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The MataBlog is edited by Matador Records’ co-moaner Gerard Cosloy and individual entries are the work of whoever’s name is next to them. If you enjoyed something in the MataBlog, thank you very much! If there was something you found particularly troubling, please be advised that a) maybe you should read it again and b) the contents of this blog do not necessarily represent the opinions of Matador Records, Beggars Group, the combined staff of either company, nor the Matador artist roster. Opinions are like friends — hardly anyone has one worth listening to.

It Gets Late Early Out There - Yo La Tengo's Brooklyn Rooftop Week, Continued



With apologies to Yogi Berra for the above headline, here's Ira, Georgia and James performing 'Popular Songs'' climactic "And The Glitter Is Gone", just prior to play being called on account of darkness. Video shot and hosted by Pitchfork TV. Please watch responsibly!

Cold Cave - stream "Love Comes Close" in its entirety

With Tuesday officially welcoming "Love Comes Close" to the Matador canon, here's an opportunity to check out Cold Cave's debut masterwork in its entirety. Listen, then order the album to own forever.

 Cold Cave - "Love Comes Close"  by  matadorrecs

Cold Cave UK Tour Starts Tonight

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Photo taken from Rezflicks' photo stream, without permission.

There's going to be a lot of these 'insert band name' tour starts tonight! posts from me over the next month, so make sure you're not caught out with gig clashes by keeping up to date with the Tours page.  Europe's the place to be in November it seems.  At least for the majority of Matador's roster.  As I write, Cold Cave should have just touched down on UK soil to head straight to Bristol to start their 10 date tour.

Here's the dates and at the bottom, a lovely flyer from our friends at Transparent blog who are promoting the show on Tuesday at White Heat.

29 OCT - BRISTOL, LOUISIANA

30 OCT - LIVERPOOL, CLUB EVOL @ KOROVA

31 OCT - EDINBURGH, PLAYDATE @ SNEAKY PETES

01 NOV - GLASGOW, OPTIMO

02 NOV - NOTTINGHAM, LIARS CLUB @ BODEGA

03 NOV - LONDON, WHITE HEAT @ MADAME JO JOS

04 NOV - LONDON, CAMDEN BARFLY

05 NOV - MANCHESTER, THE CORNER

06 NOV - BATH, MOLES

07 NOV - LONDON, BE @ PROUD GALLERIES

Cold Cave Flyer

More Rooftop Yo La Tengo - This Time, WIth Georgia's Traffic Report



"Nothing To Hide" from the own-it-or-else 2XLP/CD/digital masterpiece 'Popular Songs', as shot and hosted by Pitchfork TV's "Don't Look Down"

Coming Jan. 26- 'Casual Victim Pile', Matador's Stirring Salute To A City Most Of Us Visit Once A Year

As most of you are aware, when I'm not opening prescription medication I've found in Chris Lombardi's desk attending marketing meetings at 304 Hudson Street,, I spend the majority of my time in the lovely city of Austin, TX. The region's musical heritage, while often acknowledged in the major trade fairs and sprawling rock festivals, often leaves some folks more recognized than others ; 13th Floor Elevators, Bubble Puppy, Moving Sidewalks, Doctor's Mob, True Believers, Big Boys, Dicks, Nice Strong Arm, Butthole Surfers, Scratch Acid, Texas Instruments, Daniel Johnston, 16 Deluxe, Glorium, ...Trail Of Dead, Spoon, Shearwater, Strange Boys, Total Abuse, Hex Dispensers, etc. NONE OF THESE WONDERFUL ARTISTS HAS A STATUE, and that makes me want to cry.

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The thing is, I really suck at making statues. I'm a little more accomplished, however, at putting together compilations. On January 26, Matador will be releasing a double LP / single CD collection/ digital album called 'Casual Victim Pile (Austin 2010'), featuring 17 songs from a newer generation of Austin bands (plus a couple of wildly talented ringers from Denton for good measure). I've been working on this comp. off and on over the past year and I feel pretty good about this record being a valid representation of....uh.....the bands I like to see most often? The Austin Chronicle recently touted CVP as "shaping up to be the most impressive regional comp since 1983's 'Cottage Cheese From the Lips of Death' (Ward 9) , and while I'll take that praise any day of the week, to my ears it more closely recalls Matador's 1991 NYC underground sampler., 'New York Eye & Ear Control'.

