Charlie Parr Details Ambitious New Album ‘Little Sun’ & Shares Single

Minnesota-based singer-songwriter Charlie Parr will release his next studio album, Little Sun, on March 22 through Smithsonian Folkways. Parr shared the lead single, “Boombox,” from the album described as his “most ambitious album to date.”

Parr once again linked up with producer Tucker Martine to record Little Sun at his studio in Portland during a historically bad snowstorm. The eight-song LP is notably Parr’s first not recorded live. Parr played guitar and harmonica and was joined by guitarist Marisa Anderson, drummer Andrew Borger, keyboardist Asher Fulero, bassist Victor Krummenacher and vocalist Anna Tivel.

Parr detailed making Little Sun:

“Up until this very album, my recordings have always been done live, with few if any overdubs and nearly always the first take—leave all the mistakes, missed lyrics, extraneous noise, and whatever else might happen there for the ages. Most records have been recorded in roughly the time that it took to play the songs. And that’s been fine, actually.

“Here’s a new way for me, though: here’s an album that was recorded live but in collaboration with producer Tucker Martine, who’s become a friend and trusted musical ally. You’ll hear what happened, so I don’t need to describe it to you, but I’m very grateful for the opportunity to work with this very talented group of musicians.”

Little Sun is Parr’s 18th album and serves as the follow-up to 2021’s Last of the Better Days Ahead. Parr will tour this spring in support of the new album, making stops planned in metros such as Milwaukee, Chicago, Boston, New York City, Washington D.C., Nashville, Denver, Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Minneapolis.

Find Parr’s full tour itinerary and stream the Little Sun lead single “Boombox” below:

Little Sun Tracklist

1. Portland Avenue
2. Little Sun
3. Bear Head Lake
4. Boombox
5. Pale Fire
6. Ten Watt
7. Stray
8. Sloth