Pitchfork

Photo by Cat Stevens

Socially conscious Canadian punks Fucked Up have decided to reissue their Year of the Pig EP this summer and follow up 2006's Hidden World with a new full-length and 7" in the fall. They'll do all these things with the help of their new label, a certain Matador.

For the new Year of the Pig (coming out July 22 on Matador in partnership with What's Your Rupture?), Fucked Up expanded upon both of the previous 12" releases of the 18-minute title track, which is both the second song in a series based on the Chinese zodiac and a song about the troubles of Canadian sex workers.

In addition to expanding Year of the Pig, Fucked Up have done some dividing for its vinyl release. There will be three 7" releases of the EP in the U.S., the UK, and Japan, each featuring a different edit of "Year of the Pig" on the A-side. The previously unreleased B-sides on those 7"s will be completely different too, with "Mustaa Lunta" on the U.S. edition, a cover of Sarah Records band Another Sunny Day's twee anthem "Anorak City" (?!) on the UK edition, and "For My Friends" on the Japanese edition.

The CD version of the EP features all of the above tracks, in addition to the full-length "Year of the Pig" and original B-side "The Black Hats".

As for the aforementioned full-length, it's called Chemistry of Common Life, and it comes out via Matador on October 7. Fucked Up guitarist 10,000 Marbles says in a press release that it's "basically about rebirth and the Sun. And lightning." The 11-track CD/12-track double vinyl release features guest vocal turns from Katie Stelmanis and Vivian Girls, as well as organ contributions from Max McCabe-Lokos (ex-Deadly Snakes). While the tracklist is not yet finalized, Chemistry will include the recently Forkcasted "No Epiphany", along with "Twice Born", "Magical World", and "Crooked Head".

Matador will also issue a 7" this fall containing a non-album rendition of "No Epiphany" and a remix of the track by No Age. These dudes sure like their alternate versions!

Fucked Up are touring the UK and Europe right now, and they reportedly have a run of West Coast shows in the works.

Fucked Up:

07-10 Getaria, Spain - Gaztetxe
07-11 Madrid, Spain - Sala el Sol
07-12 Balado, Scotland - T in the Park
07-13 Birmingham, England - Supersonic Festival
07-14 London, England - Water Rats
08-17 Biddinghuizen, Netherlands - Lowlands Festival
08-20 Belfast, Northern Ireland - Limelight
08-21 Dublin, Ireland - Whelan's
08-22 Ghent, Belgium - Ieper Fest
08-23 Reading, England - Reading Festival
08-24 Leeds, England - Leeds Festival
08-25 Bradford, England - 1 in 12 Club