While they haven’t officially released anything since 1998’s Democracy of Sleep, the Bonaduces haven’t been entirely dormant. They’ve played “about 10 times total since the 90s,” says lead vocalist/guitarist Doug McLean, and getting back together is never a challenge.

“It really is the easiest thing in the world playing with Mike, Bob, and Chris. We could probably have picked up 15 years later, cold, and it would be the same,” says McLean.

They promised to release new music—“a small amount of music, approximately one to two cups”—for their show on Oct. 20 at the Park Theatre, as a teaser for an album to follow sometime in 2014. These one to two cups came in the form of the single “Armadillo,” which they released via their Facebook page on Oct. 19.

“Armadillo” is, not surprisingly, a classic Bonaduces track, true to form. While there’s more certainty in McLean’s voice, the driving guitars and energetic backing vocals have, if anything, increased in intensity.

“We all voraciously listen to so much new music, but when we get together with instruments, all our musical awareness is filtered down and it still comes out basically sounding like the Bonaduces,” says McLean.

They’ve been throwing the idea of another album around for the last five years.

“This year, everyone’s collective enthusiasm levels definitively trumped all of our collective adult schedules.”

The Bonaduces aren’t the only ones feeling the enthusiasm for this new upswing in music production. People were singing along with the new song, which, according to McLean, was a diverse crowd of fans.

“Obviously lots of old faces, some younger brothers/sisters of old faces, and then a smattering of new to newish faces. Basically the fact that there were faces there at all was great for us.”

The Bonaduces are hoping to release another track in December or January, and potentially release the album in April, though it’s too early in the recording process to set any dates for certain. They’re definitely not anticipating a long, drawn-out recording process.

“[It’s] not like we make the most complicated songs in the world, and we trust each other to do what we all do. There’s a real minimum of fuss in the whole process,” says McLean.

But, given the enthusiasm they’ve seen from every prior reunion show, and the reaction to “Armadillo,” this is bound to be a widely-anticipated release by fans and the band alike.

“[The] reaction that this band gets is really quite different than anything else I’ve been involved in [ . . . ] it gets us more visceral and emotional onstage. I personally love watching the Bonaduces, the part that occurs outside of my head. [ . . . ] The other people in the band are all so amazing and engaged. I forget I’m playing sometimes and just watch the chaotic stuff going on around me.”

 

Listen to the new single “Armadillo” at http://thebonaduces.bandcamp.com/track/armadillo.