Thomas Dollbaum – Angus Valley

Thomas Dollbaum’s “Angus Valley” arrives as the lead single from his upcoming EP “Drive All Night,” set for release September 26th via Dear Life Records. The New Orleans-based artist recorded this six-track collection throughout 2023 with Clay Jones, featuring contributions from Kate Teague and Josh Halper.

The EP emerged from a deeply personal experience. Dollbaum was driving from New Orleans to Tampa along the Gulf Coast when he learned of an old friend’s sudden death. “We hadn’t been close in years, and finding out about his death sent me on a sort of journey through memories we had together,” he explains. “Places we grew up in and how sometimes you don’t understand how or why relationships change over time.”

This emotional weight carries through “Angus Valley,” which functions as both a dirge for the hometown and a meditation on memory. Dollbaum’s vocals, previously likened to those of Justin Vernon and Damien Jurado, convey the song’s exploration of loss and place with understated power. The track’s melancholy melody supports lyrics that dig into the past, reconstructing fragments of friendship and geography.