Other than the 2017 one-off “Shame,” veteran British folk musician Bill Fay hasn’t released any music since 2015’s lovely Who Is The Sender? That hiatus is nothing by Bill Fay standards, though; he famously went 40 years between proper studio albums, returning with 2012’s Life Is People after reissues of his first two albums and assorted other recordings amplified his cult-favorite status.

Fay will release a new album called Countless Branches this January, the third in his series of late-career LPs produced by Joshua Henry and released by Dead Oceans. According to a press release, this one is the most pared-back of the trilogy, mostly just Fay and his piano or guitar with minimal accompaniment. In the case of lead single “Filled With Wonder Once Again,” that formula yields staggeringly beautiful results. It’s released today with a video directed by Emily Scaife, which you can watch below.

TRACKLIST:
01 “In Human Hands”
02 “How Long, How Long”
03 “Your Little Face”
04 “Salt Of The Earth”
05 “I Will Remain Here”
06 “Filled With Wonder Once Again”
07 “Time’s Going Somewhere”
08 “Love Will Remain”
09 “Countless Branches”
10 “One Life”
11 “Tiny” (Bonus Track)
12 “Don’t Let My Marigolds Die (Live in Studio)” (Bonus Track)
13 “The Rooster” (Bonus Track)
14 “Your Little Face (Acoustic Version)” (Bonus Track)
15 “Filled With Wonder Once Again (Band Version)” (Bonus Track)
16 “How Long, How Long (Band Version)” (Bonus Track)
17 “Love Will Remain (Band Version)” (Bonus Track)

Countless Branches is out 1/17 on Dead Oceans. Pre-order it here.

CREDIT: Mathew Parri Thomas