Of the album's 19 songs, 18 are previously unreleased, Harlem's "Beautiful & Very Smart" being the only current exception. Only Harlem, The Golden Boys, The Distant Seconds and Elvis have released full albums previously, while several of the bands on this album (Flesh Lights, Dikes Of Holland, KOSL, The Stuffies, The Persimmons) are making their recorded debuts (at least as of this writing). Here's the track listing.

Follow That Bird! - The Ghosts That Wake You
The Young - Blister
Woven Bones - Spirits Roam
Flesh Lights - Crush On You
Dikes Of  Holland - Little City Girl
Tre Orsi -  The Engineer
The Distant Seconds - Akron Bureau
Kingdom Of Suicide Lovers - Hoboken Snow
Elvis - Mommy's Little Soliders

Love Collector - First 48
Bad Sports - Can't Remember Your Name
Wild America - Drink It Dry
Harlem - Beautiful & Very Smart
The Stuffies - No One's Gonna Miss You
The Golden Boys - Older Than You
The No No No Hopes -  Nobody's Fool
The Teeners - Nazis On Film
The Persimmons - The Notice
Lost Controls -  Entirely Wired For Sound

There will be more news to follow in the days in weeks ahead, including a multi-night stand at one of Austin's more beloved nightspots (OK, Beerland) featuring the majority of the album's participants. In the meantime, 'Casual Victim Pile' is available for preorders starting today from The Matador Store,  2XLP for the discount price of $15.30, single CD for $8.50

P.S.  'Casual Victim Pile' is an anagram for 'Live Music Capital'.   I learned that from a talking statue.

Jay Reatard European Tour Kicks Off Tonight

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Photos by David McKenzie Grant

Jay Reatard and his new band are starting their European tour tonight in France, all the dates can be found below. As previously billed, he's playing with the Cola Freaks as his new band and by all accounts they're raring to go as this statement from Mr Reatard attests...

"Life has been great since I've been here in Aarhus (Denmark) the last ten days. Working on music all day, walking a half hour to the rehearsal studio, playing with the Cola Freaks all night.  With the last band it was all overplaying - turn it up, play it fast - but the songs got lost in all the distortion. This new band makes the songs in a way sound more pure by scaling back and putting more emphasis on the melody and the changes. It sounds exactly the I wanted these songs to sound like live when I wrote them.

We added a lot of new songs to the live set. There's already been a secret show in Aarhus before we start a 12 country European tour before coming right back for those Pixies shows.  Can't wait for those.

I also recorded a cover of Chris Knox's first band The Enemy - a version of "Pull Back The Shades" for a Chris Knox tribute album.  I did it right in the bathroom of my hotel room here - put the computer on the sink, recorded the guitar and vocals sitting right on the toilet!"

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L-R Jacob Elving (drums), Jay Lindsey (Flying V),  Anders Thode (bass)

Wed Oct 28 Paris, Maroquinerie

Thu Oct 29 Cologne, Luxor

Fri Oct 30 Munich, 59 to 1

Sat Oct 31 Berlin, Lido

Sun Nov 1 Copenhagen, Loppen

Mon Nov 2 Oslo, Parkteatret

Tue Nov3 Malmo, Mejeriet

Wed Nov 4 Hamburg, Logo

Thu Nov 5 Prague, Matrix

Fri Nov 6 Vienna, B72

Sat Nov 7 Bologna, Covo

Sun Nov 8 Clermont Ferrand, Coop de Mai

Mon Nov 9 Brussels, Botanique Rotonde

Tue Nov 10 Birmingham, Bar Academy

Wed Nov 11 Glasgow, King Tuts

Thu Nov 12 Manchester, Roadhouse

Fri Nov 13 London, Underworld

Sat Nov 14 Bristol, Croft

Sun Nov 15 Liverpool, Masque

Mon Nov 16 Dublin, Whelans

Girls take Boston... Instore @ Newbury Comics

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Girls are shipping up to Boston to rock the Sox off of everyone from Back Bay to Somerville... so check it out, FO FREE.

