Watkins remains "Young in All the Wrong Ways"

Watkins will release "Young In All The Wrong Ways" on July 1.

Watkins , who also plays with Watkins Family Hour, described the 10-song disc as a "breakup album with myself." She will launch a tour in the fall, which will go to Europe.

The sonics range from B3 organ and jagged electric guitar to quiet sounds. "I looked around and realized that in many ways I wasn't who or where I wanted to be," said Watkins, who has been playing professionally since the age of eight. "It's been a process of letting go and leaving behind patterns and relationships and in some cases how I've considered myself. What these songs are documenting is the turmoil you feel when you know something has to change and you're grappling with what that means. It means you're losing something and moving forward into the unknown."

Watkins just finished a seven-week tour with Patty Griffin and Anais Mitchell as part of the League of Women Voters' Use Your Voice Tour in an effort to drive voter engagement and education. She returns to the road in June for a series of performances, including Bonnaroo, the Telluride Bluegrass Festival, the Kennedy Center in D.C., Rough Trade in Brooklyn and a hometown record release show in Los Angeles at Largo at the Coronet on July 7.

On release day, Watkins will take part in Garrison Keillor's "A Prairie Home Companion" show at the Hollywood Bowl.

Watkins premiered the video for her first single today on NPR. She described the song as starting as a "gentle country-pop arrangement" that builds to "full-on, hair-flinging '90s-goddess rock." Directed by director/photographer Allister Ann (The Civil Wars), the video features Watkins at a dining table with her perfect mid-century American family having Sunday brunch. As she intensely sings about wanting to be "moved," as day-glo gelatin "salads" and a cornucopia of '50s and '60s dishes are passed around, the others at the table are oblivious to her.

"This song came out of feelings of frustration with some relationships that had gotten stale or outdated," Watkins said. "Sometimes with old acquaintances and friends, and even family, we keep conversation to the surface for fear of rocking a boat. But in order for forward motion, sometimes there has to be disruption."

"Young In All The Wrong Ways" was produced by Gabe Witcher at United Recording (formerly Ocean Way) in Hollywood last year. Watkins wrote and recorded the album during a period when she was without a manager and record label.

The band for the recording included two of Witcher's fellow Punch Brothers, guitarist Chris Eldridge and bass player Paul Kowert, and musicians Jon Brion and Jay Bellerose. Watkins' band mates in her trio, I'm With Her - Sarah Jarosz and Aoife O'Donovan - harmonize with her throughout - and Jim James of My Morning Jacket provides a vocal foil on "One Last Time." "I've known these guys for a long time, so there's a personal trust as well as a musical trust," Watkins said.

Watkins wrote or co-wrote all 10 songs - a first for her. While known for her fiddling playing, Watkins opted for electric guitar on many songs.

The track list is:
1. Young In All The Wrong Ways
2. The Love That Got Away
3. One Last Time
4. Move Me
5. Like New Year's Day
6. Say So
7. Without A Word
8. The Truth Won't Set Us Free
9. Invisible
10. Tenderhearted

Tour dates are:
June 12 - Manchester, TN @ Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival
June 17 - Telluride, CO @ Telluride Bluegrass Festival
June 22 - Portsmouth, NH @ Prescott Park Arts Festival
June 23 - Washington, DC @ Kennedy Center Atrium - American Acoustic
June 24 - Washington, DC @ Kennedy Center Concert Hall - American Acoustic (as I'm With Her)
June 25 - Katonah, NY @ American Roots Music Festival
June 26 - Shirley, MA @ The Bull Run
June 28 - Brooklyn, NY @ Rough Trade
July 1 - Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Bowl - "A Prairie Home Companion"
July 7 - Los Angeles, CA @ Largo at the Coronet
July 13 - Vail, CO @ Vail Summer Bluegrass Series
July 14 - Boulder, CO @ eTown Hall
July 16 - Oak Hill, NY @ Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival
Aug. 13 - Alta, WY @ Targhee Fest
Sept. 3 - Pagosa Springs, CO @ Four Corners Folk Festival
Sept. 9 - Pasadena, CA @ Levitt Pavilion @ Memorial Park
Sept. 10 - Santa Barbara, CA @ Lobero Theatre
Sept. 14 - San Francisco, CA @ The Chapel
Sept. 16 - Portland, OR @ Aladdin Theatre
Sept. 17 - Seattle, WA @ The Tractor
Sept. 20 - Minneapolis, MN @ Dakota Jazz Club
Sept. 21 - Chicago, IL @ Old Town School Of Folk Music
Sept. 24 - Atlanta, GA @ City Winery
Sept. 25 - Asheville, NC @ The Grey Eagle
Sept. 27 - Annapolis, MD @ Rams Head On Stage
Sept. 28 - Philadelphia, PA @ World Cafe Live
Sept. 20 - Pawling, NY @ Daryl's House
Oct. 1 - Allston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall
Oct. 2 - Portland, ME @ One Longfellow Square
Oct. 3 - Northampton, MA @ Iron Horse Music Hall
Oct. 5 - New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
Oct. 6 - Washington, DC @ The Hamilton
Oct. 9 - Peninsula, OH @ The G.A.R. Hall
Nov. 2 - Dublin, IE @ Whelan's
Nov. 3 - Belfast, IE @ Errigle Inn
Nov. 4 - Bury, UK @ Met
Nov. 5 - Gateshead, UK @ The Sage
Nov. 6 - Sheffield, UK @ Greystones
Nov. 8 - Bristol, UK @ Tunnels
Nov. 10 - London, UK @ Bush Hall
Nov. 11 - Oxford, UK @ Bullingdon
Nov. 12 - Guildford, UK @ St. Mary's
Nov. 13 - Saltaire, UK @ Live at Caroline
Nov. 30 - Lincoln, NE @ Lied Center