrote it after running around those fields. \u003ci\u003eSuburban Light\u003c\/i\u003e very much does remind me of the suburban place we did come from. It’s quite poignant.”\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eReleased as a double-disc and one-LP\/one-CD set, this new edition of \u003cem\u003eSuburban Light\u003c\/em\u003e features the album in its original European tracklisting, restored from original analog tapes to sound warmer and a bit less like a batch of demos. The bonus material includes a revelatory set of covers, rehearsals, B-sides, and three unreleased tunes.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont color=\"red\"\u003eThe CD packaged with LP contains bonus tracks only, and the download coupon contains a full download of \u003cem\u003eSuburban Light\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"merge records","offers":[{"title":"LP (Black)","offer_id":52739187835191,"sku":"MRG187LP","price":24.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD","offer_id":52739187867959,"sku":"MRG187cd","price":14.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Download","offer_id":52739187802423,"sku":"MRG187digital","price":8.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0966\/3935\/3143\/files\/a5d109d3518c6dab6b7218949f9b7d8b9e264ffa_ece4594c4310b84ddb99bee4efa9703a12703dae_medium_jpg.jpg?v=1785380943"},{"product_id":"caribou-our-love","title":"Caribou - Our Love","description":"\u003cp\u003eYou reach a point in life where the question of how to stay at the top of your game looms, with the only real solution being: you change the game.\u003cstrong\u003e \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOur Love\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e, the new album from \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/caribou\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCaribou\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e, is the sound of Dan Snaith doing just that. \u003ci\u003eOur Love\u003c\/i\u003e is the fifth studio album from Caribou.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eOur Love\u003c\/i\u003e is formed around a mixture of digital pop production, hip hop-inspired beats, muted house basslines, and a love of shuffling garage that can be traced all the way back to the time of \u003ci\u003eStart Breaking My Heart\u003c\/i\u003e – all of which are, of course, filtered through Dan’s own unique perspective. The warm analog sounds of classic soul should not be overlooked either, for they weave themselves most intensely into the record’s DNA. In fact, \u003ci\u003eOur Love\u003c\/i\u003e is probably Caribou’s most soulful record to date, with tracks like “Back Home” whose heartfelt lyrics – dealing in tired relationships and a weary kind of love – and organic nature cut through the bubbling synths and blissful euphoria of their synthetic constructions. It’s not all downbeat of course; while some thoughts linger on mortality, loss, and letting go, there is always an element of celebration.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHaving followed up his Polaris Prize-winning 2007 record \u003ca href=\"\/products\/caribou-andorra\"\u003e\u003ci\u003eAndorra\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e with the universally adored \u003ca href=\"\/products\/caribou-swim\"\u003e\u003ci\u003eSwim\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003ci\u003e \u003c\/i\u003ein 2010 (selling nearly 175,000 copies worldwide and being named Album of the Year by \u003cstrong\u003eRough Trade\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eMixmag\u003c\/strong\u003e, and \u003cstrong\u003eResident Advisor\u003c\/strong\u003e while also hitting \u003cstrong\u003eThe Guardian\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003ePitchfork, Spin,\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003eMojo\u003c\/strong\u003e’s Top 20), Dan has spent the intervening four years touring the world, bringing not only the sounds of Caribou to the stage but proving his immeasurable worth as a DJ with epic 7½-hour-long sets. In 2012, Caribou were personally invited to join \u003cstrong\u003eRadiohead\u003c\/strong\u003e on the road while Dan released his first album under the guise of his dancefloor-loving pseudonym \u003cstrong\u003eDaphni\u003c\/strong\u003e to widespread critical acclaim. Following the shape-shifting sounds of \u003ci\u003eJIAOLONG \u003c\/i\u003eand the brightly textured, fluid constructions of \u003ci\u003eSwim \u003c\/i\u003e– both inward-looking records in their own way – Dan withdrew to the basement once more to work on Caribou’s next opus. Only he didn’t: \u003ci\u003eOur Love\u003c\/i\u003e isn’t the sound of isolated creation but the sound of Dan at his most connected – with love for his listeners, his collaborators, and those closest to him.