Texas singer-songwriter Salim Nourallah is gearing up for the release of a jam-packed double album on September 28, to be called Somewhere South of Sane. To get ready for the release of this ambitious LP, he’s been releasing pre-album “bundles” in the form of four EPs, with the final installment set for release on September 7. Additionally, he’s premiereing one song from the 21-track album on each weekday leading into its release later next month. Somewhere South of Sane is Nourallah’s seventh solo album and will be released on Palo Santo Records.

In addition to announcing this song series, we have the first installment with the premiere of “Tucumcari (radio version).” It’s a loping mostly-acoustic track built around a simple finger-picked guitar figure and lush string arrangements that highlight Nourallah’s appealing voice and songwriting ability.

“‘Tucumcari’ is the third in a string of songs I’ve written that involve locales in the vicinity of my hometown, El Paso,” said Nourallah. “‘Terlingua’ (from my last solo album, Skeleton Closet) and “See You in Marfa” (unreleased) are the other two. I hadn’t thought of Tucumcari, which is located in Northern New Mexico, in many years but I woke up one morning singing it over a melody I had been working on the night before. I ended up using Tucumcari mountain to explore an analogy John Lennon once made, about long-term relationships being like climbing a mountain.”

“Picking “Tucumcari” as a radio “single” is kind of funny to me, because as an adult I’ve never listened much to the radio,” the singer-songwriter added. “It’s never had any relevance to me after the radio discovery days of my childhood. Punk rock also came along and told me it was of no use to anyone! So whenever I do listen now, it’s strictly to NPR stations. In my opinion, they’ve consistently promoted good, tasteful music. “Tucumcari” sounds to me like something a non-com station would play. I guess we’ll see.”

South EP track list

1. “Tucumcari”
2. “Sweet as a Weed”
3. “Joykillers” (unreleased)

Somewhere South of Sane track list

1. “Boy in the Record Shop”
2. “Let Go of the Night”
3. “Relief”
4. “Rainbow Dolphins”
5. “Whiteheart”
6. “Moving Man”
7. “Going Through the Motions”
8. “A Thousand Ways to Miss You”
9. “Everything Under the Sun”
10. “A Betrayal”
11. “Tucumcari (radio version)”
12. “Sweet As a Weed”
13. “Robot”
14. “The Heart Wants What the Heart Wants”
15. “I Missed My Own Life”
16. “Is This Where the Trouble Begins”
17. “Chopping Block”
18. “Cold Cuddle”
19. “February 23”
20. “Life School”
21. “Sleepwalking”