The September 18 title track features Cooper McBean of The Devil Makes Three on banjo and previews the band’s forthcoming album, Over Hill & Hollow, arriving October 2
DENVER, CO — September 18, 2026 — Americana and folk-rooted band Ponder the Albatross releases “Over Hill and Hollow” on Friday, September 18. The title track from the band’s forthcoming album, Over Hill & Hollow, brings together years of life on the road, the natural rise and fall of experience and a spontaneous decision at Sonic Ranch that changed the direction of the recording session.
Frontman Josh Bower first began hearing pieces of the song while traveling, including on a dusty road near Moab, Utah. An unexpected spark came from the cover of High Performance Habits, a book a bandmate had given him. The phrase led Bower to think about the habits people feed—the vices that may provide temporary shelter but eventually demand a toll.
As the song took shape, Bower drew on contrasts between darkness and light, the pull of difficult paths and imagery inspired by J.R.R. Tolkien. The title arrived naturally. He continued writing after moving back to Arkansas, where the landscape of hills and hollows gave the song an even deeper sense of place.
Unlike much of the band’s material, “Over Hill and Hollow” had never been fully rehearsed or arranged before the recording session. While Ponder the Albatross was working at Sonic Ranch in Tornillo, Texas, several planned songs were not coming together as expected. Standing in the booth and tuning his guitar, Bower decided it was now or never and brought the unfinished song to producer Ted Hutt and engineer Ryan Mall.
After hearing it, Hutt told the band, “Let’s give this some time. I do like what we have been doing with this other tune, but I do think I might like this one a little better—it kind of reminds me of The Devil Makes Three.”
The comparison carried special weight for Bower. The Devil Makes Three has long been a major influence, and the moment became a powerful affirmation of the songwriting journey he has pursued since he was 17 years old.
“Something in that studio brought me back to myself and my place as a songwriter and musician,” says Bower. “I’ve been chasing this dream since I was 17. To hear the band bring the song to life for the first time in that room felt like something bigger was happening.”
The band built the arrangement from the ground up in the studio. As the track came together, the emotional impact was immediate; Bower recalls bassist Eric fighting back tears as everyone realized they had found something special.
Then came another full-circle moment. Hearing a banjo part in the song, Hutt invited Cooper McBean of The Devil Makes Three to play on the recording. The connection was especially meaningful because The Devil Makes Three was the last band Hutt had worked with in that particular room at Sonic Ranch. Nearly a decade earlier, Bower had seen the group perform at Belly Up Aspen with Shakey Graves opening—long before he could have imagined McBean appearing on one of his own songs.
“Over Hill and Hollow” now stands as one of the clearest expressions of Ponder the Albatross: road-worn, reflective and rooted in the belief that the right song can find its moment through instinct, trust and a willingness to take the risk.
The single follows “Holy Road,” “1879” and “Genocide” and sets the stage for the full Over Hill & Hollow album, arriving October 2, 2026.
“Over Hill and Hollow” will be available on all major streaming platforms beginning Friday, September 18.
ABOUT PONDER THE ALBATROSS
Ponder the Albatross is an Americana and folk-rooted band known for blending roots music, rock energy, vivid storytelling and dynamic musicianship. Led by singer-songwriter Josh Bower, the band creates songs centered on perseverance, human connection and life’s winding journey. Their forthcoming album, Over Hill & Hollow, will be released October 2, 2026.
For more information, visit www.ponderthealbatross.com and follow Ponder the Albatross on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and Spotify.
