The Droptines Announce New Album, Major Label Debut “Drought Flower”
The Droptines have tapped into some original alt-country chemistry that’s been sorely missing in the roots music diet, and have spent the last couple of years since releasing their debut self-titled album dialing it in even further. Nobody is really doing what The Droptines do: heavy songwriting that stirs emotions, underpinned by involved melodies.
Get ready to polish up your stories about how you knew about The Droptines before anyone else, when you could still see them in intimate clubs, met the bass player out back or at the merch table, and before all these pansy bandwagoners started prancing around in Droptines T-shirts ruined the whole experience now that they’ve blown up.
That’s because they’ve signed to Big Loud Texas, and have just announced their major label debut record. Called Drought Flower, it will be released on April 3rd, and was produced by Jacob Sciba and Big Loud Texas poobah Jon Randall, with a couple songs produced by Taylor Tatsch. It’s the band’s second album overall after the 2024 self-titled affair, and the first that will be scratched into vinyl. Drought Flower was recorded at Austin’s legendary Arlyn Studios Austin.
“Our album ‘Drought Flower’ is the culmination of a lot of hard work from the guys and me,” says frontman and primary songwriter Conner Arthur in one of those prepared statements that accompanies an album announcement. “It will be our first big release since being signed to Big Loud Texas and we’re all very excited that this project will be our first pressed into vinyl.”
More important to note, the album will feature a collaboration with Zandi Holup on the opening song “A Town Near You,” and another with Sarah Jarosz on the song “Mawmaw.” All the songs were written by Connor Arthur except for a cover of Mike McClure Band’s “Calling All Cars,” and “Grand Canyon” by The Magnetic Fields.
Drought Flower will include numerous songs already released from the album, namely “Calling All Cars,” “Old Tricks,” “Take Too Much” and “Snowed In,” the were released throughout 2025, along with their latest single, the sensational “Tombstone” released in November (listen below).
Along with Connor Arthur, The Droptines features Dillon Sampson on bass, drummer Johnny Sheets, guitarist Donny Parkinson, and steel guitar player Tony Rincon.
Drought Flower is now available for pre-add, as well as vinyl pre-order.
TRACK LIST:
1. A Town Near You feat. Zandi Holup (Connor Arthur)
2. Tombstone (Connor Arthur)
3. Old Tricks (Connor Arthur) *
4. Drought Flower (Connor Arthur)
5. Mamaw feat. Sarah Jarosz (Connor Arthur)
6. Snowed In (Connor Arthur) *
7. What Ate My Friend (Connor Arthur)
8. Whatever It Is (Connor Arthur)
9. Take Too Much (Connor Arthur)
10. Calling All Cars (Mike McClure, Adam Odor)
11. Grand Canyon (Stephin Merritt)
* Produced by Taylor Tatsch
February 28, 2026 @ 8:38 am
The article reminded me of something I’ve been wondering for the last few days.
How do you guys define alt-country these days?
This band sounds “alt” to me , mostly as a call back to earlier alt-country bands.
What does that name mean now though?
February 28, 2026 @ 8:45 am
To me, Americana these days is a more rootsy sound. There’s also a lot of soul and R&B in Americana. Alt-country hearkens back to more of the rock edge to country like we originally heard from Ryan Adams and Whiskeytown, The Old ’97s, Neko Case, Bloodshot Records and Yep Roc. That’s what I’m hearing in The Droptines. It’s rock music, but there’s a steel guitar in the band, and the songwriting is more out front.
February 28, 2026 @ 9:25 am
Yeah that’s basically my take on it as well. Curious what other people think here.
February 28, 2026 @ 10:47 am
Trying to put Ryan Adams in any bucket (other than cantankerous) is quite the feat… but I am looking forward to getting to know the droptines!
February 28, 2026 @ 9:00 am
This is absolutely fantastic news! One of my absolute favorite bands! And collabs with Zandi Holup and Sarah Jarosz, both outstanding, almost sound too good to be true! I’m very excited about the album.
February 28, 2026 @ 9:34 am
…if the rest is living up to the promise of “tombstone”, this album may kick up some dust in the americana realm. their self-titled 2024 release was pretty good already, if they can up their good game another notch or perhaps even two, we’d be in for a treat most likely.
February 28, 2026 @ 10:44 am
Wow, I’m liking this. This has the sound of the stuff I was listening to in the late ’90s early oughts.
February 28, 2026 @ 11:26 am
Connor is one of the best songwriters in the game right now, and I couldn’t be more stoked to see these fellas in Omaha in April. Cheers.