JJ Grey will release his new studio album This River on Tuesday, April 16. This is Grey’s seventh album (his fifth for Alligator Records) and his first studio album since 2010’s Georgia Warhorse. Like his previous releases, This River was produced by Grey and Dan Prothero, and recorded at Retrophonics Studio in Saint Augustine, Florida, with additional recording done in Grey’s home studio, known as “The Egg Room.”

“Many of the new songs,” says Grey in a statement, “are about being your own worst enemy, and about normal folks pushing themselves over the edge.” Grey’s lyrics and slice-of-life scenarios are filled with honest detail, helping to bring his emotionally complex characters to life in songs including Somebody Else, 99 Shades Of Crazy, The Ballad Of Larry Webb and This River. “I see a little bit of myself in these songs,” Grey states. “The difference is in the choices people make.”

For This River, Grey brought Mofro into the studio and cut most of the tracks live. “It adds so much more to the dynamic of a recording. It’s so different when you get to play off each other rather than overdub each track,” says Grey.

JJ Grey & Mofro will appear at SxSW in Austin, Texas in March and then head out on a massive cross-country tour. “This time around there’s no learning curve,” he says. “We’ll be ready from the git-go.”

April 5 Lake Buena Vista, FL—House of Blues
April 6 St. Augustine, FL—Rhythm & Ribs
April 9 Kansas City, MO—Knuckleheads
April 10 Minneapolis, MN—Varsity Theater
April 11 Milwaukee, WI—Turner Hall
April 12 Bloomington, IN—Bluebird
April 13 Nashville, TN—Exit/In
April 16 Pittsburgh, PA—Mr Smalls Theatre
April 17 Detroit, MI—St. Andrews Hall
April 18 Columbus, OH—Newport Music Hall
April 19 Sewanee, TN—Lake Cheston
April 20 Washington, DC—9:30 Club
April 24 Northampton, MA—Pearl Street
April 25 Burlington, VT—Higher Ground
April 26 Boston, MA—Paradise Rock Club
April 27 New York, NY—Irving Plaza
May 16 Worpswede, Germany—Worpswede Music Hall
May 17 Dortmund, Germany—FZW
May 18 Schoppingen, Germany—Grolsch Blues Festival
May 19 Raalte, Netherlands—Ribs & Blues Pinksteren
May 20 Aschaffenburg, Germany—Colos-Saal
May 24-27 George, WA—Sasquatch Music Festival
June 8 Greeley, CO—Greeley Blues Jam