Meta Description: Discover Courteeners’ upcoming album “Pink Cactus Café” featuring the new single “Solitude Of The Night Bus.” Learn about the release date, collaborations, and upcoming tour dates.
Courteeners Announce New Album “Pink Cactus Café” with Single “Solitude Of The Night Bus”
Manchester indie stalwarts Courteeners have announced their return with a new album, Pink Cactus Café, which they have teased with the comeback track, “Solitude Of The Night Bus.”
New Album and Single Release
After a four-year hiatus, Courteeners are back with their first new song since 2020. Their last album, More. Again. Forever., was released just before the world shut down in 2020, preventing a full tour. However, the unexpected break allowed frontman Liam Fray to start working on new material, resulting in the upcoming album Pink Cactus Café, set for release on October 25th through Ignition Records.
Evolution and New Direction
Despite the long gap, Courteeners continued to tour, including a sold-out show at Manchester’s Heaton Park in 2023, celebrating the 15th anniversary of their debut album, St. Jude. They also headlined Emirates Old Trafford in Manchester in 2021. Now, the band is looking forward, and “Solitude Of The Night Bus” represents a shift in a new direction with its catchy electro-pop sound.
Liam Fray on the New Track
In a statement, Fray shared that the track was born during a challenging time in his life when he felt aimless. He noted, “This came at a time of real questioning. Things weren’t going particularly well. No confidence. No direction. I think that’s why – whisper it – it’s on the fun side. This is the new us.” Fray teamed up with Ola Modupe-Ojo, who previously worked with Courteeners on “Hanging Off Your Cloud,” and described the collaboration as having “magic in the room that was irresistible.”
Exciting Collaborations
Pink Cactus Café features an array of special guests, including Australian trio DMA’s, rising indie-soul singer Brooke Combe, The Coral’s James and Ian Skelly, and Hurts frontman Theo Hutchcraft. Fray explained that the collaborative approach was due to uncertainty about whether the new songs would become a Courteeners album, a side project, or a solo effort. “Everything was up in the air. So, it wasn’t necessarily a Courteeners SOUND…I started reaching out on my Indie Rolodex as a bit of fun really, and it’s ended up being the most collaborative and rewarding thing we’ve ever done. It’s a real collage of an album, we threw everything into the melting pot,” he remarked.
Upcoming Performances
“Solitude Of The Night Bus” will likely be performed during Courteeners’ upcoming set at TRNSMT Festival in Glasgow on July 13th. The band will also embark on a full tour later this year, with dates to be announced soon.
