When you’re dealing with a heritage artist with a deep catalog of albums under his belt, it’s rare to recommend his latest work as a starting point for new listeners. That honor usually falls to a decades-old collection.

But Peter Himmelman, as is often the case, is an exception to the rule. His most recent album, There Is No Calamity, is also one of his best and most immediate—the culmination of a four-decade conversation with his prodigious muse.

Recorded in Portland, in 2016, with producer and Los Lobos founder Steve Berlin, the album finds Peter traversing playful and profound subject matter—and some of his catchiest material—in fine voice, supported by ace collaborators.

Below, hear Peter discuss the album’s genesis in the Kickstarter video that kickstarted it all, then sample the album’s tracks and see where they lead you. —ROBERT CHERRY