Piano man Ben Folds has announced his first album since his 2015 orchestral collaboration with NYC classical sextet yMusic, So There. Recorded in East Nashville and co-produced by Folds and Joe Pisapia, What Matters Most will be out in June. It also features appearances by dodie, Tall Heights, and Ruby Amanfu. Its lead single is a keys-stacked tune called “Winslow Gardens,” which you can hear below.

Opening up about What Matters Most, Folds says: “There’s a lifetime of craft and experience all focused into this one record. Sonically, lyrically, emotionally, I don’t think it’s an album I could have made at any other point in my career.”

He adds: “I come from the vinyl era, and this perhaps more than any record I’ve made is a true album. There’s a very specific sequence and arc to each side, all building up to this almost surreal positive finale, and that structure was really important to me. More than anything, I wanted to make an album that was generous, that was useful. I want you to finish this record with something you didn’t have when you started.”

Listen to “Winslow Gardens” below.

TRACKLIST:
01 “But Wait, There’s More”
02 “Clouds With Ellipses” (Feat. dodie)
03 “Exhausting Lover”
04 “Fragile”
05 “Kristine From The 7th Grade”
06 “Back To Anonymous”
07 “Winslow Gardens”
08 “Paddleboat”
09 “What Matters Most”
10 “Moments” (Feat. Tall Heights)

TOUR DATES:
03/24 – Eau Claire, WI @ The Pablo Center at The Confluence
03/25 – Viroqua, WI @ The Historic Temple Theatre
03/26 – Dubuque, IA @ Five Flags Theatre
03/28 – Fort Wayne, IN @ The Clyde Theatre
03/29 – Urbana, IL @ Krannert Center for the Performing Arts
04/21 – Tallahassee, FL @ Capital City Amphitheatre *
04/23 – Atlanta, GA @ Atlanta Symphony Hall *
04/25 – Cincinnati, OH @ Cincinnati Music Hall *
04/26 – Knoxville, TN @ Tennessee Theatre
04/28 – Greensboro, NC @ Steven Tanger Center for the Performing Arts *
04/29 – Wilmington, NC @ Greenfield Lake Amphitheatre
04/30 – Charleston, SC @ Charleston Gaillard Center
05/30 – Chicago, IL @ Orchestra Hall*
06/13 – New London, CT @ Garden Arts Center
06/14 – Lowell, MA @ Memorial Auditorium
06/16 – Lewiston, NY @ ARTPARK Mainstage Theater
06/17 – Huber Heights, OH @ Rose Music Center
06/18 – Louisville, KY @ Palace Theatre
06/20 – Wilmington, DE @ The Grand Opera House
06/22 – New York, NY @ Beacon Theatre
06/23 – Greensburg, PA @ Palace Theatre
06/24 – Indianapolis, IN @ Rock the Ruins at The Vogue Outdoors
06/25 – Detroit, MI @ Motor City Casino
06/27 – Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium
06/28 – St. Louis, MO @ Stifel Theatre
06/30 – Onamia, MN @ Casino Mill Lacs
07/01 – Fargo, ND @ Outdoors at Fargo Brewing
07/22 – Columbus, OH @ Bicentennial Stage at the Columbus Commons *
08/02 – Bonner, MT @ KettleHouse Amphitheatre *
08/04 – Park City, Utah @ TBA *
08/08 – Milwaukee, WI @ Riverside Theater
08/09 – Cedar Rapids, IA @ McGrath Amphitheatre
08/10 – Kansas City, MO @ Uptown Theater
08/11 – Salina, KS @ The Stiefel Theatre for the Performing Arts
08/13 – Arvada, CO @ TBA
08/15 – Mesa, AZ @ Ikeda Theater at Mesa Arts Center
08/16 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Wiltern
08/17 – Oakland, CA @ Fox Theater
08/19 – Eugene, OR @ Cuthbert Amphitheater
08/20 – Seattle, WA @ Paramount Theatre
10/06-07 – Minneapolis, MN @ Orchestra Hall *
10/20-21 – Dallas, TX @ Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center *
11/08 – Bath, United Kingdom @ The Forum
11/09 – Brighton, United Kingdom @ Brighton Dome
11/10 – Birmingham, United Kingdom @ Symphony Hall
11/12 – Oxford, United Kingdom @ New Theatre
11/13 – London, United Kingdom @ Royal Albert Hall
11/15 – Gateshead, United Kingdom @ Sage Gateshead
11/16 – York, United Kingdom @ Grand Opera House
11/17 – Manchester, United Kingdom @ O2 Apollo
11/18 – Edinburgh, United Kingdom @ Usher Hall
11/20 – Dublin, Ireland @ The Helix
11/23 – Zurich, Switzerland @ Kaufleuten
11/25 – Berlin, Germany @ Admiralspalast
11/26 – Wiesbaden, Germany @ Kurhaus
11/27 – Utrecht, Netherlands @ TrivoliVredenburg – Grote Zaal
11/30 – Paris, France @ La Cigale
12/01 – Antwerp, Belgium @ De Roma
12/02 – Dudelange, Luxembourg @ Opderschemlz
12/04 – Essen, Germany @ Lichtburg

* Orchestra dates

What Matters Most is out 6/2 via New West Records. Pre-order it here.