When Chicago's roots-rock band Wilco and England's protest-folk singer-songwriter Billy Bragg first teamed up to add music to unfinished Woody Guthrie lyrics, the impact reached far beyond the roots music niche. The 1998 album, Mermaid Avenue, was a smash, having been certified Gold in Australia and Silver in the UK, as well as charting in the US and Scotland. It yielded a follow up, Mermaid Avenue Vol. 2, in 2000 and a complete box set in 2012. Both Wilco and Bragg went on to perform songs from the collaboration in their own gigs over the subsequent decades, but they had never performed all of the music together.
Next summer, however, Wilco and Bragg will reunite to perform music from the Mermaid Avenue songbook at Wilco's own Solid Sound Festival, set to take place June 26– 28, 2026 at MASS MoCA in North Adams, Massachusetts. Tickets are on sale now here.
As Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy said in a press release, “The world needs all the Woody Guthrie it can get. We’re thrilled that we get to bring these songs to life with Billy.”
In the same release, Bragg added, “There’s an abiding love out there for the Mermaid Avenue albums, so I’m really looking forward to reconnecting with Wilco to bring Woody’s words to life once again.”
In other collaborations, Juno award-nominated singer-songwriter Julian Taylor and My Morning Jacket frontman Jim James released a standalone single titled "Don't Let 'Em (Get Inside of Your Head)."
Courtney Marie Andrews announced a new album this week titled Valentine. Due out January 16, 2026 via Thirty Tigers, Andrews said in a press release that these songs, came out of "one of the darkest periods of my life.” She continues, “The songs were the only way I could reckon with it...I didn’t want to slink into my pain, I wanted to embrace it, own it.” Watch the video for new single "Keeper" below and read No Depression's review of her previous album here.
Bluegrass band Sister Sadie was No Depression's Spotlight artist for June, but founding member Gena Britt has already announced a solo LP. Streets, Rivers, Dreams & Heartaches is due out November 7 via Mountain Home Music Company and the first single is available to stream below.
WHAT WE'RE LISTENING TO:
Elisapie - “Elisapie - Taimaa Qimatsiniungimat” (Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye)
Jimmy Carter and Dallas County Green - “Let Me be Your Player”
Flock of Dimes - “Long After Midnight”
Hand Habits - “Bluebird of Happiness”
Valerie June - "Maybellene"
Mon Rovîa - "Heavy Foot" (off his forthcoming album Bloodline, due out January 9, 2026 via Nettwerk)
NEW RELEASES – 10/24/25
Amadou & Miriam - L'amour à la folie
Bahamas - My Second Last Album
Ezra Bell - Chin Chin
Brandi Carlile - Returning to Myself
Damn Tall Buildings - The Universe Is Hungry
Dion - The Rock ‘n’ Roll Philosopher (Keeping the Blues Alive)
Jonny Fritz - Debbie Downer
Joshua Hedley - All Hat
Jesca Hoop - Selective Memory
Jim Keller - End of the World
Joelton Mayfield - Crowdpleaser
The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band - Night After Night [EP]
The Pairs - Together on a Rock (due out 10/22)
Tony Joe White - The Real Thang
COMING SOON - 10/31/25
Admiral Fallow - First of The Birds
Andres Miguel Cervantes - Songs for the Seance
Greensky Bluegrass - XXV
Los Originarios del Plan - Puritito Michoacán!
Lydia Luce - Mammoth
Jeremy Pinnell - Decades
Alexa Rose - Atmosphere
Saintseneca - Highwalllow & Supermoon Songs
Nick Shoulders - Refugia Blues
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