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"merge records","offers":[{"title":"LP","offer_id":52739188949303,"sku":"MRG488lp","price":24.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD","offer_id":52739188982071,"sku":"MRG488cd","price":14.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Download","offer_id":52739188916535,"sku":"MRG488digital","price":8.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0966\/3935\/3143\/files\/b67c56c9c08c99a7d36177156335f6e3014968d0_c87309ef49ceca9ab7fc4e5743694d6300d221c0_medium_jpg_cdbbaee1-e559-47ea-86cb-6039d9532b6d.jpg?v=1789600345"},{"product_id":"ex-hex-rips","title":"Ex Hex - Rips","description":"\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/collections\/ex-hex\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEx Hex\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e is Mary Timony, Laura Harris, and Betsy Wright. They are a power trio hailing from Washington, DC, making the music you’ve been waiting for. Drums, bass, guitar, P90s, searing leads—this is unapologetic rock ’n’ roll spat out in the discipline’s mother tongue. Their full-length debut \u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eRips\u003c\/em\u003e \u003c\/strong\u003ewas released on October 7, 2015 in North America and October 13 worldwide.\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eMary found Laura Harris (The Aquarium, Benjy Ferree) and they hit it off immediately. Laura is a monster on drums: intuitive, solid, and just a bit rough around the edges. The pair played together for a couple of months in a tiny carpet-lined practice space shared with half a dozen hardcore bands and what appeared to be the better part of a B.C. Rich Mockingbird.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eIn walked Betsy Wright from the wilds of Virginia. She and Mary have similar tendencies, both defaulting to denim and The Voidoids. Betsy is a performer and an ace piano player, and before long, she was slinging a cherry SG as the third member of Ex Hex. \u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eThe group played a handful of shows and a couple of months later, in the spring of 2014, headed into the studio. Working furiously, they recorded over the span of two weeks in North Carolina with Mitch Easter (Let’s Active) and in the basement of Mary’s home with frequent collaborator Jonah Takagi. Bobby Harlow (The Go, Conspiracy of Owls) was tapped to mix because of his unique take on making rock records.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eWhat results is Ex Hex \u003ci\u003eRips\u003c\/i\u003e, twelve songs about underdogs, guys stealing your wallet, schoolyard brawls, and getting bent. The record happens pretty quickly, so don’t blink.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cfont color=\"red\"\u003eLP includes a coupon for a full download.\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"merge records","offers":[{"title":"LP (Black)","offer_id":52739189375287,"sku":"MRG525LP","price":24.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD","offer_id":52739189408055,"sku":"MRG525CD","price":14.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Download","offer_id":52739189440823,"sku":"MRG525digital","price":8.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0966\/3935\/3143\/files\/f44dfb03719cbf1f9bf0d3023057955f1e074e7d_d12717fdd25d54369344139dc266d92c75cbfa56_medium_jpg.jpg?v=1785380983"},{"product_id":"titus-andronicus-the-most-lamentable-tragedy","title":"Titus Andronicus - The Most Lamentable Tragedy","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eYear-end accolades:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.soundopinions.org\/show\/524\"\u003eSound Opinion's Best Albums of 2015\u003c\/a\u003e (#5, #6)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/consequenceofsound.net\/2015\/12\/top-50-albums-of-2015\/5\/\"\u003eConsequence of Sound's Top Albums of 2015\u003c\/a\u003e (#9)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.stereogum.com\/1845609\/the-50-best-albums-of-2015\/franchises\/2015-in-review\/4\/\"\u003eStereogum's Best Albums of 2015\u003c\/a\u003e (#17)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/americansongwriter.com\/2015\/11\/american-songwriters-top-50-albums-2015-presented-daddario\/3\/\"\u003eAmerican