Matthew Houck, aka Phosphorescent, whose last album was a tribute to the great Willie Nelson, is back to original material with a May 11th release of Here’s to Taking It Easy. Fans can get a taste of the album with the new Mp3 of the bittersweet ballad, “The Mermaid Parade.” The tribute to the half naked women that parade annually at Coney Island makes for an amusing country blues number, and Houck’s sorrowful lyrics blend well with the delicate piano and melancholy guitar. The last time I spoke to Houck he was working on this album and said at the time, “So far it’s my favorite thing Phosphorescent has ever done, so I’m really itching to get back to work on it.” Phosphorescent will be playing a free show at Other Music on May 10th, a day before a at Union Pool. The band will also play Mercury Lounge on May 13. -Chloe Schildhause