Kevin Morby just released the first video and single off his upcoming album, Singing Saw, out 4/15 on Dead Oceans (available now for pre-order).

Morby says that “I Have Been to the Mountain” is a “song for those struck down by the hands of evil – senseless killings which have always overwhelmed our planet, but especially recently.”

The video for “I Have Been to the Mountain” is directed by Phillip Lopez and stars dancer Nathan Mitchell. Morby and Lopez came to collaborate after Lopez had produced a short film called Fred Astaire with a Stomach Full of Corn Chips and Valium which also featured Mitchell and his emotive dancing. Though Morby’s song “Harlem River”  was used in the film, it was uncredited. Morby loved the video, and reached out to Lopez asking for him to credit his song, which he did. So when it came time to create a video for “I Have Been to the Mountain”, Morby knew who to ask.

“Kevin wanted to embrace the dancing of Nathan,” Lopez has said. “I had remembered a time in the hospital when a man was dying in the bed next to me, and his family was wailing in grief.  The moment he died, they were all silent, and I felt as if his soul danced around the place.  To me the message of the song resonated with this sort of nostalgic sagely wisdom, that empowers us even in death.”

Watch the video for “I Have Been to the Mountain” below and keep an eye on Morby’s upcoming tour dates:

Thu. Feb. 25 – Rennes, FR @ La Route du Rock Winter Festival
Wed. Mar 16 – Fri. Mar. 18 – Austin, TX @ SXSW
Thu. May 5 – London, UK @ Oslo Hackney
Fri. May 6 – Paris, FR @ La Maroquinerie
Sat. May 7 – Brussels, BE @ Atelier 210
Sun. May 8 – Amsterdam, NL @ Bitterzoet
Mon. May 9 – Berlin, DE @ Lido
Tue. May 10 – Copenhagen, DK @ Copenhagen Jazzhouse
Wed. May 11 – Gothenburg, SE @ Pustervik
Thu. May 12 – Lund, SE @ @ Mejeriet
Fri. May 13 – Aarhus, DK @ Radar
Sat. May 14 – Hamburg, DE @ Molotow
Thu. June 2 – Santa Ana, CA @ Constellation Room *
Fri. June 3 – Los Angeles, CA @ Bootleg Theater *
Sat. June 4 – Santa Cruz, CA @ The Crepe Place *
Mon. June 6 – Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios *
Tue. June 7 – Vancouver, BC @ Media Club *
Wed. June 8 – Seattle, WA @ Tractor Tavern *
Fri. June 10 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Kliby Court *
Sat. June 11 – Denver, CO @ Larimer Lounge *
Sun. June 12 – Kansas City, MO @ Riot Room *
Tue. June 14 0 Minneapolis, MN @ 7th St. Entry *
Wed. June 15 – Chicago, IL @ Schubas *
Thu. June 16 – Grand Rapids , MI @ Pyramid Scheme *
Fri. June 17 – Toronto, ON @ The Great Hall *
Sun. June 19 – Allston, MA @ Great Scott *
Mon. June 20 – Philadelphia, PA @ Boot & Saddle *
Wed. June 22 – Brooklyn, NY @ Rough Trade NYC *
Thu. June 23 – Washington, DC @ Rock and Roll Hotel *
Fri. June 24 – Durham, NC @ The Pinhook *
Sat. June 25 – Atlanta, GA @ The Earl *
Sun. June 26 – Nashville, TN @ 3rd & Lindsley
Tue. June 28 – Dallas, TX @ Club Dada
Wed. June 29 – Austin, TX @ The Sidewinder
Sat. July 2 – San Diego, CA @ Casbah
Thu. Aug 4 – Sun. Aug. 8 – Happy Valley, OR @ Pickathon

* w/ Jaye Bartell

-Brenda Hillegas