Free Instore
Saturday November 7th @ 5pm
Newbury Comics - 332 Newbury Street

Until then, grab a copy of Album so you can sing along. Or just check out this wicked good video that the Lust for Life directors dropped on us without telling anyone... but we still love them.

Mission of Burma / Boston & New York City shows announced for early 2010!

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So it's been a mere couple of weeks since Mission of Burma celebrated their very own day in Boston (technically they were in Cambridge, but really folks lets not knit pick) and even longer since their killer set at Jelly NYC's Pool Party (that had no pool, again folks let's not get caught up in the details) in Brooklyn this past July.  Well fear not Northeasterners, Burma's tour plans include coming back our way and not just hitting the West Coast .   As the saying goes, "back by popular demand", Mission of Burma have 4 new shows to announce, 2 in Boston (Paradise Rock Club on Fri, 1/15 + Sat, 1/16/10) and 2 in NYC (Bowery Ballroom on Fri, 1/29 + Sat, 1/30/10).

Pre-sale tickets for the Boston shows go up today at 10am.  CLICK HERE to order tickets.  Tickets are $20 for one show and $35 for both shows.  The pre-sale is only available to those purchasing 2-Day Passes.  You know what they say, double the Burma, double the Fun.  Ok maybe only we say that but we believe it.  General ticket sales for the Boston shows start on Sat, 10/31.

As for the NYC shows just CLICK HERE to purchase tickets to a single show or a 2-Day pass.

Yo La Tengo - "Here To Fall" On Pitchfork TV



"Here To Fall" from the staggeringly great 'Popular Songs' LP/CD/digital album, as filmed and posted by PF TV.  Nice view of the Empire State Building behind Georgia, too.  More rooftop Yo La Tengo to come later this week.

Ridin' On The Chooch Train

There's only one professional sports team that I dislike more than the Anaheim Promise-Keepers and that's the hometown crew in pinstripes.

So as a Philly ex-pat living in New York, I'm more siked than most for the Fung Wa Bus series.

And like many in Philly, I'm on the Chooch Train.

While we're pretty sure Kurt has not endorsed the following clip, I'm sure the kids over in Fishtown, out the Main Line and straight up Broad Street do.

Moar Show Thangs: CMJ and non.

Aside from tonight's killer showcase lineup we've had a last minute addition for tomorrow (not related to CMJ), an all ages Pitchfork + Todd P benefit show at Market Hotel (Myrtle and Broadway) for Showpaper from 1pm until 6am - Cold Cave has been confirmed to play. and moar: Lemonade, Delorean, and Jamie (the XX) DJ set.

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Spiral Stairs live on KUSF today, 7 PM EDT/4 PM PDT

[caption id="attachment_6557" align="alignnone" width="292" caption="(photo by Peter Ellenby)"](photo by Peter Ellenby)[/caption]

Tune in to KUSF this afternoon for a special solo live performance by the one and only Spiral Stairs at 4 PM Pacific/7 PM Eastern. San Franciscans can listen at 90.3 FM, while those in the wider world web can point their internet machine to kusf.org.

Kurt Vile - Up Close & Personal



I was fortunate enough to catch a white hot Kurt Vile & The Violators set in Portland Sunday evening (supported by the always impressive Eat Skull) and while KV&V's expansive take on things is a full-fledged sensory experience, there's something to be said for the subtle approach of Kurt solo, too.  And with that, we've got a couple of clips from The Fader, a version of "He's Alright", and the above performance of "Slow Talkers", featuring a bit of crucial family history (thanks to Nils for the links)

('Childish Prodigy', LP/CD or digital album available from The Matador Store)

Cold Cave "Love Comes Close" Video Debut

Press play below to watch Cold Cave's music video for the title-track from their debut LP 'Love Comes Close', premiering over at Stereogum today.



Directed by Art Boonparn

The 'Love Comes Close' CD/LP is available on November 3rd and is up for preorder now. Earlier today, the limited-to-100 version of Cold Cave's 'Death Comes Close' 12" sold out in minutes. The second version is now available. Head over to the Matador Store for both.

Don't miss Cold Cave this week in New York for CMJ, in the United Kingdom and with Sonic Youth in the next few weeks.

