Providence, R.I.’s Deer Tick, announced their first new work since 2017, Emotional Contracts, will release on June 16 via their new label home, ATO Records. Along with the announcement of the project– produced by Dave Fridmann (The Flaming Lips, Spoon, Sleater-Kinney–Deer Tick released the lead single “Forgiving Ties” alongside a bright and playful accompanying music video directed by Brandon Herman and the album closer “The Real Thing.”

“[‘Forgiving Ties’] is essentially a metaphor for the fear that results from a sudden traumatic event, and how to move forward and take care of yourself and your loved ones,” said Ian O’Neil who handles lead vocals on the song that also features bright trumpet work by Fridmann’s son Jon. The rest of Deer Tick, John McCauley, Dennis Ryan and Christopher Ryan also chime in throughout the pensive yet ebullient track.

“The Real Thing” is quite a contrast to the lead single, tracking in at nearly nine minutes long and heralded by the raw, gritty vocals of McCauley. The track is unhurried and savored by the band; the clinking of ice in glass raises the curtains to a seemingly endless soundscape of introspection and howling into the void. “At first I had an idea for a song called ‘The Last Book on the Shelf,’ which I ended up using as a title for a song about all the creepy book-banning happening lately,” shared McCauley. “‘The Real Thing’ became about living with depression, which has been part of my existence since I was a kid, and how it takes even more work to keep your head above water as you get older.”

The album was recorded at Fridmann’s Tarbox Road Studios in Western New York and the band took a more fluid approach to the recording process than they have in the 20 years since their inception. “We’ve had a habit of trying to maintain a strict control over everything in the studio, but this time we wanted to see what it would feel like to let go a bit,” McCauley shared. “We figured that the songs were strong enough to stand on their own two feet, so whatever we put them through would just make them stronger and take us in some new directions.” Dennis added, “The fact that we’d spent so much time with these songs allowed us to be really free once we got into the studio. No one was overthinking anything, and because of that the album sounds like us in a way that we’d never captured to this extent before.” The project features guest appearances from Los Lobos’ Steve Berlin–and background vocals from singer/songwriters Courtney Marie Andrews, Vanessa Carlton, Kam Franklin, Angela Miller, and Sheree Smith.

Along with the LP announcement and two songs Deer Tick have also detailed an additional run of headlining shows across the East Coast in celebration of the release, including an album release at New York’s Rough Trade on June 12, Washington D.C’s 9:30 Club on Nov. 14, the Warsaw in New York on Nov. 15 and two home town shows at the Columbus Theatre in Providence, R.I. on Nov. 24 and 25. Their full tour dates can be found below. Tickets for the newly announced shows go on sale Friday, April 28 at 10 a.m. ET.

Pre-order Emotional Contracts here, and listen to the first two tastes of the album below.