VA — SCORE! Twenty Years Of Merge Records (Limited Edition) (2009)

Merge continues its 20th anniversary festivities with a comp of non-label artists— Bright Eyes, Shins, New Pornos— covering songs from its catalog.

Merge Records doesn\’t look its age. Originally formed as an outlet for Superchunk material, the Durham, N.C.-based label has grown into an indie institution, but only gradually— year by year, release by release. It never allied itself with a scene or a sound, so the mind doesn\’t automatically tether it to a specific place or , the way Sub Pop, despite its strong roster this decade, will be most closely associated with Seattle in the late 1980s and early 90s. So it\’s hard to believe Merge is already 20 years old, an occasion the label is marking with a big birthday bash— the five-day XX Merge fest in July— and a subscription-only series of commemorative retrospectives and remixes. Perhaps the most intriguing party favor is Score! Twenty Years of Merge Records: The Covers, a choppy but oddly endearing compilation that enlists 20 non-Merge acts to cover Merge songs.

Score! doesn\’t resemble a traditional label sampler as much as one of those carefully curated compilations like this year\’s Dark Was the Night. Both releases benefit charities, both feature the National at their most subdued, and both serve as a useful state-of-indie report. But where Dark emphasized \»primarily folkie tunefulness, baroque lines in which the guitar is subservient to other instruments\» (as Scott Plagenhoef wrote in his review), Score! allows and even encourages these artists to indulge every idiosyncrasy, no matter how potentially off-putting or digressive. The result is a weirder, less polite album, one that showcases a diversity of musical styles and seems much more representative of 2000s indie.

More representative, however, doesn\’t mean better. This comp\’s inclusive cross-section comes with a downside: If there\’s something for everyone, there\’s also something for everyone to skip over. Ted Leo and the Pharmacists\’ workmanlike cover of Robert Pollard\’s \»The Numbered Head\» will likely get played often (at least those opening chords), as listeners move past the Hive Dwellers\’ discursive take on Superchunk\’s \»My Noise\», which pares the song down to scattered drum hits, a meandering melodica, stair-stepping bass, and floating vocals. It\’s interesting to hear the Merge founders stretched out like taffy, but it\’s interesting only once. Conor Oberst\’s earnestness gets the better of him on Bright Eyes\’ version of the Magnetic Fields\’ \»Papa Was a Rodeo\», which takes the song at face value and misses its meta-country-song ironies. Stephin Merritt demands a more complex approach with shades of feeling rather than primary colors, and unfortunately Jens Lekman and Tracey Thorn also learn that the hard way on \»Yeah! Oh, Yeah!\» communicating only sincere resignation to the neglect of lust, mischief, and desperation.

Disc 1 (03:13:26)

1. American Music Club — Patriot\’s Heart (05:59)

2. Cornershop — England\’s Dreaming (03:33)

3. Superchunk — Slack Motherfucker (02:54)

4. Dinosaur Jr. — Freak Scene (03:38)

5. Lambchop — The Book I Haven\’t Read (05:47)

6. M. Ward — Requiem (02:50)

7. The Magnetic Fields — Come Back From San Francisco (02:49)

8. Matt Elliott — The Dog Beneath The Skin (07:52)

9. Robert Pollard — Love Is Stronger Than Witchcraft (04:14)

10. The Rock*A*Teens — Misty Took A Holiday (02:41)

11. Rocket From The Crypt — UFO>UFO>UFO (02:15)

12. The Spinanes — Suffice (03:50)

13. Lou Barlow — Confused (03:45)

14. Teenage Fanclub — Born Under A Good Sign (03:01)

15. Velocity Girl — You\’re So Good To Me (02:31)

16. Portastatic — Sour Shores (04:40)

17. Neutral Milk Hotel — You\’ve Passed (03:05)

18. The Minus 5 — Hate Me More (04:40)

Disc 2 (01:02:41)

1. Guv\’ner — Break A Promise (03:24)

2. Imperial Teen — Everything (03:20)

3. The Rosebuds — Drunkard\’s Worst Nightmare (03:42)

4. Spoon — Decora (03:15)

5. Annie Hayden — Wait For Returns (03:37)

6. David Kilgour — Gold In Sound (03:57)

7. Lambchop — You Fucking Sunny Day (03:47)

8. Oakley Hall — Angela (04:16)

9. Paul Burch & The WPA Ballclub — Forever Yours (03:07)

10. East River Pipe — Prettiest Whore (03:33)

11. Portastatic — Spying On The Spies (03:54)

12. She & Him — This Is Not A Test (03:31)

13. Big Dipper — She\’s Fetching (02:39)

14. Pipe — Spring Training (01:31)

15. Erectus Monotone — The Day The Sharks Flew (01:42)

16. Ashley Stove — Amen Grasshopper (03:12)

17. Superchunk — Honey Bee (03:43)

18. Lambchop — I Wanna Know Girls (06:31)

Disc 3 (58:38)

