While major labels struggle to come up with a sustainable business model and cope with wavering music sales, indie label Merge Records has defied the odds and is celebrating its 20th anniversary this fall.

To commemorate the occasion, the Durham, N.C.-based label – so small it only counts 13 people on staff – has released a captivating book chronicling the grueling road to their impressive presence today.

Written with strong literary force by journalist John Cook and the collaboration of Merge-founders Mac McCaughan and Laura Ballance, Our Noise is an intriguing look into the workings of the label, the history of its bands and their journey to becoming one of the world’s most successful indie labels.

Started in the late ‘80s in Chapel Hill, N.C., Merge was seen as the east coast counterpart to Nirvana-dwelling Sub Pop and the thriving grunge scene in Seattle. Merge took a more DIY approach by hand-labeling and shipping each release, and working out of a rented room.

The book is propelled by first-hand accounts from McCaughan and Ballance (who both fronted Merge’s revered flagship band, Superchunk), friends of the label, music associates and members of Merge bands.

Fans of Arcade Fire, Spoon, Magnetic Fields and Neutral Milk Hotel (who all call Merge home) will find special delight in reading the bands’ perspective on the music industry as well as their unique relation with Merge.

With over 300 pictures of the bands, record art and memorabilia, the book feels like a giant intimate scrapbook of the ‘90s music scene many of us grew up with and still love.

Ryan Adams’ introduction is an erratic, chaotic, at times awkward, account of how the Chapel Hill music scene fuelled by Merge releases came to save his life. Even though he challenges English writing conventions, Adams captures the spirit of the effect music has on people, as well as the spirit of the little label that could.

But perhaps what the book does best is shed a light on how indie music went from an angst-ridden, self-conscious, self-affected, underground alternative rock scene to hip-and-cool, widespread social acceptance and mainstream success.

For anyone remotely interested in the rise of alternative music, the dynamics of the music industry, the workings of a label, the life of a band in the studio and on the road – heck anyone interested in music at all – Our Noise is not to be missed.

Published in Volume 64, Number 5 of The Uniter (October 1, 2009)