Sylvan Esso’s Amelia Meath and Daughter Of Swords’ Alexandra Sauser-Monnig — longtime bandmates in Mountain Man — have teamed up to form a new group called the A’s. On July 15, they’ll release their debut album, Fruit, featuring “yodeling folk songs” aka reimagined lullabies, traditional ballads, and rural standards, plus one original song, “When I Die.” Today, the dup has shared lead single and album opener “He Needs Me” (originally done by Harry Nilsson and Shelley Duvall in 1980’s Popeye) plus B-side “Why I’m Grieving” (originally done by the DeZurik Sisters).

Fruit also features vocals and electronics from Sylvan Esso’s Nick Sanborn, backing vocals from Alli Rogers, strings from Gabriel Kahane (“He Needs Me”), saxophone from Sam Gendel (“Copper Kettle”), and guitar from Alan Good Parker (“Swing And Turn Jubilee”). The album also features vocals from Jenn Wasner (Flock Of Dimes, Wye Oak), who sings on “When I Die.”

As of now, the A’s are set to debut Fruit live at Newport Folk Festival on July 22. Meath and Sauser-Monnig have shared a poem about their new project:

Squinkly bing bong shaking at the knees
Willow trees are quaky just a-bendin’ in the breeze
Tickle me tulip you’re a flower in the crown
I liked the way it sounded when you did it upside down
Rubber band snap and a clippity clap
Did you hear what happened Alli when I tipped my hat?

If you follow your glee to the sycamore tree
You just might find a rabbit in the willowy snee
I’ll take you to the movies and I’ll take you to the stream
I’ll tell you that I love you in the moonlight’s beam
With a song and a joke and twinkle in the eye
We might just take you on a ride in the sky!

Listen to “Why I’m Grieving” and “He Needs Me” (which also has a music video), below.

TRACKLIST:
01 “He Needs Me”
02 “Swing And Turn Jubilee”
03 “Wedding Dress”
04 “Why I’m Grieving”
05 “When The Bloom Is On The Sage”
06 “My Poncho Pony”
07 “Go To Sleep My Darling Baby”
08 “Copper Kettle”
09 “When I Die”
10 “Buckeye Jim”

Fruit is out 7/15 via Psychic Hotline.