There are too many great albums on the horizon for Q4 2021. One of which is Marissa Nadler’s next one, The Path of the Clouds, coming October 29th via Sacred Bones. I don’t want to pigeonhole it too much, but just based on the singles it seems to be perfectly timed to line up with the historically haunted times of late October / early November. The time when the world really starts to slow down – even as technology has progressed to where it is now, we still instinctively begin to commence hibernation rituals as early sunsets burn up slate skies, accented by bald branches and the vibrating haze of newly-ignited car heaters. As someone who greatly romanticizes the fall, I deeply support the desolate and dreamy music that feels at home in this specific nook of the year.

Right then, but onto the music we have here – “If I Could Breathe Underwater” is a drop-dead gorgeous tune with a dreamy blues edge, with slow, smearing guitars and steady, minimal percussion paint watercolor backdrop for Nadler’s vocals to wander through. Little accents like flecks of twinkling harp via Mary Lattimore, hammond organ and Western-style electric guitar all enhance the atmosphere of the track greatly, moving me to feel like it’s my favorite thing I’ve heard Nadler do since 2014 or so.

With the insane stacked guest musician line-up behind her (the aforementioned Mary Lattimore, along with Cocteau Twins’ Simon Raymonde, Emma Ruth Rundle, Black Mountain + more) Nadler seems to be stepping to a higher gear on this new album and I cannot wait. Like I said before, her 2014 album July was a favorite of mine that year and I’ve been waiting to be wowed like I was back then. It seems like I will be – and so should you! Support this dang album! Marissa is a great songwriter!

The Path of the Clouds is out October 29 via Sacred Bones. Pre-order the album HERE.