M. Ward has released a new album, What a Wonderful Industry. The surprise record has an appearance from Jim James from My Morning Jacket on the songs, “Miracle Man” and “Bobby.” Find the album and his  statement about it below.

This is a record inspired by people in the industry I have known—heroes and villains in equal measure. There’s some beautiful moments when you travel for a living, and I’m grateful for being part of an industry that’s taken me around the world so many times—but you quickly learn there’s a perfectly imperfect balance of cold-blooded and warm-blooded animals in the zoo. This record visits the most memorable characters. There’s a lot of very inspirational people I’ve had the pleasure to work with but there are also a few I wish I’d never met. It all tragically ends with an imaginary Griffin Mill-inspired murder ballad.