Pitchfork

They formed a band, released an enormously great debut record on two different labels, and played one of the most rousing sets at the Pitchfork Music Festival. And now with a tour and a split seven-inch with We Are Scientists, a new record in the works for an early 2007 release, and a new UK label, it's safe to say Art Brut are taking over the world at an astonishing clip.

In an interview at the festival on Saturday, Eddie Argos and guitarist Jasper Future revealed to Pitchfork that they have signed to Mute in the UK. The label has given them a deadline to have their second record "mastered and done by the middle of December," said Argos. "We don't think it's going to happen. But that's the plan." Both Argos and Future, however, were insistent that the album will be released early in 2007.

About the move, Future said, "We were just shopping and we're on so many different labels all over the world that it's like, ‘Oh we just signed to another label.' ‘Oh, great, that's nice.' And then you find out, ‘Oh, that is pretty good. That's amazing.'"

The band have "seven or eight" songs ready for the currently untitled album. Future said, "We've got the music done, and we're just waiting for Eddie to write the words. That takes a bit longer. Eddie's an artist. He needs time to think...We'll be, ‘Have you written the words?' And he'll say, ‘The best way for me to write is on this sofa with my eyes shut.'"

Argos responded, "One time, I was ‘writing' with my eyes shut, and I woke up and they had four new songs."

Among the songs on the record is "Direct Hit", which the band played in unfinished form at the festival. "That was really an unfinished song. We have Eddie bang out the lyrics on the spot," said Future. "It's hard now, though," said Argos. "We play bigger shows. So you can really embarrass yourself." "So we thought we'd embarrass ourselves at the Pitchfork Festival. No one's going to know about that," said Future.

"I have deadlines," said Argos. When asked what the deadline for "Direct Hit" was, he joked, "About forty minutes ago."

Their new album is not all Art Brut have been recording, though. NME.com recently announced that the band will release a split seven-inch single with We Are Scientists in time for their upcoming co-headlining tour of North America. The two bands will cover each other's songs on the single, with We Are Scientists reworking "Bang Bang Rock & Roll" and Art Brut taking on a nine-minute version of "The Great Escape".

In an interview with NME.com, We Are Scientists frontman Keith Murray said, "What happens during those extra six minutes of the song is anybody's guess...If Art Brut have done any harm to our precious little tune, I will slice them from nape to ‘nads." Yikes!

Though a specific release date for the single has not been given, it will be on sale on the two bands' tour together. Spinto Band will be the opener. Those dates and others are listed below.

Art Brut dates:

08-05 Gmund, Austria - Palaverama Festival
08-06 Mullingar, Ireland - Hi:Fi Festival
08-10 Pully, Switzerland - For Noise Festival
08-11 Tabor, Czech Republic - Love Planet Festival
08-12 Hamburg, Germany - Nokia Festival
08-16 Brescia, Italy - Frestival Radio Onda D'Urto
08-18 Salzburg, Austria - Frequency Festival
08-19 Chelmsford, England - V2006 Festival
08-20 Stafford, England - V2006 Festival
08-24 Cologne, Germany - Monsters of Spex
09-16 Sao Paulo, Brazil - Motormix
09-18 Carrboro, NC - Cat's Cradle *
09-19 Atlanta, GA - Roxy *
09-20 Orlando, FL - The Social *
09-21 Miami, FL - Studio A *
09-22 Tallahassee, FL - Club Downunder *
09-23 New Orleans, LA - One Eyed Jack's *
09-24 Houston, TX - Warehouse Live *
09-25 Austin, TX - Emo's *
09-26 Dallas, TX - Gypsy Tea Room *
09-28 Phoenix, AZ - Brickhouse Theater *
09-29 San Diego, CA - House of Blues *
09-30 Los Angeles, CA - Henry Fonda Theater *
10-02 San Francisco, CA - Fillmore *
10-05 Portland, OR - Hawthorne Theatre *
10-06 Vancouver, British Columbia - Commodore Ballroom *
10-07 Seattle, WA - Neumos *
10-09 Salt Lake City, UT - In the Venue *
10-10 Denver, CO - Bluebird Theater *
10-11 Lawrence, KS - Granada *
10-12 Chicago, IL - Metro *
10-13 Detroit, MI - Magic Stick *
10-14 Toronto, Ontario - Opera House *
10-15 Montreal, Quebec - La Tulipe *
10-16 Cambridge, MA - Middle East Downstairs
10-17 Washington, DC - Black Cat
10-18 Brooklyn, NY - Warsaw
10-19 New York, NY - Irving Plaza
10-20 Philadelphia, PA - Starlight Ballroom

* with We Are Scientists, Spinto Band