Songwriter's Top Albums of 2015\u003c\/a\u003e (#24)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.spin.com\/featured\/the-50-best-albums-of-2015\/\"\u003eSPIN's Best Albums of 2015\u003c\/a\u003e (#32)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2015\/12\/15\/arts\/music\/the-best-songs-of-2015.html\"\u003eThe New York Times' Best Songs of 2015\u003c\/a\u003e (#6 \"Dimed Out\")\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/music\/lists\/50-best-songs-of-2015-20151203\"\u003eRolling Stone's Best Songs of 2015\u003c\/a\u003e (#50 \"Dimed Out\")\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/pitchfork.com\/features\/staff-lists\/9765-the-100-best-tracks-of-2015\/\"\u003ePitchfork's Best Songs of 2015\u003c\/a\u003e (#84 \"Dimed Out\")\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Most Lamentable Tragedy\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003c\/i\u003e[hereafter \u003ci\u003eTMLT\u003c\/i\u003e] is the fourth studio album by \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/titus-andronicus\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTitus Andronicus\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e [hereafter +@] and the band’s debut for Merge Records. A rock opera in five acts, it is available for purchase as a digital download, double CD, and triple LP.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe central narrative of \u003ci\u003eTMLT \u003c\/i\u003e(“a work of fiction,” claims singer\/songwriter Patrick Stickles) concerns an unnamed protagonist whom we meet in deep despair. Following an encounter with his own doppelgänger (an enigmatic stranger, identical in appearance though opposite in disposition), long held secrets are revealed, sending our protagonist on a transformative odyssey, through past lives and new loves, to the shocking revelation that the very thing that sustains him may be the thing to destroy him.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eTMLT \u003c\/i\u003ewas produced by frequent collaborator Kevin McMahon and +@ lead guitarist Adam Reich.  The core band is rounded out by the long-standing rhythm section of Eric Harm (drums) and Julian Veronesi (bass) plus rookie guitarist Jonah Maurer. Joining in throughout are pianist Elio DeLuca and violinist Owen Pallett, beside a cast of guests representing some of New York’s most exciting bands (The So So Glos, Baked, Bad Credit No Credit, Lost Boy?, etc.).\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eTMLT \u003c\/i\u003eis both the crown jewel of the band’s discography and the legend that contextualizes their entire body of work. It reveals that +@ are what hardcore fans have said they are for years, and what the world must now recognize them to be: not merely the greatest rock and roll band of this era, but one of the greatest rock and roll bands of all time.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"merge records","offers":[{"title":"3-LP (Black)","offer_id":52739195044151,"sku":"MRG527LP","price":40.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"2-CD","offer_id":52739195011383,"sku":"MRG527CD","price":18.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Download","offer_id":52739194978615,"sku":"MRG527digital","price":10.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0966\/3935\/3143\/files\/3963f7c07312fbce0479e5733a601e7aa434dac9_585476b2da167560c639976b79abb40fbe508882_medium_jpg.jpg?v=1785381047"},{"product_id":"william-tyler-modern-country","title":"William Tyler - Modern Country","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIncluded in:\u003cbr\u003e-\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.magnetmagazine.com\/2016\/12\/21\/magnets-4-album-of-2016-william-tylers-modern-country\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eMagnet's Top Albums of 2016\u003c\/a\u003e (#4)\u003cbr\u003e-\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/country\/lists\/40-best-country-albums-of-2016-w452950\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eRolling Stone Country's Best Country Albums of 2016\u003c\/a\u003e (#37)\u003cbr\u003e-\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/apps.npr.org\/best-music-2016\/list\/top-songs\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eNPR Top Songs of 2016\u003c\/a\u003e (#76 \"Highway Anxiety\")\u003cbr\u003e-\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.allmusic.com\/year-in-review\/2016\/allmusic-best-of-2016\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eAllMusic's Best of 