"Thirteen was a lucky man, twelve down below," goes the chorus of Tony Furtado's song "Thirteen Below," the title track on "Thirteen," his new album on Fumalo Records.

Furtado and his band are touring to promote the new release.

They'll perform at 9 p.m. Friday, April 13, at The Mobius, 281 Fourth St., Ashland.

"Thirteen Below" tells the story of an accident that trapped 13 men in a mine in Sago, W.Va., in January 2006. Just one of the men survived. The incident inspired Furtado while he was writing the songs for his new album.

Furtado has been a virtuoso of the guitar and banjo since 19, but he didn't make the leap to singer and songwriter until a couple of years ago. "Thirteen" follows Furtado's initial breakthrough, "These Chains," released in 2004, a live solo recording. Other recordings include "Bare Bones" (2005) and a live album released in 2003.

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On "Thirteen," Furtado and an all-star studio band including Sean Slade and Jim Dickinson (keyboards), Dusty Wakeman (bass) and Winston Watson (drums), among others, focused on 10 original songs penned by Furtado and three covers.

Those covers are John Fogerty's "Fortunate Son," The Who's "Won't Get Fooled Again" and Elton John's "Take Me to the Pilot."

The overall sound is more West Coast pop rock and less acoustic that Furtado's earlier releases, and it reveals the songwriter's ability to tap into personal and political themes.

Admission to the show is $14; $12 for students. Advance tickets are available for $12. See themobius.com or call 488-8894.