So, from what we've heard, Belle and Sebastian spent a good chunk of summer in Los Angeles recording a new album, set for a release early next year. But just because we are waiting for a new full length doesn't mean that we can enjoy a shiny new track from the band. The piece in question is called "The Eighth Station of the Cross Kebab House," which Stuart describes on the band's journal as such:
"... we wrote a new song called The Eighth Station Of The Cross Kebab House. It's meant to be a little snapshot of pluralist utopia, a kind of 'Across The Barricades' type thing. It's a pretty true reflection of some of our impressions of our trip to Israel/Palestine earlier this year. I spent a happy lunch hour in said kebab house at the eighth station of the cross in Jerusalem."
The song appears on a War Child compilation entitled Help: A Day in the Life. The compilation, which is available for download at 99 pence per track and 9.99 pounds for the entire album (sorry, I'm not good at converting prices), features a whole slew of bands we dig including: Radiohead; Gorrillaz; Manic Street Preachers; Kaiser Chiefs; Maximo Park; Go! Team; Razorlight; Bloc Party; the Coral; Elbow and more.
The Belle and Sebastian newsletter states that, "All of the money raised by the new record will be used by War Child to provide both material and psychological support and rehabilitation to children on the edge of conflict and post-conflict societies. " In other words, funds go to assist children in war torn regions of the world.
Lyrics for "The Eighth Station of the Cross Kebab House" appear in the journal entry linked above.