Lush to Release First Album in 20 Years

In September, Lush announced they would reunite for their first show in 20 years this spring. Now, that concert has expanded into a full-blown tour and a brand-new album.

As Stereogum reports, a press release for the English alt-rockers’ upcoming show in Manchester indicates the band has plans to self-release an EP and full-length of new material in the coming year. According to the release, the still untitled EP boasts four tracks written by Lush’s Emma Anderson and Miki Berenyi and was produced by Jim Abbiss and Ladytron’s Daniel Hunt. The band then has plans to follow that EP with a proper full-length.

“I’m a bit anxious,” Anderson said in a statement, “wondering if people will think the new record will be as good as the old.”

This marks Lush’s first album since 1996’s Lovelife. Drummer Chris Acland committed suicide several months after its release.

“Even now, it won’t be at all easy knowing Chris won’t be there,” Berenyi said. “We know you can’t recapture what you had before, but hopefully it will be brilliant in a different way. If I think of all best bits of the band, how great it is to play live and to play your own songs, then there’s an open door you can walk through. I know I’ll regret it if I don’t.”

In addition to reuniting for their first shows and album in two decades, Lush also have a couple of reissues in the pipeline. A best-of compilation, Ciao!, is due out Nov. 27 via 4AD. They will also issue a career-spanning box set, Chorus, which comprises a 1990 compilation, the band’s three studio albums and a 1996 collection of B-sides. That’s slated for a Dec. 4 arrival.