Graham Parker and the Rumour sets May for new album

Graham Parker and the Rumour, one of the U.K.’s pioneering pre-punk bands, returns with a new album, Mystery Glue, to be released May 19 on CD and digitally by Universal Music Enterprises. The album’s U.S. vinyl release will follow on July 14.

Written in Parker’s second home of New York and recorded in just six days in the legendary RAK studios in London, Mystery Glue is a real return to form for this seminal British songwriter and powerhouse band, which features its original lineup of Parker, Bob Andrews, Brinsley Schwarz, Martin Belmont, Andrew Bodnar and Stephen Goulding.

Often cited as a major musical influence for other artists, including Elvis Costello, Nick Lowe, Paul Weller and Bruce Springsteen, Parker’s songwriting prowess and live intensity led Springsteen to declare, “It was ‘76, that was when Howlin’ Wind came out and, you know I was just getting’ my own ball rolling and suddenly I felt all of this heat. I felt all of the heat on my back when I put that record on because it was so good and it was one of those records that you’re gonna say ‘every single cut is spectacular.’ And his voice was so… it was one of those ‘cuts through the bullshit’ voices.”

Of the new album title, Parker says, “When Swiss astrophysicist Fritz Zwicky described Dark Matter in the 1930's, he got the name wrong. It is of course 'Mystery Glue' that holds the Universe together. As always, when I present new songs to the Rumour they work feverishly to make sense of them, often starting out with wildly disparate and alarmingly wrong diversions. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, everything falls into place, as if by dint of some Mystery Glue that holds us all together.”

The Graham Parker Duo (with fellow Rumour member and guitar legend Brinsley Schwarz) will embark on a U.K. tour this month. Graham Parker and the Rumour have confirmed several U.S. tour dates for June (additional dates to be announced).

U.S. tour dates:

June 11 Huntington, NY The Paramount
June 13 New York, NY Highline Ballroom
June 18 Sellersville, PA Sellersville Theater
June 19 Alexandria, VA Birchmere

Track listing:

1. Transit Of Venus
2. Going There
3. Wall Of Grace
4. Swing State
5. Slow News Day
6. Railroad Spikes
7. Flying Into London
8. Crawl
9. I’ve Done Bad Things
10. Fast Crowd
11. Long Shot
12. My Life In Movieland