Alex Gallacher

The latest Monday Morning Brew playlist features new tunes from Cass McCombs, Anna Tivel, Jeremy Tuplin, The Wood Brothers, Noura Mint Seymali, Gard Nilssen Acoustic Unity, The Fishermen Three, SunYears (Peter Morén), Fletcher Tucker, Fruit Bats, Cory Hanson, The Deep Dark Woods, Poor Creature, múm, Carson McHone, Herman Düne, Steve Gunn, Hayden Pedigo, Alice, Chris Staples and Joseph Allred.

North Carolina’s Joseph Decosimo, a respected figure in Appalachian old-time music, is releasing his new album, Fiery Gizzard, on August 15th via Dear Life Records. This third solo effort fuses traditional folk with contemporary indie and experimental influences, sparked by a prompt from MC Taylor of Hiss Golden Messenger to imagine old-time fiddle music with an Albion Country Band/Fairport Convention treatment. Listen to the first single, Ida Red.

Elijah Minnelli’s unique blend of folk and dub gets a vibrant makeover in The Alien Dub Orchestra: Plays the Breadminster Songbook. This album sees his cumbia-infused dub reggae reborn through a full band, with instruments like sousaphone and accordion. Born from a collaboration with The Notwist, it’s a joyful exploration of Minnelli’s songwriting, culminating in chaotic, one-take dub versions that push the boundaries of sound.

Sharpie Smile, the reimagined duo of Dylan Hadley and Cole Berliner, unveil their debut album, The Staircase, on June 27th. Formerly Kamikaze Palm Tree, they’ve embraced a lush, contemporary pop sound. Showcased in their new video for “The Slide,” the album promises a dream-like expedition through “minimal/maximal electronic production and deep feels.” Get ready to ascend.

David Boulter’s album, “Whitby,” translates the desolate beauty of the North Yorkshire coast into a powerful musical meditation. Inspired by sunsets over Whitby Abbey and crashing waves, he masterfully reinterprets the atmosphere through instrumentation. It’s a poignant reflection on nature’s resilience and a subtle call for change, reminding us how simple beauty can connect and calm us. Listen to The Cinder Track.

Portland indie-rock outfit Strange Pilgrim has unveiled “One Day,” the third single from their anticipated sophomore LP, Too Bright Planet, due September 26 via Royal Oakie Records. Augmented by new members Pat Spurgeon and Elliott Kay, the track showcases a refined sound. Frontman Josh Barnhart describes “One Day” as playing with “affirmation and futility,” a subtly disquieting yet introspective glimpse into the album’s themes of acceptance and rebirth.

Peter Morén (of Peter Bjorn and John) returns as SunYears with “Spanner In The Works,” a breezy pop gem out today with an accompanying video. This single, from his upcoming album The Song Forlorn (August 21st), also leads an EP featuring two cover songs: “Absolute Beginners” by David Bowie and “Like an Old Fashioned Waltz” by Sandy Denny.

The Wood Brothers’ new single, “The Trick,” from their upcoming album Puff of Smoke, dives into an unexpectedly grungy and introspective sound. Distorted Fender Rhodes and a pulsing upright bass create a hypnotic backdrop for Oliver Wood’s lyrics exploring self-doubt and artistic liberation. This track is a captivating sonic detour, hinting at an exciting, evolving direction for the band.

In a landscape perpetually chasing the next fleeting trend, The Fishermen Three offer a refreshingly unhurried counterpoint with their new single, “Out of Style”. Taken from their forthcoming album, Infinite Feeling, Beins and Gottesman have assembled a formidable roster of Bay Area stalwarts and surprising global collaborators, including Jack Johnson, David Tattersall of The Wave Pictures, members of Herman Dune and The War On Drugs, and many more.

Dawn Landes has shared that she has something special planned for her set at this year’s Glastonbury Festival. On Sunday, 29th June, she will be joined by Angeline Morrison, Michele Stodart (Magic Numbers), Maguire & Soph Nathan (The Big Moon) on Glastonbury’s Acoustic Stage at 11:30 am to sing songs from The Liberated Woman’s Songbook.

Accompanied by a video for his lead single, ‘A Candle’, Fletcher Tucker announces Kin, his latest full-length offering, due August 15th via Gnome Life Records and Adagio 830. It features an impressive list of collaborators who lend their unique energies to Tucker’s vision, including Phil Elverum, Mariam Wallentin, Chuck Johnson, Sean Smith (LFZ), and Spencer Owen.

In a world of maximalist gestures, Eric D. Johnson, the force behind Fruit Bats, announces Baby Man, a new solo album due September 12th via Merge Records. This stripped-down work promises an emotionally vast departure, diving into the raw core of Johnson’s songwriting. Listen to his lead single ‘Stuck in My Head Again’.