Michael Nau reveals plans for new album, Popfly

Popfly is described as Nau's most "openhearted" album yet, following a series of full-length releases throughout this year. The title track, which lands today, was shaped over the course of several years.

As Nau explains: "The chorus melody had been clanging around on guitar for years. I find it hard to make up words to a melody I know too well. It kept humming at me at night. right before I got to sleep. scoring an odd vision of my throwing pitches from some mound. Baseball on the radio a lot lately, I guess. my first love. But it’s funny, when it all fumbles together to make a song, I’m sure not sure how. I bet that’s what this album, as a whole, might remind me of again someday, too. I just listened to the song with Evan's video. It had been a while. I'm proud all the pieces got put together. It’s always puzzling."

The songs on the album were largely made up of fragmented lines and observations that stuck with Nau for years, often starting to be pieced together at his home before he would record them at the Vermont studio Little Jamaica with longtime friend and collaborator Benny Yurco. "Studio recording feels like covering my own songs," Nau says.

Popfly is deeply rooted in family and friendship are woven throughout the record. Nau's children contribute vocals, with longtime collaborator and wife Whitney McGraw also lending her voice. Across the album, folk songs mesh with psych-pop, country-folk and dreamlike textures, said to move with "the ease of conversation among old friends" while finding beauty in the mundane.

Popfly artwork

Popfly tracklist

"Lost Station Hideaway"
"Hi Beam"
"Popfly"
"Both Ends"
"New Slack"
"First Drip"
"Jump Up"
"And Welcome Back"
"Even So"
"Paper And Glue"