Nashville-based rock outfit Laney Jones and the Spirits have released their long-awaited self-titled debut album. Fronted by Laney Jones and rounded out by her husband Brian Dowd, along with Carson Lystad and Glen Hruska, Laney Jones and the Spirits marks a creative breakthrough for the group — a record that captures their collective voice and raw chemistry like never before.

LISTEN TO LANEY JONES AND THE SPIRITS

With the release of the record, the band shared a video for their track “Bitch Year”, which captures emotional rawness and resilience in full swing. It’s a song sung through gritted teeth, with guitars clamoring and the band shouldering their way through. “’Bitch Year’ was written with grit and a love for rock and roll,” says Dowd. “It illustrates that in the darkest of days, music can be the power that gets you through to the other side.”

WATCH “BITCH YEAR” OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO

Another song off the album, “Knowme”, Jones describes as an attempt to articulate that strange tension, the way people who love you can still struggle to understand the risks, sacrifices, and convictions that come with pursuing a creative life. “Its core emotion is the alienation one feels (especially around the holidays) when you’re a childless, 30-something, independent artist visiting your well-meaning, non-artist family,” she explains. “They don’t really get it…but anyone who’s pursuing a dream looks crazy from the outside, I guess.”

Co-produced by Jones herself alongside Andrija Tokic (Alabama Shakes, Hurray for the Riff Raff, Langhorne Slim), Laney Jones and the Spirits chronicles perseverance, loss, and creative rebirth. The project emerged from a deeply personal period for Jones and Dowd, written and recorded in the wake of losing their beloved dog, Hap. “Brian and I wrote many of these songs, including “Bitch Year”, “Knowme” and “Live Wire” after the untimely passing of our first dog—our furry son, Hap,” says Jones. “It was the day before Thanksgiving, and we traveled with him for the holiday. Not having our space and place to grieve was really hard and, honestly, isolating. Those feelings fueled the songs. We spent the Christmas holiday honoring him and finished the record in January.”

Lyrically inspired in part by Kurt Vonnegut’s Sirens of Titan, “We Belong Together” explores belonging — not simply in a romantic sense, but in the deeper idea of people allowing each other to exist fully and authentically. Like many of the band’s songs, this one feels very physical. “It’s a record with a lot of heart, and nothing showcases our raw rock sound more than this song,” says Jones. “The song itself is truly about belonging. Not necessarily romantic love, but people giving permission to exist fully with each other. That’s what I always try to emphasize at our shows.”

“Ever since my drummer/life partner Brian and I wrote this song three years ago, we’ve been trying to capture it,” says Laney Jones of “We Belong Together”. “But it wasn’t until we solidified our live band and started recording with them — just over a year ago — that everything started clicking.”

Jones adds, “Being an indie artist these days, without the help of a big team and money is a test of resilience and scrappiness. We’re all in our 30s…You have to be somewhat crazy to keep fighting, but being an underdog fuels me in some sick way. This record wrestles with that, and I believe this is our best work yet. It’s our first record as real collaborators and the truest representation of our spirit and sound.”

“As a whole, this album represents everything we are as a band,” says Dowd. “It is the truest representation of our journey.”

With their self-titled debut, Laney Jones and the Spirits emerge as one of the most dynamic rock bands to rise from Nashville’s creative underground — bridging soulful storytelling, classic rock energy, and the undeniable spirit of artistic perseverance and timelessness.

LANEY JONES AND THE SPIRITS – LIVE 2025

November
30 – Indianapolis, IN – HI-FI*

December
2 – Cleveland, OH – Mahall’s 20 Lanes*
3 – Toronto, ON – Horseshoe Tavern*
4 – Pittsburgh, PA – Thunderbird Café*
5 – Baltimore, MD – Union Hall*
6 – Charlottesville, VA – The Southern Café and Music Hall*
9 – New York, NY – Bowery Ballroom
10 – Allston, MA – Brighton Music Hall*
11 – Philadelphia, PA – The Fillmore*
13 – Hamden, CT – Space Ballroom*

*Supporting The Heavy Heavy