Next week, on April 15, Ian McCulloch releases his new double-album, Holy Ghosts, via Edsel. The first disc is a recording of his string quartet-accompanied reinterpretations of Echo & The Bunnymen tracks, recording in London's Union Chapel last year. The second is his latest studio album, Pro Patria Mori, and we've got an exclusive first listen of the LP below, with Mac's audio commentary on it following:

ALBUM:

COMMENTARY:

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The ten-track album is McCulloch's fourth solo effort, originally given a limited-run release last year, which, along with the live half of the record, is the product of, he says: “Straightening myself out a lot, not relying on things I did daily, and distilling and purifying the good things in me, not just drowning them in shite!” Equally, never one for understatement - have a read of his ace recent Baker's Dozen - McCulloch has this to say about the opener 'Different Trees', which has been four or five years in the coming: “I used to tell me mates, ‘I’ve got this song, it’s the best I haven’t written! I’d get to a certain lyric in the verse and just choke up and not be able to go on, but that was telling me it was an important song to finish.”

McCulloch will be on E&BT duties from next week, though, as they start a co-headline tour with James - have a look at the dates below:

APRIL
Sat 13 – The SECC, Glasgow
Mon 15 – O2 Academy, Newcastle
Tue 16 – O2 Academy, Sheffield
Wed 17 – Colston Hall, Bristol
Fri 19 – Brixton Academy, London
Sat 20 – Brixton Academy, London
Tue 22 – O2 Academy, Bournemouth
Wed 23 – O2 Academy, Leeds
Fri 25 – O2 Academy, Birmingham
Sat 26 – Manchester Arena, Manchester