If you're wondering how radio-friendly the new Shellac album will be, the first track is called World Series of Dick-Sucking and the closing track is called I Don't Fear Hell

By Paul Brannigan
published

To All Trains, the first Shellac album in 10 years, is coming soon, as is a UK tour from the trio

Shellac
(Image credit: Touch and Go)

Shellac will release their long-awaited sixth studio album To All Trains on May 17 on Touch and Go.

The follow-up to 2014's Dude Incredible, the trio's new album features ten tracks, many of which have been performed live in the 10 years since their songs last graced vinyl. They've also announced a short UK tour, which kicks off at the Academy 2 in Manchester on June 2. Full dates below.

Keeping information minimalist as ever, the only additional details announced for the latest work from vocalist/guitarist Steve Albini, vocalist/bassist Bob Weston andc drummer Todd Trainer is as follows: “Recording & Mixing took place at Electrical Audio in Chicago over a bunch of long weekends in November, 2017; October, 2019; September, 2021; and March, 2022. The record was mastered by Bob [Weston] & Steve [Albini] at Chicago Mastering Service.”

The track-listing for the record is:

1. WSOD
2. Girl From Outside
3. Chick New Wave
4. Tattoos
5. Wednesday
6. Scrappers
7. Days Are Dogs
8. How I Wrote How I Wrote Elastic Man (cock & bull)
9. Scabby The Rat
10. I Don’t Fear Hell

That opening title, a play on World Series of Poker, stands for World Series of Dick-Sucking, incidentally. Steve Albini is an accomplished poker player, but has never been at all concerned about... courting favour. And How I Wrote How I Wrote Elastic Man (cock & bull) is presumably named in tribute to The Fall's How I Wrote How I Wrote Elastic Man, but with added cock and bull.

Asked by this writer in 2019 if a new album from his band might be forthcoming, Albini replied, “We’ve been recording, off and on. We work at a slow pace, but we’re still plugging away and there will be new music eventually.”

And now there is.

The album can be pre-ordered in the UK/EU here, and in the US here.

Below is a live version of the album's closing track, I Don't Fear Hell.

Shellac: UK Tour 2024

Jun 02: Manchester Academy 2
Jun 03: Leeds Brudenell Social Club
Jun 04: Bristol The Fleece
Jun 05: London Electric Ballroom
Jun 06: Brighton Concorde 2

Tickets are available from Friday March 22 at 9am.

Shellac tour poster

(Image credit: Shellac)
Paul Brannigan
Paul Brannigan
Contributing Editor, Louder

A music writer since 1993, formerly Editor of Kerrang! and Planet Rock magazine (RIP), Paul Brannigan is a Contributing Editor to Louder. Having previously written books on Lemmy, Dave Grohl (the Sunday Times best-seller This Is A Call) and Metallica (Birth School Metallica Death, co-authored with Ian Winwood), his Eddie Van Halen biography (Eruption in the UK, Unchained in the US) emerged in 2021. He has written for Rolling Stone, Mojo and Q, hung out with Fugazi at Dischord House, flown on Ozzy Osbourne's private jet, played Angus Young's Gibson SG, and interviewed everyone from Aerosmith and Beastie Boys to Young Gods and ZZ Top. Born in the North of Ireland, Brannigan lives in North London and supports The Arsenal.