Lifestyle

Libby Rodenbough Releases Sophomore Record

Libby Rodenbough Releases Sophomore Record

On May 12, North Carolina-based musician Libby Rodenbough released her sophomore solo album, Between the Blades, via Sleepy Cat Records.

The album has already received enthusiastic praise from several tastemakers including No Depression, The Bluegrass Situation, Folk Radio UK and an NPR Live Session, with Indy Week applauding, “(The) eight tracks are bathed in creative exaltation and catchy hooks, building a sonorous world free from genre constraints and committed to boundless artistic exploration.”

As a long-time member of the band Mipso and current touring member of Indigo De Souza’s band, Rodenbough is no stranger to pushing a familiar Americana/Folk sound into fresh territory. A blend of acoustic and synthetic drones, polyrhythmic dialogue between electric guitar and clarinet, string sections that are at once expansive, filling, and brash, and a world of toasty percussion all broaden Rodenbough’s sonic ocean without ever masking the anchor of her work - the songs. 

Recorded at Bedtown Lakehouse in Virginia, Rodenbough enlisted a wide family of staple North Carolina musicians to reinforce and elevate her inherent spirit of exploration. Co-produced with close friends Alex Bingham (Hiss Golden Messenger) and Saman Khoujinian, Between the Blades also features Jay Hammond (Trippers & Askers), Kate Rhudy, Matt Douglas (The Mountain Goats), Anna Jacobson, and Will Van Horn (Khruangbin). Less than a year before the recording session, Rodenbough’s mother passed away at the age of 65. Between the Blades isn’t exactly an album about grief—that’s a tall order—but at the time of that lake weekend, other members of the group were also reckoning with death and so, between takes, a lilting, capacious kind of grief seeps in. 

For more information or to listen to the album, click HERE

Smokey Mountain News Logo
SUPPORT THE SMOKY MOUNTAIN NEWS AND
INDEPENDENT, AWARD-WINNING JOURNALISM
Go to top
Payment Information

/

At our inception 20 years ago, we chose to be different. Unlike other news organizations, we made the decision to provide in-depth, regional reporting free to anyone who wanted access to it. We don’t plan to change that model. Support from our readers will help us maintain and strengthen the editorial independence that is crucial to our mission to help make Western North Carolina a better place to call home. If you are able, please support The Smoky Mountain News.

The Smoky Mountain News is a wholly private corporation. Reader contributions support the journalistic mission of SMN to remain independent. Your support of SMN does not constitute a charitable donation. If you have a question about contributing to SMN, please contact us.