2016\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e-\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.aquariumdrunkard.com\/2016\/12\/12\/aquarium-drunkard-2016-year-in-review\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eAquarium Drunkard's 2016 Year in Review\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e-\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.theatlantic.com\/entertainment\/archive\/2016\/12\/our-favorite-31-songs-of-2016\/510773\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eThe Atlantic's Favorite Songs of 2016\u003c\/a\u003e (\"The Great Unwind\")\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.allmusic.com\/year-in-review\/2016\/allmusic-best-of-2016\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eModern Country\u003c\/i\u003e is the fourth full-length album by guitarist and composer \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/collections\/william-tyler\"\u003eWilliam Tyler\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e and his first recorded outside of his hometown of Nashville, Tennessee. It features an ensemble backing group consisting of multi-instrumentalist Phil Cook (\u003ca href=\"\/collections\/hiss-golden-messenger\"\u003eHiss Golden Messenger\u003c\/a\u003e, Blind Boys of Alabama), bassist Darin Gray (Tweedy, Jim O’Rourke), and percussionist Glenn Kotche (Wilco). The album was tracked at April Base Studios in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, and finished in Nashville, recorded and mixed by Jon Ashley, and produced by Tyler and Brad Cook.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eWhile there is never a comfort zone in instrumental music, Tyler attempts to leave any perceived one behind with \u003ci\u003eModern Country\u003c\/i\u003e. His first album for Merge, 2013’s \u003ca href=\"\/products\/william-tyler-impossible-truth\"\u003e\u003ci\u003eImpossible Truth\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e, found Tyler exploring the boundaries of composition for solo guitar in a manner that paid homage to everyone from Leo Kottke to Brian Wilson. It was an epic song cycle that veered from cathedral-like psychedelic hymns to pastoral folk melodies. In contrast, \u003ci\u003eModern Country \u003c\/i\u003efinds Tyler exploring more focused melodic themes rather than ethereal wanderings. These aren’t pop songs, per se, but they are closer in spirit to Neu!, Penguin Cafe Orchestra, and Bill Frisell.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003ePrimarily written while Tyler was on sabbatical in Oxford, Mississippi, where he stayed at the cabin of a family friend within a stone’s throw of William Faulkner’s house, \u003ci\u003eModern Country\u003c\/i\u003e is a collection of songs about the vanishing America that still exists on back roads, in small towns, on AM radio stations. In an election year when so many certainties and assurances have vanished, Tyler doesn’t offer optimism or pessimism but rather a calm and measured commentary in our age of anxiety.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont style=\"color: red; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;\" color=\"red\"\u003eLP includes a coupon for a full download\u003c\/font\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"merge records","offers":[{"title":"LP","offer_id":52739206316343,"sku":"MRG545LP","price":21.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD","offer_id":52739206283575,"sku":"MRG545CD","price":14.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Download","offer_id":52739206349111,"sku":"MRG545digital","price":6.93,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0966\/3935\/3143\/files\/7edad2d700457607906fe0f27ae43b8551d4ba3a_7990978ff950da834e8d6e3078228a2b84559340_medium_jpg.jpg?v=1785381138"},{"product_id":"waxahatchee-out-in-the-storm","title":"Waxahatchee - Out in the Storm","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIncluded in:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e-\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.magnetmagazine.com\/2017\/12\/21\/best-of-2017-qa-with-waxahatchees-katie-crutchfield\/\"\u003eMagnet’s Album of the Year\u003c\/a\u003e (December 2017 issue)\u003cbr\u003e-\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/music\/lists\/50-best-albums-of-2017-w511763\/waxahatchee-out-in-the-storm-w511772\"\u003eRolling Stone’s Best Albums of 2017\u003c\/a\u003e (#14)\u003cbr\u003e-\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2017\/12\/12\/568400855\/the-50-best-albums-of-2017\"\u003eNPR’s Best Albums of 