The Wallflowers are spending Halloween at sea. The band will perform aboard the USS John C. Stennis, an aircraft carrier in an undisclosed location in the Pacific Ocean. The band will be flown in via naval cargo planes.

"It's all very Top Gun," posts frontman Jakob Dylan on the band's Web site, "probably minus the intense volleyball scene. The band is thrilled to be a part of this show, but . . . we are not promoting any political agenda whatsoever in accepting the invitation . . . No matter which side of the fence you're sitting on as we get closer to the November election, I think we're all on the same side when it comes to supporting the troops. Off we go."

The Wallflowers spent July and August recording their fifth album, due early next year, with producer Brendan O'Brien (Pearl Jam, Bruce Springsteen).

"It's basically just five guys playing five traditional instruments -- no guest stars, no experimenting in the studio," Dylan tells Rolling Stone. "Making great records isn't about fooling anyone or putting a new sound on an old situation. These are universal songs with universal themes."

New tracks include the epic "Days of Wonder," the piano-driven ballad "We're Already There" and "Drunken Marionette," which Dylan is especially fond of: "Let's just say I've always wanted to do a song about drunken puppets."