It might be the result of poor timing, but Echo and the Bunnymen's short US tour this month is turning into an early Christmas present for some lucky fans. When the Bunnymen hop across the pond for three special shows in Montreal, Oakland, and Los Angeles (Oct. 20-24) to perform their classic 1984 album 'Ocean Rain' in its entirety, the Liverpudlian post-punk legends will also play two tiny club shows honoring the arrival of their new album, 'The Fountain,' which will be released Oct. 12 in the UK and a day later in the States.

Of course, the shows at New York's Mercury Lounge and Boston's Great Scott (Oct. 17 and 18, respectively) sold out immediately, leaving many fans disappointed. But, singer Ian McCulloch tells Spinner, it couldn't be helped, as scheduling got a little screwy and these two shows were slotted in after the 'Ocean Rain' theater shows were booked. "With the 'Ocean Rain' shows happening the week that the new album is released, it just seemed wrong not to play some shows for it. We had to announce its arrival in some way," McCulloch says. "How could we go over and perform 'Ocean Rain' and not acknowledge the new songs?"

The Bunnymen's full US tour begins Nov. 15 in Atlanta, though that will be in larger venues. McCulloch is clearly eager to get his teeth into the new record, declaring 'The Fountain' to be one of his favorites.

"I won't say that it's the best album ever made, but it's one of the best we've made," he says. "With this one I feel the words and I really feel like I've got something to say." Would we expect anything less?