NASHVILLE country folk singer Justin Townes Earle, maverick son of Steve, will play Leeds Brudenell Social Club on February 3 on the back of this week’s release of his album Absent Fathers via Loose Music.

The 7.30pm show is being staged by York promoter Please Please You in tandem with Hey! Manchester, as will Monday’s gig at the Band On The Wall, Manchester.

“We’re delighted to be welcoming back Justin,” says Please Please You’s Joe Coates. “This time he’ll be performing with Calexico steel guitar and pedal steel player Paul Niehaus, who was a founder member of Lambchop and has played on amazing records by the likes of Yo La Tengo, Silver Jews, Bonnie Prince Billy, Iron & Wine, Wanda Jackson, Bob Dylan, John Prine and many more.”

Absent Fathers forms a companion piece to last September’s Single Mothers and its ten new compositions form the second half of a once-intended double album. When Earle began to sequence it, he felt each half needed to make its own statement and they took on their own identities.

Both albums were recorded live with his four-piece touring band with only days of rehearsal leading up to the sessions to keep the ideas fresh as Earle addressed the issues of his troubled former years with brutal conviction.

Now married and sober at 32, Earle says: “One day I just realised it’s not cool to die young, and it’s even less cool to die after 30. As I’ve gotten older, my anger comes from a very different place. It’s more rational and mature. I guess that comes along with clarity.”

Earle and Niehaus will play songs from both albums and more besides on a tour that begins in Glasgow on Saturday. Support comes from fellow Nashvillian, Andrew Combs, whose songs are equal parts rough-and-tumble 1960s’ Chicago blues, Planet Waves-era Bob Dylan and vintage Nashville folk.

Tickets for February 3 cost £15 in advance online at seetickets.com or £17 on the door.