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Back in October we got our first look at what was presumed to be the photo that is to be used as the cover artwork for Morrissey‘s new album Years of Refusal. Today we get to see that photo as the official album artwork and get a few deets about the album’s release date along with some tour information information:

According to Moz‘s official website, Years of Refusal is due for release on February 16 with the album’s first single I’m Throwing My Arms Around Paris set for release one week prior. Paris will be released with two new b-sides — Because of My Poor Education and Shame is the Name (which features vocals by Chrissie Hynde). Morrissey has also scheduled a few dates at the Royal Albert Hall in the UK in May with homecoming concerts in his hometown of Manchester on May 22 & 23. But, before he does those UK dates he will be performing a few warm-up shows here in the US — Ticketmaster has already listed a date in Florida and a date in Virginia. As a huge Mozzer fan, I am very excited by all of this news!

I’m dying to hear what the new stuff sounds like … Morrissey rarely disappoints. It really does look like 2009 is going to be a great year for concerts :)

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Hold on to your huge grains of salt, y’all … the British tabloid newspaper The Sun is reporting that ’80′s mope-rockers and original emo boys The Smiths are “closer than ever” to reuniting once again. According to inside “sources”, rumor has it that the former bandmembers are seriously considering a one-off headlining reunion performance at the Coachella Music Festival in Indio, CA next year:

IT’S the reunion no one thought was possible. But iconic Mancs THE SMITHS are “closer than ever” to setting aside their poisonous differences for a comeback. Sources close to the band believe they could headline California festival Coachella in a one-off show next April for a huge pay day. Singer MORRISSEY turned down a £2.8million bid from the event organisers in 2006 but they will have massively upped the offer. Any deal would mark a remarkable turnaround. Veg-loving frontman Morrissey has repeatedly vowed to never again share a stage with his former bandmates, guitarist JOHNNY MARR, bassist ANDY ROURKE and drummer MIKE JOYCE. A source revealed, however: “It has looked impossible in the past but suddenly it all looks like it could happen. “The buzz around the people who used to work for the band is they could play Coachella for a ludicrous amount of money. It’s closer than it ever has been. The split was a messy affair, but time’s a healer.”

Time may be a healer but I suspect that cold hard cash goes a long way in healing bitter band rifts as well. This rumor is just too good to be true. I have prayed for a reunion of The Smiths for years since I was too young to ever be able to see them perform live in their hey day. Trust me, I want to believe that this reunion might actually come to fruition but I’m reserving judgment BIG TIME until some sort of confirmation comes our way. I can tell you this, I would most assuredly haul my cookies out to the desert of Indio, CA to witness a reunion of The Smiths. Let’s see if such a reunion ever comes to pass.

In solo Morrissey news, the new album artwork for his upcoming new release Years of Refusal has reportedly made its way to the InterWeb. After the jump, check it out …