- Veteran Maryland rock quartet CLUTCH are putting the finishing touches on their ninth studio album, titled Strange Cousins From the West. Produced by Clutch and J. Robbins at Magpie Cage Studios in Baltimore, the effort is the first Clutch original to be released on the band's own Weathermaker Music, through Soulfood Music Distribution! A very complex packaging (24 page poster booklet, debossed packaging etc.) [!]
The album was released on July 14, 2009. Label manager Jon Nardachone reports "Strange Cousins..." will be available through retail on July 17th, 2009. It was produced by J. Robbins who previously worked with the band on Robot Hive/ Exodus. The album debuted at No. 38 on the Billboard 200 the week following its release with sales of 13,000 copies making it the band's highest debuting album.
Also of note is the Pappo's Blues Band cover song "Algo Ha Cambiado," which vocalist Neil Fallon sings in Spanish. Pappo was a legendary Argentinian hard rock singer/guitarist throughout the 70's and 80's. The title Strange Cousins From the West was taken from a line in the song "Minotaur." Although the band has toured the world extensively over the past 2 years, and released multiple Clutch oriented projects, Strange Cousins... is the band's first original studio work since March of 2007's "From Beale Street to Oblivion" which featured the hit "Electric Worry."
* Clutch is planning a 7 month worldwide headlining tour which takes flight in the US on May 6th. Look for the band to appear on some popular music & art festivals including Austin City Limits
TRACKLIST:
1. "Motherless Child" 4:15
2. "Struck Down" 4:23
3. "50,000 Unstoppable Watts" 3:48
4. "Abraham Lincoln" 5:58
5. "Minotaur" 4:52
6. "The Amazing Kreskin" 4:37
7. "Witchdoctor" 4:11
8. "Let a Poor Man Be" 5:31
9. "Freakonomics" 3:21
10. "Algo Ha Cambiado" 4:09
11. "Sleestak Lightning" 3:47
LINE-UP:
Tim Sult – Guitar
Jean-Paul Gaster – Drums and Percussion
Dan Maines – Bass
Neil Fallon – Guitar and Vocals
J. Robbins - Producer