Bombadil / Gentle Temper

Two years ago, Bombadil lost a longtime bandmate and breaking up seemed inevitable. But after a period of exploration that forced them to step out of their comfort zone, Bombadil has returned as a band reborn. Their new album, Fences, out March 3 via Ramseur Records and produced by John Vanderslice (Spoon, The Mountain Goats), is their most remarkable work to date: meticulously crafted, yet accessible and unadorned. Pure, simple, beautiful.

“It’s more than just an album,” says Bombadil drummer and vocalist James Phillips. “It is a new path, a reset after several challenging years.” 

Fences features 11 new, original songs composed by the Durham, North Carolina-based trio, comprising Phillips (drums, vocals), Daniel Michalak (bass, vocals), and Stacey Harden (guitar, vocals). Recorded at Vanderslice’s Tiny Telephone Recording in San Francisco, California, the album is influenced by early Paul Simon and steeped in shades of Cat Stevens and the Incredible String Band.

Bombadil has made fans at NPR, Rolling Stone and the New York Times, who called them "astonishing." They've toured extensively in the past with Dr. Dog, Kishi Bashi, and Carolina Chocolate Drops and will hit the road again in 2017 in support of the new album.