October

  • Tuesday 21st – Stereogum CMJ Showcase @ Studio at Webster Hall, New York NY

  • Wednesday 22nd - VICE Late Night Party @ Public Assembly, Brooklyn, NY

  • Friday 23rd - Matador/True Panther Sounds Showcase @ Flamboyan Theater, New York NY

  • Thursday 29th – Louisiana, Bristol

  • Friday 30th - Club Evol @ Korova, Liverpool

  • Saturday 31st – Playdate @ Sneaky Petes, Edinburgh


November

  • Sunday 1st – Optimo, Glasgow

  • Monday 2nd – Liars Club @ Bodega, Nottingham

  • Tuesday 3rd – White Heat @ Madame Jo Jo’s, London

  • Wednesday 4th – Barfly, London

  • Thursday 5th - Now Wave @ Roadhouse, Manchester

  • Friday 6th – Moles, Bath

  • Saturday 7th – Be @ Proud, London

  • Wednesday 21st – Terminal 5 New York, NY w/ Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr.

  • Friday 23rd  – Wilbur Theater Boston, MA w/ Sonic Youth

Fucked Up - Couple Tracks: Singles 2002-2009

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On January 26 we will be releasing a double-CD and double-LP compilation of Fucked Up's many, many hard-to-find uncollected 7" and 12" tracks. Entitled Couple Tracks, it contains 25 songs. (There are rumors that there may be a simultaneous 7" single of the same name). Designed as a sequel to their earlier compilation, Epics In Minutes (Deranged, 2004), the cover photographs riff on the Beatles red and blue albums thang. Comes with complete illustrated discography of the contents, with extensive liner notes about each song. Double CD is only $11 $12 direct from us. Double Vinyl will be gatefold 120-gram with MP3 coupon, priced at only $18 direct from us. PREORDER here.

Couple Tracks spans an extraordinarily varied (and extraordinarily collectible) musical career that has mainly been documented on 7-inch vinyl singles released around the world on many labels in many countries. Chronologically, it ranges from the A-side of their first single, No Pasarán, a commentary on the Spanish Civil War released on Deranged in 2002, to the fast alternate take of No Epiphany, their latest 7" on Matador from earlier this year.

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Other notable tracks include:

  • the definitive version of Generation and its two B-sides, Ban Violins and Magic Kingdom, released on Slasher - the introduction to the A-side comes from a Hamas recruitment CDR

  • covers of songs by British twee -pop legends The Shop Assistants, Another Sunny Day and Dolly Mixture, from two 7"es self-released by the band and only given away at a single show in Toronto in 2006, plus the B-side of a Matador 7" from mid-2008

  • original, heavier versions of songs that later ended up on Hidden World, such as Triumph Of Life and Neat Parts, both from the 7" originally released by Peter Bower Records in the UK

  • Fixed Race, from the Spanish version of Dangerous Fumes, aka Humos Peligrosos, released in Spain on La Vida Es Un Mus in 2006

  • Toronto FC, from the Hard Skin split 7", only given away at a show in London in 2007

  • the 12" version of Last Man Standing, only available if you selected the correct set of interlocked grooves on the B-side of the Year Of The Dog 12" released in 2006

  • 5 unreleased tracks

  • Plus much more - all beautifully remastered for your listening pleasure:

    DISC ONE - THE HARD STUFF

    1. No Pasarán (A-side of first 7", Deranged, 2002)
    2. Neat Parts (7" Version) (B-side of Triumph Of Life 7", Peter Bower, 2006)
    3. Generation (7" Version) (A-side of Generation 7", Slasher, 2005)
    4. Ban Violins (B-side of Generation 7", Slasher, 2005)
    5. Dangerous Fumes (A-side of Dangerous Fumes 7", self-released, 2005)
    6. Triumph Of Life (7" Version) (A-side of Triumph Of Life 7", Peter Bower, 2006)
    7. Fixed Race (B-side of Humos Peligrosos 7", La Vida Es Un Mus, 2006)
    8. Toronto FC (from Hard Skin split 7", No Future, 2007)
    9. Black Hats (B-side of Year Of The Pig 12", What's Your Rupture?, 2006)
    10. David Christmas (A-side of David Christmas 7", Hidden World, 2007)
    11. No Epiphany (Fast Version) (unreleased Chemistry Of Common Life outtake, intended for No Epiphany 7", Matador, 2009)
    12. Crooked Head (Video Version) (unreleased edit of track from Chemistry Of Common Life, 2008)

