Our Noise: The Story Of Merge Records, The Indie Label That Got Big And Stayed Small (2009) - Plot & Excerpts
Fun book on Superchunk and the little label that band members Mac McCaughan and Laura Ballance created, Merge Records. Mainly focused on their band and the creation and functioning operation and growth of their label, Our Noise also features stories about other artists (Butterglory, Neutral Milk Hotel, Lambchop, Spoon, Arcade Fire) and their contributions to Merge's, at the time of the book's print, 20 year run as a highly successful label originally known for 7" releases and now houses gold, platinum and Grammy award winning artists.More than just a biography on the Chapel Hill based label, this is more like a written mixtape for the label and its artists featuring first hand accounts, detailed and humorous, by the artists, managers, lawyers and industry professionals who were a part of Merge's history (one particular story led to Spoon signing to the label after a disastrous, brief major label experience) alongside images of the artists in the studio and on the road, postcards and paperwork for Neutral Milk Hotel in which frontman Jeff Mangum's phone number is listed as disconnected.Our Noise is entertaining as it is engaging. As Merge is approaching its 30th year of existence, one can hope to see this extended with additional stories of Arcade Fire's Album of the Year Grammy win, She & Him and Laura Ballance's decision to leave the touring part of Superchunk behind. This is a fun and great, albeit brief, read that will lead to your queuing many of the artists into your playlist or dusting off their old albums. For any fan of Superchunk, the Merge label or indie music, this is a must-read. It's less of a book than a series of comments from artists in the bands profiled and those in the industry. The comments from the various artists involved with the label throughout Merge's history are priceless. It is very well organized and has a great supplement of photos and other extras that make it a real treasure for fans of the genre. The audience for this book is limited, much like the one for the label's music when it was in its infancy, but that demographic will be delighted to read it.
What do You think about Our Noise: The Story Of Merge Records, The Indie Label That Got Big And Stayed Small (2009)?
If you like merge records or any of the bands on merge, you should read this.
—nigz
I love Merge and Superchunk, and the telling of their story here is perfect.
—kichulu
