US quintet The Decemberists have launched their upcoming album As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again with an epic new 19-minute long track Joan In The Garden which you can listen to below. It's the band's first new music for six years.
The band will release their ninth album As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again through YABB Records (Thirty Tigers) on June 19. It's the follow-up to 2018's I’ll Be Your Girl.
"Joan In The Garden has been kicking around as an idea since the I’ll Be Your Girl sessions," explains lead-singer Colin Meloy. "I got into a Joan of Arc kick after reading Lydia Yuknavitch’s beautifully batshit novel The Book of Joan. I wanted to make my own version of Joan — but the song that came was as much about the creative process as it was about the actual woman, about angelic visitation and creative visitation and the hallucinogenic quality of both."
As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again is the band's first intentional, proper double album, split into four thematic sides, as well as being the longest Decemberists album to date. The album was produced by lead singer Colin Meloy and Tucker Martine and features guest appearances from REM’s Mike Mills and The Shins’ James Mercer.
The Decemberists, who tour North America in both spring and summer, will appear to London's All Points East on August 25.
Pre-order As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again.
The Decemberists: As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again
1. Burial Ground
2. Oh No!
3. The Reapers
4. Long White Veil
5. William Fitzwilliam
6. Don’t Go to the Woods
7. The Black Maria
8. All I Want Is You
9. Born to the Morning
10. America Made Me
11. Tell Me What’s on Your Mind
12. Never Satisfied
13. Joan In The Garden
