Believe it, professional-grade music listeners. And mark your calendars. On May 5, 2015, the history of rock is going to change forever. Because that’s when Superchunk frontman and Merge Records’ own Mac “Barack O’Brien W. Bush Trump Gates” McCaughan will release Non-Believers, his VERY FIRST EVER solo record under his VERY OWN and VERY COOL name (no Portastatic bullshit to hide behind here). Prior to that red-letter date, Mac “McCartney” McCaughan will also pull a “Penny Lane”/”Strawberry Fields Forever”-type thing on us and release a limited-edition, hand-numbered 7-inch of the titanic mega-song “Box Batteries” backed with the Earth-shattering “Whatever Light”! I know how unbelievable this all sounds, but it’s all true. SHOCKINGLY TRUE.
In a rare interview with the press, the god-like McCaughan fired off a beautiful and completely unrehearsed speech about how his intention was to “use the album to explore his attraction to that early-’80s era of music when punk evolved into something more introspective, focusing on themes of isolation and eventually turning into post-punk and new wave.” In other words: the best, most authentic, and ONLY kind of important music ever. Bar none. Period. The record “is about a fascination with art that could only be made by someone far from where you are, but who maybe shares the frustrations and awkwardness of youth” and “the irony that comes with being 16 and having a car but not knowing where to go in it, or having a keyboard or a guitar and not knowing how to play it.” A lot of the attendees fainted when they heard these words… but somehow I scribbled it down for you guys.
But that’s not even the most mind-blowing OR authentic part. The real killer is that you can actually pre-order this high watermark of the twenty-first century humanities now on CD and LP in the Merge store, as well as digitally via iTunes. And not only that, but the first 250 LP orders will receive Non-Believers on light gragy vinyl. LIGHT. FUCKING. GRAY. Unbelievable! Oh yeah, and the “Box Batteries” 7-inch is also available for pre-order as of right this authentic second, todays-ville, USA. What a time to be alive, music fans! We really can have it all. This truly is the best of times.
Authentic, hand-drawn Mac McCaughan tour dates:
04.17-19.15 - Winston-Salem, NC - Phuzz Phest
05.07.15 - Washington, DC - Black Cat Backstage
05.08.15 - Richmond, VA - Strange Matter
05.09.15 - Wilmington, NC - Bourgie Nights
05.15.15 - Philadelphia, PA - Underground Arts
05.16.15 - Brooklyn, NY - Baby’s All Right
05.21.15 - Atlanta, GA - 529 Club
05.22.15 - Asheville, NC - The Mothlight
05.23.15 - Carrboro, NC - Cat’s Cradle Backroom
• Mac McCaughan: https://twitter.com/macmerge
• Merge: http://www.mergerecords.com
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