2017\u003c\/a\u003e (#41) \u003cbr\u003e-\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2017\/12\/06\/arts\/music\/best-songs.html\"\u003eNY Times’ Best Songs of 2017\u003c\/a\u003e (“Never Been Wrong”)\u003cbr\u003e-\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.usatoday.com\/story\/life\/music\/2017\/12\/04\/usa-todays-10-favorite-albums-2017\/911021001\/\"\u003eUSA Today’s Favorite Albums of 2017\u003c\/a\u003e \u003cbr\u003e-\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.stereogum.com\/featured\/the-50-best-albums-of-2017\/\"\u003eStereogum’s Best Albums of 2017\u003c\/a\u003e (#8)\u003cbr\u003e-\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.avclub.com\/the-a-v-club-s-20-best-albums-of-2017-1820857283\"\u003eThe AV Club’s Best Albums of 2017\u003c\/a\u003e (#10) \u003cbr\u003e-\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pitchfork.com\/features\/lists-and-guides\/the-20-best-rock-albums-of-2017\"\u003ePitchfork’s Best Rock Albums of 2017\u003c\/a\u003e (#13)\u003cbr\u003e-\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.billboard.com\/articles\/columns\/rock\/8071031\/best-rock-albums-2017-top-25\"\u003eBillboard's Best Rock Albums of 2017\u003c\/a\u003e (#13)\u003cbr\u003e-\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.pastemagazine.com\/articles\/2017\/11\/the-50-best-albums-of-2017.html\"\u003ePaste's Best Albums of 2017\u003c\/a\u003e (#18)\u003cbr\u003e-\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/variety.com\/2017\/music\/news\/best-albums-2017-kendrick-lamar-lorde-taylor-swift-1202639664\/\"\u003eVariety's Best Albums of 2017\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e-\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.nydailynews.com\/entertainment\/music\/25-best-albums-2017-article-1.3666278\"\u003eNY Daily News’ Best Albums of 2017\u003c\/a\u003e (#15)\u003cbr\u003e-\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/daily.bandcamp.com\/2017\/12\/14\/the-best-bandcamp-albums-of-2017-40-21\/\"\u003eBandcamp's Best Albums of 2017\u003c\/a\u003e (#31)\u003cbr\u003e-\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.theringer.com\/music\/2017\/12\/4\/16732624\/best-songs-2017-cardi-b-lorde-justin-bieber-kesha-st-vincent\"\u003eThe Ringer’s Best Songs of 2017\u003c\/a\u003e (#6, “Never Been Wrong”)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOut in the Storm\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e, Katie Crutchfield’s fourth album as \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/waxahatchee\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWaxahatchee\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e \u003c\/strong\u003eand the follow-up to her Merge debut \u003ca href=\"\/products\/waxahatchee-ivy-tripp\"\u003e\u003ci\u003eIvy Tripp\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e, is the blazing result of a woman reawakened. Her most autobiographical and honest album to date, \u003ci\u003eOut in the Storm\u003c\/i\u003e is a self-reflective anchor in the story of both her songwriting and her life.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe album was tracked at Miner Street Recordings in Philadelphia with John Agnello, a producer, recording engineer, and mixer known for working with some of the most iconic musicians of the last 25 years, including Dinosaur Jr. and Sonic Youth. Agnello and Crutchfield worked together for most of December 2016, along with the band: sister \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/allison-crutchfield\"\u003eAllison Crutchfield\u003c\/a\u003e on keyboards and percussion, Katherine Simonetti on bass, and Ashley Arnwine on drums; Katie Harkin, touring guitarist with Sleater-Kinney, also contributed lead guitar. At Agnello’s suggestion, the group recorded most of the music live to enhance their unity in a way that gives the album a fuller sound compared to past releases, resulting in one of Waxahatchee’s most guitar-driven releases to date.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"merge records","offers":[{"title":"LP (Black)","offer_id":52996576608567,"sku":"MRG594LP","price":24.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD","offer_id":52739210740023,"sku":"MRG594CD","price":14.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Download","offer_id":52739210805559,"sku":"MRG594digital","price":7.