Today, Lael Neale is sharing details on behalf of Altogether Stranger, her expansive forthcoming new album, out May 2nd, 2025 worldwide on Sub Pop.
Clocking in at just 32 minutes, the 9-song LP covers an unexpected breadth of musical and lyrical terrain—from garage rock nursery rhymes and creation myths to Motorik dance dirges and solitary Omnichord meditations. A brilliant lyricist, Neale has a unique ability to uncover the extraordinary within the mundane, tackling themes of polarity that recur throughout her work—country vs. city, humanity vs. technology, isolation vs. society. This album is her third collaboration with producer Guy Blakeslee who helps expand the tonal palette while staying true to Neale’s commitment to the raw immediacy and hand-made intimacy of home recording.
Lead offering “Tell Me How To Be Here” paints a stark and haunting portrait of Neale’s return to Los Angeles after 3 years living in rural Virginia. It transmutes a dissociative unease into a woozy, dreamlike reverie, echoing the Velvet Underground with the distant chime of “Sunday Morning” bells. Neale’s crystalline voice floats above Blakeslee’s ambient tape loops and ghostly, disintegrating Mellotron, evoking the disorientation of waking up in a world that feels so ordinary it becomes strange. Its official video, which is directed by and stars the singer, captures the song’s kindred spirit. It was filmed by Neale and Blakeslee in Los Angeles.
The songs on Altogether Stranger, which include “Down On The Freeway,” “Wild Waters,” and the aforementioned “Tell Me How To Here,” were written by Neale. The album was produced and mixed by Blakeslee at home in Los Angeles and mastered by Chris Coady.
Altogether Stranger is available to preorder on CD/LP/All DSPs from Sub Pop. LP preorders from megamart.subpop.com (North America), MM2 (in UK/EU), your local record store and at Neale’s live shows will receive the limited Loser edition on Lavender (NA) and Magenta (UK/EU) vinyl. There is also a special edition available through Rough Trade in the UK and EU on Cream White vinyl (All LP colors whilst stock lasts!).
Lael Neale will support Altogether Stranger with headlining spring tour dates for April and May 2025. In April, Neale and bandmate Blakeslee have two album US release shows – Thursday, April 10th in Los Angeles at Zebulon, and Friday, April 25th in New York City, NY at Public Records. Then, in May, they’ll head over to the UK and EU, beginning May 10th in Dublin, IE at Workman’s Cellar and ending Saturday, May 31st in Glasgow, UK at Hug & Pint. Tickets for these shows are on sale now.
Thu. Apr. 10 – Los Angeles, CA – Zebulon
Fri. Apr. 25 – New York City, NY – Public Records
Sat. May 10 – Dublin, IE – Workman’s Cellar
Sun. May 11 – Belfast, UK – McHughs
Wed. May 14 – Lausanne, CH – Le Romandie
Thu. May 15 – Dijon, FR – La Vapeur
Fri. May 16 – Paris, FR – Le Hasard Ludique
Sat. May 17 – Brussels, BE – Les Nuits Botanique
Mon. May 19 – Amsterdam, NL – DOKA
Tue. May 20 – Hamburg, DE – Nachtasyl
Wed. May 21 – Berlin, DE – Kantine am Berghain
Fri. May 23 – Copenhagen, DK – Huset
Sat. May 24 – Stockholm, SE – Echo Three Fest
Tue. May 27 – Bristol, UK – The Louisiana
Wed. May 28 – London, UK – Omeara
Thu. May 29 – Manchester, UK – YES Basement
Fri. May 30 – Newcastle, UK – Cumberland Arms
Sat. May 31 – Glasgow, UK – Hug & Pint