By Azzam Bilal 
HangupsMusic.com – LOS ANGELES, The enigmatic figure of modern country music, Orville Peck, has officially announced the next evolution of his storied career. With his signature fringed mask and a baritone voice that evokes the ghosts of outlaw country’s past, Peck is preparing to release his latest full-length studio effort, titled Mule. Scheduled to arrive on September 18 via Warner Records, the album marks a significant milestone in the artist’s discography, continuing an equine-themed narrative that has defined his major releases over the last four years. The announcement comes alongside the release of a new single, "Too Little, Too Late," and the unveiling of an extensive autumn tour across North America, signaling a busy season for one of the genre’s most provocative and visually striking performers.
Since his debut, Orville Peck has been a master of world-building, blending the aesthetics of the classic American West with a subversive, queer-coded sensibility that has garnered both critical acclaim and a devoted global following. The upcoming release of Mule follows a deliberate pattern in his naming conventions. In 2020, he released the Show Pony EP, which featured the high-profile Shania Twain collaboration "Legends Never Die." This was followed in 2022 by the expansive, double-album length Bronco, a record that solidified his place in the mainstream consciousness and showcased a broader, more cinematic production style. By moving from a "Pony" to a "Bronco" and now to a "Mule," Peck seems to be exploring themes of labor, stubbornness, and transformation, moving away from the wild energy of the bronco toward something perhaps more grounded or burdened.
The rollout for Mule began in earnest earlier this month with the debut of "Prologue (Eulogy of a Man Turned Mule)." The track is a sprawling, collaborative masterpiece that features a trifecta of powerful voices: country royalty Emmylou Harris, indie-folk standout Allison Russell, and pop-country crossover artist Noah Cyrus. The song serves as a mission statement for the new record, blending traditional instrumentation with a haunting, narrative-driven lyricism that suggests a darker, more introspective tone for the upcoming LP. By enlisting Harris, a legend who has bridged the gap between traditionalism and the avant-garde for decades, Peck further validates his position within the country music pantheon.
To further whet the appetite of his audience, Peck has now shared "Too Little, Too Late," the second preview of the 13-track collection. The song leans into the melancholic, mid-tempo balladry that has become a staple of his repertoire. It highlights his vocal range, shifting from a low, rumbling croon to a soaring, emotive vibrato. The track explores themes of regret and the passage of time, themes that appear to be central to the "Mule" persona he is adopting for this era.
The arrival of the album on September 18 coincides with the launch of "The Man Turned Mule Tour," a massive North American trek that will see Peck performing in some of the continent’s most prestigious venues. The tour kicks off with a high-profile engagement at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, a venue that matches the theatricality and scale of Peck’s live performances. From there, the tour will wind through the Pacific Northwest, the Mountain West, and the Midwest, before heading into the Northeast and Canada.
Supporting Peck on the majority of these dates is Abbie Callahan, an emerging singer-songwriter whose style complements the alt-country and Americana textures of the headliner. The tour represents Peck’s return to the road after a period of relative quiet, during which he focused on the recording and conceptualization of this new project. Fans can expect a production that mirrors the visual richness of his music videos, likely featuring elaborate costumes, atmospheric lighting, and the meticulous attention to detail that has made his live show a must-see event.
Mule is comprised of 13 tracks, each promising to contribute to the overarching narrative of the "Man Turned Mule." The tracklist suggests a journey through various landscapes of the American psyche, with titles like "Cowboy Heart," "Rehab Blues," and "War of the Worlds." The closing title track, "Mule," is expected to provide the thematic resolution to the journey Peck began with the "Prologue."
The full tracklist for Mule is as follows:
- Prologue (Eulogy Of A Man Turned Mule)
- Big Ol’ House
- Already Gone
- Rehab Blues
- Ring The Bell
- Blue Skies
- The Fall
- Cowboy Heart
- The Breeze, The Grass, The Mourning Dove and Me
- Run Out Of Road
- Too Little, Too Late
- War Of The Worlds
- Mule
In addition to the musical content, the aesthetic of the Mule era appears to be taking a grittier, perhaps more weathered direction. Early promotional photography, captured by Gordon Nicholas, shows Peck in a more rugged light, though still maintaining the mystery of his masked visage. This evolution mirrors the trajectory of many country outlaws before him, who often transitioned from the flashy "show" aspects of their early careers into more somber, reflective work as they matured.
The Man Turned Mule Tour will traverse the following cities and dates:
09-18 Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Bowl
09-23 Troutdale, OR – Edgefield Concerts on the Lawn
09-26 Bonner, MT – KettleHouse Amphitheater
10-28 Sacramento, CA – Channel 24
10-29 Anaheim, CA – House of Blues Anaheim
10-30 Phoenix, AZ – The Van Buren
11-01 Denver, CO – Mission Ballroom
11-03 Minneapolis, MN – The Armory
11-04 Madison, WI – The Sylvee
11-05 Milwaukee, WI – Landmark Credit Union Live
11-07 Chicago, IL – The Salt Shed
11-09 Brooklyn, NY – Brooklyn Paramount
11-10 Brooklyn, NY – Brooklyn Paramount
11-11 Philadelphia, PA – The Met Presented by Highmark
11-13 Atlanta, GA – Tabernacle
11-14 Raleigh, NC – The Ritz
11-15 Nashville, TN – The Truth
11-17 Toronto, ON – HISTORY
11-18 Ottawa, ON – Hard Rock Ottawa
11-19 Montreal, QC – MTELUS
11-21 Boston, MA – MGM Music Hall at Fenway
11-22 Huntington, NY – The Paramount
For many observers, Orville Peck’s rise has been a fascinating study in the power of branding and the enduring appeal of the cowboy mythos. By remaining masked, he forces the listener to focus on the emotional weight of his lyrics and the technical prowess of his voice, while simultaneously creating a larger-than-life character that can inhabit these various "equine" identities. Show Pony was the introduction to the glitz; Bronco was the wild, untamed exploration of freedom; and Mule appears to be the reckoning—the hard work and the burden of the journey.
The inclusion of Nashville’s "The Truth" on the tour itinerary is particularly noteworthy, as Peck continues to navigate the complex relationship between his outsider status and the traditional country establishment. His ability to draw icons like Emmylou Harris and Shania Twain into his orbit suggests that while he may be an outlier, he is one who commands immense respect from the architects of the genre.
As September 18 approaches, the anticipation for Mule continues to build. Whether this album represents the conclusion of his equine-themed trilogy or merely another station on a much longer road remains to be seen. However, one thing is certain: Orville Peck remains one of the most compelling and unpredictable artists in the modern musical landscape. With a voice that can stop a room and a vision that spans the breadth of the American frontier, the "Man Turned Mule" is ready to take his next heavy steps into the spotlight. Tickets for the upcoming tour are expected to be in high demand as fans prepare to witness the latest transformation of the masked man of country.
