With a blink of an eye, the beginnings of 2026 have taken shape – and with it, a collection of new music releases have been unveiled.
Since early January, artists who call the Chippewa Valley home have shared their vocations for a new year ahead. From new archival series’ by Bon Iver, to Turn Turn Turn and Humbird, each convey themes akin to the illusion of a spring thaw just out of reach.
Through soundscapes that mirror the melting of icicles and birdsong’s return from warmer shores, the shedding of past selves and winter’s hibernation has unfolded across the chords and lyric sheets of these new tracks.
Fools Spring by Luke Callen
“I believe that art matters and the process of creating as well as sharing is radical – here’s to more of that,” Luke Callen, the improvisational folk-Americana artist shared with fans online, following the announcement of Fools Spring, his latest 13-track record to be released on April 1.
The foundations of this album, much like Callen’s own journey in the Chippewa Valley, were rooted in solitude and contemplation. Recordings were made onto a Tascam 424 MK II cassette and mixer, following time spent in a small cabin on the shores of Lake Kekegama.
Fools Spring features improvised instrumental works, unveiling the ethereal soundscapes and rushing rivers which surrounded Callen – paired with a fingerpicking style recognizable from his previous records.
The record will also spotlight collaborations with Sarah Elstran (The Nunnery, SEJE), Will Hansen, Chris Gray, Siri Undlin (Humbird), among others.
Prior to the record’s release, Callen has shared “Clean Me Up,” “Tower Song,” “The Laughing Call” and a few others with fans – each possessing its own eccentricities and toys with tenderness, similar to the ways in which creatures (and communities) seek comfort during the solitary winter hibernations.
Eau Clairians may recognize a familiar set of “blundering barflies” in the music video for “Clean Me Up (Karaoke Version),” released on Feb. 24.
It’s setting – at the burgeoning Leona’s Pizzeria of downtown Eau Claire – features Jordan Duroe (events organizer) and Callen battling the depths of the winter doldrums and finding moments of “real joy and tenderness together.”
Let’s not forget the sweet peck on the check between the two; Callen’s ode to finding happiness – in all shapes and forms – in each others’ company. One can only imagine the complete record will radiate these sentiments and more.
Fools Spring by Luke Callen will be available on physical and digital platforms on April 1. For more information, visit Callen’s Bandcamp webpage or lukecallen.com.
All Hat No Cattle by Turn Turn Turn
Savannah Smith (left), Adam Levy (center) and Barb Brynstad (right) pose together for the album cover of All Hat No Cattle, which also happens to be styled at Smith’s downtown Eau Claire retail shop, Seven Suns Vintage (305 S Barstow St., Eau Claire). (Photo by Brooklyn Studio EC)
Turn Turn Turn, the Minneapolis- and Wisconsin-based Americana trio saddles up for a “bold new ride” with its third studio album, All Hat No Cattle. The collection of 11 tracks, to be released on March 6, blends timeless country traditions with storytelling from memorable characters – both fictional and literal.
The album, according to its leading members – Eau Claire’s own Savannah Smith (vocals, guitar), Barb Brynstad (vocals, bass), and Adam Levy (vocals, guitar) – offers a melange of Western gothic, honky tonk and norteño instrumentation – paired with a dash of 1960s pop.
“The record’s characters are vivid and relatable, a media release shared. “From the woman breaking free of tradition in Smith’s ‘Magnolia Tree,’ to Brynstad’s feminist twist on the murder ballad in ‘Trouble.’ “
Leading up to their March release date, the trio of singer-songwriters has offered teasers to tracks on the complete record – both in the Twin Cities and Chippewa Valley alike. With them, themes of resilience and human connection run throughout, “as the music evokes desert highways, rolling hills, and ghostly industrial towns.”
All Hat No Cattle by Turn Turn Turn will be available on physical and digital platforms on March 6. For more information, visit the trio’s webpage turnturnturnmpls.com.
“Housefire” and “Hitman” by Affidavit
Irie Ulrich (left) and Shawn Peters (right) perform at an open mic event at The Lakely (516 Galloway St.) in downtown Eau Claire. (Submitted photo)
If you’re a Chippewa Vallian who finds themselves frequenting open mic events in downtown Eau Claire, there’s a high chance you have heard the emerging moody pop rock duo, Affidavit. With a blend of original songwriting and guitar-heavy production, Irie Ulrich and Shawn Peters have combined their shared inspirations from the area to produce their forthcoming – and debut – album, Self Inflicted.
The record – to be released digitally this summer – intends to set itself apart with one goal: “We are trying to make an album that sounds big, like each track is bursting at the seams,” Peters said.
“Housefire,” Affidavit’s first single, has already been performed dozens of times in the Valley’s open mic scene since the previous summer, Ulrich shared. After all, both credit the Eau Claire music community to what brought the duo together.
The same ethos will be true for their second official release, “Hitman,” which will be released online on March 13.
“I would call us an alternative pop/rock group with a sense of passion that is hard to come by,” Ulrich said. “If I had to choose a feeling, I would say our music is cathartic; I can’t wait for our songs to make their way into the hands of our audience.”
