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Aug 02, 2023 By Caleb Campbell Photography by Jesse Littlebird

The Handsome Family has steadily built a cult following over the years while plumbing the dark western gothic corners of Americana, crafting layered character portraits amidst shadowed instrumentals. Next month, Brett and Rennie Sparks are back with their eleventh studio album, Hollow, out September 8th, which finds the band exploring lush and haunting sketches of the post-pandemic world while retaining a mischievous off-kilter tinge.

Ahead of the release the band have already shared a pair of new singles, “Joseph” and “Skunks.” Today, they’re back with another new track, “The King of Everything,” premiering early with Under the Radar.

Brett and Rennie show off their talent for winding, idiosyncratic instrumentation and magnetic melodies with “The King of Everything.” The track centers around Brett’s colorful harpsichord and sonorous vocal tones, along with a breezy, spotlit guitar solo in its mid-section. In contrast to their darker fare, the track offers a regal and sun-lit diversion from their usual arrangements, settling into a reverie of naturalistic and carefree imagery. It’s a softer and more settled side to the duo, induced by intoxicating displays of natural beauty and (reportedly) the lull of painkillers.

As Rennie describes, “‘The King of Everything’ was inspired by the amazing courtship dances of the white-winged dove as well as the many pain-killers I was on after lifting a coffee table over my head in a fit of rage.”

Check out the song below. The band’s new LP, Hollow, is out everywhere on September 8th.