California-born folk musician Tucker Zimmerman released his debut album Ten songs in 1969. Tony Visconti produced that record, and David Bowie was a huge fan. Over the years, Zimmerman continued to occasionally release music and other artistic projects. The members of Big Thief are huge fans; Adrianne Lenker calls him “one of the greatest songwriters of all time.” Big Thief have played a few shows with Zimmerman, who is 83 and currently lives in Belgium. Now they are serving as Zimmerman’s backing band for a new album coming out this fall.

Tucker Zimmerman returned to the USA to record his new album Dance of LoveBig Thief produced the record, and they play on it alongside collaborators Mat Davidson and Zach Burba. They also sing background harmonies with Zimmerman’s wife Marie-Claire. (That’s her on the cover.) In a press release, the members of Big Thief say the experience was “an extreme honor.” Here’s what Zimmerman had to say:

After years of writing and filling a box with over 500 song sheets, I had finally found my way, my originality, my voice. I had realized that only one kind of songs were worth spending time on: songs with a positive message and a peaceful vibration (…) Just poetry. Little hums that could maybe lift us all above our daily worries and anxieties, little hums that try to make the world a better place to live.

The first single from Dance of Love is “Burial At Sea,” a very gentle work of shabby folk rock. The Big Thief influence is clear, but the band is keen to put Zimmerman’s voice at the center. In the video, directed by Noah Lenker, we see Zimmerman and Big Thief in what seems like an idyllic recording session. You can watch the video below, which Dance of Love Track listing and Tucker Zimmerman’s short list of upcoming live shows.

TRACK LIST:
01 “Old People from Farmersville”
02 “Idiot Labyrinth”
03 “Lorelei”
04 “The Season”
05 “Burial at Sea”
06 “They don’t say it (but it’s true)”
07 “Leave it outside on the porch”
08 “The Ram-a-lama-ding-dong song”
09 “Don’t go crazy (go in peace)”
10 “Nobody knows”

TOUR DATES:
11/03 – Manchester, UK @ Deaf Institute
11/05 – London, UK @ Pitchfork London at The Lexington
11/08 – Utrecht, Netherlands @ Le Guess Who Festival

Dance of Love will be released on October 11th on 4AD.