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Jul 20, 2021 By Mark Redfern Photography by Oona McCaughan

Mac McCaughan of Superchunk (and also co-founder of Merge Records) has announced a new solo album, The Sound of Yourself, and shared its first single, “Dawn Bends,” which features Yo La Tengo, as well as his Superchunk bandmate Jon Wurster (on drums). In a press release McCaughan says the single is “a cautionary tale about getting a little too into the isolation.” The Sound of Yourself is due out September 24 via Merge (of course). Check out the lyric video for “Dawn Bends” below, followed by the album’s tracklist and cover art, as well as McCaughan’s upcoming full band tour dates.

The Sound of Yourself is McCaughan’s second solo album, the follow-up to 2015’s Non-Believers. The album also features Michael Benjamin Lerner of Telekinesis, Sabrina Ellis of A Giant Dog and Sweet Spirit, Mackenzie Scott of TORRES, and Annie Hayden of Spent.

McCaughan began the album in January 2021, when he found himself at home with time on his hands (as many have during this pandemic we’re still wrestling our way out of) and a room full of instruments. In the press release he describes his thought process: “Each day is blurring into the next, so what are we doing today? How can I disrupt this? I think what resulted was a theme of subdued… ‘joy’ is the wrong word, but it’s at least comforting if not propulsive to have something open-ended to work on every day without any kind of structure or deadline or rules.”

The Sound of Yourself Tracklist:

01 Moss Light
02 The Sound of Yourself
03 I Hear a Radio
04 36 and Rain
05 Burn a Fax
06 Gen Ash
07 Circling Around
08 R Dream
09 Sleep Donor
10 Dawn Bends
11 Found Cricket

Mac McCaughan Tour Dates:

Sep 23 Wilmington, DE – The Queen* [SOLD OUT]
Sep 24 Holyoke, MA – Gateway City Arts Center* [SOLD OUT]
Sep 25 Woodstock, NY – Levon Helm Studios* [SOLD OUT]
Sep 26 Bethlehem, PA – Musikfest Cafe at the ArtsQuest* [SOLD OUT]
Sep 28 Brooklyn, NY – Union Pool^
Sep 29 Philadelphia, PA – Johnny Brenda’s^
Sep 30 Washington, DC – DC9^
Oct 01 Richmond, VA – Richmond Music Hall^
Oct 02 Carrboro, NC – Cat’s Cradle Back Room^

* solo performance w/ John Darnielle (the Mountain Goats)
^ full-band performance w/ 75 Dollar Bill

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