“Our Noise: The Story Of Merge Records” Review
I must say that I was already quite a fan of Merge Records long before I read the fantastic new book, Our Noise: The Story Of Merge Records. I attended many Superchunk shows throughout the years, as well as those of other artists on the Merge label, and spent more cash on their records than I care to even admit. So, I was sold on their story long before this book came out. Throw in a hilarious introduction to the book by one of my favorite musicians, Ryan Adams, and I was hooked right from page one. But for those of you that didn’t spend most of your extra money in college buying records from Durham, North Carolina’s little label that could, this book is a testament to what can happen when a couple of people who really love music (Mac McCaughan and Laura Ballance of Superchunk) decide to form a record label based on that selfsame passion. Written by John Cook, along with McCaughan and Ballance, and numerous quotes from the artists themselves, Our Noise is a casual, insightful look into the history of both Superchunk and by extension Merge Records, as well as a glimpse into how the music industry itself has changed in the 20 years that Merge has been releasing records.
The Merge Records story is an interesting one, and this book gives readers an insiders glimpse into how the label grew from its modest beginnings in Ballance’s apartment in Durham, to worldwide acclaim and admiration from both peers and musicians alike. The story is often told directly by the artists involved, as well, with short quotes taken from countless interviews with the people who were there. It helps add to the breezy, conversational feel of the book, and keeps it from ever straying into tell-all territory based on hearsay and rumors, shifting the focus directly on the artists themselves and their captivating stories.
At the same time, Our Noise also tracks the growth of Superchunk, one of the best bands to come out of the ’90s, and how they dealt with the piranha-like atmosphere of the grunge years while still staying true to themselves and their vision, all while continuing to release records on the independent label that they founded (even though their first few releases were on Matador, another reputable indie label). For anyone that loves music, this book is a must read, as it shows both the success stories and the pratfalls of the industry in an engaging and thoughtful manner.
And while half of the book focuses solely on Merge and Superchunk’s engrossing story, the other half turns the spotlight squarely on a few of the other artists that signed to Merge over the years, with enlightening individual chapters devoted to Arcade Fire, Spoon, Magnetic Fields, Superchunk, Neutral Milk Hotel, Lambchop and Butterglory. It’s reads like a veritable Indie Rock Hall of Fame, and all of those artists benefited greatly from Merge’s influence and care. The stories are all augmented by stellar, candid photographs of the bands at the time, both on tour and in the studio, and gives readers another glimpse into the worlds of these revered and respected artists. The book also tells of the struggle for the relatively tiny label to handle their widespread success, especially in regards to Arcade Fire, and how Chicago’s Touch and Go assisted with the distribution of Merge’s albums in the early days. But, like the record industry itself, the book is forced to deal with the continued downturn in record sales and how Merge is dealing with that shift.
The road from fledgling label to indie rock powerhouse was not an easy one for Merge, and they made plenty of mistakes along the way—something which McCaughan and Ballance address candidly throughout. They were in the right place at the right time, in a lot of instances. But they continued to treat their artists well, and did right by their music, and those principals are a major reason why bands continue to stick with them when they could make a lot more money signing with a different label. But threaded throughout Our Noise are the stories of a bunch of people who love music, love making music, love talking about music, and, in the case of John Cook, love writing about music. And after all is said and done that passion shines through, both in this book and in everything that Merge has released in the last 20 years. There aren’t many “industry folks” that deserve such accolades, but McCaughan and Ballance certainly do. And there aren’t many record labels I’d read a 300-page book about, but Merge deserves that focus and the recognition that this book deservedly brings. So, dust off a copy of No Pocky For Kitty, turn it up loud, and be thankful that Merge Records exists. Hopefully they will find a way to continue to release more wonderful, groundbreaking music for another 20 years.