Though he has been rocking for decades in various outfits—most notably Superchunk, but also the mostly solo outfit Portastatic—Mac McCaughan has never released a proper solo album under his own name. (Turns out he thought that was a little weird for some reason.) That will change on May 5, when the label he co-owns, Merge, will release Non-Believers. The relatively mellow, introspective set will be accompanied by a short tour, the dates of which are below, along with an evocative trailer for the album. McCaughan said that he wanted 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.” (He should know, he was there.) You can pre-order the album (including a limited-edition version on nostalgic grey vinyl) at Merge, who’ll also have a limited-edition seven-inch as well, on April 7. Oh, and in addition to the dates below, a little bird told us Mac will be playing at SXSW this year, possibly including a day party in conjunction with your favorite pop-culture website. Stay tuned.
Apr 17-19 Winston-Salem, NC – Phuzz Phest
May 07 Washington, DC – Black Cat Backstage
May 08 Richmond, VA – Strange Matter
May 09 Wilmington, NC – Bourgie Nights
May 15 Philadelphia, PA – Underground Arts
May 16 Brooklyn, NY – Baby’s All Right
May 21 Atlanta, GA – 529 Club
May 22 Asheville, NC – The Mothlight
May 23 Carrboro, NC – Cat’s Cradle Backroom
5/7-23 with Flesh Wounds
5/9 with The Love Language