We think we heard something about Merge Records celebrating its 20th anniversary; hell, we may have even talked about it ourselves. Now Converse.com is showcasing a series of live, stripped-down performances from various locations during the fest. Superchunk’s “Crossed Wires” is the first installment … Echo & The Bunnymen returns in November with The Fountain. Of perhaps greater importance, the band will play its classic Ocean Rain (which has at least one overrated track, if you believe this Over/Under) in its entirety at three shows: October 20 in Toronto, October 22 in Oakland and October 24 in Los Angeles. Eight additional U.S. gigs commence November 15 in Atlanta … Sleepy crooner Norah Jones’ The Fall (EMI/Blue Note) is out November 17. In related news, the Fall’s Norah Jones is out the same day … From the It’s Got To Be Better Than Dylan’s Department: Christmas With Sinatra & Friends (Concord) is due October 6. The effort features Frank Sinatra (just in case you thought it was Nancy) singing holiday tunes with the likes of Tony Bennett, Ray Charles and more … On November 10, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club (pictured) is issuing Live (Abstract Dragon/Vagrant). The two-DVD/single-CD set is culled from sold-out shows in Berlin, Dublin and Glasgow in 2007. Download “Not What You Wanted (Remix)” … Against Me! is currently recording its follow-up to 2007’s New Wave with Butch Vig. The record will be out sometime next year. Follow the band’s progress on its blog … Seattle’s Minus The Bear kicks off a four-week North American headling tour October 30 in Eugene, Ore. A new LP is due next year, but the album’s first single, “Into The Mirror,” is out October 27 … The quaintly named Fuck Buttons are touring in November in support of Tarot Sport (ATP Recordings), available October 20. The jaunt’s first show is in Northampton, Mass., on November 1 … Where were you 20 years ago when Lenny Kravitz’s Let Love Rule was released? If you care to remember, go ahead and celebrate that seismic event with Kravitz on a 15-city tour that starts October 11 with a five-night stand at the Fillmore in New York City … And finally, we had to include this item not only because of the title of the record in question but also the details behind it: Late, whacked-out troubadour Tiny Tim’s I’ve Never Seen A Straight Banana (Collectors’ Choice) is out October 20. The LP is a 1976 recording of a hotel-room show Tiny Tim performed in front of three Tampa, Fla., high-school students. One of the kids was 16-year-old Richard Barone, who went on to front MAGNET faves the Bongos. Barone recently unearthed the tapes, but we’re not really sure we want to know why Tiny Tim was in a hotel room with three high-school kids. Just saying.
