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Aug 17, 2021 By Mark Redfern

Mac McCaughan of Superchunk (and also co-founder of Merge Records) is releasing a new solo album, The Sound of Yourself, on September 24 via Merge (of course). Now he has shared its second single, “Circling Around,” via a video that intercuts images of him singing the song with those of nature. The song features Michael Benjamin Lerner of Telekinesis on drums. Watch the video below, followed by his upcoming tour dates.

In a press release McCaughan had this to say about the new song: “Circling Around… the neighborhood, the living room, the basement, the garden? Here’s a song for wherever you’re wearing out a path & thinking your thoughts.”

Previously McCaughan shared the album’s first single, “Dawn Bends,” which features Yo La Tengo, as well as his Superchunk bandmate Jon Wurster (on drums).

The Sound of Yourself is McCaughan’s second solo album, the follow-up to 2015’s Non-Believers. The album also features 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 a previous press release he described 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.”

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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