Bill Callahan has announced a new album, My Days of 58, which will be out February 27 via Drag City. It’s a double LP and was made with the core group of guitarist Matt Kinsey, saxophonist Dustin Laurenzi, and drummer Jim White.

“Improv/unpredictability/the unknown is the thing that keeps me motivated to keep making music,” Bill says. “It’s all about listening to yourself and others. A lot of the best parts of a recording are the mistakes—making them into strengths, using them as springboards into something human.”

“I usually just sing a melody to a horn player or let them try a few takes and go from there,” he adds. “This time I thought, why not get some of the record charted out. There’s always room for spontaneity on top of that. And we did indeed throw some off the cuff stuff on top of the charted horns in a couple cases where they weren’t fully doing what I wanted. With this record I kept thinking of it as a ‘living room record.’ I’m not talking about fidelity at all here. Living room attitude. Living room vibe. Not too loud, not otherworldly. I asked for the horns to be relaxed like someone on the couch playing, not a blast from heaven or hell.”

The first song released from the album is “The Man I’m Supposed to Be,” a simmering blues number, and you can listen to that below.

Bill’s only upcoming live date is at Austin’s Wizard Rodeo Fest on December 6 with Being Dead, Lomelda, HoneyBunny, Thor Harris and more also on the bill.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTwVcCqG1Ig

My Days of 58
1. Why Do Men Sing
2. The Man I’m Supposed To Be
O.G. 4. Stepping Out For Air
5. Lonely City
6. Empathy
7. West Texas
8. Computer
9. Lake Winnebago
10. Highway Born
11. And Dream Land
12. The World is Still