As both Ulrich and Peters find success through collaboration and trust, this new musical partnership will continue to flourish in live settings locally, leading up to the Self Inflicted release.
Listen to “Housefire” by Affidavit online through major streaming platforms. Stay up to date with future open mic events in Eau Claire – featuring Ulrich and Peters – through Instagram (@affid4vit).
“Don’t Need Your Love” by Justin Held Ft. French Montana
“Happy Valentine’s Day to all the ex’s out there,” Justin Held, the Chippewa Valley entrepreneur and now debut musician shared following his first official song release. “Don’t Need Your Love” by Held – featuring Moroccan-American rapper, French Montana – was released on Feb. 13.
The track, released exclusively with WorldstarHipHop via music video, exhibits themes of overcoming past relationships and illustrates not needing love nor playing games through its lyricism.
“It’s almost like I missed you, but I could Never let myself forget. All my love you misused, so I won’t play your games,” Held sings, setting the scene for what follows in the debut track. Amidst a backdrop of glowing lights and the tropical, warmer waves of Miami, Fl., he recounts his personal journey.
As French Montana – one of the highest streamed African-born musical artists with GRAMMY and Billboard Award nominations for certified hits including “Unforgettable” – follows Held’s storytelling, he emphasizes a path toward setting boundaries, clarity and acceptance amidst shifting relationships.
The “Don’t Need Your Love” music video – currently surpassing over 700,000 views globally – can be viewed online, exclusively through the WorldStarHipHop YouTube platform and available to listen on major streaming platforms.
“February” and “Blood Moon” by Humbird
The latest release of singles from Siri Undlin of Humbird, who now resides and creates in Eau Claire, are rooted in contemplation and “quiet moments in the midst of chaos,” she writes.
“February,” released on Feb. 6 and “Blood Moon,” on March 2, both offer neighborly reminders to embrace the natural landscapes which surround us and welcome the warm embrace of a musical tune, wherever you find it.
“The language we use to connect and nurture and remember our place in it all,” Undlin shared with listeners online, following the debut of “Blood Moon” just a few days ago. “I find the perspective helpful in the midst of everything.”
Music – whether it be for Undlin or her listeners – can act as a balm that both comforts and strengthens, she said. The same could be true for the extensive list of local and regional talents – including Shane Leonard, Jon Neufeld, Pat Keen, Sarah Magill, Sarah Krueger, among others – which eminate across both new releases.
These songs, some of which were performed live during the Humbird residency at the Pablo Center at the Confluence earlier this fall, will be a foretelling of music to come in the artists next record – which Undlin teased would be released in the summer months.
Given her intuitive focus on the senses brought to life in the natural world, it’s possible the record will debut during the humming season of the cicadas.
“February” and “Blood Moon,” by Humbird, are available to listen online through Bandcamp. Follow along with Undlin’s future releases and live performances online through social media (@humbirdhumbird).
“We Bleed” by Lords of Apricity
David Koenig (pictured above), the independent artist who currently writes songs under the artistic alias “Lords of Apricity.” (Submitted photo)
“The original demo of the song was stark and simple, just a vocal and acoustic guitar,” David Koenig, the singer-songwriter behind the moniker, Lords of Apricity, shared with Volume One. “The emotion of this song is rooted in the lyrics and what the song is trying to express.”
The song in question, “We Bleed,” will soon be available to listeners of the Chippewa Valley on March 6. A culmination of unaddressed feelings – both grief and joy – which followed the transition to becoming a parent, Koenig’s new single release would not be possible without its collection of local collaborators.
The song was recorded in October of this past year – right here in Eau Claire – with homegrown talents including Sean Carey (S.Carey, Bon Iver), Jeremy Boettcher, Sarah Elstran (The Nunery, SEJE), Brian Joseph (Bizhiki, Bon Iver, Sulfjan Stevens), among others.
“The collaboration aspect of this song was a way to create the atmosphere for these emotions to expand further,” Koenig said, admittedly aware of his own musical limitations. “I knew that this song needed to sonically go in a direction I wasn’t able to take it myself, so I brought together a group of talented local musicians that I thought could take it there.”
As Lords of Apricity illustrates, the depth of these emotional sentiments move through the crescendo of its lyrics and rising chorus; Koenig and peers “build tension through restraint and atmosphere rather than spectacle,” he believes.
Cinematic visuals complement these juxtaposing emotions, as pictured in the “We Bleed” music video. Similar to his 2022 self-titled rock-and-roll record, Lords of Apricity, an earnest and sincere approach to the genre unfolds as the song completes.
One can only hope this will not be the last of Koenig’s collaborations with this ensemble, as the journey of parenthood continues and – with it – brings new identity shifts and invaluable learning experiences.
“We Bleed” by Lords of Apricity will be available to listen on major streaming platforms on March 6. To learn more about the artist and fellow Eau Claire collaborators, visit the artist’s social media platforms (@lordsofapricity).