On Cracker's latest single "Friends" from their recent album, Sunrise In The Land Of Milk and Honey (in stores now through 429 Records) cofounders David Lowery and Johnny Hickman still manage to embrace their deep-rooted alt-country sensibilities as witnessed on this rustic, outlaw country track. "Friends" was originally penned by Hickman for his own 2005 Palmhenge album, and is now offered up as an affectionate yet hysterical duet between Lowery and Drive-By Truckers' Patterson Hood

As Hickman explains about the track "It's a song about what we do and lifelong friendships. Everybody's got one of those friends who sticks with you through thick and thin and can laugh about your foibles." Lowery also added that "Johnny wrote 'Friends' just to sort of play with the country-buddy kind of thing. When he originally put it on his solo record, he didn't do it as a duet, and I thought that was kind of a shame. I was like, 'It needs to be told with two people.' "

No Depression recently aired the video premier of "Friends" on their site, and it can now also be viewed here on Cracker's YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/crackerrocks

After seven months of successfully touring the U.S. and Europe in support of Sunrise In The Land Of Milk And Honey Cracker will embark on a very special tour of Iraq for U.S. soldiers in November. (For safety reasons the promotor is unable to give specific dates/cities for this tour. Interestingly enough, the band won't even get their itineraries until arriving in Kuwait and Iraq). Freedom Radio in Baghdad (the only American radio station in Iraq) has already gotten behind Cracker with heavy spins from both their new record and extensive back-catalogue of hits.

As cofounder David Lowery explains of the tour, "After writing a red meat politically incorrect song in the slangy dialect of US serviceman in Iraq, it's no surprise that we were asked to walk the walk in addition to talking the talk. So be it. Yalla Yalla."

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