Mark Lanegan Readies Field Songs For May 8 Release

Jan 29, 2001, 1:00 pm PT

Mark Lanegan has a title and a tentative release date for his fifth solo album after two years in the studio. If all goes well, the former Screaming Trees singer will release Field Songs on the Sub Pop label May 8.

According to his manager, Greg Werckman, Lanegan will be embarking on a U.S. major-market mini-tour in early May before heading to Europe to play the festival circuit. The plan is to return to North America for a full-scale tour in the late summer and fall.

Among others, Lanegan's live band will include former Soundgarden bassist Ben Shepherd and drummer Bill Reiflin, whose credits include Ministry. Both musicians are also featured on Field Songs.

According to Werckman, the new album will see Lanegan moving back towards the rock arena. "This is a rock record," says Werckman. "His other records were more sparse with moody mellow songs, intelligent singer-songwriter stuff. Now we have fuller arrangements."

The recently prolific musician's last two albums were 1998's Scraps at Midnight and 1999's I'll Take Care of You, a critically-acclaimed collection of rootsy covers, which he recorded while already working on Field Songs.

Lanegan's solo efforts have had little in common with the Screaming Trees, whose last album was 1996's Dust. The group officially disbanded after a final show at the Experience Music Project in Seattle June 25, 2000 (allstar, June 26, 2000).

-- Sorelle Saidman


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