New Silver Jews Album!

This is fantastic news. I knew there was a reason I decided to wear my Silver Jews shirt this morning. Like a trick knee forecasting rain or dogs barking before an earthquake, I must have some sort of t-shirt wearing soothsaying ability. According to a report from Billboard, DC Berman and the gang have just wrapped their sixth studio album and are set to release it on Drag City later this April.

The 10-track effort is titled "Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea" and will be supported by live dates as well, though so far only appearances at ATP festivals in England and Spain in May have been confirmed.

Cut and pasted from the horse's mouth (Billboard.com):

The new songs were written over a seven-month period this year, beginning in March. Recording took place at Nashville's Lake Fever and Marble Valley in Lexington, Va.

"It's really different in that the songs have more epic settings. They are faux-heroic. Or rather foe-heroic," Silver Jew principal David Berman tells Billboard.com. "The music is never hard rock. Every song has a function or meaning that you could sum up in a few words."

The article also reports that Berman's touring band are featured on the album, including his wife Cassie on bass, in addition to a number of Silver Jew alums that have contributed over the years (though no word on whether Malkmus made an appearance).

And finally, the tracklisting for "Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea":

"What Is Not But Could Be If"
"Aloysius, Bluegrass Drummer"
"Suffering Jukebox"
"My Pillow Is the Threshold"
"Strange Victory, Strange Defeat"
"San Francisco B.C."
"Open Field"
"Party Barge"
"Candy Jail"
"We Could Be Looking for the Same Thing"

2008 is shaping up to be a choice music year...

Listen:
"Tennessee"