The The to release new single ‘I WANT 2 B U’ for Record Store Day — listen to preview

Matt Johnson this week announced he’ll release a new 7-inch by The The for Record Store Day next month, a single called “I WANT 2 B U” that finds the musician writing and recording with the “quirky Omnichord instrument” for the first time since he used it on 1983’s “This Is the Day.”

The song — hear 50-second preview below — and its B-side, “Velvet Muscle Scream,” are both taken from the film “Muscle,” directed by Gerard Johnson. The vinyl single will feature artwork by Johnson’s late brother Andy Dog, who designed all of the sleeves for the early The The albums and singles.

The single follows The The’s 2017 Record Store Day release of “We Can’t Stop What’s Coming,” which at the time was the group’s first new music in a decade and foreshadowed the band’s live return in 2018.

It’s not yet known whether Johnson has any further recording or touring plans for The The. The new single will be available at participating independent record shops on April 18 June 20 in both the U.S. and the U.K.

Johnson also is releasing a CD/book version of See Without Being Seen, the tape he put out for Cassette Store Day last year. It’s “the first lost album” by a teenage Johnson, originally released as a limited-edition cassette in 1979, and is now reissued under the The The banner after the master tapes were rediscovered.

The CD release contains six extra unreleased tracks, and a 36-page hardback book with photos, drawings and lyrics. It can be ordered now via The The’s website.

Below, hear a preview of the new single.

PREVIOUSLY ON SLICING UP EYEBALLS

• The The’s Matt Johnson joins Johnny Marr to sing Lovin’ Spoonful’s ‘Summer in the City’
• The The plays first show in 16 years, opens ‘Comeback Special’ with career-spanning set
• The The expands reunion tour with 3 ‘very low-key’ U.K. warm-up concerts in May
• The The announces new 3-disc ‘Radio Cineola Trilogy’ box set, first concerts in 16 years
• Watch: The The’s emotional new music video for ‘We Can’t Stop What’s Coming’
• The The re-enlists Johnny Marr on first new single in 10 years for Record Store Day