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Grammy-nominated Yonder Mountain String Band set the tone for a new way forward in acoustic music, carrying bluegrass into rooms and conversations it had never reached before. Nearly three decades later, that same spirit still guides them, alive and present on Good As True (2026), the band’s 12th studio album. The record captures Yonder in full stride. It’s unguarded and in motion, preserving the spark of musicians playing in real time and leaning into everything they have learned along the way.Yonder Mountain String Band, a driving force in roots music for nearly three decades, return with Good As True (2026), their twelfth studio album. Across the record, Yonder moves between drive, harmony, and open space, writing about relationships in all their forms and the work it takes to stay connected.
Featuring eight new original songs, the album digs into communication, the conversations that carry us forward and the ones that fall apart. The things we say, the things we mean, and what gets lost in between. The tracks span the full terrain Yonder has long defined, from hard-driving bluegrass to songs shaped by folk and rock, with touches of country and indie influence.
Lead single “Brand New Heartache” pairs rock-driven verses with a bluegrass-lifted chorus, tracing the fallout of a breakup and the uneasy hope of starting again. “Blind” opens with a striking instrumental riff that lingers long after the song ends, as its lyrics confront regret and the pull toward becoming something better. “Long Ride” offers a sharp look at life in a touring band, while “Nothing New” and “The Lie” draw from the tension of the world around us, confronting rigidity, misinformation, and division.
The album also makes room for quieter moments. “One to One Another” leans into emotional clarity, while “Always Almost” sits with restraint and reflection. “Barroom Feather” stands apart, stretching into a sixteen-minute performance captured live in the studio and left untouched, its drum sample expanding the rhythmic range while holding to the band’s acoustic foundation.
Founding members Adam Aijala (guitar, vocals), Ben Kaufmann (bass, vocals), and Dave Johnston (banjo, vocals), along with Nick Piccininni (mandolin, vocals), co-wrote the album. Coleman Smith (fiddle) adds depth and dimension throughout.
Together, the five musicians bring their own voices to the material, united by years of playing together, delivering performances that are tight and self-assured.
Yonder Mountain String Band have built a catalog that reflects where they are at each stage of their journey. With Good As True, the band knows its voice, trusts its connection, and continues forward on its own terms.
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