12 years have gone by since Echo & the Bunnymen released an album. That is about to change, though. On September 18, the indie rock icons will drop Apples for Isaac, the group's first record since 2014's Meteorites,
The new album will feature 11 tracks, and the first single, "Brussels is Haunted," has been released. The video features excellent artwork, fitting with the upbeat tune.
The song itself sounds like what you'd expect. Clear and jangly guitars with a hint of a wall of sound and Ian McCulloch's distinctive voice. Most of it works, and you will likely be humming the melody to yourself while strangers are around without being aware you are doing so. In other words, it's catchy.
Echo & the Bunnymen announce release date for new album
McCulloch's voice is a bit more worn than it was in the 1980s, but that adds an element of rawness that layers the track. The only issue with the tune is that the vocals appear to be mixed oddly. The chorus is smooth and flows, but then the transition to the chorus is more abrupt.
Apples for Isaac will be Echo & the Bunnymen's 13th studio album. The group released their debut, Crocodiles, in 1980, and six of their albums were released in 1990 or before. In the UK, the band has had five of their record reach the top 10, the last being 1997's Evergreen.
The group has had slightly less success in the United States, but 1984's Ocean Rain, the album that contained the hit single, "The Killing Moon," reached No. 10.
Overall, though, Echo & the Bunnymen have always been more about the depth and quality of their LPs than about individual songs. Many are good, which is why the group has more of a cult following. If one gets them, one gets them. The tracks are not necessarily made for mass consumption.
That means when the band delivers a new record, longtime fans should be excited. "Brussels is Haunted" implies that the new work will have at least moments of brilliance. The album could end up being among the best 2026 has to offer.
Apples for Isaac tracklist:
- 1. "Take Me By The Hand"
- 2. "Can’t Be Sold"
- 3. "Brussels Is Haunted"
- 4. "I’ll Be Your Sunshine"
- 5. "Hijacked"
- 6. "The Honey"
- 7. "Unstoppable Force"
- 8. "The Light That Surrounds You"
- 9. "Lab Rats Ran"
- 10. "Asimov"
- 11. "We Prayed In The Dark"
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