Now that Belle And Sebastian got their drummer back after leaving him at Walmart, the seven-piece group is ready to release their next project, although it won’t be a traditional album. This time around, the band has decided to release their next collection of songs, called How To Solve Our Human Problems, as three EPs, with the first coming out on December 8th, the second on January 19, and the third on February 16. They’ve also shared a new song called “I’ll Be Your Pilot.”
According to a press release, Belle And Sebastian leader Stuart Murdoch chose to put the project out this way because he noticed he only really listens to chunks of music at a time nowadays as opposed to full albums, and because he didn’t want fans to have to wait as long for new music.
Speaking of the fans, How To Solve Our Human Problems is really all about them: The photos on the album cover were taken last year, when the band invited fans to their studio to be photographed and answer the question, “How do we solve our human problems?” Also, one of the project’s songs, “Plague On Other Boys,” is the result of the band’s “Write About Love” contest, which ended up sending Murdoch to Omaha to write a song with the winner.
This release strategy mirrors what the group did back in 1997, when they released three EPs — Dog On Wheels, Lazy Line Painter Jane, and 3.. 6.. 9 Seconds of Light — within months of each other and later re-released them together, as a box set called Lazy Line Painter Jane in 2000. These are the three EP covers:
The band will be on the road in Europe in February and March, so find their tour dates below.
02/05 – Antwerp, BE @ De Roma
02/06 – Strasbourg, FR @ La Laiterie
02/07 – Paris, FR @ Salle Pleyel
02/09 – Nantes, FR @ Stereolox
02/11 – Luxembourg @ Rockhal
02/12 – Zurich, CH @ X tra limmathaus
02/13 – Milan, IT @ Fabrique
02/14 – Bologna, IT @ Estragon
02/16 – Munich, DE @ Muffathalle
02/17 – Berlin, DE @ Admiralspalast
02/18 – Frankfurt, DE @ Batschkapp
02/19 – Amsterdam, NL @ Carre
02/21 – Copenhagen, DK @ DK Studio 1
02/22 – Stockholm, SE @ Munchen Brewery
02/23 – Oslo, NO @ Sentrum Scene
02/24 – Gothenburg, SE @ Studios
03/06 – Cornwall, UK @ Truro Hall
03/08 – Cardiff, Wales, UK @ Millennium Centre
03/09 – Aberystwyth, Wales, UK @ Arts Centre
03/10 – Nottingham, UK @ Rock City
03/12 – Manchester, UK @ Bridgewater Hall
03/13 – Cambridge, UK @ Corn Exchange
03/15 – Brighton, UK @ Dome
03/16 – London, UK @ Troxy
03/17 – London, UK @ Troxy
03/19 – Liverpool, UK @ Liverpool Philharmonic
03/20 – London, UK @ Troxy
03/16 – London, UK @ Troxy
03/20 – York, UK @ Opera House
03/22 – Gateshead, UK @ Sage
03/23 – Perth, SL @ Concert Hall
03/24 – Edinburgh, UK @ Usher Hall
03/26 – Dublin, IR @ Vicar St
03/27 – Dublin, IR @ Vicar St
