Kevin Morby returns Little Wide Open, out May 15 via Dead Oceans.
His eighth studio album, it has been produced by The National’s Aaron Dessner.
“Little Wide Open is set to a backdrop of tangled highways, towns with populations less than 100,000, roadside crosses, a rock and roll romance, coupling butterflies, being an American entertainer, Econoline vans and more,” explains Morby.
“This is, without a doubt, the most personal and vulnerable album I’ve ever made. Aaron did a heroic job of holding me back from throwing too many tricks at the songs, and letting my stories stand a bit naked. Despite its title this album is in fact, very wide open.”
To coincide with the announcement, Morby has released the first track from the album, “Javelin”.
“This is a song I wrote about being in love with someone you keep circling around the globe, relentlessly traveling through the air and down highways, and then returning home alone to middle America,” says Morby. “Amelia Meath (Sylvan Esso) shines here, with her incredible vocals. I had invited her into the studio and asked that she create a backing choir out of just her voice – but her presence is so special that her ‘backing vocals’ can’t help but take the lead.”
The album includes a host of contributors including Justin Vernon, Lucinda Williams and Meg Duffy.
You can pre-order a copy here; meanwhile, here’s the tracklisting:
Badlands Die Young Javelin All Sinners Natural Disaster 100,000 Little Wide Open Cowtown Bible Belt I Ride Passenger Junebug Dandelion Field Guide for the Butterflies
Sat. March 14 – Austin, TX @ The Long Time Fri. May 8 – Woodstock, NY @ Levon Helm Studios * Wed. May 13 – Aspen, CO @ Belly Up Aspen * Thu. May 14 – Denver, CO @ Ogden Theatre * Fri. May 15 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Block Party Sun. May 17 – Vancouver, BC @ Commodore Ballroom * Mon. May 18 – Seattle, WA @ Neptune Theatre * Tue. May 19 – Portland, OR @ Revolution Hall * Thu. May 21 – San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore * Fri. May 22 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Wiltern * Sat. May 23 – Pioneertown, CA @ Pappy & Harriet’s * Sun. May 24 – San Diego, CA @ Music Box * Tue. May 26 – Phoenix, AZ @ Crescent Ballroom * Wed. May 27 – Santa Fe, NM @ The Bridge at Santa Fe Brewing * Fri. May 29 – Kansas City, MO @ Uptown Theater * Sat. May 30 – St. Louis, MO @ Delmar Hall * Tue. June 2 – Chicago, IL @ Metro * Thu. June 4 – Detroit, MI @ Saint Andrew’s Hall * Fri. June 5 – Toronto, ON @ HISTORY * Sat. June 6 – Montréal, QC @ Théâtre Beanfield * Sun. June 7 – Boston, MA @ Royale * Tue. June 9 – Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer * Wed. June 10 – Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Steel * Fri. June 12 – Washington, DC @ Lincoln Theatre * Sat. June 13 – Charlotte, NC @ The Underground * Sun. June 14 – Atlanta, GA @ Variety Playhouse * Tue. June 16 – New Orleans, LA @ Tipitina’s Thu. June 18 – Houston, TX @ The Heights Theater Fri. June 19 – Fort Worth, TX @ Tannahill’s Tavern and Music Hall Sat. June 20 – Austin, TX @ Stubb’s Waller Creek Amphitheater Thu. July 2 – Amsterdam, NL @ Paradiso * Fri. July 3 – Beuningen, NL @ Down the Rabbit Hole Sat. July 4 – Lille, FR @ L’Aéronef * Sun. July 5 – Hérouville-Saint-Clair, FR @ Festival Beauregard Mon. July 6 – Paris, FR @ Salle Pleyel * Wed. July 8 – London, UK @ Troxy * Thu. July 9 – Manchester, UK @ The Ritz * Fri. July 10 – Brighton, UK @ CHALK * Sat. July 11 – Brugge, BE @ Cactusfestival Sun. July 12 – Köln, DE @ Even Flow Festival Tue. July 14 – Zurich, CH @ Rote Fabrik * Wed. July 15 – Galzignano Terme, IT @ Anfiteatro del Venda * Thu. July 16 – Feldkirch, AU @ Poolbar Festival * Fri. July 17 – Vienna, AU @ Simm City * Sat. July 18 – Munich, DE @ Technikum *
