“It’s Hard To Be Humble (When You’re From Alabama),” the first single from Here’s To Taking It Easy, rolled forward on good vibes and a good horn line. You could draw a line from that song’s themes — memory, place, autobiography — to “Mermaid Parade,” but the execution is completely different. Here the instruments (mostly piano and pedal steel) sigh each phrase, retreating a little for the verses. Phosphorescent’s Matthew Houck is startlingly specific in these verses, directing the song at someone named Amanda, and their broken marriage (maybe it’s autobiography, as on his album Pride, or maybe it’s just a good character). As in many of his songs, Houck isn’t angry, or particularly regretful — acceptance always comes through.

• Phosphorescent – “Mermaid Parade”Download

Here’s To Taking It Easy is out 5/11 via Dead Oceans. He’s doing a bunch of U.S. and European dates, beginning with an in-store at NYC’s Other Music, where the album will be on sale a day early:

05/10 – New York, NY @ Other Music (8 p.m. free in-store performance)
05/11 – Brooklyn, NY @ Union Pool
05/12 – Philadelphia, PA @ The Blockley
05/13 – New York, NY @ Mercury Lounge
05/17 – Leuven, Belgium @ STUK
05/19 – Gent, Belgium @ Vooruit
05/20 – Antwerpen, Belgium @ Trix
05/22 – Ottersum, Netherlands @ Roepaen
05/23 – Den Haag, Netherlands @ Paard
05/24 – Zwolle, Netherlands @ Eureka
05/25 – Berlin, Germany @ Roter Salon
05/27 – Nurnberg, Germany @ K4
05/28 – Vienna, Austria @ Fluc
05/29 – Freiburg, Germany @ E-werk
06/01 – Paris, France @ L’Espace B
06/02 – London, England @ ICA
06/03 – Manchester, England @ Deaf Institute
06/04 – Glasgow, Scotland @ Captain’s Rest
06/05 – Birmingham, England @ Hare & Hounds
06/06 – Amsterdam, Netherlands @ Paradiso
09/10 – Dorset, England (End of the Road Festival)
09/11 – Isle of Wight, UK (Bestival)