It seems lately that Morrissey has been in the news for things that are only tangentially related to his music. While fans have appreciated him touring relentlessly despite multiple illnesses and his autobiography has become an international best-seller, many have been hoping that the King of Mope would return to the studio for a proper follow-up to his 2009 album Years Of Refusal. Now, it seems that fans might be getting their wish: Moz has announced that he’ll be heading into the studio to work on a new album due out later this year.

Morrissey has been teasing new music for a while, placing a few unreleased songs in his setlists on tour. However, his refusal to release his music on his own has kept him from getting into the studio. For the new album, Morrissey has signed a deal with Harvest Records, a subsidiary of Capitol. Producer Joe Chiccarelli (Alanis Morrissette, The Strokes) will be behind the boards for the album.

The new album isn’t the only thing that Morrissey has planned for 2014: spurred by the success of his autobiography, the singer is also at work on a novel.