Alabama 3 announce new album

Alabama 3 are back with renewed vigour and a new album, 'Shoplifting 4 Jesus', released on February 27th 2012 through Hostage Music. The album was inspired by the London Riots, with frontman Larry Love stating "It was perfect for the record…a symphony of sirens."

As has happened so often in this peculiar band's long and winding story, the mood of the streets mirrored the mood of the band's new music. They were in their studio recording their latest album, 'Shoplifting 4 Jesus', which, in Larry's own words, "Is the sound of middle England's worst nightmare, a celebration of all that is dynamic in club culture, and a finger on the pulse of those on the wrong side of the tracks. Everyone is fearful of kids today, of hoodies. Perhaps if we just stopped and listened to them a bit more, we wouldn't be …"

But this isn't an album of sampled music the way, say, Fatboy Slim makes an album of sampled music. Instead, it is littered with deliberately stolen riffs, from acts like Warren Zevon, Status Quo, EPMD, Hawkwind and John Lennon. "But what we've done," Larry points out, "is very much in the jazz tradition, and with full love and respect for all the artists concerned. It's effectively us giving the nod to our contemporaries, our idols."

"The album's got another kind of theme running through it," Larry says. "A Biblical feel, but it's the Bible-as-Communist manifesto, which is why we thought it would be a good idea to get a few voices reading passages from the good book throughout."

They could have turned to anyone for this – the Archbishop of Canterbury, say, or Bishop Desmond Tutu, perhaps even Richard Dawkins. Too obvious. Instead, they've gone for crime writer Martina Cole, who recites the story of Mary Magdalene at the Well; brilliant Brit actor Ray Winstone reciting from Exodus; and former Happy Mondays freaky dancer Bez reading solemnly from the Sermon of the Mount.

And what if some of the artists do want to sue? Larry laughs again. "Sue us for what, exactly? We've got no money. If any single artist wants to sue us, all of them will have to sue us. We'll have hundreds of lawsuits. It'll be a circus. Ha. Bring 'em on."

To build the excitement for next year's album release, the band are hitting the road. Selected dates will also see legendary band Ruts DC provide support, as marked below.

NOVEMBER
Tue 22 HULL, University
Thu 24 OXFORD, Academy
Fri 25 BRIGHTON, Concorde 2
Sat 26 BRISTOL, Academy **
Sun 27 WREXHAM, Central Station
Mon 28 WHITEHAVEN, Civic Hall
Tue 29 NORTHAMPTON, Roadmender
Wed 30 SWANSEA, Pontardawe Arts Centre

DECEMBER
Thu 01 BOURNEMOUTH, Academy **
Fri 02 LONDON, Forum **

** denotes support from Ruts DC