Minneapolis rock 'n' roll revivalists the Japhies were about to release their new full-length -- they just debuted a new track on the Current with Mary Lucia a few weeks back -- but today they've announced that lead singer Reed Wilkerson has departed from the band.

All Japhies shows have been canceled for the time being, including a big Thanksgiving Eve bash they were planning to play down in Rochester, and the band has implied that they will soldier on without Wilkerson at the helm; it makes sense that they'd want to hang onto the name, since they were just named one of the three finalists of Vita.mn's Are You Local? best-new-band poll earlier this year.

Wilkerson made the announcement on his Facebook page:

It is with a heavy heart that I announce that I am no longer a member of The Japhies. The record will not be released and all shows have been cancelled. I have a new band and we will begin playing shows in December. Thank you to all the friends, family and fans who have supported us over the years. The time has come for a new chapter in all of our lives and I hope you will continue to support us in our new endeavors. Announcements regarding my new band will be coming soon... Rock n Roll never dies, it just evolves.

Meanwhile, the band says they do, in fact, plan to release the album and now have a position to fill:

THE JAPHIES ARE DEAD, LONG LIVE THE JAPHIES (we're looking for a new singer, if you are interested or know someone who is, plz contact us--auditions are being held now)