Never content to remain stagnant over the course of their almost decade long career, 2009 finds Pelican has shifted gears once again. This year sees them on a new label, Southern Lord and presenting a brand new (their 4th) full length. "What We All Come To Need" is Pelican through and through and the apex of their creative aspirations. It is the album that straddles most confidently the fine line between adherence to roots and the mining of the unexplored.

Ephemeral, a three-song EP released in early 2009 and released in the summer of 09', has paved the way for this new forthcoming full length. Trevor de Brauw reckons the band was once again at the mercy of “the riff” … how Pelican could be more riff-oriented than they had evidenced on each of their previous albums is hard to imagine, but it should be noted that Dylan Carlson, of Earth fame, lent the band a hand in re-creating an Earth song from their first 7”. And that speaks volumes as to what those “riffs” would continue to be like … beautifully heavy. Its presented by Southern Lord exclusively in the vinyl format.

In July 2009 Pelican ventured to Seattle to lay down a new album with Chris Common, who has helmed records for a variety of bands, from Minus The Bear to These Arms Are Snakes. Eight songs were recorded over three weeks at Robert Lange, Red Room Studios, and Elektrokitty. Beautifully heavy results? You bet. As punishing as it is calming, What We All Come To Needis Pelican at their most inspired and sonically adept, delivering 50 minutes of weighty riffs and textured progressions in momentous succession. This isn’t maturation as much as it is confidence and purpose, and the latter are stamped on every note. Greg Anderson, Aaron Turner (ISIS), Allen Epley (Shiner,Life And Times), as well as Ben Verellen (Helms Alee) guested, lending the record organic diversity.

Fall 2009 will see Pelican presenting their new album in the live setting once again, first with a full U.S. tour scheduled to start late October. They will be joined, among others, by Disappearer and Black Cobra, the latter of which also sees a fall release for their new album on Southern Lord.