VIA PRESS RELEASE | Good news ahead for fans of The Clean.
On March 26, Merge will reissue the band’s Unknown Country and Mister Pop on LP! Originally released in 1996 and 2009, respectively, both albums will make their debut appearance on vinyl in the U.S., and we are thrilled to make them readily available worldwide. Pre-order both records today in the Merge store, where you can pair them with a classic Clean t-shirt in your choice of two colorways—save a few bucks and show off that aforementioned fandom! You’ll also find an option to bundle any two physical releases from The Clean at a discount ($4 off vinyl, $3 off CDs), getting you one step closer to completing your collection.
In 1978, The Clean were the seeds of New Zealand punk. In the years since, they have carved out a big sandbox for everyone to play in, and their influence resonates not only in NZ but around the world. A group that thrives when free of expectations, The Clean’s Robert Scott, Hamish Kilgour, and David Kilgour are, as Tape Op described, “a casually wonderful band.”
Pitchfork writes: “The Clean have always exuded a casual grace that suggests they’d still be making the same records even if no one was listening, employing the same set of devices—ramshackle locomotive rhythms, buoyant basslines, swirling organ lines, and wide-smile melodies—irrespective of prevailing fashions, technological developments, or geopolitical unrest. And yet, the Clean’s periodic resurgences serve as a reminder that, in a world of uncertainty, there are still some things you can rely on.”
