Legendary British anti-folk figure Billy Bragg has announced his first studio album in five years. It's called Tooth & Nail, and it drops March 18 in the UK through Cooking Vinyl and a day later in North America.
The 12-song set was recorded in a five-day session at Joe Henry's studio in South Pasadena, CA, using a team of musicians who had previously worked with Bon Iver, Lana Del Rey and Regina Spektor, among others. According to a press release, the album is "a return to the rootsy sound" of Bragg's Mermaid Avenue sessions with Wilco, and blends soul, country and folk influences while Bragg explores "the ups and downs of relationships that have stood the test of time together."
Bragg said in a statement, "In 2011, I took a long, hard look at who I am and what I do. This album is the result."
On top of the singer-songwriter's originals, the song cycle contains a Woody Guthrie cover ("I Ain't Got No Home") and two songs co-written by Bragg and Henry ("Over You," "Your Name on My Tongue").
A deluxe CD/DVD package of Tooth & Nail will feature a 36-page booklet with exclusive photos and articles written by Bragg for Q between 2008 and 2011. It also comes with a DVD featuring 10 videos Bragg made between 1986 and 2002.
Down below you'll find a widget offering new number "Handyman Blues" for the price of an email, as well as a trailer for the album, which has Bragg and his new band running through some material, including classic track "Ideology."
Bragg will also head over to North America in March, and the trip includes a Canadian stretch of dates that run from Vancouver Island out to the Prairies. You can see the schedule down below.
Bragg's last solo LP was 2008's Mr. Love & Justice.
UPDATE: In Canada, the album will arrive through Dine Alone Records. A stream of "Handyman Blues" is now available below.
Tooth & Nail:
1. January Song
2. No One Knows Nothing Anymore
3. Handyman Blues
4. I Ain't Got No Home (Woody Guthrie)
5. Swallow My Pride
6. Do Unto Others
7. Over You
8. Goodbye, Goodbye
9. There Will Be A Reckoning
10. Chasing Rainbows
11. Your Name On My Tongue
12. Tomorrow's Going To Be A Better Day
Tour dates:
3/23 Englewood, CO - Gothic Theatre
3/24 Albuquerque, NM - KiMo Theatre
3/26 Phoenix, AZ - The Crescent Ballroom
3/28 Los Angeles, CA - El Rey Theatre
3/29 San Francisco, CA - Great American Music Hall
3/30 Petaluma, CA - McNear's Mystic Theatre
4/2 Portland, OR - Aladdin Theater
4/3 Seattle, WA - Neptune Theatre
4/4 Victoria, BC - Alix Goolden Hall
4/5 Vancouver, BC - Vogue Theater
4/6 Nelson, BC - Live at the Royal
4/8 Calgary, AB - MacEwan Hall
4/9 Regina, SK - Orr Centre
4/10 Winnipeg, MB - Garrick Centre
4/12-13 Chicago, IL - City Winery
4/15 Iowa City, IA - The Englert Theatre
4/17 Nashville, TN - The Belcourt Theatre
4/19 Carrboro, NC - Cat's Cradle
4/20 Glenside, PA - Keswick Theatre
4/21 Morgantown, WV - WVU Creative Arts Center
4/22 Annapolis, VA - Rams Head On Stage
4/24 Alexandria, VA - The Birchmere
4/26 Ithaca, NY - State Theatre
4/27 New York, NY - Town Hall Theatre
4/28 Boston, MA - Berklee Perfomance Center
4/30 Cincinatti, OH - The Southgate House Revival
5/1 Ann Arbor, MI - The Ark
The 12-song set was recorded in a five-day session at Joe Henry's studio in South Pasadena, CA, using a team of musicians who had previously worked with Bon Iver, Lana Del Rey and Regina Spektor, among others. According to a press release, the album is "a return to the rootsy sound" of Bragg's Mermaid Avenue sessions with Wilco, and blends soul, country and folk influences while Bragg explores "the ups and downs of relationships that have stood the test of time together."
Bragg said in a statement, "In 2011, I took a long, hard look at who I am and what I do. This album is the result."
On top of the singer-songwriter's originals, the song cycle contains a Woody Guthrie cover ("I Ain't Got No Home") and two songs co-written by Bragg and Henry ("Over You," "Your Name on My Tongue").
A deluxe CD/DVD package of Tooth & Nail will feature a 36-page booklet with exclusive photos and articles written by Bragg for Q between 2008 and 2011. It also comes with a DVD featuring 10 videos Bragg made between 1986 and 2002.
Down below you'll find a widget offering new number "Handyman Blues" for the price of an email, as well as a trailer for the album, which has Bragg and his new band running through some material, including classic track "Ideology."
Bragg will also head over to North America in March, and the trip includes a Canadian stretch of dates that run from Vancouver Island out to the Prairies. You can see the schedule down below.
Bragg's last solo LP was 2008's Mr. Love & Justice.
UPDATE: In Canada, the album will arrive through Dine Alone Records. A stream of "Handyman Blues" is now available below.
Tooth & Nail:
1. January Song
2. No One Knows Nothing Anymore
3. Handyman Blues
4. I Ain't Got No Home (Woody Guthrie)
5. Swallow My Pride
6. Do Unto Others
7. Over You
8. Goodbye, Goodbye
9. There Will Be A Reckoning
10. Chasing Rainbows
11. Your Name On My Tongue
12. Tomorrow's Going To Be A Better Day
Tour dates:
3/23 Englewood, CO - Gothic Theatre
3/24 Albuquerque, NM - KiMo Theatre
3/26 Phoenix, AZ - The Crescent Ballroom
3/28 Los Angeles, CA - El Rey Theatre
3/29 San Francisco, CA - Great American Music Hall
3/30 Petaluma, CA - McNear's Mystic Theatre
4/2 Portland, OR - Aladdin Theater
4/3 Seattle, WA - Neptune Theatre
4/4 Victoria, BC - Alix Goolden Hall
4/5 Vancouver, BC - Vogue Theater
4/6 Nelson, BC - Live at the Royal
4/8 Calgary, AB - MacEwan Hall
4/9 Regina, SK - Orr Centre
4/10 Winnipeg, MB - Garrick Centre
4/12-13 Chicago, IL - City Winery
4/15 Iowa City, IA - The Englert Theatre
4/17 Nashville, TN - The Belcourt Theatre
4/19 Carrboro, NC - Cat's Cradle
4/20 Glenside, PA - Keswick Theatre
4/21 Morgantown, WV - WVU Creative Arts Center
4/22 Annapolis, VA - Rams Head On Stage
4/24 Alexandria, VA - The Birchmere
4/26 Ithaca, NY - State Theatre
4/27 New York, NY - Town Hall Theatre
4/28 Boston, MA - Berklee Perfomance Center
4/30 Cincinatti, OH - The Southgate House Revival
5/1 Ann Arbor, MI - The Ark
