Merge 25 Festival adds free day parties in Carrboro

The big Merge 25 Festival kicks off in exactly a month and while tickets are sold out for the Thursday and Friday night shows at the Cat's Cradle, the label has just added a few outdoor day parties behind the club at the Orange County Social Club on those days.

The shows will be from 4 to 6 p.m. on Thursday, July 24, and Friday, July 25, at the Orange County Social Club. Amor de Días and Hiss Golden Messenger will play Thursday and Radar Brothers and Saint Rich will play Friday.

Tickets are still available HERE for the show on Wednesday, July 23, at Baldwin Auditorium in Durham featuring Lampchop, Mount Moriah and William Tyler. Tickets are also available HERE for the big Saturday, July 26, outdoor show in Carrboro hosted by Margaret Cho featuring Neutral Milk Hotel, Caribou, Teenage Fanclub, Bob Mould, Mikal Cronin, Ex Hex, The Love Language and The Music Tapes.

Hopscotch announces 2013 lineup, Big Boi, Spirutualized, Local Natives & more

Today's the day. The big Hopscotch Music Festival 2013 lineup has been revealed and as always it features a some big names, rising stars, unique performances and much, much more.

This year's performers on the big City Plaza stage will be Big Boi, Future Islands and Gross Ghost on Friday, September 6, and Spiritualized, the Breeders (playing Last Splash) and The Lollipops on Saturday, September 7.

Other notable performances include Local Natives, Kurt Vile, The Rosebuds performing Sade's Love Deluxe, Chatham County Line, Mikal Cronin, Marnie Stern, Mount Moriah, Night Beds, Amor de Dias, Kopecky Family Band, Nightlands and so many more. Check out the full lineup below.

Album Review: Amor de Días - The House At Sea

The Clientele’s Alasdair MacLean and Lupe Núñez-Fernández have returned with a second album under the name Amor de Días, The House At The Sea, and like its predecessor it’s a beautiful mix of spanish folk and gentle pop.

While Street Of The Love Of Days leaned a little more towards its Spanish folk influences, The House At Sea sounds more like recent Clientele albums. The exemplar of this is “Jean’s Waving” with its bouncy, layered chorus. The tension in the verse about two minutes into the song make it one of the most compelling songs on the album.

Núñez-Fernández impresses again on “Viento Del Mar” and “Piedras Rotas.” Her mysterious, whispered Spanish lyrics and deliberate pacing will draw listeners’ attention.

Amor de Días to release sophomore album in January

The duo of Alasdair MacLean (of The Clientele) and Lupe Núñez-Fernández (Pipas), better known as Amor de Días, are gearing up to release their sophomore album in early 2013.

The album, titled The House at Sea, will be released on January 29. The album was recorded by the duo in just nine days with engineer/producer Brian O'Shaughnessy and the rhythm section James Hornsey and Howard Monk.

Check out a review of the band's debut album HERE as well as a review of their show at the ArtsCenter in Carrboro in May 2011 HERE.

Amor De Dias brings wispy, mellow sounds to the ArtsCenter

The duo Amor De Dias, Alasdair MacLean of The Clientele and Lupe Núñez-Fernández of Pipas, came to Carrboro last night for a short set of mellow, wispy tunes from their self-titled album Street of the Love of Days.

The duo is like polar opposites vocally. Núñez-Fernández is soft-spoken, almost a whisper, while MacLean has a powerful, full voice which he had to pull back a bit at times to sing harmonies. They complement each other beautifully.

Album Review: Amor de Dias - Street of the Love of Days

Another popular Merge frontman has brought a side project to the Durham-based label. Alasdair MacLean of The Clientele has teamed up with Lupe Núñez-Fernández from Pipas to release Street of the Love of Days under the name Amor de Dias.

The record astounds right away with the seductive and gorgeous “Foxes.” Núñez-Fernández’s vocal performance is captivating and channels the allure of Astrud Gilberto. Throughout the album, she sings in a reserved yet expressive whisper that draws the listen in.

Amor de Días announces spring tour, coming to Carrboro

Photo by Grant Wilkinson

New the Merge band Amor de Días we told you about in March are gearing up for a North American tour immediately following the release of their debut album Street of the Love of Days on May 17.

The tour will come to the ArtsCenter in Carrboro on Thursday, May 19. Damon & Naomi will open the show and the entire tour. Ticket info is not available yet, but we'll keep you posted.

If you haven't already downloaded the song "Bunhill Fields" from Street of the Love of Days, do that HERE where you'll also find more details about the album.

New music from Amor de Días - "Bunhill Fields"

The Clientele's Alasdair MacLean and Pipas' Lupe Núñez-Fernández have been quietly working together on a new project for over three years. That project is called Amor de Días (Spanish for Love of Days) and are releasing their debut album titled Street of the Love of Days on May 17 via Merge Records.

The album will feature 15 songs including the song song "Harvest Time" from The Clientele's album Bonfires on the Heath, which was originally recorded by Amor de Días before it became a Clientele song. Check out the full track list below.

Preview the album by downloading it's third track, "Bunhill Fields," below. It's a beautiful, airy tune led by Núñez-Fernández.