The UK rock outfit Tindersticks have announced a new studio album called Distractions, which is set to be released on February 19 via City Slang. This new album will contain the single “Man alone (can’t stop the fadin’),” which is the longest song ever recorded by the band, with a run time of 11 minutes. A music video recorded by the band’s Stuart Staples has also been released. This simplistic visual takes place in the back of a cab in London.

“Man alone (can’t stop the fadin’),” is an epic blend of wild indie rock and electronica, with drum patterns and a bassline reminiscent of an LCD Soundsystem-like banger, but contrasted with Staples vocals. The latter half of the song descends into wonky ambiance, taking cues from Brian Eno and Black Star era David Bowie.

In a description regarding the video, Staples explained that driving through London via cab at night was “a very special space,” which captured his isolation. “This fascination grew over hundreds of nights leaving the the studio exhausted at 1 am – Ladbroke Grove or St Johns wood, through the city and over the river to South East London in an almost dream state. Retracing that journey, this film became a way of touching the city and the feeling of being both a part of and apart from it,” Staples elaborated.

“This song was always a journey but I wasn’t expecting it to be such a long one,” Staples said in a statement to The Brooklyn Vegan. “We made a 6 minute version but it felt like it pulled off and stopped halfway to its destination. This was the beginning of a long journey in itself, to find the route needed to complete it – probably the biggest challenge a song or piece of music has given us. It was delicate and slippery right up to the final mix, which lasted a week!”

Distractions was recorded entirely during quarantine and serves as the group’s first record since 2019’s No Treasure but Hope. The record is set to include a number of covers, including Television Personalities’ “You’ll Have to Scream Louder,” which came out last year, Neil Young’s “A Man Needs a Maid” and Dory Previn’s “Lady with the Braid.” Check out mxdwn’s review of Tinderstick’s 2016 album The Waiting Room.

Distractions tracklist

1. Man alone (can’t stop the fadin’)
2. I imagine you
3. A man needs a maid (Neil Young cover)
4. Lady with the braid (Dory Previn cover)
5. You’ll have to scream louder (Television Personalities cover)
6. Tue-moi
7. The bough bends