Released: 02/05/25
Lael Neale’s Altogether Stranger is a 32-minute minimalist drone-pop album blending influences from gospel to garage rock and the Velvet Underground. Written in early mornings in Los Angeles, it explores contrasts like country vs. city and isolation vs. society with dreamlike lyrics and raw home recordings. Produced again with Guy Blakeslee, the record captures Neale’s oscillation between rural solitude and urban chaos, reflecting her unique vision as an alien in LA’s modern landscape. This ambitious third album marks a breakthrough for the Virginia-born artist known for her intimate, adventurous sound.