Tapping the genius of Frank Black to produce your record may seem like a once-in-a-lifetime event for many bands, but the pop culture obsessive Art Brut have once again nabbed the Pixies frontman to man the boards for their upcoming fourth LP, Brilliant! Tragic!. Recorded in just two weeks, the album is said to be the first to feature frontman Eddie Argos singing. Along with his own vocal maturation, Argos said the rest of the LP is full of examples of the band growing up and expanding their repertoire. In their own unique way, of course.

“Ian has a new pedal, Fred sings backing vocals for the first time and we let Jasper play a guitar solo (only on two strings though). Also, with the writing for the last album I really enjoyed writing about Mundane things trying to make them exciting. There were songs about riding buses, summer jobs and having songs trapped in your head. This time the album is more about how I think I’m psychic, songs for my funeral, the principality of Sealand and Axl Rose. Weightier topics I think. I’m also sexier now.”

Ahead of Brilliant! Tragic!’s May 23rd release date (via Cooking Vinyl), Art Brut is offering a free mp3 download of the track “Unprofessional Wrestling”. The album’s lead single, “Lost Weekend” will follow May 16th. The band will also be taking up a five-night residency at the Lexington in London beginning May 30th, with even more live performances sure to be announced in the future.

Brilliant! Tragic! Tracklist:
01. Clever Clever Jazz
02. Lost Weekend
03. Bad Comedian
04. Sexy Sometimes
05. Is Dog Eared.
06. Martin Kemp Welch Five A-Side Football Rules!
07. Axel Rose.
08. I Am The Psychic
09. Ice Hockey
10. Sealand