Big Red Machine, the two-person supergroup comprised of Justin Vernon (Bon Iver) and Aaron Dessner (The National), are back with another new track. Their latest single is called “The Ghost of Cincinnati”, and it’s available to stream below with a snazzy lyric video.
Just yesterday, Big Red Machine announced they have a stacked new album on the way. It’s called How Long Do You Think It’s Gonna Last? and it boasts collaborations with everyone from Taylor Swift (!) to Fleet Foxes and beyond. This is technically the second song we’ve heard from that record in under 24 hours, following the lead single “Latter Days” which features moving vocal parts by Anaïs Mitchell.
By comparison, “The Ghost of Cincinnati” is a more stripped-down and driving number. It’s mixed in a way that pushes Dessner’s vocals up to the front and gives the acoustic guitar a surprisingly gripping tone, the combination of which sounds a lot like José González, of all people. “The Ghost of Cincinnati” is pretty and immediate, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it winds up becoming a go-to for folk aficionados and Big Red Machine fans alike.
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“The Ghost of Cincinnati” is sung by Aaron Dessner and credits his twin brother Bryce Dessner for the orchestration. Additionally, the song was mixed by Jonathan Low, who won the 2021 Grammy Award for Album of the Year alongside Aaron Dessner and Swift for his work on folklore.
How Long Do You Think It’s Gonna Last? is due out August 27th on Dessner and Vernon’s own 37d03d, and pre-orders are ongoing. Check out the full tracklist and the cover artwork for the album here.