1. The Essex Green — The Late Great Cassiopia (03:31)

2. Paul Burch & The WPA Ballclub — Oh My Darlin\’ (03:11)

3. The Magnetic Fields — A Chicken With Its Head Cut Off (02:42)

4. Camera Obscura — Alaska (03:11)

5. Spoon — The Fitted Shirt (03:13)

6. The Clientele — My Own Face Inside The Trees (03:09)

7. The Clean — On Again/Off Again (01:48)

8. Butterglory — When Her Brow Curls (02:20)

9. The Mad Scene — I Met You In My Dreams (04:28)

10. The Broken West — Hale Sunrise (04:39)

11. Imperial Teen — Sugar (03:26)

12. Portastatic — One For The Road (04:57)

13. Ganger — Capo (South Of Caspian) (09:36)

14. Crooked Fingers — Sweet Marie (04:56)

15. Dinosaur Jr. — In A Jar (03:31)

Disc 4 (01:15:59)

1. Annie Hayden — Start A Little Late (02:52)

2. The Clean — Slug Song (03:18)

3. Camera Obscura — If Looks Could Kill (03:29)

4. Lambchop — Low Ambition (04:43)

5. The Rosebuds — Blue Bird (04:28)

6. Spaceheads — Magic In The Space Age (05:22)

7. Teenage Fanclub — Only With You (04:23)

8. 3Ds — The Golden Glove (02:45)

9. Dinosaur Jr. — Repulsion (03:04)

10. The Cakekitchen — This Questionnaire (06:19)

11. Pram — Sirocco (04:27)

12. The Mad Scene — The Greatest (04:20)

13. The Renderers — A Million Lights (04:14)

14. Superchunk — Seed Toss (03:02)

15. M. Ward — Beautiful Car (02:37)

16. Versus — Shangri-La (03:33)

17. Matt Elliott — Also Ran (06:28)

18. David Kilgour — BBC World (03:00)

19. Annie Hayden — The Lie And How We Told It (03:35)

Disc 5 (01:03:45)

1. Robert Pollard — I\’m A Strong Lion (01:10)

2. Neutral Milk Hotel — Song Against Sex (03:41)

3. The Magnetic Fields — The Saddest Story Ever Told (02:12)

4. East River Pipe — Absolutely Nothing (02:13)

5. Destroyer — It\’s Gonna Take An Airplane (03:41)

6. Oakley Hall — No Dreams (04:01)

7. Portastatic — St. Elmo\’s Fire (03:27)

8. The Clean — Point That Thing Somewhere Else (05:27)

9. Teenage Fanclub — It\’s All In My Mind (03:40)

10. The Music Tapes — Song For The Death Of Parents (04:03)

11. Spoon — Believing Is Art (04:19)

12. The Clientele — Joseph Cornell (02:23)

13. M. Ward — To Go Home (03:50)

14. Caribou — She\’s The One (03:56)

15. Big Dipper — A Song To Be Beautiful (04:05)

16. The Spinanes — Hawiian Baby (05:37)

17. Third Eye Foundation — Lions Writing The Bible (01:57)

18. Walter Salas-Humara & Winterpills — She\’s Fetching (04:03)

Disc 6 (57:12)

1. The Magnetic Fields — Washington, D.C. (01:55)

2. Dinosaur Jr. — Poledo (05:42)

3. The Clean — Anything Could Happen (02:37)

4. Imperial Teen — Million $ Man (04:25)

5. The Cakekitchen — Everything Turned Orange (04:50)

6. David Kilgour — Today Is Gonna Be Mine (03:17)

7. 3Ds — Hey Seuss (02:20)

8. The Rock*A*Teens — Hwy R (04:02)

9. Camera Obscura — Let\’s Get Out Of This Country (03:21)

10. Superchunk — Kicked In (04:24)

11. The Magnetic Fields — I Have The Moon (02:37)

12. East River Pipe — Helmet On (04:04)

13. Third Eye Foundation — Semtex (05:13)

14. Lou Barlow — The Ballad Of Daykitty (04:03)

15. Miss Teen Schnauzer — Yeah Woo (01:09)

16. Lou Barlow — I\’m So Glad (03:13)

Disc 7 (40:22)

