Friday 11/6/2026 is a Busy Release Day for New Albums. Here’s Your Guide
With some late-announced albums, November 6th turned out to be a busy day for both highly-anticipated releases, as well as a large volume of releases overall. To make sure you don’t miss something that might resonate with you, here are this week’s releases.
To find all the releases for each week, make sure to follow the most recent installment of Saving Country Music’s Release Radar.
Mack Geiger – Dying in This House
A lot of country stars these days love to carry on about being from The South. Mack Geiger’s so damn Southern, it takes a 20-hour flight with a layover in Honolulu to get back home. That’s because this young man’s from where the roo and the wallaby roam. He grew up listening to ’90s country and working on ranches—or as the Aussies call them, cattle stations. It feels like you can’t spit these days without hitting a new neotraditionalist. But that doesn’t make the songs of the meteorically-rising Mack Geiger any less impressive.
Geiger already received an impressive 8.5 score for the EP he released earlier this year called Walk A Straight Line. Dying in This House adds seven new songs to make for his official full-length debut, and one that might put him right up there with Zach Top leading the new crop of neotraditionalists.
Willi Carlisle – The Universal Bubba
It was being taken under the wing of Sturgill Simpson that helped launch Tyler Childers into uncommon altitudes early in his career. Now Tyler Childers will see what kind of magic he can come up with behind the mixing board as it’s been announced he will be producing the new album from folk powerhouse Willi Carlisle.
The abundant, 17-track double album was cut with the Tyler Childers backing band, The Food Stamps, at a makeshift all DIY recording studio constructed in the Bywater District of New Orleans. It was recorded over a two week span. Along with whatever “experimental music” it might contain, Willi Carlisle also assures, “There’s also more fretless 19th-century-style banjo on it than any record I’ve ever made.” (read more)
(11-3) Joe Ray McDonald – Harvester
You’re definitely going to want to have this super tasty record on your radar if you’re into both acoustic and electric twang, and top notch musicianship that still takes songwriting seriously. From outside of Ottawa, Canada, Joe Ray McDonald really puts the music out front and pulls you right in. He’s drawn comparisons to both Jerry Reed and Billy Strings, while the accompaniment on fiddle and other instruments is also spot-on. But what you stick around for is the songs.
“For ‘Harvester,’ pretty much every song has something interesting going on guitar-wise,” McDonald says. “I wanted to balance the virtuosic picking of someone like Jerry Reed and the emotional depth of someone like Townes. To me, this album is a heavy blend of those two fellas, who are obviously both big influences on me.”
Jack Blocker – Big Jefe
Texas native Jack Blocker earned high praise for his previous record The Land On Most High and the way it oozed authenticity and evoke Western textures into country music. Produced by Patrick Lyons of Colter Wall fame, it put Bocker on the country music map for many. Now working with Thirty Tigers and Patrick Lyons once again, he’s hoping to raise the stakes with Big Jefe.
When Blocker set out to start writing Big Jefe, he didn’t exactly have a concept record in mind, but that’s what came about. The title track actually dates back to 2023. Similar to Willie Nelson’s Red Headed Stranger, Blocker started to trace the narrative of a character who through circumstance ended up south of the border, and next thing you know, a drug kingpin, and then so much more.
Eliot Bronson – Arrive
The Atlanta-based singer/songwriter is back with an intentional collection of songs produced by Oliver Wood of the Wood Brothers, and all recorded live analog to tape. Bronson says the strength of his songs is what finally gave him the confidence to reach out to Oliver Wood to see if he would be interested in producing his new album.
“The last two years have been one of the most inspired periods of my life. I’ve written dozens of new songs. Some of my best ever! And they feel different somehow. This time, the songs aren’t fueled by pain or grief but by abundance. They’re sad, but not broken. Angry, but hopeful. They feel less like a bid for approval and more like an offering,” Bronson says.
Oliver Wood concurred. “I was very impressed with the depth of Eliot’s songwriting,” he says. “He sent me about 15 songs, and they were all great, and it was hard to choose favorites for the record. Then he kept sending more songs that were even better!”
Craig Morgan – My Country
Before Craig Morgan served country music, he served the country in the Army. He also currently serves in the Army Reserve, along with continuing to pursue his career in country music. To mark his dedication to both country, and his country, Craig Morgan has compiled My Country, which is a collection of songs that pays tribute to both, including with songs like Toby Keith’s “American Soldier.” It comes amid America’s 250th birthday, and Veteran’s Day observed on November 11th.
“This new album brings together two things I love – my country and country music – and it’s created to celebrate both,” shares Craig. “You’ve been hearing ‘I’m Country Music’ in my shows lately and I’m excited to finally release it today. And I’m privileged too to have the blessing of my friend Toby Keith’s family to record and release my own version of his iconic song, ‘American Soldier,’ on the project too. I can’t wait for everyone to listen!”
More Releases:
Hudson Westbrook – Made You Look – The fast-rising star from Texas had a really promising start. The Nashville machine has a hold of him now, but the album might still be worth a spin.
Sylvie – New Season – If you liked the smooth California country folk sound of Alex Amen’s album earlier this year, check this one out as well.
The Weary Boys – Darkhorse – Influential and legendary Austin underground roots/bluegrass band is back with their first album since 2007.
Mark Wills – Grand Ole Revival – Faith songs live from the Grand Ole Opry.
Jessi Alexander – Southern
Sunny Black – Hard Times
Grayson Capps – The Weight of the World (Americana)
CJ Solar – Black Label Blues (Americana)
Marc Silver – The Dark of Our Hymn (folk, Americana)
Cara Luft – My Heart Will Always Be (folk, Americana)
Shakespeare’s Bones – Self-Titled (Americana)
Jess Kerber – The World Is Dark, but I Want It to Be Funny (folk)
Marc Silver – The Dark of Our Hymn (Americana)
Kelley Smith – Flowers (folk)
Sheila Vee – Ride (bluegrass)
Clay Barker – Been in That Boat EP
Sam Barber – The Outlier EP
Various Artists – Where The Soul Never Dies: Celebrating 80 Years of the Stanley Brothers
Various Artists – The Long Memory: 20 Years of Free Dirt Records
Raul Malo – Bella Ciao (his final solo show, official physical release)
Neal Casal – Book of Stories (Home Recordings 1998-2003)
Upstate – Abalone (indie folk)
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November 6, 2026 @ 11:55 am
Kudos to Willi Carlisle for the end of year AOTY contender.
November 6, 2026 @ 12:09 pm
I’m a big fan of Jessi Alexander. I haven’t dug in yet, but her new album ‘Southern’ is out today.
By the way – listen to her album ‘Down Home’ that has her versions of the hits she wrote for others. Miley Cyrus “The Climb” with Chris Stapleton on background vocals, or “Mine Would Be You” with Dierks Bentley are standouts.
November 6, 2026 @ 12:21 pm
This Sunny Black album is pretty good.