Photo by  Shervin Lainez

Today, Cass McCombs announced that his tenth studio album Heartmind will release digitally on Aug. 19 and physical copes in September via ANTI-. In conjunction with the project’s announcement, McCombs shared he’ll be embarking on a North American tour and released the first single off the project, the sweeping and soulful “Unproud Warrior.”

Heartmind is comprised of eight songs and is designed to allow the listener to search for the meaning through a sweet yet sardonic tone on incandescent and tragicomic tracks. McCombs leaves it up to the listener to find the heroes and villains and refuses to let up the answers let alone the questions. On “Unproud Warrior,” McCombs enlisted Wynonna Judd and Charlie Burnham to assist him in crooning for over six minutes over deeply permeating a country-western ache.

“I made this album as a way to handle the loss of some close friends. Their memories guided me throughout and hopefully they live through the music,” said McCombs in a press release. “Strange to realize, it wasn’t them who were lost, it was me.”

The album was recorded over multiple sessions on both coasts – in Brooklyn, N.Y. and Burbank, Calif. The project was co-produced with Shahzad Ismaily, Buddy Ross and Ariel Rechtshaid – the same team that he’s worked with since the beginning on 2009’s Catacombs. The project was mixed and mastered by Rob Schnapf. Other contributors, along with the aforementioned Judd and Burnham, include Joe Russo, Cactus Moser, Kassa Overall, Danielle Haim, The Chapin Sisters, Frank LoCrasto, and Nestor Gomez.

Starting on June 14, McCombs will set off on his tour with his first string of dates around California. After a break, beginning in September, he’ll hop around North America, making stops in cities like Indianapolis, Chicago, Toronto, Boston, New York, Washing D.C. and more. Following his North American run, McCombs will head across the Atlantic to perform in Europe and the U.K. until late October. See the full dates below.

Find tickets to McCombs’ tour here.

Read Relix‘s piece with McCombs here.

Pre-order Heartmind here.

Listen to “Unproud Warrior” below.

Heartmind Tracklist
1. Music Is Blue
2. Karaoke
3. New Earth
4. Unproud Warrior
5. Krakatau
6. A Blue, Blue Band
7. Belong to Heaven
8. Heartmind

Cass McCombs Tour Dates

June 14 – Santa Ana, CA – Constellation Room

June 15 – San Diego, CA – Casbah

June 17 – Los Angeles, CA – Lodge Room

June 18 – San Francisco, CA – The Chapel

June 19 – Cayucos, CA – Schooner’s

Sept. 7 – Cleveland, OH – Beachland Ballroom

Sept. 8 – Ferndale, MI – Magic Bag

Sept. 9 – Chicago, IL – Thalia Hall

Sept. 10 – Indianapolis, IN – HiFi

Sept. 11 – Pittsburgh, PA – Mr. Small’s

Sept. 12 – Toronto, ON – Lee’s Palace

Sept. 14 – Boston, MA – Royale

Sept. 15 – Ardmore, PA – Ardmore

Sept. 16 – New York, NY – Webster Hall

Sept. 17 – Washington, DC – 9:30 Club

Sept. 28 – Madrid, ES – Teatro Lara

Sept. 29 – Zaragoza, ES – Luis Galve

Sept. 30 – Alicante, ES – Teatro Arnichas

Oct. 1 – Valencia, ES – 16 Toneladas

Oct. 4 – Milano, IT – Bellezza

Oct. 6 – St. Gallen, CH – Palace St. Gallen

Oct. 7 – Schorndorf, DE – Manufaktur

Oct. 8 – Paris, FR – Café De La Danse

Oct. 10 – Bristol, UK – Redgrave Theatre

Oct. 12 – Manchester, UK – The Stoller Hall

Oct. 13 – London, UK – Alexandra Palace Theatre

Oct. 15 – Dublin, IE – Liberty Hall

Oct. 16 – Glasgow, UK – Mackintosh Church

Oct. 18 – Brussels, BE – Botanique Rotonde

Oct. 19 – Cologne, DE – Artheater

Oct. 20 – Utrecht, NL – Cloud 9

Oct. 22 – Berlin, DE – Frannz Club

Oct. 24 – Hamburg, DE – Nochtspeicher

Oct. 25 – København S, DK – DR Studie 2

Oct. 26 – Stockholm, SE – Slaktkyrkan

Oct. 28 – Oslo, NO – Oslo Parkteatret