    DISC TWO - THE FUN STUFF

    1. I Hate Summer (B-side of Crooked Head 7", Matador, 2008)
    2. Teenage Problems (B-side of Dangerous Fumes 7", self-released, 2005)
    3. Carried Out To Sea (unreleased demo version of song from Hidden World, 2006)
    4. Looking Back (B-side of Shop Assistants 7", self-released giveaway at Toronto show, 2006)
    5. Anorak City (Another Sunny Day cover, B-side of Year Of The Pig UK edit 7", Matador, 2008)
    6. I Don't Want To Be Friends With You (A-side of Shop Assistants 7", self-released giveaway at Toronto show, 2006)
    7. Mustaa Lunta (B-side of Year Of The Pig Japanese edit 7", Matdaor, 2008)
    8. Dream Come True (B-side of Dolly Mixture 7", self-released giveaway at Toronto show, 2006)
    9. Magic Kingdom (B-side of Generation 7", Slasher, 2005)
    10. Magic Word (Daytrotter Version) (unreleased version of Chemistry Of Common Life song from Daytrotter Session, 2008)
    11. Last Man Standing (Year Of The Dog Version) (from Year Of The Dog 12", Blocks Recording Club, 2006)
    12. He's So Frisky (A-side of Dolly Mixture 7", self-released giveaway at Toronto show, 2006)
    13. David Comes To Life (Daytrotter Version) (unreleased version of Hidden World song from Daytrotter Session, 2008)


If you get Couple Tracks together with Epics In Minutes, then you will still have only a portion of the incredible Fucked Up singles output, but definitely the cream of the crop.

Fucked Up play the annual Fucked Up Festival in Toronto on Halloween weekend.

Then they come down to Brooklyn for a very special event - they will play the entirety of The Chemistry Of Common Life at the Masonic Temple in Fort Greene, with all the supporting instruments and parts from the album. Andrew W.K., The Vivian Girls and Katie Stelmanis will join them onstage, along with other performers to be announced. Katie Stelmanis and Titus Andronicus will be opening. Get your tickets HERE.

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Returning To The Scene Of The Crime : Pavement, Brixton Academy, 11 May 2010

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(sure, Pavement tickets are highly coveted, but the band might never match the over-subscribed week long residency of Joe Grushecky)

The Pavement-curated ATP has sold out in what observer calls "record-setting time", so next up, we'll see if a headining show at London's Brixton Academy on the 11th of May can, y'know, shut down the entire internet. Ticketing details are as follows :

There will be a presale for existing O2 customers beginning Wednesday, October 21 at 9:00 AM, another presale for existing Academy Venue Group customers beginning Thursday, October 22 at 9:00 AM and the general on-sale on Friday, October 23 at 9:00 AM.  Tickets will be available from www.ticketweb.co.uk, www.seetickets.com, www.gigantic.com, www.stargreen.com and www.lastminute.com.

Lovers of rock history will recall Pavement's final show took place at this same venue in November of 1999.  More importantly, I once threw up in the balcony (5 April, 1992, Rollercoaster Tour).  I dunno if the venue's new owners are interested in a plaque of some sort, but the label's publicity dept. would be happy to discuss this at any time.

Yo La Tengo / KQED (Northern California)

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Following a busy weekend in Northern California, with a show in Santa Cruz on Saturday night, a brunch style in-store at Aquarius in San Francisco on Sunday, and a festival appearance at the Treasure Island Music Festival, Yo La Tengo are continuing to bring their music and insight to the people of Northern California and beyond by appearing live on KQED.

Go online at 10am PST (1pm EST) today to stream their appearance live.  Available at KQED's live streaming LINK!

Jay Reatard - New Rhythm Section, New Euro & US Dates, Pixies Support, etc.

