The Specials have pushed back the release of their forthcoming protest song covers album by a week.

‘Protest Songs – 1924 -2012’, which was originally due to hit shelves on September 24, will now be released on October 1 to allow for the vinyl format to reach fans on the same day.

The band confirmed the move in a statement posted to their Twitter: “In order to get everyone their vinyl on [the] release date we’ve had to move the release of ‘Protest Songs 1924-2012’ back a week to October 1st.”

Earlier this month the group shared the first track ‘Freedom Highway’, a track written by the Staple Singers for the famous civil rights marches from Selma to Montgomery in 1965.

Across the album’s 12 songs, The Specials also take on versions of tracks by Talking Heads, Bob Marley, Leonard Cohen and more.

ANNOUNCEMENT! In order to get everyone their vinyl on release date we’ve had to move the release of ‘Protest Songs 1924-2012’ back a week to October 1st. You can still pre-order the album here https://t.co/2cDSBRakmp pic.twitter.com/QYGKjbVFB5

— The Specials (@thespecials) August 27, 2021

Meanwhile, the band kick off a new UK tour today (August 31) at Bristol’s O2 Academy before wrapping things up at London’s Troxy on September 25. They also play Dublin’s Trinity College next year on July 2.

The Specials’ UK tour 2021:

AUGUST
Tuesday 31 – BRISTOL O2 Academy Bristol

SEPTEMBER
Thursday 02 – PLYMOUTH Plymouth Pavilions
Friday 03 – BOURNEMOUTH Windsor Hall (BIC)
Saturday 04 – BRIGHTON Centre
Monday 06 – GLASGOW Barrowland
Tuesday 07 – EDINBURGH Usher Hall
Thursday 09 – MANCHESTER O2 Victoria Warehouse
Friday 10 – CARDIFF Motorpoint Arena
Saturday 11 – COVENTRY Coventry Building Society Arena
Monday 13 – HULL Bonus Arena
Tuesday 14 – BLACKPOOL Empress Ballroom
Thursday 16 – BIRMINGHAM O2 Academy Birmingham
Friday 17 – NOTTINGHAM Motorpoint Arena
Saturday 18 – DONCASTER Dome
Monday 20 – NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE O2 City Hall
Tuesday 21 – READING Rivermead Leisure Complex
Thursday 23 – LONDON Roundhouse
Friday 24 – LONDON Roundhouse
Saturday 25 – LONDON Troxy

Reviewing the band’s 2019 album ‘Encore’, NME wrote: “We need right-thinking rebel records like ‘Encore’ now more than ever.”