1. Camera Obscura — Lloyd, I\’m Ready To Be Heartbroken (03:49)

2. M. Ward — Paul\’s Song (03:15)

3. Arcade Fire — No Cars Go (05:40)

4. Paul Burch — Sun Don\’t Shine (02:45)

5. Honor Role — Listening To Sally (03:06)

6. She & Him — Senntal Heart (02:37)

7. Wye Oak — Please Concrete (03:13)

8. Shark Quest — Lunch At Sara\’s (04:08)

9. The Gothic Archies — City Of The Damned (01:33)

10. Tenement Halls — Starless Nights (04:33)

11. Neutral Milk Hotel — Communist Daughter (02:02)

12. Lou Barlow — Caterpillar Girl (03:41)

Disc 8 (52:02)

1. Arcade Fire — Broken Window (06:19)

2. Destroyer — Your Blood (04:16)

3. East River Pipe — Kill The Action (02:37)

4. M. Ward — Magic Truck (01:44)

5. Paul Burch & The WPA Ballclub — Willpower (04:30)

6. Portastatic — Hey Salty (04:59)

7. Pram — Track Of The Cat (04:13)

8. Spoon — I Summon You (03:58)

9. The Bats — North By North (04:02)

10. The Clean — Tally Ho (02:40)

11. Lambchop — The Man Who Loved Beer (02:46)

12. The Magnetic Fields — I Think I Need A New Heart (02:34)

13. Albatross Note — Winnipeg (04:06)

14. Wye Oak — Baltimore (03:18)

Disc 9 (48:05)

1. Neutral Milk Hotel — King Of Carrot Flowers Pt. 1 (02:03)

2. Arcade Fire — My Body Is A Cage (04:43)

3. Calexico — Ocean Of Noise (04:51)

4. Camera Obscura — Pen And Notebook (03:25)

5. Cornershop — Breaking Every Rule Language English (01:33)

6. East River Pipe — Stare The Graveyard Down (05:03)

7. Lambchop — A Day Without Glasses (04:09)

8. Pram — The Pawnbroker (03:18)

9. The Rosebuds — Shake Our Tree (02:43)

10. Shout Out Louds — Tonight I Have To Leave It (Kleerup Remix) (05:06)

11. Spoon — Don\’t You Evah (03:39)

12. Superchunk — Florida\’s On Fire (Acoustic Demo) (02:54)

13. The 6ths — As You Turn To Go (01:57)

14. David Byrne — Girls On The Freeway (02:41)

Disc 10 (33:43)

1. Arcade Fire — Crown Of Love (04:41)

2. The Magnetic Fields — Meaningless (02:11)

3. Neutral Milk Hotel — Two-Headed Boy (04:27)

4. Camera Obscura — Tears For Affairs (04:03)

5. Spoon — Take A Walk (02:27)

6. 3Ds — Beautiful Things (03:30)

7. The Broken West — Brass Ring (03:43)

8. The Magnetic Fields — 100,000 Fireflies (03:20)

9. Telekinesis — Look To The East (03:13)

10. The Clean — Drawing To A Whole (02:08)

Disc 11 (57:29)

1. Camera Obscura — Hands Up Baby (03:22)

2. The Magnetic Fields — Love In The Shadows (03:00)

3. Beatnik Filmstars — Hypo-Boxing (05:32)

4. Matt Elliott — The Mess We Made (05:29)

5. Lambchop — Breathe Deep (05:49)

6. …And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead — Mistakes And Regrets (03:49)

7. Erectus Monotone — I Am In The World (02:22)

8. Spoon — Don\’t You Evah (DJ Amaze And Alan Astor Mix) (05:27)

9. She & Him — Why Do You Let Me Stay Here (02:30)

10. Destroyer — European Oils (04:54)

11. Coral — Boxtruck (02:57)

12. East River Pipe — When Will Your Friends All Disappear (02:55)

13. Radar Bros. — Show Yourself (03:18)

14. Destroyer — Suicide Demo For Kara Walker (Demo) (06:05)

Disc 12 (01:04:55)

1. M. Ward — I\’ll Be Yr Bird (02:28)

2. Oakley Hall — All The Way Down (05:17)

3. Destroyer — An Actor\’s Revenge (02:57)

4. The Magnetic Fields — I Don\’t Want To Get Over You (02:23)

5. The Rosebuds — I\’d Feel Better (02:28)

6. Portastatic — Clareana (03:56)

7. The Essex Green — Don\’t Know Why (You Stay) (03:26)

8. Spoon — Lines In The Suit (03:49)

9. Superchunk — Pink Clouds (03:24)

10. Radar Bros. — Pomona (03:57)

11. Neutral Milk Hotel — Ee (03:15)

12. Imperial Teen — Baby (02:45)

13. Dinosaur Jr. — Just Like Heaven (02:53)

14. Pipe — Ashtray (02:24)

15. Portastatic — NYC, Raining, 5 AM (00:54)

16. Radar Bros. — We Got The Beat (03:08)

17. Amy Poehler & Fred Armisen — Actors Acting: How An Actor Crafts: A Dialogue Between Two Actors As They Discuss Crafting Their Craft (15:31)

