Mark Lanegan Band has just announced, via Heavenly Recordings, the release of his new album Gargoyle for April 28 of this year. The LP will consist of 10 tracks and will feature appearances from some long-time collaborators and old band-mates. Lending their talents will be Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age, Greg Dulli of The Afghan Whigs and the English-based singer-songwriter Duke Garwood. The lead track to the album, “Nocturne,” can be heard below.
The grunge vet and Screaming Trees founder had an email exchange with English musician Rob Marshall about a project that Lanegan had helped with called Humanist. As a returned favor, Marshall happily agreed to the proposition of helping out Lanegan on what would be Gargoyle. Marshall sent over, within a couple days, music for 10 songs.
It was a matter of hours before Lanegan had vocals for two of the songs that were sent to him.
“I definitely feel like I’m a better songwriting than I was 15 years ago,” said Mark Lanegan. “I don’t know if I’m just kidding myself or what, but it’s definitely easier now to make something that is satisfying to me. Maybe I’m just easier on myself these days, but it’s definitely not as painful a process, and therefore I feel I’m better at it now. But part of the way that I stay interested in making music is by collaborating with other people. When I see things through somebody else’s perspective it’s more exciting than if I’m left to my own devices.”
By the end of it Marshall had co-wrote six of the songs that are on Gargoyle. The rest of the album was done with Alain Johannes at his studio in West Hollywood.
The title to the album comes from a lyric in one the tracks that Lanegan wrote for the album titled “Blue Blue Sea.” The lyric reads “Gargoyle perched on gothic spire” and was selected as the album title for its hint of self-depreciation. “I’m most proud of the songs that are atypical to stuff that I’ve done in the past” says Mark. “So I really like Old Swan, because it’s an expression of positivity, which is completely anti-anything I’ve done before!” He laughs. “Y’know, I haven’t played this record for too many people yet. I played it for Greg Dulli, who played on some of it, and he was like, ‘Wow, I had to listen to it twice – it sounds like he’s having a good time…’
An extensive European tour has also been announced throughout the summer, beginning in the UK with the below dates which include a Glastonbury festival appearance.
Tour dates:
Monday 19th June – Birmingham, U.K – Library
Tuesday 20th June – Glasgow, U.K. – Garage
Wednesday 21st June – Manchester, U.K. – Ritz
Thursday 22nd June – London, U.K. – KOKO
Friday 23rd June – Pilton, U.K – Glastonbury Festival
A full track list for the new album can be seen below along with the album cover.
Gargoyle Tracklist:
1. Deaths Head Tattoo
2. Nocturne
3. Blue Blue Sea
4. Beehive
5. Sister
6. Emperor
7. Goodbye To Beauty
8. Drunk On Destruction
9. First Day Of Winter
10. Old Swan
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