My buddy Brian and I are big Clutch fans. In fact, did we ever tell you about the time that we were supposed to go see Clutch at the House of Blues during the Thanksgiving holiday break? We showed up, and our names were not on the guest list. Despite being kind of a big deal (sarcasm,) and having phone numbers for every Clutch-related person that could possibly help to rectify the situation, we got no resolution or rescue that night. Instead, I bought a double live Clutch CD, and we went home.

Some friends would be really pissed off with the way that that particular night ended, but for Brian and I, it spawned a long-running joke (one of many) that involves many offers to one another to “go down to the House of Blues and hang out in the lobby tonight” while {insert band name here} plays.

The above story/joke is almost better than actually seeing Clutch live, and though you probably know what I mean by the previous, you also know that I’m wrong.

There is almost nothing better than seeing Clutch live.

And in 2009, you’ll get that, and you’ll also get yourself a brand new Clutch album release to follow up their 2007 opus From Beale Street to Oblivion, which kicked major amounts of booty.

Here’s the official press release from the band’s label Weathermaker Music:

Clutch Announces New Album, Strange Cousins From The West, Out July 7th on Weathermaker Music!

Veteran Maryland rock quartet CLUTCH are putting the finishing touches on their ninth studio album, titled Strange Cousins From the West. Produced by Clutch and J. Robbins at Magpie Cage Studios in Baltimore, the effort is the first Clutch original to be released on the band’s own Weathermaker Music, through RED Distribution. Label manager Jon Nardachone reports “Strange Cousins…” will be available both digitally and through retail on July 7th. He also reports the first single and video, “50,000 Unstoppable Watts” will be officially released prior to Memorial Day weekend.”

Also of note is the Poppo’s Blues Band cover song “Algo Ha Cambiado,” which vocalist Neil Fallon sings in Spanish. Poppo was a legendary Argentinian hard rock singer/guitarist throughout the 70’s and 80’s. The title Strange Cousins From the West was taken from a line in the song “Minotaur.” Although the band has toured the world extensively over the past 2 years, and released multiple Clutch oriented projects, Strange Cousins… is the band’s first original studio work since March of 2007’s From Beale Street to Oblivion which featured the hit “Electric Worry.”

Clutch is planning a 7 month worldwide headlining tour which takes flight in the US on May 6th with support acts Wino and Maylene & the Sons of Disaster, followed by a July US tour with Baroness as main support. Look for the band to appear on some popular music & art festivals including Austin City Limits later this Fall, UK’s mammoth Download Festival on June 14th and more to be announced.

STRANGE COUSINS FROM THE WEST TRACK LISTING

1.Motherless Child
2.Struck Down
3.50,000 Unstoppable Watts
4.Abraham Lincoln
5.Minotaur
6.The Amazing Kreskin
7.Witchdoctor
8.Let a Poor Man Be
9.Freakonomics
10.Algo Ha Cambiado
11.Sleestak Lightning

CATCH CLUTCH LIVE ON THE ROAD THIS SUMMER

May 6 2009 Lost Horizon Syracuse, New York*
May 7 2009 The Cellar Struthers, Ohio*
May 8 2009 Headliner’s Toledo, Ohio*
May 9 2009 Otto’s Nightclub DeKalb, Illinois*
May 10 2009 Riverside Ballroom Green Bay, Wisconsin*
May 12 2009 Canaries Stadium KRRO Fest Sioux Falls, South Dakota*
May 13 2009 People’s Court Des Moines, Iowa*
May 14 2009 The Cotillion Wichita, Kansas*
May 15 2009 The Blue Note Columbia, Missouri*
May 16 2009 Jake’s Nightclub Bloomington, Indiana
May 17 2009 Columbus Crew Stadium “Rock on the Range” Festival Columbus, Ohio*
May 19 2009 The Music Farm Charleston, South Carolina*
May 20 2009 Cat’s Cradle Carrboro, North Carolina*
May 21 2009 The Norva Norfolk, Virginia*
May 22 2009 The Note West Chester, Pennsylvania*
May 23 2009 The Bakerton Group @ 930 Club Washington, DC, Washington DC*
Jun 13 2009 Corporation Sheffield
Jun 14 2009 Download Festival Donington
Jun 15 2009 HMS Hammer Gig Boat to Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards London
Jun 16 2009 Wedgewood Rooms Portsmouth
Jun 17 2009 TJ’s Newport
Jun 18 2009 Cockpit Leeds
Jun 19 2009 King Tut’s Glasgow
Jun 21 2009 De Helling Utrecht
Jun 22 2009 Kulturfabrik Esch-sur-Alzette
Jun 23 2009 Underground Koln
Jun 24 2009 Molotow Hamburg
Jun 25 2009 Knaak Berlin
July 3 2009 House of Blues Atlantic City, NJ w/ Monster Magnet and Wino

*w/ Wino and Maylene and the Sons of Disaster