THERAPY?: 'Crooked Timber' Track Listing Unveiled; Audio Samples Available

Irish rockers THERAPY? will release their new studio album, "Crooked Timber", on March 23 via Global Music.

For the past two years, THERAPY? fans have eagerly awaited the band's return. Now they're back with a hard-edged recording that will really get under your skin and into your mind.

"We're really excited about getting these tracks heard and can't wait to play them live," says frontman Andy Cairns." We've spent enough time away now — it's time to get involved. There’s always the risk of getting lazy and simply churning out what's 'expected' or a 'safe bet' but that was never an option for 'Crooked Timber'. Making the album was a great experience and now it's time to get back in peoples faces."

According to the group, "Crooked Timber" focuses more on rhythm, rather than melody. While it is a heavy recording, it’s not exactly the obvious path for THERAPY? Frontman Andy Cairns explains: "I guess we’re always challenging just what makes us THERAPY? After so many years, if we were formulaic about it, we'd have gotten bored with the band long ago. The album was written together as a band, and each track has its own concept and inspirations. They took a while to write and we've taken our time to write them."

"Crooked Timber" was produced by Andy Gill, a founding member and guitarist for the English rock group GANG OF FOUR, considered among the most influential post-punk bands. Gill also produced much of GANG OF FOUR's output, and albums for many other artists, including the RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS, THE JESUS LIZARD, THE STRANGLERS, THE FUTUREHEADS, MICHAEL HUTCHENCE, KILLING JOKE and THE YOUNG KNIVES.

"Crooked Timber" track listing:

01. The Head That Tried To Strangle Itself
02. Enjoy The Struggle
03. Clowns Galore
04. Exiles
05. Crooked Timber
06. I Told You I Was Ill
07. Somnambulist
08. Blacken The Page
09. Magic Mountain
10. Bad Excuse For Daylight

Check out audio samples in the video clip below.

According to a press release, "Versions of new [THERAPY?] songs like 'The Head That Tried To Strangle Itself', 'Low Winter Sun', 'I Told You I Was Ill' and 'Mingusisyphus' illustrate the classic mix of intense instrumentation and dark pop that has made THERAPY? internationally renowned. Whilst most of their '90s peers have been content to follow the options of rehash/reform/rollover, the UK trio have always carved their own unique musical furrow bolstered by a formidable live reputation and a stream of chart hits."

THERAPY?'s latest album, "One Cure Fits All", was released in April 2006. The follow-up to 2004's "Never Apologise Never Explain" was produced by Pedro Ferriera, who had previously worked with COLOUR OF FIRE, THE DARKNESS and TOKYO DRAGONS, among others.