Disc 13 (52:42)

1. Spoon — The Way We Get By (02:44)

2. Imperial Teen — Shim Sham (03:01)

3. Arcade Fire — Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels) (04:51)

4. Guv\’ner — Jealous Girl (03:56)

5. Annie Hayden — Money Trouble (02:50)

6. Matt Suggs — Where\’s Your Patience, Dear (02:31)

7. Superchunk — Phone Sex (04:52)

8. East River Pipe — I Am A Small Mistake (01:50)

9. Oakley Hall — Rue The Blues (03:08)

10. M. Ward — Fool Says (01:50)

11. The Broken West — So It Goes (03:14)

12. The Clientele — Since K Got Over Me (03:50)

13. Portastatic — Little Fern (03:16)

14. Butterglory — She Can\’t Hide From Radios (03:10)

15. The Magnetic Fields — The Luckiest Guy On The East Side (03:43)

16. Brian & Ross (of The Broken West) — Uptown Girl (03:56)

Disc 14 (01:06:19)

1. The Ladybug Transistor — This Old Chase (03:26)

2. Crooked Fingers — Solitary Man (03:24)

3. Arcade Fire — Haiti (04:09)

4. The Essex Green — Snakes In The Grass (03:32)

5. The Magnetic Fields — I\’m Sorry I Love You (03:08)

6. The Rosebuds — Life Like (03:16)

7. Portastatic — Bright Ideas (05:19)

8. Future Bible Heroes — I\’m Lonely (And I Love It) (04:46)

9. Richard Buckner — A Chance Counsel (04:50)

10. Lou Barlow — Round-N-Round (02:36)

11. Paul Burch & The WPA Ballclub — How Do I Know (04:49)

12. The Broken West — You Can Build An Island (03:15)

13. Shout Out Louds — Impossible (06:50)

14. Imperial Teen — Ivanka (03:17)

15. Beatnik Filmstars — Leisure (02:48)

16. Conor Oberst — I Don\’t Want To Die (In The Hospital) (03:34)

17. Teenage Fanclub — Cells (03:20)

Disc 15 (43:13)

1. Scharpling & Wurster — A 20th Anniversary Merge Records Roundtable Discussion (43:13)

Disc 16 (1:15:30)

1. Quasi — Beautiful Things (03:42)

2. Les Savy Fav — Precision Auto (02:52)

3. The Shins — Plenty Is Never Enough (03:07)

4. St. Vincent & The National — Sleep All Summer (04:33)

5. Broken Social Scene — Complications (04:45)

6. Ryan Adams — Like A Fool (03:59)

7. Bright Eyes — Papa Was A Rodeo (04:45)

8. Lavender Diamond — New Ways Of Living (05:44)

9. The Apples In Stereo — King Of Carrot Flowers Pt. 3 (01:57)

10. Laura Cantrell & Sunburst — Cowboy On The Moon (03:52)

11. Bill Callahan — Santa Maria (03:43)

12. Barbara Manning — Through With People (03:04)

13. The Mountain Goats — Drug Life (02:34)

14. The New Pornographers — Don\’t Destroy This Night (03:32)

15. Tracey Thorn & Jens Lekman — Yeah! Oh, Yeah! (03:06)

16. The Hive Dwellers — My Noise (03:12)

17. Ted Leo And The Pharmacists — The Numbered Head (04:34)

18. Okkervil River — All You Little Suckers (04:26)

19. Death Cab For Cutie — Kicked In (04:20)

20. s New Viking — Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels) (03:37)

Disc 17 (51:06)

1. Polvo — Kalgon (08:41)

2. Pram — Mother Of Pearl (04:14)

3. Guv\’ner — Baby\’s Way Cruel (04:43)

4. Portastatic — Drill Me (I Was So There Remix) (02:20)

5. Spoon — The Ghost Of You Lingers (03:49)

6. Arcade Fire — No Cars Go (03:49)

7. The 6ths — Volcana! (I Hope Your Train Crashes Remix) (03:29)

8. The Rosebuds — Bow To The Middle (02:47)

9. Caribou — Irene (04:20)

10. The Magnetic Fields — Washington D.C. (02:00)

11. Lambchop — Nashville Parent (07:46)

Tracks 1.18, 2.18, 4.19, 5.18, 6.15, 6.16, 8.13, 8.14, 9.14, 11.14, 12.16, 12.17, 13.16 previously unreleased.

Limited edition of 1250.