Singer-songwriter Ben Howard has announced a new studio album called Collections From The Whiteout, which is set for release on March 26 via Republic Records. The performer has also debuted a new music video for the project’s first single “What A Day,” which was directed by Parisian filmmaker Cloé Bailly.
“What A Day,” explores a peculiar hunting trip among a group of British men, who eventually turn their guns on each other after drinking heavily. This darkly comedic video transitions between the group’s juvenile debauchery to the violence inflicted upon themselves and a group of rabbits, with nature ultimately prevailing at the end of the video. Howard’s track is a soothing baroque pop song, with mellow guitar chords and piano keys gently guiding the artist’s vocals to a soothing space.
“This was a nonsense idea loosely thrown together on the old English rhyme ‘back to back they faced each other, drew their swords and shot each other’ with a bit of animal hysteria thrown in. Cloé somehow transformed a basic countryside shoot ‘em up into an amazing tale of delightful retribution,” Howard said in a press release.
Collections From The Whiteout was produced alongside The National’s Aaron Dessner, who has worked with the likes of Taylor Swift and Sharon Van Etten. Several prominent artists are credited on the project, including drummer and producer Yussef Dayes, Kate Stables of This Is The Kit, James Krivchenia of Big Thief, and Kyle Keegan of Hiss Golden Messenger. Howard’s most recent studio album release, Noonday Dream, came out back in 2018.
Collections From The Whiteout tracklist
1. Follies Fixture
2. What A Day
3. Crowhurst’s Meme
4. Finders Keepers
5. Far Out
6. Rookery
7. You Have Your Way
8. Sage That She Was Burning
9. Sorry Kid
10. Unfurling
11. Metaphysical Cantations
12. Make Arrangements
13. The Strange Last Flight Of Richard Russell
14. Buzzard