EXCLUSIVE: Ben Salter - The Stars My Destination Preview

Hard-working, long-serving Queensland-bred musician Ben Salter is making the final arrangements ahead of the release of his eagerly awaited second studio full-length, The Stars My Destination, next month, but ahead of the album's drop, theMusic.com.au is stoked to be able to provide you with a sneak preview today.

Featuring snippets from The Stars My Destination's song list, set to footage shot last year at central Queensland's Prior Park Homestead, the video is an enlightening look at/listen to the sounds that populate the album's sonic boundaries, and should please patient fans who've been waiting for a full-length follow-up to Salter's acclaimed debut The Cat since that's album's arrival in 2011 (Salter did release an EP, European Vacation, in 2013).

The wait is almost over, though — The Stars My Destination is set for release via Universal/ABC Music on Friday, 8 May, the 11-track The Stars My Destination signifies the sum of Salter's growth over the past few years, informed by seemingly endless stretches on the road, high-profile festival spots, low-profile backyard spots, and everything in-between.

"The thing I love about doing music is I can do whatever I want — anything," Salter said in a statement. "The possibilities are almost completely limitless, so I don't know why anyone would stick to one thing. I certainly can't. I like having a go at a bit of everything … I like to listen to an album and it to be a bit of a journey.

"I love what I do, I love making music, so I just try and do it as much as I can."

He'll have a handful of opportunities to do that in a live setting this July and August, when Salter tours with a live band — proudly presented by The Music — through Toowoomba (16 July), Brisbane (17 July), Sydney (24 July), Canberra (25 July, solo) and Melbourne (31 July) before wrapping up across the Bass Strait at Grand Poobah, in Hobart, on Saturday, 1 August.

Tickets are available via the gig venues — for a full rundown of locations, dates and booking information, see theGuide or check The Music App.