Pitchfork

Taking a 25 year break between albums is an awfully long hiatus (although it's nothing on Vashti Bunyan's 35 years), but Australian punk rock progenitors Radio Birdman have done just that. Zeno Beach, the first album of new Radio Birdman material since 1981's Living Eyes, is slated for release August 22 on Yep Roc Records. The album was recorded in December at Big Jesus Burger Studios (now that's a name!) in Surry Hills, Australia, with Birdman guitarist Deniz Tek producing and Greg Wales engineering.

Normally such a long respite between records is intolerable (Chinese Democracy, anyone?), but seeing as how the Aussie sextet broke up in 1978 before their second album was even released, the delay seems understandable. Radio Birdman has gotten together and performed sporadically over the last decade, most notably at Australia's Big Day Out festivals in 1996 and 1997. In addition, Sub Pop stoked interest in Radio Birdman with the release of The Essential Radio Birdman: 1974-1978 in 2001.

Tracklist:

01 We've Come So Far (To Be Here Today)
02 You Just Make It Worse
03 Remorseless
04 Found Dead
05 Connected
06 Die Like April
07 Heyday
08 Subterfuge
09 If You Say Please
10 Hungry Cannibals
11 Locked Up
12 The Brotherhood Of Al Wazah
13 Zeno Beach

Long-time fans and first-time listeners have something else to look forward to as Radio Birdman launch their first tour of the U.S. later this summer. The trek stands at nine dates right now, but a few additional shows, including ones in New York City and Boston, are planned.

Cash money:

07-27 Byron Bay, Australia - Great Northern Hotel *
07-28 Brisbane, Australia - Arena *
07-29 Sydney, Australia - Metro Theatre *
08-02 Mornington Peninsula, Australia - Peninsula Lounge *
08-03 Barwon Heads, Australia - Barwon Heads Hotel *
08-04 Melbourne, Australia - Corner Hotel *
08-10 Canberra, Australia - ANU
08-11 Yallah, Australia - The Roadhouse
08-12 Newcastle, Australia - Leagues Club
08-16 Bicton, Australia - The Leopold Hotel
08-17 Dunsbrough, Australia - Three Bears Bar
08-18 Perth, Australia - Club Capitol
08-19 Adelaide, Australia - The Gov
08-28 Auckland, New Zealand - TBA
08-30 Los Angeles, CA - Wiltern Theatre *
08-31 San Francisco, CA - Great American Music Hall
09-01 Seattle, WA - El Corazon
09-02 Chicago, IL - Double Door
09-03 Detroit, MI - Majestic Theatre #
09-05 Cleveland, OH - Beachland Ballroom
09-06 Washington DC - Black Cat
09-08 New York, NY - Irving Plaza
09-09 Cambridge, MA - Middle East
09-10 Philadelphia, PA ­ First Unitarian Church
09-14 Gothenburg, Sweden - Sticky Fingers
09-15 Helsinki, Finland - Tavastia
09-16 Athens, Greece - TBA
09-17 Thessaloniki, Greece - TBA
09-20 Munich, Germany - Kleine Elserhalle
09-21 Berlin, Germany - Kalkscheune
09-23 Solingen, Germany - Cobra Club
09-24 Tilburg, Holland - 013
09-26 Paris, France - La Maroquinerie
09-29 Milan, Italy - Rainbow Club
09-30 Cesena, Italy - Vidia Club

* with the Bellrays
# with Mudhoney, Dirtbombs, Easy Action