JAMES will release their 14th studio album, Girl At The End Of The World, on BMG Recordings on March 18 next year, when they will tour too.
Led as ever by Boston Spa-raised singer and lyricist Tim Booth, the Manchester veterans have teamed up with producer Max Dingel, who has The Killers and Muse among his past credits. Brian Eno has infused his influence into the blend too, just as he did in 1993 on James's most experimental album, Wah Wah.
Thirty-two years into their career, James have made an anthemic and euphoric record, replete with simmering electronica that continues their long connection to the dance floor.
"Bands talk about that 'difficult second album' but it’s the trickster 14th one that’s the real **********er,” says Booth. "As always with James, it’s a collaborative process, allowing ample room for improvisation, intuition, skill and dumb luck. From the outside. our process looks like chaos but chaos is our friend and we have a history that gives us confidence that something magical will eventually appear.
"Most of my best lyrics are unconscious typos so don¹t ask me what it’s about; your projection is as good as mine. This was perhaps the most difficult and stressful album we have ever made. I hope you find it as rewarding as we do. Oyster. Grit. Pearl."
The artwork for James's new album
Girl At The End Of The World, the follow-up to 2014's La Petite Mort, will feature Bitch; To My Surprise; Nothing But Love; Attention; Dear John; Feet Of Clay; Surfer’s Song; Catapult; Move Down South; Alvin; Waking and the title track.
The album is available to pre-order from today, while tickets for The Girl At The End Of The World Tour go on general sale on Friday at gigsandtours.com and ticketmaster.co.uk or on 0844 811 0051 or 0844 824 4824. Among the 15 dates will be Yorkshire gigs at Leeds First Direct Arena on May 14 and Hull City Hall two nights later.
"The essence of James is live," says founder member and bassist Jim Glennie. "The pleasure never diminishes. I can't wait for us to get our hands on these songs in front of the best audience a band can have."
The first single from the album, To My Surprise can be heard at youtube.com/watch?v=AegZbVFohFM
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