Austin Texas, band Heartless Bastards have shared “Photograph,” the latest single off their forthcoming release A Beautiful Life, which drops on September 10, 2021 via Sweet Unknown Records/Thirty Tigers.

Heartless Bastards frontwoman Erika Wennerstrom on “Photograph:”

“Photograph is about building bridges. We have to approach each other with love and give each other some room to grow. When we went into the studio the song was conceptual in form, and with its complicated structure, I wasn’t even sure it was going to work. I put trust in my instincts and had faith it was all going to translate. There weren’t a lot of rehearsals leading up to it. It was fresh and exciting to dive right in. There can be a lot of magic in those moments where you’re vulnerably finding your way through a new song and the recording light is on. Having the brilliant musicianship of Jesse Ebaugh, Greg Clifford, and Lauren Gurgiolo was monumental. Lauren and I trading leads over a psychedelic landscape might be one of my favorite musical moments to date. It was everything I hoped it would be and then some. I really feel the stars aligned and we created something really special.”

A Beautiful Life was Co-produced by Wennerstrom and Kevin Ratterman (Strand Of Oaks, Jim James, White Reaper), the album – which follows 2015’s Restless Ones – finds the Austin, TX-based singer-songwriter backed by a powerhouse lineup comprising guitarist Lauren Gurgiolo (Okkervil River), drummer Greggory Clifford (White Denim), multi-instrumentalist Jesse Chandler (Mercury Rev, Midlake), keyboardist Bo Koster (My Morning Jacket), guitarist David Pulkingham (Patty Griffin), and longtime Heartless Bastards bassist Jesse Ebaugh.

“For me music is a gift,” says Wennerstrom. “I do it because I love it, and because it helps me feel more connected to the world. I think we all long for a deep connection, and I hope this record adds to the conversation on how we as a species can stop seeing ourselves as separate. I hope it helps everyone to think about how we can look out for each other, take care of each other, and lift each other up.”

A Beautiful Life inspired Wennerstrom to invite Gurgiolo and Clifford into the Heartless Bastards lineup for their upcoming live schedule, set to get underway September 16 at Stickyz in Little Rock, AR and then travel through late November. Due to demand in sales, Heartless Bastards at The State Room in Salt Lake City is being moved to The Commonwealth Room. The band recently made its live debut with a sold out two-night-stand at Austin’s beloved Mohawk Austin.

Heartless Bastards have announced a weekly residency in Austin for the month of August. “It’s been a rough year and a half for venues and we thought supporting some of our local spots would be a great way to warm up for tour,” says Wennerstrom. “We’ll be playing every Friday at C-Boys, and every Saturday at The Continental accompanied by some of our dear friends. With preparing to release the bands sixth record we have no shortage of material to make each night unique, and it’s been just as much fun to revisit the old material as it will be to share with you the new record. After 2020 it’s been hard to even put into words the gratitude we all have for the opportunity to perform music again, and it’s something we don’t want to ever take for granted.”

Heartless Bastards
A Beautiful Life
Track List

1.Revolution
2. How Low
3. You Never Know
4. When I Was Younger
5. The River
6. Photograph
7. A Beautiful Life
8. Dust
9. Went Around The World
10. It Doesn’t Matter Now
11. The Thinker

Heartless Bastards
Live Dates

AUGUST AUSTIN, TX RESIDENCY
6 – C Boys – w/ Josh T Pearson
7 – The Continental Club- w/ Buffalo Nichols
13 – C Boys- w/ Calder Allen
14 – The Continental Club- w/ Buffalo Hunt
20 – C Boys – w/ Joseph M
21 – The Continental Club w/ Marmalakes
27- C Boys – w/ Little Mazarn
28 – The Continental Club – w/ Ghost Wolves

SEPTEMBER
16 – Little Rock, AR – Stickyz
17 – Columbia, MO – The Blue Note
18 – St. Louis, MO – Off Broadway Nightclub
19– Nashville, TN – 3rd & Lindsley Lightning 100 Sunday Show
22 – Minneapolis, MN – Fine Line Music Cafe
23 – Madison, WI – Majestic Theatre
24 – Chicago, IL – Lincoln Hall
25 – Covington, KY – Madison Theater
27 – Millvale, PA – Mr. Small’s Theatre
29 – Cambridge, MA – The Sinclair
30 – New York, NY – Bowery Ballroom

OCTOBER
1– Philadelphia, PA – World Cafe Live Downstairs
2 – Washington, DC – Union Stage
4 – Carrboro, NC – Cat’s Cradle
5 – Atlanta, GA – Smith’s Olde Bar
7 – Houston, TX – The Heights Theater
8 – Austin, TX – Austin City Limits Festival
9 – Kerrville, TX – Kerrville Folk Festival
29 – New Braunfels, TX – Gruene Hall
30 – Oklahoma City, OK – Tower Theatre
31 – Santa Fe, NM – Tumbleroot Brewery & Distillery

NOVEMBER
1 – Tucson, AZ – 191 Toole
3 – Solana Beach, CA – Belly Up Tavern
4 – West Hollywood, CA – Troubadour
5 – San Francisco, CA – The Independent
6 – Oakland, CA – Starline Social Club Ballroom
8 – Sacramento, CA – Harlow’s Restaurant & Nightclub
9 – Arcata, CA – Arcata Theatre Lounge
11 – Eugene, OR – Sessions Music Hall
12 – Portland, OR – Wonder Ballroom
13 – Seattle, WA – The Crocodile
14 – Missoula, MT – The Wilma
15 – Bozeman, MT – The ELM
17 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Commonwealth Room
19 – Fort Collins, CO – Aggie Theatre
20 – Denver, CO – Bluebird Theater
21 – Boulder, CO – Fox Theatre
24 – Dallas, TX – The Kessler Theater

JANUARY
24 – Cambridge, UK – Portland Arms
25 – Bristol, UK – Exchange
26 – Leeds, UK – Brudenell Social Club
27 – Glasgow, UK – Mono
28 – Newcastle, UK – Cluny 2
29 – Liverpool, UK – District
30 – Manchester, UK – Deaf Institute

FEBRUARY
1 – London, UK – Oslo
2 – Paris, FR – FGO
3 – Brussels, BE – Botanique Rotonde
4 – Amsterdam, NL – Paradiso (Upstairs)
6 – Hamburg, DE – Molotow Skybar
7 – Berlin, DE – Cassiopeia
8 – Munich, DE – Kranhalle
10 – Vienna, AT – Chelsea

Pre-order A Beautiful Life by Heartless Bastards HERE