Judging from the new music video for "Friend", it's safe to assume Trace Mountains's main songwriter Dave Benton is a cat person. Turns out Benton's a big Tom Petty person as well, and those two proclivities come together here in a quite offbeat fashion.

After "In A Dream", "Friend" offers a second glimpse of forthcoming album Into The Burning Blue, which arrives September 27th on Lame-O Records. Watch and listen below:

Benton says of "Friend", which he considers his proudest and most honest moment:

I like to joke that I'm a ‘loner in recovery. When I wrote 'Friend,' I was facing a pretty big transition in my life. I needed to address my own loneliness, and writing the song was like my first step on that path. It was my way of saying, 'Yep, I feel lonely sometimes,' and dealing with that good old millennial malaise. I'm just really grateful for the people in my life and trying to tackle the meaning of a word like 'Friend' feels impossible, but it's fun to try.

The video, directed by sisters Alyx and Sam Soard, reflects on "the bizarre nature of the loneliness epidemic," according to the latter sibling, going on to say:

During one of our phone calls, I suggested portraying him as a werewolf. We both laughed at the idea initially but soon realized it was a playful way to capture the surreal social experience we’re all enduring. Dave and his reputation as a well-known cat mom brought a unique perspective to this concept. Exaggerating his personality in this creature-feature felt like a fun way to explore the song’s themes. Our goal was to use humor to emphasize the importance of genuine companionship in a world that often feels chaotic and disconnected.

Hot off the NYC reunion shows of Denton's other high profile project LVL UP (celebrating the 10-year anniversary of Hoodwink'd), Trace Mountains announced a big US tour this Fall to support Into The Burning Blue. You can check the full list of dates below.

10/9 - Washington, DC @ Comet Ping Pong
10/10 - Wilmington, NC @ Reggie's
10/11 - Durham, NC @ Rubie's
10/12 - Boone, NC @ Lily's Snack Bar
10/15 - Atlanta, GA @ Altar
10/16 - Nashville, TN @ The Basement
10/17 - Columbus, OH @ Space Bar
10/18 - Cincinnati, OH @ MOTR
10/19 - Chicago, IL @ Sleeping Village
10/20 - Louisville, KY @ Zanzabar
10/22 - Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda's
10/24 - Brooklyn, NY @ TV Eye
10/25 - Boston, MA @ Deep Cuts
12/3 - Seattle, WA @ Madame Lou's
12/4 - Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios
12/6 - Arcata, CA @ Miniplex
12/7 - San Francisco, CA @ Thee Parkside
12/10 - Los Angeles, CA @ Gold Diggers
12/11 - San Diego, CA @ Soda Bar
12/12 - Phoenix, AZ @ Linger Longer Lounge

Preorder Into The Burning Blue here.

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