Happy Monday morning. Lucky for you, Consequence of Sound has found the perfect cure for that weekend hangover: the serene sounds of singer-songwriter William Fitzsimmons. Raised in Philadelphia, PA, by two blind parents, Fitzsimmons was proficient at a myriad of instruments including the pipe organ, trombone, guitar, and ukulele all before entering high school. But prior to writing, recording, and producing his first album, Until When We Are Ghosts in 2005, Fitzsimmons earned a Master’s degree in counseling and further developed his aesthetic through working with the mentally ill.

Fitzsimmons’ forthcoming release, Gold in the Shadow, reflects both a musical and psychological renovation following his divorce. As the folk artist recently posted on his website, the songs are “a real and long coming confrontation with personal demons, past mistakes, and the specter of mental illness that has hovered over me for the great majority of my life.” Unlike his previous releases, Fitzsimmons has turned his focus from interpersonal disaster toward a sense of healing: “I had reached the point where I was either going to yield to my sicknesses or engage them headlong. In either case, I could no longer continue the way I was.”

Ahead of Gold in the Shadow‘s March 22nd release (via Nettwerk Records), Consequence of Sound brings you an exclusive preview of the album’s latest single, “Beautiful Girl”. The 2:36 track pulls at listeners’ heartstrings from beginning to end; the strumming of an acoustic guitar welcomes Fitzsimmons’ classic singer-songwriter vocals, and as the keys come forward, “Beautiful Girl” fills a room, and sprits, with warmth. Much like Justin Vernon and Elliot Smith, Fitzsimmons has the ability to reach an audience on a deeply personal level.

The single “Beautiful Girl” (b/w “The Tide Pulls From the Moon”) will be available starting tomorrow, and Gold in the Shadow can be pre-ordered via Amazon.com. A special two-disc deluxe version of the album will also be available.

Following the album’s release, Fitzsimmons will embark on a two month North American tour. With stops in cities ranging from Toronto and Los Angeles to Vienna, VA, and Conway, AR, Fitzsimmons will be playing markets large and small. Check the dates, then head here to order your tickets.

“Beautiful Girl”

Gold in the Shadow Tracklist:
01. The Tide Pulls from the Moon
02. Beautiful Girl
03. The Winter from Her Leaving
04. Fade and then Return
05. Psychasthenia
06. Bird of Winter Prey
07. Let You Break (feat. Julia Stone)
08. Wounded Head
09. Tied to Me
10. What Hold

William Fitzsimmons 2011 Tour Dates:
03/05 – Abilene, TX @ Paramount Theatre ^
03/23 – Toronto, ON @ Horseshoe Tavern ^
03/24 – Wakefield, QC @ Black Sheep Inn ^
03/25 – Oswego, NY @ Sheldon Ballroom ^
03/26 – Quebec, QC @ Le Cercle ^
03/28 – Montreal QC @ La Sala Rossa ^
03/29 – Sherbrooke, QC @ Theatre Granada ^
03/30 – Portland, ME @ One Longfellow Square ^
03/31 – Keene, NH @ The Starving Artist ^
04/01 – New York, NY @ Canal Room  ^
04/02 – Boston, MA @ The Red Room @ Cafe 39 ^
04/03 – Northampton, MA @ Iron Horse ^
04/05 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Brillobox ^
04/06 – Philadelphia, PA @ World Cade Live ^
04/07 – Annapolis, MD @ Rams Head On Stage ^
04/08 – Vienna, VA @ Jammin’ Java ^
04/09 – Vienna, VA @ Jammin’ Java ^
04/10 – Raleigh, NC @ The Pour House Music Hall ^
04/12 – Charlotte, NC @ Evening Muse ^
04/13 – Knoxville, TN @ The Square Room ^
04/14 – Atlanta, GA @ Smith’s Olde Bar ^
04/15 – Birmingham, AL @ WorkPlay Theater ^
04/16 – Savannah, GA @ The Wormhole ^
04/17 – Nashville, TN @ 3rd & Lindsley ^
04/19 – Memphis, TN @ Hi-Tone Cafe ^
04/20 – Conway, AR @ Hendrix College
04/21 – Tulsa, OK @ The Marquee ^
04/22 – Dallas, TX @ The Loft ^
04/23 – Houston, TX @ Fitzgerald’s ^
04/24 – Austin, TX @ Stubb’s ^
04/26 – Newport, KY @ Southgate House ^
04/27 – Ann Arbor, MI @ The Ark ^
04/28 – Milwaukee, WI @ Shank Hall ^
04/29 – Chicago, IL @ Old Town School of Folk Music ^
04/30 – Iowa City, IA @ The Mill ^
05/01 – St. Louis, MO @ FireBird ^
05/04 – Scottsdale, AZ @ Martini Ranch ^
05/06 – San Diego, CA @ Anthology ^
05/07 – Los Angeles, CA @ Hotel Cafe ^
05/08 – San Francisco, CA @ The Independent ^
05/10 – Eugene, OR @ W.O.W. Hall ^
05/11 – Seattle, WA @ The Triple Door ^
05/12 – Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios ^
05/13 – Vancouver, BC @ Waldorf Cabaret ^
05/14 – Kelowna, BC @ Streaming Cafe
05/17 – Boise, ID @ Nuerolux ^
05/18 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge ^
05/20 – Denver, CO @ Daniel’s Hall at Swallow Hill ^
05/21 – Fort Collins, CO @ Avogadro’s Number ^

^ = w/ Slow Runner