James Vincent McMorrow Announces New Album ‘Wide Open, Horses’ Out June 14

Today, Irish singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer James Vincent McMorrow returns with the announcement of his seventh full-length album Wide Open, Horses. The album is slated for June 14. To share the news, McMorrow has unveiled the lead single “Never Gone,” following the release of a live video of the track earlier this week. 

In 2023, McMorrow brought Wide Open, Horses to life—on stage. He booked two nights at The National Concert Hall in Dublin, recorded a handful of lo-fi demos, practiced the material for a week, and then hit the stage. Phones weren’t allowed, but James recorded it to “see what worked and what didn’t work.”

“I literally performed the album before it was recorded,” he explains. “The whole point was to expose the flaws and also highlight the special little moments. It was an odd experiment, but it worked great. The notion is so simple, ‘Write songs and perform them live’. Without cameras, they were the best shows I’ve ever played—which is interesting because no one knew the music! Everyone was just experiencing it though. I had friends in the lobby talking to strangers. Who talks to strangers anymore? It was lovely. It was a heartening experience for everyone involved.”

 Galvanized by this energy, he hit the studio and assembled Wide Open, Horses. The opener and single “Never Gone” hinges on a finger-picked guitar, soft tambourine, and steady handclaps. Fans previewed the track earlier this week with a live video of McMorrow performing the track in the wilderness. 

“It’s the anchor of the record,” he notes. “It sums up the whole album; you’re just trying to fight meaninglessness. I always felt like I’ve been trying to find meaning so I could be remembered. When you don’t find it, it doesn’t feel good. I got to a point where I was like, ‘I fucking love this. I don’t care. If my friends, family, and people who know me as a musician love it, then I’m happy’. I regretted missing so many beautiful moments, because I’d get off stage like, ‘What’s the next opportunity?’ I’ve come to terms with the fact that when I die, I’ll be forgotten, and it’s okay. We all will. It felt ridiculous to fight it. Embracing it was very freeing. ‘Never Gone’ is just about appreciating what’s here for you in the moment.

James Vincent McMorrow sounds alive on Wide Open, Horses. Stay tuned to hear more music ahead of the release…