Anaïs Mitchell has announced her first proper solo album in a decade (2014's Xoa was an album of re-recorded older material), which is self-titled and due January 28 via BMG (pre-order). It was produced by her Bonny Light Horseman bandmate Josh Kaufman, and Josh is one of the album's core musicians, alongside Bonny Light Horseman contributors Michael Lewis, JT Bates, and Aaron Dessner (of The National), as well as Thomas Bartlett (Doveman). Nico Muhly handled the string and flute arrangements.
The first single is "Bright Star," a lovely indie folk song that captures some of the same charm as that Bonny Light Horseman album. Here's what Anaïs says about it: "During the first pandemic summer I was staying on the family farm where I grew up, in a little house that belonged to my grandparents when they were alive. I could see the stars for the first time in a long time. I wasn't traveling anywhere, or even doing much of anything, for the first time in a long time. ‘Bright Star’ is about looking back on years of restless pursuit and making peace with the source of that longing: the Muse, the Great Unknown, the One That Got Away — those things that motivate us that we never can touch." Listen and watch the Jay Sansone-directed video below.
As mentioned, Anaïs and Bonny Light Horseman will be going on a co-headlining tour in 2022, and Anaïs will be joined by players from her new album during her set. That includes NYC's Webster Hall on Valentine's Day (2/14) (tickets). Anaïs also just added Europe/UK dates. Updated dates are listed below.
Bonny Light Horseman will also open Bon Iver's 2022 tour, including NYC's Forest Hills Stadium on June 3. Tickets for that show are on artist presale now (password = GATHERUP), with a general public on-sale starting Friday (10/29) at 10 AM.
Earlier this year, Anaïs collaborated with Justin Vernon and Aaron Dessner on the new Big Red Machine album, which you can get on double red vinyl.
You can pick up the Bonny Light Horseman album in our store too.
Tracklist
Brooklyn Bridge
Bright Star
Revenant
On Your Way (Felix Song)
Real World
Backroads
Little Big Girl
Now You Know
The Words
Watershed
Anaïs Mitchell -- 2022 Tour Dates
1/26 - Solana Beach, CA - Belly Up Tavern
1/27 - Los Angeles, CA - Ace Hotel
1/28 - Berkeley, CA - The UC Theatre
1/29 - Santa Barbara, CA - Lobero Theatre
1/30 - Stanford, CA - Bing Concert Hall
2/1 - Boulder, CO - Boulder Theater
2/2 - Beaver Creek, CO - Vilar Performing Arts Center (VPAC)
2/4 - Iowa City, IA - Englert Theatre
2/5 - Eau Claire, WI - Pablo Center at the Confluence
2/8 - Cincinnati, OH - Longworth-Anderson Series at Memorial Hall
2/10 - Springfield, OH- Kuss Auditorium
2/11- North Bethesda, MD - The Music Center at Strathmore
2/12 - Princeton, NJ - McCarter Theatre Center
2/14 - New York, NY - Webster Hall
2/15 - Hanover, NH - Hopkins Center for the Arts
2/16 - Tarrytown, NY - Tarrytown Music Hall
2/17 - Portland, ME - Merrill Auditorium
2/18 - Boston, MA - Berklee Performance Center
2/19 - Burlington, VT - Flynn Center for the Performing Arts
2/20 - Kingston, NY - Old Dutch Church
2/23 - Roanoke, VA - Jefferson Center
2/24 - Charlotte, NC - Knight Theater
2/26 - Athens, GA - Hugh Hodgson School of Music
2/27 - Auburn, AL - Jay and Susie Gogue Performing Arts Center at Auburn University
2/28 - Greenville, SC - The Peace Center
4/28 - Evanston, IL - Space
5/01 - Minneapolis, MN - Turf Club
5/04 - Seattle, WA - The Crocodile
5/05 - Portland, OR - Revolution Hall
8/29 - Cork, IE - St Luke’s
8/30 - Dublin, IE - Pepper Canister Church
8/31 - Liverpool, UK - Philharmonic Music Hall
9/01- Leeds, UK - Brudenell Social Club
11/3 - Berlin, DE - Lido
11/4 - Hamburg, DE - Mojo
11/8 - Paris, FR - Les Etoiles
11/9 - Brussels, BE - Botanique
11/11 - Manchester, UK - YES
11/12 - Glasgow, UK - St. Luke’s
11/13 - Newcastle, UK - Newcastle University Student Union
11/14 - Bristol, UK - Fleece
11/15 - London, UK - KOKO
