A note from Umphrey's McGee:
We are thrilled to reveal the pre-order details for our new album Mantis, which will be released on January 20, 2009. On Inauguration Day, when our country turns a page in its history, we are writing a new chapter of our own.
Our approach to this studio project has been very different than with those preceding it. While you may find one or two vaguely familiar passages on the new album, for all intents and purposes, this is an album consisting entirely of new music. And while it retains the hallmark Umphrey's McGee sound, we feel as though we have produced a body of work that pushes the envelope in composition, arrangement, and group interplay. Because of this, we view this album as the centerpiece of a new era in the evolution of Umphrey's McGee. We are extremely proud of Mantis, and look forward to taking the material for a test run where we thrive - sharing the experience with you live and without a net. Since the songs were realized in the studio rather than on the road, expect them to get a serious workout in 2009 and beyond. We look forward to joining you on tour and watch how the songs change, evolve, and grow as we experiment, deconstruct, reconstruct, and discover the full potential of the new material in a live context.
There's also this cool pre-order and bonus material scenario with Mantis, where the more fans that pre-order the release, the more bonus content the band will “unlock" for everyone. You can read all about it at http://www.umphreys.com/mantis.
Umphrey's McGee is on tour now, dates available here.