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0966\/3935\/3143\/files\/c3cac0bb77e6e4e2a9a98ee2dcb6c2a80767ca94_a5e097174e90697c313b8d7bb09a9534eca92acd_medium_jpg_fbdf1585-1474-4839-815a-7d1f19a724ea.jpg?v=1789597775"},{"product_id":"hiss-golden-messenger-hallelujah-anyhow","title":"Hiss Golden Messenger - Hallelujah Anyhow","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIncluded in:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/uproxx.com\/music\/best-albums-of-2017-ranked-list\/\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUproxx's Best Albums of 2017\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e (#20)\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/country\/lists\/40-best-country-albums-americana-albums-of-2017-w513189\/hiss-golden-messenger-hallelujah-anyhow-w513256\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRolling Stone's Best Country and Americana Albums of 2017\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e (#32)\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/aquariumdrunkard.com\/2017\/12\/18\/aquarium-drunkard-2017-year-in-review\/\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAquarium Drunkard's 2017 Year in Review\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/thebluegrasssituation.com\/read\/bgs-class-of-2017-albums\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Bluegrass Situation's Class of 2017: Albums\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe ten songs on \u003ci\u003eHallelujah Anyhow\u003c\/i\u003e, penned by \u003cstrong\u003eHiss Golden Messenger \u003c\/strong\u003eprincipal M.C. Taylor, were recorded with Brad Cook, Phil Cook, Chris Boerner, Josh Kaufman, Darren Jessee, Michael Lewis, and Scott Hirsch. Alexandra Sauser-Monnig, Tift Merritt, Skylar Gudasz, Tamisha Waden, Mac McCaughan, and John Paul White provided vocal harmonies.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“I see the dark clouds. I was designed to see them. They’re the same clouds of fear and destruction that have darkened the world since Revelations, just different actors. But this music is for hope. That’s the only thing I want to say about it. Love is the only way out. I’ve never been afraid of the darkness; it’s just a different kind of light. And if some days that belief comes harder than others, hallelujah anyhow.” —\u003ci\u003eM.C. Taylor\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"merge records","offers":[{"title":"LP","offer_id":52739212017975,"sku":"MRG605LP","price":21.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD","offer_id":52739211952439,"sku":"MRG605CD","price":14.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Download","offer_id":52739211985207,"sku":"MRG605digital","price":7.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0966\/3935\/3143\/files\/07756fec6394e276cc1499ba3089e66289d6b987_8311f27dcdc1ae2cd498ae8695d8130963d2036f_medium_jpg.jpg?v=1789600388"},{"product_id":"fruit-bats-gold-past-life","title":"Fruit Bats - Gold Past Life","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/collections\/fruit-bats\"\u003eFruit Bats\u003c\/a\u003e’ \u003ci\u003eGold Past Life\u003c\/i\u003e marks both an end and a beginning. It’s the end of an unintentional thematic trilogy of records from Eric D. Johnson that began with 2014’s \u003ci\u003eEDJ\u003c\/i\u003e (a solo record by name, but a Fruit Bats release in spirit) and hit an emotional peak with 2016’s \u003ci\u003eAbsolute Loser\u003c\/i\u003e. They encompassed years of loss, displacement, and the persistent, low-level anxiety of the current political climate. They were written in the wake of friends who left these earthly confines and families that could have been.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBut the songs on \u003ci\u003eGold Past Life\u003c\/i\u003e also represent new beginnings—the journeys that await after making it through troubled times. Johnson’s falsetto shines atop the bopping folk-rock of \u003ci\u003eGold Past Life\u003c\/i\u003e. The new record features more keyboard influences and a range of guests including Greta Morgan (Springtime Carnivore, Vampire Weekend), Neal Casal (Circles Around the Sun), Trevor Beld Jimenez and Tim Ramsey (Parting Lines), Meg Duffy (Hand Habits), and more. It also sees his working relationship with producer and engineer Thom Monahan (Neko Case, Peter Bjorn \u0026amp; John, Devendra Banhart) hit its stride.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Fruit Bats makes existential make-out music,” Johnson describes with a chuckle. “But you’re also welcome to dive into it deeper if you want. Good pop music should be sublime like that.”\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"merge records","offers":[{"title":"LP (Black)","offer_id":52739225092407,"sku":"MRG670LP","price":24.