A new album from the buzzing indie rock project Squirrel Flower has been announced. Tomorrow’s Fire will be released on October 13th via Polyvinyl in the U.S. and Full Time Hobby in the UK, while the first two singles were released this week. In addition, Squirrel Flower will embark on a 38-stop US/UK tour on Oct. 19th, stopping in Philadelphia on the 27th.
Ella Williams, the mind behind Squirrel Flower, is a Chicago-based singer, songwriter, and producer who has been active with this project since 2015. When compared to the sound of her debut EP Early Winter Songs from Middle America, it is clear that her ideas and execution have evolved greatly. To kick off the new album cycle, she released the tracks “Full Time Job” and “When A Plant Is Dying,” each with a lo-res DIY music video. In the former, Williams laments about the lack of satisfaction found in her efforts, coming off somewhat ironically at first glance. As the song progresses, it becomes clear that Williams is speaking on her role as an artist, stating how her devotion to the music business has grown to something she may not have been intending for. “When A Plant Is Dying” raises concerns as well, with Willams at her lowest, throwing her seeds to the wind in hopes of them landing somewhere fresh, giving her new hope.
The new album will consist of ten tracks, all of which recorded in Asheville with Alex Farrar, tapping into the southern-Atlantic indie rock machine that generated the 2023 albums All Of This Will End by Indigo De Souza, and Rat Saw God by Wednesday . Guests include drummer Matt McCaughan, The War On Drugs’ bassist Dave Hartley, as well as guitarists Seth Kauffman and Jake Lenderman of Wednesday . One notable detail comes in the first track, which was actually Williams’ first Squirrel Flower track ever created. “I don’t use a trash can” was also featured on her 2015 EP, consisting of only electric guitar and bass. It is a beautiful and empowering track, and it will be intriguing to see how it was reimagined.
Squirrel Flower has spent July opening for Hurray for the Riff Raff on their US tour – including a show tonight at Arden Gild Hall in Delaware. Once the dust settles and Tomorrow’s Fire releases, their headlining tour will commence, bringing along various guests throughout the nearly 40 shows. Supporting artists include Merce Lemon, Knifeplay, Goon, Cryogeyser, Alexalone, and Truth Club, who will attend the tour’s Philadelphia stop at Ukie Club on Oct. 27th. Details and information on the show can be found at WXPN’s Concerts and Events page; pre-order and pre-save Tomorrow’s Fire here.