Revised – October 2, 2015
The band updated on Facebook: “Finishing the artwork now,
booking lots of touring, and feeling #revitalized!”
“Finished mixing our new full-length album…for a 2016 release,” the Violent Femmes confirmed on twitter today. This new album will be the first long-player by the current line-up of the band (more on that below), and the first by any incarnation since 2000’s Freak Magnet, their only album of the last 20 years.
The original line-up briefly disbanded 1987-1988, but remained in tact until drummer Victor DeLorenzo left in 1993 for a solo career and acting pursuits. They rest of the group continued to tour and release albums in the mid-90s but frontman Gordon Gano retired the band from recording in 2000, making them a touring-only act. In 2002 DeLorenzo rejoined for their “farewell tour” and they played various one-off shows as the original trio in the years following until calling it quits in the midst of a 2009 inter-band lawsuit (over advertising rights for “Blister in the Sun” in a Wendy’s commercial). The band reunited for Coachella 2013 and played a few other festivals that spring, then replaced DeLorenzo with Dresden Dolls drummer Brian Viglione. Brian has remained their drummer ever since. This past April the trio released their first recordings together on a four-song EP for Record Store Day. Watch the videos for its lead track “Love Love Love Love Love” and “Good For/At Nothing” below. The former premiered on Nerdist earlier this month.
Femmes collaborator John Kruth – who is seen in the below studio photo seated on the left of the couch – commented on Facebook, “great to hear the new femmes album being mastered today – you’ll dig the new material – the band’s sounding really good and there’s a few unexpected twists and turns – i just happened to be wearing my red dragon shirt when they were mastering a wild song about dragon hunting!”
The band worked with studio engineers Chris Gehringer, John Agnello and Martin Bisi to mix the new album, according to facebook updates. Chris mastered it at New York’s Sterling Sound. No word yet on the title of the new album or if they have finally remembered what eight was for….
The Future Heart 