In New York City, fall is marked by the leaves in Central Park changing color, the sun setting well before the end of the work day, the return of chunky knitwear and thigh-high boots, and thousands of audiophiles swarming Downtown Manhattan to attend the annual CMJ Music Marathon. During the Marathon, which rocks out near Algonquin’s West Village annex from October 19-23, lesser-known and emerging artists are given the chance to impress major players in the music industry. Lady Gaga, U2, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Green Day, and Arcade Fire (to name a few) all played CMJ before becoming music icons.

We’ll be clearing our schedules on October 21 to watch Merge superstars John Darnelle (Mountain Goats) and Franklin Bruno play as The Extra Lens at their CMJ showcase, 9pm at Mercury Lounge. Can’t jam with us? The Extra Lens will be dropping their long-awaited album, Undercard, on October 19. And lo and behold! We have THREE copies to give away along with copies of OUR NOISE: The Story of Merge Records, The Indie Label That Got Big and Stayed Small, which remarks on the impact of CMJ in addition to sharing candid photos and the behind-the-scenes of some of your favorite Merge bands: Arcade Fire, Magnetic Fields, Spoon, Lambchop, Superchunk, and more. Check out the phenomenal OUR NOISE website here.

For a chance to win, leave a comment about your favorite CMJ or indie concert memory. We’ll choose three winners via a top-secret magical process.

–Emily Parliman, Publisher’s Assistant

THE SUBURBS–the new album from ARCADE FIRE, the Montreal-based, indie-rock sensation–has landed at #1 on Billboard’s Album Chart, beating out Eminem’s “Recovery” and Lady Gaga’s “The Fame.” Total copies sold in the first week? 156,000!

As we posted earlier this week, Merge Records is the phenomenal indie label that has recorded all three of Arcade Fire’s albums. You can catch tons of cool stories (and see tons of rare photos) about Arcade Fire and other Merge bands–including faves Spoon, Magnetic Fields, Superchunk, and Lambchop–in Our Noise: The Story of Merge Records, the Indie Label That Got Big and Stayed Small.

If you’re a music fan, you NEED this book. Seriously.

Want to try to score a free copy? Check out our Facebook page and our Twitter stream, where we’ll be giving away a few copies in the near future.

Winners, watch your e-mail. I’ll be contacting you for your address. And stay tuned for next week’s big Halloween Book Booty give away. (It’s going to be a wickedly good one!)

Thanks everyone who entered!

-Katie

In case you missed yesterday’s live chat, check out the “Instant Replay” below to read how the book came together, what’s up next for Superchunk, and find out what Laura Ballance has planned for her new Twitter account.

Don’t forget – there’s still time to enter to win one of 5 copies of a Merge Records sampler CD here.

Our Noise: The Story of Merge Records, the Indie Label that Got Big and Stayed Small by John Cook is making some noise of its own. New York Magazine recommended the book in its Fall Arts Preview issue, with a photo of Merge co-founder Laura Ballance, saying “the tale of how this tiny record label stuck to its artist-friendly principles and somehow prospered is thoroughly enlightening and uplifting, a model for how to combine your passion and your profession, without screwing up either.”

Laura Ballance rocks out/credit: Pat Graham

Co-founder Mac McCaughan was interviewed for Salon’s new “Expert Witness” interview series, and Mac, Laura, and John Cook chimed in to talk about what happens when indie rock grows up on Gawker’s Book Club.

Superchunk

The book and duo have also been a big hit in the blogosphere, getting posts in more than 60 music and arts blogs, including Paste, Bust, Village Voice, Pitchfork, The Onion, Largehearted Boy and MotherJones.

And in case reading about the label wasn’t enough, fans and readers were able to see the dynamic indie duo first-hand. Mac and Laura both participated in some great local events at indie stores The Regulator, Bull’s Head Bookshop, and Quail Ridge Books, as well as Malaprop’s in Asheville. Not only did they share stories about the label and readings from the book, but they treated audience members to covers of some of their favorite Merge artists.

Mac McCaughan & Laura Ballance of Superchunk “Throwing Things” from Triangle Music on Vimeo.

Mac, Laura and John have one remaining event at the Housing Works Bookstore Cafe in New York City on Friday, October 23, at 7:00 pm, where they’ll again charm the audience with stories and songs — and an auction of the guitar that Mac plays at the event to benefit the cafe. If you’re in the area, check it out!

Five lucky readers will win this week’s Algonquin Book Booty: their very own Merge sampler CD and a copy of Our Noise; to enter, just leave a comment telling us about your favorite Merge band or song. The contest will close at 11:00 pm ET on Thursday, October 15, and we’ll announce the winners on Friday!

-courtney