Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy made a memorable mark on 2025 with the country-leaning The Purple Bird, which was one of the year’s best albums by indie/alternative legends, and now he’s already set to follow it with a new album in 2026. BPB leader Will Oldham began working on We Are Together Again before The Purple Bird and finished it last spring, and it was fleshed out with help from his current touring musicians Jacob Duncan (flute and saxophone) and Thomas Deakin (clarinet, whistle, baritone electric guitar, accordion, cornet), along with Ryder McNair, Chris Bush, Ned Oldham and Erin Hill.
It was recorded at End of an Ear Studios in Louisville, and Will says, “This record was made closer to the Ohio River than any I’ve been involved with since 1993’s Palace Brothers There Is No-One What Will Take Care of You. Louisville’s current-and-past vital musical community is highlighted on every song. Catherine Irwin, who sang on the BPB release Ease Down the Road, is back here on ‘Hey Little’ and ‘Vietnam Sunshine.’ Lacey Guthrie, Tory Fisher and Katie Peabody, the three front women of the band Duchess, sing together on the opening and closing songs, parallel odes to the beast that is fear.”
Will co-produced the album with Jim Marlowe, who also engineered it, and the first taste is a lovely gentle folk song called “They Keep Trying To Find You.” It’s always a treat to get bare-bones melancholy from Will Oldham, and this song is no exception. Check out the Abi Elliott-directed video below.
We Are Together Again comes out March 6 via No Quarter. Pre-order it here.
Tracklist
Why is the Lion?
They Keep Trying To Find You
Strange Trouble
Life is Scary Horses
(Everybody’s Got a) Friend Named Joe
Vietnam Sunshine
Hey Little
Davey Dead
The Children are Sick
Bride of the Lion