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD","offer_id":52996577624375,"sku":"MRG670CD","price":14.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Download","offer_id":52739225125175,"sku":"MRG670digital","price":7.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0966\/3935\/3143\/files\/7d0309b7b5f164631240bf56b51176bd5babb1a8_a4c28da7275531141eea280b30d5aa62a9abeddf_medium_jpg_86c76bbd-8015-4576-aefb-555be639106f.jpg?v=1789600449"},{"product_id":"hiss-golden-messenger-terms-of-surrender","title":"Hiss Golden Messenger - Terms of Surrender","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/RecordingAcad\/status\/1331288723900645376\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e2021 GRAMMY® nominee for Best Americana Album!\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e+++\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFrom \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/hiss-golden-messenger\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHiss Golden Messenger\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e songwriter and bandleader M.C. Taylor:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cblockquote\u003e\u003cp\u003eI composed the songs that became \u003ci\u003eTerms of Surrender\u003c\/i\u003e with no guarantee that they would ever become a record; they felt too raw to be of interest to anyone but myself. They were my therapy and my church. But then we were there in Aaron Dessner’s studio in upstate New York, and in Sound City in L.A., and Roger Moutenot’s Haptown Studio in Nashville, and Phil Cook’s harmonica was screaming and Jenny Lewis was singing and Josh Kaufman’s guitar was etching the cosmos, and I realized that maybe these songs were good for something after all, and it wasn’t my year to die. And I was glad—appreciative, maybe—of the previous year because things on the other side now looked sweeter and brighter and not so dire. And through the songs ran a line—the most important theme of the whole record, I know now—about love, and how nothing of value that I have created would exist without it, and I better goddamn well keep my eye on it. Love is so powerful that people made religion to give a name to it, but if we don’t treat it with a sensitive touch, it disappears like smoke. I had a dream once, many years ago, where I heard a voice say “God is love,” and I felt it with my whole being. This record is a reminder of that dream.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/blockquote\u003e","brand":"merge records","offers":[{"title":"Peak Vinyl (Coke-Bottle Clear)","offer_id":52996577722679,"sku":"MRG675lp-C1","price":22.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"LP (Black)","offer_id":52739226042679,"sku":"MRG675LP","price":21.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD","offer_id":52739226009911,"sku":"MRG675CD","price":14.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Download","offer_id":52739226075447,"sku":"MRG675digital","price":7.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0966\/3935\/3143\/files\/d9a406b30179d2564d132425e8a1728ded19bd85_72ff1ef45d35845219eb9a2042b24cebcedfa5dc_medium_jpg.jpg?v=1789600458"},{"product_id":"richard-buckner-dents-and-shells","title":"Richard Buckner - Dents and Shells","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis one-time, limited-edition white Peak Vinyl reissue marks the 15th anniversary of the \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/richard-buckner\"\u003eRichard Buckner\u003c\/a\u003e classic—his first album for Merge—and its debut appearance on vinyl! The record is housed in a heavyweight inner sleeve with full lyrics and includes a digital download.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eDents and Shells (Reissue) \u003c\/i\u003ecan also be found at your favorite local \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.recordstoreday.com\/Stores\"\u003eindependent record store\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e+++\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eDents and Shells\u003c\/i\u003e is the first LP that \u003cstrong\u003eRichard Buckner\u003c\/strong\u003e made for Merge Records, in 2004. By the time the album was recorded in Austin, TX and Tucson, AZ, with the help of Butthole Surfers’ drummer King Coffey and other Austin locals, he’d been a touring musician and released over a half dozen records. With no fixed home base a decade deep into his career, he was still a roamer.