The concept record, entitled ‘The Place We Ran From’, will be released under the guise, Tired Pony.

Snow Patrol’s Gary Lightbody said ideas for the album were devised during the band’s 2009 tour.

He told the BBC: "I can't get away with writing pure country music because I haven't lived that life, but I love it so much that I always wanted to try my hand at it.

"It's inspired by my love of Wilco, Calexico, Lambchop, Palace, Smog - these bands that look at the darkness in America."

Actress and She & Him singer Zooey Deschanel and Editors’ Tom Smith are among those involved.

The band are due to play a concert in support of the album, which is released on July 12.

The tracklisting for 'The Place We Ran From' is:

1. Northwestern Skies
2. Get On The Road
3. Point Me At Lost Islands
4. Dead American Writers
5. Held In The Arms Of Your Words
6. That Silver Necklace
7. I Am A Landslide
8. The Deepest Ocean There Is
9. The Good Book
10. Pieces

(by Jason Gregory)