Screen shot 2009-10-19 at 2.52.46 AM

(from Buck Lewis' Flickr stream)

Followers of Twitter and some of the more popular rock blogs probably read recently that bassist Stephen Pope and drummer Billy Hayes had left Jay Reatard's touring band ; while said move required the cancellation of some dates on the West Coast, we're happy to announce Jay will be back on the road shortly, hitting Europe next week and the U.S. in late November, with the newly ensconced rhythm section of Anders Thode (bass) and Jacob Elving (drums), both from Danish punk titans the Cola Freaks, along for the ride.

You'll note from the dates below that Jay is opening for The Pixies in Chicago, New York, Boston and Washington D.C.   There's also a New Year's Eve date supporting Spoon in Miwaukee.

Wed    Oct    28    Paris,Maroquinerie
Fri    Oct    30    Munich, 59 to 1
Sat    Oct    31    Berlin, Lido
Sun    Nov    1    Copenhagen, Loppen
Mon    Nov    2    Oslo, Parkteatret
Tue    Nov    3    Malmo, Mejeriet
Thu    Nov    5    Prague, Matrix
Fri    Nov    6    Vienna, B72
Sat    Nov    7    Bologna, Covo
Sun    Nov    8    Clermont Ferrand, Coop de Mai
Mon    Nov    9    Brussels, Botanique Rotonde
Tue    Nov    10    Birmingham, Bar Academy
Wed    Nov    11    Glasgow, King Tuts
Thu    Nov    12    Manchester, Roadhouse
Fri    Nov    13    London, Underworld
Sat    Nov    14    Bristol, Croft
Sun    Nov    15    Liverpool, Masque
Mon    Nov    16    Dublin, Whelans

Sat Nov 21         Chicago     Aragon (with The Pixies)
Sun Nov  22         Columbus     The Summit
Mon Nov  23     Pittsburgh     Brillobox
Tue Nov  24         New York      Hammerstein Ballroom (with The Pixies)
Wed Nov  25     Northampton Iron Horse
Fri Nov  27         Boston         Wang Center  (with The Pixies)
Sat Nov  28         Philadelphia Johnny Brenda's
Mon Nov  30     Wash DC     Constitution Hall (with The Pixies)
Tue Dec 1         Chapel Hill    Local 506
Wed Dec 2         Athens 40     Watt Club
Thur Dec 3         Atlanta         The Earl
Fri Dec 4         Orlando         Backbooth
Sat Dec 5         Tampa        Crowbar
Mon Dec 7         New Orleans One Eyed Jacks
Tue Dec 8         Houston     Walters on Washington
Wed Dec 9         Austin         Emo's (Outside)
Thu    Dec 10        Dallas        Granada Theater
Sat  Dec 31      Milwaukee     Riverside Theatre  (with Spoon)

('Watch Me Fall' available on CD/LP and digital album from The Matador Store)

Times New Viking live on Radio K today, 5 PM EDT/4 PM CDT



As seen in the above clip, Times New Viking always bring their best to the good people of the Twin Cities, and just because it's a Sunday doesn't mean they plan on resting. Today they play not just their show at the 7th St. Entry but a live session at the esteemed Radio K at 5 PM Eastern, 4 PM Central.

Radio K can be found on the dial at a veritable plethora of locations: 104.5 FM (Minneapolis-St. Paul), 100.7 FM (St. Paul), 106.5 FM (Minneapolis) & 770 AM (Metro area). If none of those locations coincides with your own, or if all that was just too confusing, you can always listen online.

Times New Viking's stunning new album, Born Again Revisited, can be had for your very own right here.

Cold Cave 'Death Comes Close' 12", ultra-limited edition details AND CMJ appearances

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In addition to the previously announced and already-limited one-time pressing of Cold Cave's new 12" entitled 'Death Comes Close', in collaboration with Dominick Fernow of Cold Cave/Hospital Productions, Matador is set to release a different extra-limited edition of the 12"

This special version features exclusive artwork by Fernow is hand-assembled, stamped and editioned. Limited to one-hundred (100) copies, these records will make it into select stores and we'll have it available for purchase at the Matador Store on Tuesday October 20 at 3:00 PM EST - They're bound to go fast so mark your calendars and set your alarms.

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If you're in New York City next week for the CMJ festivities, you can catch Cold Cave at the following venues:

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