John Cale announces his new album, POPtical Illusion

Despite the album’s playful title, Cale’s second album in just over a year still contains the same feelings of fierce and inquisitive rage that were present in Cale’s much-lauded 2023 album, MERCY.

On POPtical Illusion, he foregoes the illustrious cast to burrow mostly alone into mazes of synthesizers and samples, organs and pianos, with words that, as far as Cale goes, constitute a sort of swirling hope, a sage insistence that change is yet possible. Produced by Cale and longtime artistic partner Nita Scott in his Los Angeles studio, POPtical Illusion is the work of someone trying to turn toward the future – exactly as Cale always has.

POPtical Illusion will be available on vinyl, CD, and digitally. The Domino Mart pink and mint vinyl 2xLP edition pressing of 1000 includes a 7" featuring two exclusive tracks, and a POPitem – a limited edition illusionary twirling paper Objet.

"All To The Good" is only available on the CD & streaming formats of the album. The CD & streaming formats also have a different version of "Shark-Shark" to the vinyl format.

Tracklist:

1. God Made Me Do It (don’t ask me again)
2. Davies and Wales
3. Calling You Out
4. Edge of Reason
5. I’m Angry
6. How We See The Light
7. Company Commander
8. Setting Fires
9. Shark-Shark
10. Funkball the Brewster
11. All To The Good
12. Laughing In My Sleep
13. There Will Be No River