Singer-songwriter John Mark McMillan has just released his latest project, The Mercury Sessions, with a second volume The Lightning Sessions to follow. Both releases feature completely reimagined versions of songs from his full-length solo album Mercury & Lightning which released last year, with new acoustic/symphonic arrangements and new collaborations.

For The Mercury Sessions, McMillan has invited singer-songwriter Joy Williams, formerly of the Grammy Award-winning duo The Civil Wars, who performs on the track "Wilderlove," as well as McMillan's own wife Sarah who sings on "Death In Reverse." Aside from the special guests, the album also features song stories and commentary for each song.

Explaining the thought process behind the new Sessions-releases, McMillan says, "I have a friend who says songs are never finished, just released. A recording is just a snapshot - a picture of what a song was at a point in time."

"But they continue to grow, change and find new meaning in new light," he says. "So it's always exciting to reimagine a tune! This is why the 'sessions records' are exciting to me. We get to peel back some layers and take a new look."

Later this year, McMillan is hitting the road on his 17-city "Body + Ghost Tour" kicking off in Columbus, Ohio, on Sept. 6, before wrapping in Nashville, Tenn., on Oct. 11. Throughout the summer, McMillan is also performing at numerous festivals, conferences and other events, with full tour dates available here.

Poster for John Mark McMillan's 2018 "Body + Ghost Tour"

The Mercury Sessions can be streamed or downloaded everywhere now, with links to most digital music platforms available here.

Follow BREATHEcast for the latest news about McMillan, or visit his official website for more information and follow him on social media on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

Click below to hear the new version of McMillan's song "Death In Reverse," featuring his wife Sarah McMillan on vocals, or click here to listen on YouTube: