Renowned singer/songwriter M. Ward is announcing the new studio album Supernatural Thing (ANTI-), to be released on June 23, 2023. Today he shares the album’s title track which lives in a liminal space in which Elvis comes to him with a message: You Can Go Anywhere You Please.

“Well, all my songs depend on dream imagery to some extent,” Ward explained, “and this was an actual dream I had about Elvis, when he came to me and said that. I don’t know if it’s pandemic-related or not.” Summing up the emotional tone of the record, Ward also sings on this track: “you feel the line is growing thin / between beautiful and strange.” Listen to the song and watch its new animated video, directed by Joel Trussel, below.

The album’s guest stars — First Aid Kit, Shovels & Rope, Scott McMicken, Neko Case, Jim James and others — enliven the album with surprises. Eight of the album’s ten songs are Ward originals, but there is also an unusual Bowie choice, “I Can’t Give Everything Away” from Blackstar, and a live rendition of Daniel Johnston’s “Story of an Artist.” “Bowie and Johnston are constant sources of inspiration for me, have been for I don’t know how many years,” Ward offered.

Next month Ward will embark on a select run of European tour dates; all upcoming shows are listed below.

TOUR DATES
5/19 – Vienna, AT @ Chelsea
5/21 – Berlin, DE @ Prachtwerk
5/26 – Lisbon, PT @ LAV
5/27 – Porto, PT @ M.ou.co