Semisonic is in the final stages of cutting its third album, the follow-up to the band's 1998 breakthrough, "Feeling Strangely Fine," and has laid down some 18 tracks for the as-yet-untitled LP, tentatively set for release next spring.

The Minneapolis trio of singer-guitarist Dan Wilson, bassist John Munson, and drummer Jacob Slichter has been working on the new record on and off for the last few months at various studios and locales around the city.

Semisonic will take a break from the studio later this month to head over to play the V2000 Festival in the U.K., where the band's "Secret Smile" single helped refuel European sales of "Feeling Strangely Fine.

'Secret Smile' sort of hinted toward that," he added. [article id="1450119"]"'Completely Pleased' hinted toward that. Maybe there was a bit of that in 'Closing Time.' I think that this time around, we're sort of feeling a lot more like making that sort of R&B-influenced type

music.

I hesitate to say too much about that because it's not going to be a techno album, it's not a dance [record]. It's not two-step. It's not four-on-the-floor bass drum stuff. We're not turning into an English dance collective at all, but we are using more of that funk influence that Minneapolis is, I guess, pretty well known for." [RealAudio][/article]

In addition to the U.K. dates, Semisonic will also perform at the Minnesota State Fair in St. Paul on September 1.

Semisonic's new album is expected to be issued via MCA Records in February or March 2001.