How Long Do You Think It’s Gonna Last? was only announced yesterday with lead single "Latter Days" with Anaïs Mitchell, and today (30 June) Justin Vernon and Dessner have delivered a second song from the album, which is titled "The Ghost of Cincinnati" and sees Dessner taking the lead.
Dessner wrote of the song on Instagram, ""The Ghost of Cincinnati" is one that I play and sing all by my lonesome. It was inspired by a screenplay called Dandelion by the filmmaker Nicole Riegel (who co-wrote the lyrics with me), which my brother Bryce Dessner and I are working on."
He added, "It's about someone who feels like a ghost, stalking the streets of their hometown, interrogating the past and contemplating their fate - something I can deeply relate to. I imagine this could be a little bit about myself, or friends I’ve lost or someone who has overextended and overspent themselves to a point where they’ve lost everything, empty and hollow like a ghost. Thanks to Justin, Taylor, Jack, my sister and brother for convincing me to sing more and to finish this song for the album."
How Long Do You Think It’s Gonna Last? will follow the duo's 2018 self-titled debut album, and will feature a star-studded list of collaborators, including Taylor Swift, Fleet Foxes’ Robin Pecknold, Sharon Van Etten, This Is The Kit, Naeem and more.
The album, recorded at Long Pond and Sonic Ranch studios, includes one song inspired by the late Scott Hutchison of Frightened Rabbit called "Hutch", which will feature Van Etten, Lisa Hannigan and My Brightest Diamond’s Shara Nova.
