the Decemberists announce new album

“We Decemberists are pleased to announce that our forthcoming LP, The Hazards of Love, is, in the parlance of the industry, “in the can[2]“. Four tumultuous months passed in the creation of the record, during which a new president was selected[3], 3 people associated with the band were married[4], birthdays too numerous to recount were celebrated and many tasty asada tacos from two of the vast array of taco trucks in the greater Portland east-side were consumed. And what do we have to show for it? Or at least that we can now reveal to you? A release date and a tracklist! As follows:

Release Date: March 24th[5] in the U.S. and March 23th[6] in the UK.[7]

Tracklist:

1. Prelude
2. The Hazards of Love 1 (The Prettiest Whistles Won’t Wrestle the Thistles Undone)
3. A Bower Scene
4. Won’t Want for Love (Margaret in the Taiga)
5. The Hazards of Love 2 (Wager All)
6. The Queen’s Approach
7. Isn’t it a Lovely Night?
8. The Wanting Comes in Waves / Repaid
9. An Interlude
10. The Rake’s Song
11. The Abduction of Margaret
12. The Queen’s Rebuke / The Crossing
13. Annan Water
14. Margaret in Captivity
15. The Hazards of Love 3 (Revenge!)
16. The Wanting Comes in Waves (Reprise)
17. The Hazards of Love 4 (The Drowned)”

I’m a big fan of the Decemberists‘ last album, ‘the Crane Wife’ so I hope this one is as good. They released a series of singles recently under the title ‘Always The Bridesmaid’ which was ok but didn’t exactly blow me away.

[Via Pop Culture will Eat itself.]

New Animal Collective Album in 2009

One of our writers Dan Grey likes to joke that if you type ‘Animal Collective’ into the Analogue search bar you get about eight articles written by me. What can I say? I am a pathetic and drooling fanboy.

The super-prolific objects of my adoration will be releasing their ninth full length album next January 12th 2009. It has the rather wonderful name of “Merriweather Post Pavillion”, and contains the awesome ‘Brothersport’ which they aired on their current tour, and which for my money could be the greatest single track these guys have done. Bring it!

Here’s the Tracklist

1. In The Flowers
2. My Girls
3. Also Frightened
4. Summertime Clothes
5. Daily Routine
6. Bluish
7. Guys Eyes
8. Taste
9. Lion In A Coma
10. No More Runnin
11. Brothersport