Between December 2004 and spring of this year, ex-Bedhead project the New Year posted exactly one news update on their website. Turns out that uploading pressing band info isn't the only thing the Kadane brothers, Matt and Bubba, are rusty at either. The band is getting reacquainted with touring after their multi-year hiatus from the open road. "If I don't start early, I'll forget something, so I've dedicated this entire day to packing," laughs vocalist/guitarist Matt Kadane. "One shirt every half hour."

Forgive Matt if packing isn't exactly his forte. Since the New Year has basically been dormant for three years and hasn't released any new music since 2004's The End Is Near—which was the natural evolution of the slowcore movement that the band is often credited as starting—and the bedroom bards have mostly been homebodies ever since. That is, until now. In addition to their current mini-tour, the New Year is set to record seven songs in Chicago with Steve Albini this August, with plans to track three more by year's end. If that timeline holds, the album will be released by August/September 2008, which could even allow the band to tour significantly that fall.

"It's sick that we have to work this way, but we all have been dealing with family and professional pursuits and whatever," says Matt, who spends his days as a college professor and historian.

The band's long-gestating third album began to take shape over the past year, after Matt's 8-track recorder broke. After finding it'd be less expensive to replace with new software than outright repair, Matt began revisiting old material with new programs, and sketching songs in the process. "It's been really exciting," intimates Matt. "Once I learned how to use the editing software I really started to enjoy it. The songs really get started when we start sending them back and forth."

Here's hoping that a little movement finally gets the Kadanes started, too.