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThat may be why \u003ci\u003eDents and Shells\u003c\/i\u003e still sounds so fresh 15 years later. Whether working with collaborators or going it alone, on stage or in a studio, Buckner has always tended to play by feel.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"merge records","offers":[{"title":"Peak Vinyl (White)","offer_id":52739226501431,"sku":"MRG249lp-C1","price":24.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD","offer_id":52739226468663,"sku":"MRG249cd","price":14.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Download","offer_id":52739226534199,"sku":"MRG249digital","price":7.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0966\/3935\/3143\/files\/9d5d8d0eee3a711791f2c02cb96433e6e155e6d3_dd41976c821ec6fdb4af0a6a7530401d1c3a42dc_medium_jpg.jpg?v=1785381542"},{"product_id":"polvo-today-s-active-lifestyles","title":"Polvo - Today's Active Lifestyles","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe black vinyl LP reissue of \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/polvo\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePolvo\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e’s sophomore album. Redesigned album art includes a heavyweight inner sleeve featuring never-before-seen photos from the band’s archive. Includes digital download card. ***The Peak Vinyl version is sold out on the Merge Records store. Check with your favorite \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/recordstoreday.com\/Stores\"\u003elocal record shop\u003c\/a\u003e to see if they have it in stock!***\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCheck out our new \u003ca href=\"\"\u003ePolvo t-shirt\u003c\/a\u003e as well!\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e+++\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eToday’s Active Lifestyles\u003c\/i\u003e, the second full-length by North Carolina rockers \u003cstrong\u003ePolvo\u003c\/strong\u003e, did exactly what a sophomore LP is supposed to do: It expanded the ideas put forth in the first album, gave them a new spin and shine, and presented the “where we are now” to the world. Produced and recorded over four heady days in December 1992 by former Bostonian and ex-\u003ca href=\"\/collections\/volcano-suns\"\u003eVolcano Suns\u003c\/a\u003e bassist Bob Weston (around the time he started in Shellac), \u003ci\u003eToday’s Active Lifestyles\u003c\/i\u003e hit record store shelves in April 1993. From the whizzing crunch of “Thermal Treasure” to the loping, connective “My Kimono”to the 7-minute-plus blowouts “Stinger (Five Wigs)” and closer “Gemini Cusp,” the album asserted its place as a most worthy successor to \u003ci\u003eCor-Crane Secret\u003c\/i\u003e. The foreboding title of a particularly screechy, fuzzy jam, “Time Isn’t on My Side,” proved to be nonsense; \u003ci\u003eToday’s Active Lifestyles\u003c\/i\u003e has aged beautifully.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"merge records","offers":[{"title":"LP (Black)","offer_id":52739227091255,"sku":"MRG040LP","price":24.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Download","offer_id":52739227124023,"sku":"MRG040digital","price":8.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0966\/3935\/3143\/files\/44dc636f5684ee6a34da68ccbaa29cfcc3b6adf7_d64e4577712538191bb655189854e405fb1b5d26_medium_jpg.jpg?v=1785381565"},{"product_id":"rosali-bite-down","title":"Rosali - Bite Down","description":"\u003cp\u003eDan Bejar of \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/destroyer\"\u003eDestroyer\u003c\/a\u003e says:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt’s hard to talk about Rosali’s music. Songs that reach outward like this, but then constantly disarm with their intimacy. What do you call such inner searching that is hellbent on rollicking? Songs that long for a sense of peace and songs that want romance, all on equal footing in the same plot of earth? Performed wild, but always centered around the incredible lyrical calm that is Rosali’s voice.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eBite Down \u003c\/i\u003emakes me think about singers and bands that throw themselves hard into the storm, the way the Rosali quartet does. … The calm of her voice over top of the band’s raging—it is the emblem of songs that live to put themselves in harm’s way. But it’s not harm. It’s just that you have to play hard to get at these goods. The calm of Rosali’s voice, the straight talk of her inner search vs. the wildness of the band, the sonic storm she rides in on. 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