Angel Olsen, Wye Oak, TORRES, More Contribute to New Merge Records Album to Benefit Georgia Democrats

Merge Records has released a covers compilation to support Georgia Democrats Jon Osoff and Rev. Dr. Raphael Warnock in their bids for the U.S. Senate. It features 17 covers of songs by Georgia artists. Contributors include TORRES, H.C. McEntire (featuring Amy Ray and Angel Olsen), Superchunk, and Wye Oak. Below, listen to Titus Andronicus’ cover of Indigo Girls’ “Closer to Fine.” Buy the collection, called Going to Georgia, at Bandcamp.

All of the proceeds from Going to Georgia will benefit Fair Fight Action and Mijente, two organizations prioritizing voter advocacy in Georgia. Voter-registration efforts from Fair Fight and Mijente helped the state go Democratic in this year’s presidential election. The state’s runoff elections, which will determine party control of the Senate, will be held on Tuesday, January 5 2021.

Merge and Superchunk co-founder Mac McCaughan shared a short statement about Going to Georgia, which takes its name from a Mountain Goats song:

We live in North Carolina, where a racist Republican legislature has worked for a generation to undermine democracy through unprecedented voter suppression. Our neighbors in Georgia have successfully fought back, through the efforts of Fair Fight and other organizations. The voters who turned Georgia blue in November can now elect Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff, take back power in the Senate, and make true progress possible in this country.

The Merge artists on this comp came together quickly, recording in various quarantine situations, to pay tribute to their favorite artists from Georgia, or maybe just record their favorite songs with “Georgia” in the title, and to support those working hard in Georgia to make sure everyone’s voice is heard.

Death Cab for Cutie have also released a Bandcamp exclusive EP of similarly minded Georgia covers this week, featuring tracks by TLC, Neutral Milk Hotel, R.E.M., and more.