This is exciting news! Merge Records is releasing Jeff Mangum‘s first new studio recording since In the Aeroplane Over the Sea. It’s a cover of “Sign the Dotted Line” by Tall Dwarfs, and it’s available on the compilation Stroke: Songs for Chris Knox, due February 23 but available now for download (iTunes). If you pre-order the 2-CD set from Merge, you get a digital download of the record via email.
Proceeds go toward assisting Tall Dwarfs founder Chris Knox, who is recovering from a stroke he had in June. In addition to Mangum, other artists who donated covers include Jay Reatard, Stephin Merritt, Portastatic, Bill Callahan, Yo La Tengo, AC Newman, Lambchop, the Mountain Goats, Will Oldham, and Lou Barlow.