Continuing what has so far been a triumphant year of touring and new music, Bright Eyes has surprise-released a new single, “1st World Blues.” The song, which makes a case for a fourth wave of ska, sees frontman Conor Oberst lamenting the current state of the world with its biting takedown of contemporary American capitalism, propelled by gang vocals and an infectious off-beat rhythm.

“1st World Blues” introduces a new sonic dimension from Bright Eyes and comes with a music video directed by Jared Sherbert, with animations by Sparks Studios. The video, which was shot on a hot summer day in Brooklyn, NY, features familiar faces like pro skater Nelly Morville, The So So Glos, and producer/musician/mixer Adam Reich, while introducing a new star-in-the-making: Butter the dog.

“‘1st World Blues’ is an homage to ska in all its waves,” says Bright Eyes. “From Desmond Decker to Tim Armstrong, we’re just happy to add our track to the bin. The video is inspired by NYC 90s hip hop, which like ska, has a long tradition of unifying people & using celebratory music to convey subversive political themes. To be played loud. Windows down. Summertime.”

Bright Eyes’ high-octane, coast-to-coast North American tour will pick up again on August 26 in Ojai, CA, before heading to Vancouver and then Seattle for Bumbershoot Festival. In November, the band will head to Asia for rare performances in Singapore, Osaka and Tokyo. The tour – which kicked off in January and included Summer shows in the UK and Europe – saw the launch of the band’s 501(c)(3) non-profit The Poison Oak Project, dedicated to advancing equity for LGBTQ+ people, with a particular focus on supporting the trans community, by raising money for LGBTQ+ organizations both nationally and locally in each city along their tour route. All tour dates below.

Bright Eyes on Tour:

Tuesday, Aug 26 – Ojai, CA – Libbey Bowl

Wednesday, Aug 27 – Sonoma, CA – Gundlach Bundschu Winery

Thursday, Aug 28 – Forest Grove, OR – McMenamins Grand Lodge

Friday, Aug 29 – Vancouver, BC – Malkin Bowl

Saturday, Aug 30 – Seattle, WA – Bumbershoot 2025

Monday, Sep 1 – Boise, ID – Treefort Music Hall

Tuesday, Sep 2 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Depot

Wednesday, Sep 3 – Las Vegas, NV – House of Blues Las Vegas

Thursday, Nov 27 – Singapore, Singapore – Capitol Theatre

Wednesday, Dec 3 – Osaka, Japan – Yogibo META VALLEY

Thursday, Dec 4 – Tokyo, Japan – EX THEATER ROPPONGI

Tickets can be purchased here.