Way back in 2012, when I first started The High Note as a blog and column for The Current Newspapers, I was always looking for a way to learn
when my favorite artists were releasing new albums.
I remember in high school and college, looking at the entertainment page of The Press of Atlantic City on Tuesdays, looking at the curated list
of new albums, mostly well-known pop and rock releases.
I subscribed to Rolling Stone and Filter magazines to dive deeper and learn about new artists; listened to Pandora to try to find new artists;
read sites like Pitchfork and NPR Music to stay on top of things, but still it was hard to create a good list.
Within the past 10 years, I’ve had a pretty good system of curating new releases each week for New Music Friday for The High Note and just
within the past few months, I outsourced that to artificial intelligence, which combs all my sites and sources and delivers a list of all the
albums released for me to review every Friday morning when I wake up. I have another that curates a list of local concerts.
Ah, what a time to be alive.
That’s exactly what New York City-based The Lone Bellow entitled its latest album, released Feb. 13, 2026. The band’s sixth album, “What a Time
to Be Alive,” marks the first release on its own label, Burly Bellow Music.
The trio of Zach Williams, Brian Elmquist and Kanene Pipkin joined producer Peter Barbee at an abandoned firehouse that had been converted into
a recording space in Henderson, Kentucky. They also invited their touring band, drummer Julian Dorio and multi-instrumentalist Tyler Geertsma,
to join them in a collaborative songwriting process. They tracked the songs in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, and were mixing the album while on
tour.
However, like most great art, “What a Time to Be Alive” was born out of tragedy.
While on tour in Chicago, their van was broken into and their instruments, gear, clothes and, worst of all, a hard drive with all the new
recordings were stolen. But a crowdfunding campaign raised $25,000 within a day and gave the band the resources to start all over again.
Despite what was stolen from the van, the band created its best and most complete album since its 2013 debut.
“What a Time to Be Alive” opens with the funky “After the Rain,” which channels some early Creedence Clearwater Revival.
I love the percussion that opens “I Did It for Love.” It channels some Paul Simon “Graceland” vibes while building in the background and
propelling the verse into a Sting-inspired chorus.
“You Were Leaving” is quiet and contemplative and has the folksy Americana vibe that first made me seek out their set at the Philadelphia Folk
Festival a decade ago.
“You were holding on forever
I was busy making plans
Trying to get my shit together
You were trying to lend a hand
We just talked about the weather
And I didn’t understand
You were leaving”
“Common Folk” has a mature Lone Bellow sound on it, which combines the old Americana singer-songwriter storytelling with a larger
bluegrass-inspired sound, making it one of the strongest tracks on the album. Fans of Old Crow Medicine Show will love this song.
Pipkin takes the lead on the soulfully sweet “No Getting Over You,” and “Say” is a pithy folksy poem put to slow, somber music, complete with
wailing trumpet.
The collaborative process on “What a Time to Be Alive” comes through on “Honeysuckle.” The electricity of the band comes through in harmonies
and the back and forth of strings playing off one another. You can even hear a laugh that comes through within the last 20 seconds of the song.
You can also hear the fun emanating from the cover of “Islands in the Stream.” Originally written by the Bee Gees and made famous by Dolly
Parton and Kenny Rogers, it was featured in last year’s romantic comedy “You’re Cordially Invited” starring Will Ferrell and Reese Witherspoon.
This version is not only worth a listen, but I turned it up a couple of notches and repeated it a few times after hearing it.
That spirit gets turned up to 11 on “I’m Here for You,” which is a jaunty throwback acoustic tune that has both the room mic at the beginning
and some playful moments between band members. I can’t tell if it was recorded live onstage or in a room, but either way it’s one of the most
lively tracks on “What a Time to Be Alive.”
The album closes with the title track, a mournful ballad that almost plays like a waltz featuring fiddle from bluegrass player Nate Leath.
In 46 minutes, The Lone Bellow shows “What a Time to Be Alive.”
Don’t miss The Lone Bellow May 13 at Sellersville Theater in Sellersville, Pennsylvania.
Get “What A Time To Be Alive” from The Lone Bellow, Amazon, Apple Music, YouTube Music, Spotify, Pandora, Tidal, Deezer and qobuz.
Favorite Tracks
After the Rain
I Did It for Love
You Were Leaving
Common Folk
Staring at the Sun
Honeysuckle
Islands in the Stream
I’m Here for You
