On Wednesday, September 21, songwriter and producer Paula Cole released For The Birds, a new set of songs recorded with fellow luminaries Jason Isbell and John Paul White. For The Birds is available for download now and will be released on vinyl this fall.

Lead single “Mother, Son and Holy Ghost” is a collaboration of three iconic singers and lyricists, and the song sees the three harmonizing on lyrics that paint an introspective portrait of loss and longing. “‘Mother, Son and Holy Ghost’ is about a man who has lost his wife and child,” writes Cole. ”The song describes his lonely landscape, his attempts to fill the void. Of course, a tight grip is futile. He must come to terms with loss in order to be fully alive.” Also released today is “Ricochet,” an uptempo ballad that Cole recorded with John Paul White.

Cole describes how the collaboration came about writing, “I wrote a song for Jason, John Paul and myself. I sent them a demo. Thankfully, they liked it well enough, and I booked us some time at Oceanway Studio in Nashville. I mused upon the lyrical idea of the holy trinity for us as a trio, except I feminized God. Our meeting felt like a reunion, so natural. I had never met Jason or John Paul before, and yet, we felt kindred.”

Stream “Mother, Son and Holy Ghost” here.

Stream “Ricochet” here.

Photo Credit: Boston Lynn Schulz