The Steel Wheels Celebrating 20th Anniversary With New Album
(MPG) Virginia-based Americana pioneers The Steel Wheels announce the release of their new self-titled LP to coincide with their 20 year anniversary as a band. The LP will come out on CD + vinyl on Oct. 31, but won't be released to streaming services until next year on March 14, 2026 - emphasizing the fan first mentality that has been a hallmark of the band's since their inception.
Today, they've also shared new single "Chase It All Away," which combines a pop melody, a New Orleans style jazz piano, frontman Trent Wagler's twangy vocals and an expansive fiddle solo for a commentary on the hustle of modern-day life.
On the new track, Wagler shares: "Hold it all at once. The diagnosis, the beautiful beach, the hard work coming, the lazy afternoon. How do we measure the need of the day? Is it in widgets moved, checklists marked, or in winding paths taken? How do we keep our inner fire burning to keep curious and passionate, without breaking down when life hits us with the unexpected?"
Their ninth studio album, The Steel Wheels was co-produced by D. James Goodwin (Goose, Bonny Light Horseman, I'm With Her), who mixed the band's 2019 album Over The Trees. The project was recorded at Goodwin's new Shenandoah Valley studio during a snowy Virginia winter, and the process was fluid and swift. Sessions were punctuated by peals of laughter and occasional tears as the group embraced vulnerability and leaned into every emotion as it came. The album that resulted captures a band at its creative apex: honoring their roots as a harmony-centric acoustic ensemble but fully leaning into the folk rock that they've grown into over the last 20 years.
On the LP, in typical Steel Wheels fashion, Wagler's lyrics pose big, philosophical questions that he realizes have no answer. The sneakily profound earworm "Easy" they released last month is a perfect example of that - asking if in this age of technology and accessibility, is everything really easier?
On the new album and its rollout strategy, Wagler adds: "This record means a lot to us. It marks our 20th anniversary, and we made it back home in Virginia, where the band first took root. We wanted to present it as a complete body of work, not just a collection of singles dropped over time. That's why we're releasing it on CD and vinyl and making it available as a full album download first, with streaming to follow later. We want people to experience the whole record from start to finish in a way that feels intentional and immersive. Our fans have always supported us by showing up and buying records, and we wanted to honor that relationship with something tangible and whole."
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