Jesus and Mary Chain prepares new album, festival date

[Above: Jim Reid]

When they recorded a new song, that was enough to start us trembling in anticipation. But a new album from the Jesus and Mary Chain brothers? That just about knocked us silly here at Paste, which is probably why it took us a week to write a news item about the announcement. Sorry about that...

Anyway, as Billboard.com reported last Monday, Jim and William Reid have amassed "dozens" of songs since their headlining reunion engagement at Coachella 2007. Now the brothers are trying to narrow the field to about 12 songs for the final album. Leading contenders for final inclusion are "All Things Must Pass" and "Dead End Kids," which have become regular items in the JAMC live setlist.

"I would say it's an evolution," William Reid said to Billboard about the new material. "It definitely sounds like the Mary Chain, but I guess you evolve as a person and a writer. You can't really stand still. If you do that, you're lost."

The album's tentatively set for a late spring/early summer release next year, but let's not get too far ahead of ourselves. The Billboard article also makes mention of an upcoming four-disc JAMC boxset from Rhino Records, including all of the delightful rarities, demos and alternate takes that make such endeavors worthwhile.

Finally, Pitchfork just reported today that JAMC will soon hit the festival circuit again with a trip to Australia's four-day V Festival next spring.

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