So Much for Goodbyes
| So Much for Goodbyes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | August 28, 2026 | |||
| Recorded | January and February 2026 | |||
| Genre | Bluegrass | |||
| Length | 75:29 | |||
| Label | Reprise | |||
| Producers | Billy Strings, T Bone Burnett | |||
| Billy Strings chronology | ||||
| ||||
So Much for Goodbyes is the fifth studio album by American bluegrass musician Billy Strings. It was released digitally, as a CD, and as a two-disc LP on August 28, 2026.[1][2][3][4][5]
Critical reception
[edit]| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [6] |
| The Guardian | [7] |
Alexis Petridis wrote in The Guardian, "His guitar picking is every bit as astonishingly dextrous as his tie-dyed devotees claim; his equally impressive backing quartet are particularly talented at working up a ferociously propulsive head of steam, given that their ranks don't include a drummer.... What does cut through the gloom is the lingering thought of how rich and powerful the album you've just heard is."[7]
On AllMusic Timothy Monger said, "Over the past decade, the Michigan-born singer, songwriter, and guitarist has been a transformative force in bluegrass, gradually ascending from local phenomenon to become the genre's modern-day ambassador as well as one of its most reliable innovators... Matching the prodigious musical ability that has been apparent all along is one of his best collections of songs to date."[6]
Track listing
[edit]- "I'm One of Those" – 4:23
- "Burn the Other End" – 4:39
- "Carry Us Home" – 4:14
- "Lay Me Down" – 4:02
- "Lucid Daydream" – 6:38
- "Mill Town Flood" – 5:06
- "Live to Tell" – 6:29
- "Bluewater Breakdown" – 3:36
- "Light the Way" – 2:47
- "I Like Train Songs" – 4:48
- "10,000 Miles from a Friend" – 5:10
- "Still I Crash" – 5:03
- "I Wish I Wanted To" – 6:45
- "Remember to Cry" – 3:50
- "Wrestling an Angel" – 3:47
- "Debra’s Waltz" – 4:12
Personnel
[edit]Musicians
[edit]- Billy Strings – guitar, vocals
- Billy Failing – banjo, vocals
- Royal Masat – bass, vocals
- Jarrod Walker – mandolin, vocals
- Alex Hargreaves – fiddle
Additional musicians
[edit]- Mickey Raphael – bass harmonica
- Paul Franklin – pedal steel
- Alison Krauss – backing vocals
- Bryan Sutton – guitar
- Alwyn Robinson – drums
- Del McCoury – backing vocals
- Tim O’Brien – backing vocals
- Chris Henry – backing vocals
- Lindsay Lou – backing vocals
- Dan Tyminski – backing vocals
Production
[edit]- Produced by Billy Strings and T Bone Burnett
- Engineering: Brandon Bell
- Editing: Michael Piersante, Eddie Roberts, Brandon Bell
- Mixing: Michael Piersante
- Mastering: Gavin Lurssen
- Vinyl mastering: Jeff Powell
- Executive producer: Bill Orner
- Artwork: Debra Apostol
- Photography and graphic design: Dana Trippe
Charts
[edit]| Chart (2026) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Hungarian Physical Albums (MAHASZ)[8] | 36 |
| Scottish Albums (Official Charts)[9] | 53 |
| UK Albums Sales (Official Charts)[10] | 72 |
| UK Americana Albums (Official Charts)[11] | 10 |
| UK Country Albums (Official Charts)[12] | 6 |
References
[edit]- ↑ Fu, Eddie (June 30, 2026). "Billy Strings Announces New Album So Much for Goodbyes, Unveils "Burn the Other End"". Consequence. Retrieved July 4, 2026.
- ↑ Suskind, Alex (June 30, 2026). "Billy Strings Announces New Album So Much for Goodbyes". Pitchfork. Retrieved July 4, 2026.
- ↑ "Billy Strings Will Release 'So Much for Goodbyes' in August". Relix. June 30, 2026. Retrieved July 4, 2026.
- ↑ "Billy Strings Announces New Album 'So Much for Goodbyes' Out August 28". Glide Magazine. June 30, 2026. Retrieved July 4, 2026.
- ↑ Iahn, Buddy (June 29, 2026). "Billy Strings Plots 'So Much for Goodbyes'". The Music Universe. Retrieved July 4, 2026.
- 1 2 Monger, Timothy. "AllMusic Album Review". AllMusic. Retrieved August 30, 2026.
- 1 2 Petridis, Alexis (August 27, 2026). "Billy Strings: So Much for Goodbyes review – staggering, stirring songs of grief draw the blues out of bluegrass". The Guardian. Retrieved August 30, 2026.
- ↑ "Album Top 40 slágerlista (fizikai hanghordozók) – 2026. 36. hét". MAHASZ. Retrieved September 9, 2026.
- ↑ "Official Scottish Albums Chart on 4/9/2026 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 5, 2026.
- ↑ "Official Albums Sales Chart on 4/9/2026 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 5, 2026.
- ↑ "Official Americana Albums Chart on 4/9/2026 – Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 5, 2026.
- ↑ "Official Country Artists Albums Chart on 4/9/2026 – Top 20". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 5, 2026.