In the face of tragedy, Shovels and Rope unleash clarity into their music

As much as Shovels and Rope's new album Little Seeds is meant to entertain, Michael Trent and Cary Ann Hearst hope that these tunes can also provide some support to those who are perhaps going through some tough times of their own.

With songs tackling the frustrations of Alzheimer's and the tragedy of death, this new album was a place where the couple went to "unleash clarity."

"When you make a song and it's done, it's served you and then it's off to serve others," Hearst explains. "Since they are personal and since they are about things that everybody experiences, I hope that the music provides that support."  

Here Shovels and Ropes' upcoming tour dates:

Nov. 15 Boise, ID @ Knitting Factory Concert House
Nov. 17 Salt Lake City, UT @ The Depot
Nov. 18 Denver, CO @ Ogden Theatre
Nov. 19 Denver, CO @ Ogden Theatre
Jan. 24 Amsterdam, NLD @ Paradiso Noord
Jan. 26 Stockholm, SWE @ Bryggarsalen
Jan. 27 Oslo, NOR @ John Dee
Jan. 28 Gothenburg, SWE @ Pustervik
Jan. 29 Hamburg, DEU @ Nochtspeicher 
Jan. 31 Dusseldorf, DEU @ Pitcher
Feb. 1 Munich, DEU @ Strom
Feb. 2 Paris, FRA @ Divan Du Monde
Feb. 4 Glasgow, UK @ Drygate
Feb. 5 Manchester, UK @ The Ruby Lounge
Feb. 6 London, UK @ Islington Assembly Hall
Feb. 18 Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium 
Feb. 19 Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium