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We have been gearing up for the new album from Judah and the Lion for months and yesterday, the band announced their album release date on Nashville's beloved Bobby Bones show. Join me in marking our calendars for May 3! Two singles have been released prior to this week: "Quarter-Life Crisis" and "Over My Head." "Over My Head" even came with a sick Nirvana-inspired music video directed by Nashville's Matthew Delisi. Both tracks gave fans insight into how these twenty-something artists are making their way through the roller coaster of millennial life.

On Feb. 20, the band slowed it down, releasing their most powerful song yet. "Pictures," featuring the incredible, GRAMMY award-winning Kacey Musgraves, is about the divorce of two high school sweethearts – who happen to be lead singer Judah Acker's own parents.

The lyric video for Pictures features Kacey and Judah in the studio. Their chemistry in the recording is palpable, and it paid off for these musicians to make time in their busy schedules to be in the same room.

Judah and the Lion is known for bending, blending and bleeding genres. This track in particular, resonates with a wide variety of audiences. It's of note that this folk-hop band went on a country radio station to first talk about a new ballad. Judah explained yesterday in that interview with Bobby Bones that this track hits deep for him and is indicative of the rest of the album.  He said, "This song is heavy in context. It sets up the story of the record and that's the reason we wanted it to come out before the rest of the album. The bulk of the record is a very personal affair for me."

If you've listened to the track before reading this article, you already knew it was personal for Judah - that's how clearly his emotions saturate the recording. Judah's first verse reads:

"And I know that you love me still

But we’re not the same

And if I’m being honest

I don’t really want you this way"

When our parents and grandparents entered into marriage decades ago, it meant binding themselves to every possible version of their spouse that the future may hold. The ability to narrate the human experience so sincerely is one few artists have mastered, but Judah hits on this state of mind, and in doing so, he breaks his own heart as well as ours.  

Music lovers know writing about one's own experiences makes for the best art. The band is going one step further and bringing fans an album listening and storytelling experience. Starting mid-April, on six dates in six different states, Judah, Nate and Brian will be talking their closest fans through exactly what they have experienced and how it made it into their music.

Judah and the Lion continues to be one of the smartest, most present and intentional bands making music right now and they are putting out their most personal work to date. We couldn't be more excited for what's to come!