Sixpence None the Richer will release their fourth album, Divine Discontent, on October 29th. The album will be the group's first since its multi-platinum, self-titled release, five years ago. If the length of the layoff comes as a surprise, it's testament to the legs of Sixpence None the Richer's flagship singles, "Kiss Me" and their cover of the La's' "There She Goes," which have become omnipresent summer staples years after their release.

"I hope people feel like it hasn't been that long," says singer Leigh Nash. "Well, I guess . . . unless they feel like it wasn't that long since they were so sick of hearing the singles, which could very well be the case. But for us, it felt like an absolute eternity. It's been a real pain in the butt, but I'm glad it's coming out."

Divine got caught in the time-honored tradition of label hangups, as the band -- Nash along with guitarist/principal songwriter Matt Slocum, drummer Dale Baker (who was recently replaced by Rob Mitchell), bassist Justin Cary, keyboardist Jerry Dale McFadden and guitarist Sean Kelly -- originally wrapped recording in the spring of 2000, with plans for release that fall. Cue falling leaves, winter, another entire year and then one more.

The flip side to label delays, of course, is money - enough to re-spark the band's interest in a nearly two-year-old album. According to Nash, the band was able to write and record four new songs for the Divine "so that we could weed out some of the songs that had worn on us in the twenty years since we made the record [laughs]. That was a great thing to be able to do, and we're happy that they let us do it. So the record feels new to us now, and it feels exciting again."

A bigger budget also allowed the group to work with a broader collection of sounds, as Slocum (whose original calling was as a cellist) was able to collaborate on several string sections for the record with Van Dyke Parks and David Campbell (a.k.a. Beck's dad). "It was a dream come true for him to meet those guys and watch them work and have them compose things for us," she says. "It's really lush, there's some beautiful instrumentation. And I think the melodies are gorgeous. Across the board, it's a step up from the last record . . . more than just a step. Maybe two and a half steps."

Sixpence hope the record, which was co-produced by Slocum with Paul Fox (10,000 Maniacs, XTC) will perhaps go deeper than the two singles that have been mercilessly flogged by summer radio and movie trailers. "We love that last record, but it wasn't really the album that got the attention," Nash says, "it was 'Kiss Me' and 'There She Goes.' I think we'd like for this album to let people know that we're more than just what it seems from those two songs. Hopefully that will be noticed and if not, that's fine, hopefully they'll still like the singles again. But hey, anything is better than nothing."

Divine Discontent track listing:

Breathe Your Name
Tonight
Down and Out of Time
Waiting on the Sun
Still Burning
Melody of You
Paralyzed
I've Been Waiting
Eyes Wide Open
Dizzy
Tension Is a Passing Note
A Million Parachutes

ANDREW DANSBY
(August 13, 2002)