Echo & The Bunnymen return with their new album The Stars, The Oceans and The Moon on October 5th. The album includes orchestral reworks of Echo classics (minus drums out of respect to late drummer Pete de Freitas) along with two brand new songs. Echo previously issued the new track "The Somnambulist" and reworked version of "Seven Seas." Today, as promised they've unveiled their crown jewel -- the reimagined version of "the greatest song in the world."
Stream the transformed version of "The Killing Moon" below:
Ian McCulloch explained in a recent interview that he wanted to revisit Echo's classic material and record a version that captures his voice the way he sounds now. He is surprisingly critical of his early work and says he can't listen to a lot of it due to the sound of his voice. He claims his vocal delivery on his early albums was "false" and that he was trying too hard to copy his hero, David Bowie.
Even though some fans may think it's blasphemous to re-record such iconic Echo songs, McCulloch can't be bothered with that opinion:
"I've been on that moon...it's my moon, I can sing it how I want."
Indeed! And McCulloch has done it before -- he released live stripped down versions of Echo's classic material as bonus material on his 2013 solo album Holy Ghosts. Though his previously released live acoustic versions are impressive, Echo's new studio versions that are featured on The Stars, The Oceans & The Moon are more beautiful, ornate, and glorious larger-than-life reworkings.
Pre-order The Stars, The Oceans & The Moon here and view the itinerary for their upcoming North American tour below:
The classic original version:
Echo & The Bunnymen - North American tour
Nov 17 -- Toronto, ON @ Queen Elizabeth Theatre
Nov 19 -- Northampton, MA @ Calvin Theatre
Nov 20 -- Boston, MA @ Orpheum Theatre
Nov 21 -- New York, NY @ Town Hall Theatre
Nov 23 -- Detroit, MI @ Fillmore Detroit
Nov 24 -- Chicago, IL @ Vic Theatre
Nov 26 -- Denver, CO @ Paramount Theatre
Nov 27 -- Salt Lake City, UT @ Union Event Center
Nov 29 -- Seattle, WA @ Moore Theatre
Nov 30 -- Portland, OR @ Revolution Hall
Dec 01 -- Eugene, OR @ McDonald Theatre
Dec 03 -- San Francisco, CA @ The Masonic
Dec 04 -- Los Angeles, CA @ The Cathedral Sanctuary/Immanuel Presbyterian Church
Published September 11th, 2018