Scheduled for release May 3, "The Forgotten Arm" is Mann's follow-up to 2002's "Lost in Space." Mann's website describes the new set as a concept album containing "a dozen songs that tell, rather loosely, the story of John and Caroline as they meet, fall in love and road trip across America."

Mann recorded the set in just five days last summer with producer/singer/songwriter Joe Henry.

"Joe makes records really fast and he makes them in a very natural way," Mann said. "He sort of cast the members of the band well, and then we just made the record fast and simple."

Backing Mann in the studio were guitarists Jeff Trott (Sheryl Crow) and Julian Coryell, keyboardist Jebin Bruni, bassist Paul Bryan, and drummers Victor Indrizzo and Jay Bellarose.

Mann said that the sound of the new album is a departure from her previous works.

"I liked the idea of sounding more like a live band, so there is a similar guitar sound from song to song. On all my other records, each song has a totally different approach, completely different guitar sounds, lots of little interesting moments that happen, with tons of little overdubs. This time I was like, 'Nope. One guy playing one thing for the whole record.' It takes a lot of nerve to just turn s--- off. We only had four or five instruments playing: piano, bass, guitar, that's it. It's just great playing."