Warm greetings from Shearwater HQ. We’ve been quiet lately, but there’s still plenty going on. Our new album is in its awkward adolescence—strangely dressed, unsure of its identity—though it grows in confidence with every passing session, with help from friends in Texas, NYC, and Berlin.

I’ll have more to say as the album reveals itself. But for now I want to share a little news— and invite you to a movie.

1) The Great Awakening video live watch-along – Saturday August 3

In 2022, we released three videos for The Great Awakening; “Xenarthran,” “Aqaba,” and “Empty Orchestra,” directed by Emily Cross of Loma. (Fun fact: The “Aqaba” video was filmed in the 12th-century chapel we later used as a reverb chamber for the Loma record.)

But Emily also made videos for the rest of the album. They connect to form a companion film for the record—and though we always planned to release it, we never decided how or when.

So, in the spirit of better-late-than-never: How about we watch it together?

We’ll premiere the full-length video for The Great Awakening on YouTube on Saturday, August 3, at 12 noon PDT/3 PM EDT/8 PM BST/9 PM CEST.

I’ll be there in the chat, along with Emily Lee and other Shearwaters from this iteration of the band—and we can chat about the record, future plans, the bizarre state of the world. Y’know, everything.

As a teaser, here’s the beautiful short film for “No Reason”, which, like all great videos, improves the song.

2) Loma—HWILWAB?

The new Loma album, How Will I Live Without a Body?, was just released by Sub Pop. Loma is a band I formed with Emily Cross and Dan Duszynski after the Jet Plane and Oxbow tour; I do most of the songwriting, but Emily’s the singer, and we all arrange and perform the songs together.

I’m proud of this record. It’s not quite like anything else, It took a long time to make, and it’s received many kind reviews (including this one and this one). And though Loma can’t perform this year, I’m nursing dreams of some combined Shearwater/Loma shows in the future.

All the very best to you and yours—and thank you, as always, for sticking with us.