Echo & the Bunnymen emerge from 'Siberia'

LONDON U.K. rock act Echo & the Bunnymen will release their new album, "Siberia," in the United States on September 20, and will begin a North American tour in Washington D.C. on November 18. Lead singer Ian McCulloch believes longtime fans are likely to be especially pleased with the 11-track Cooking Vinyl USA release, which is highlighted by the jangling, nostalgic opener "Stormy Weather," the self-searching, strident "Parthenon Drive" and the classic Bunnymen rocker "Sideways Eight." The video for "Stormy Weather" can be viewed at Echo & the Bunnymen Site

"The band we've got around us now are the closest to the old Bunnymen we've ever had," he tells Billboard. "Not that we've intentionally set out to capture the past in any way. We've tried to be a little less structured in the songwriting, but not forgetting the importance of a good song. We've got the balance here, I think."

The recruitment of producer Hugh Jones is also a nod to the band's past -- he last worked with the act on 1981's sophomore set, "Heaven Up Here." "Having Hugh on board has been great -- it's as if he's a sort of glue fitting everything together," says guitarist Will Sergeant. "We haven't had that luxury for a while, because we've produced ourselves the last few times."

McCulloch and company kick off a 15-date U.K. and European tour October 22 in Nottingham, England, followed by 16 North American dates. Cooking Vinyl says live work will continue through summer 2006.


SOURCE: Reuters/Billboard