Today, Juneteenth, historically marks the end of slavery in America; however, it remains abundantly clear that the fight for freedom and justice for Black people is far from over. Systemic racism is as pervasive as ever and it is the responsibility of every human being to confront prejudice head-on. 

Owen's new album, The Avalanche, is out today, but this is not a time to reflect on a traditional album release. In support of the Black community, the entire Owen digital catalog (including The Avalanche) will be available thru the weekend for Pay What You Want on Bandcamp with 100% of the proceeds going to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund.

Additionally, instead of purchasing anything from the Owen/Polyvinyl store today, please instead consider making a donation to one of the many invaluable organizations doing the hard work on the front lines during this crucial moment in history: The Loveland Foundation, Color of Change, NAACP LDF, Equal Justice Initiative.

Mike Kinsella's work over the years with his various musical endeavors has been nothing short of foundational, from early days with Cap'n Jazz right up until recently with American Football's unforeseen and excellent second act. Even with his long list of contributions to course-setting bands, Kinsella never reveals more of his internal world than he does with the softly drawn songs of his long running solo project Owen. With new album The Avalanche, he delivers a set of Owen songs that are the most straightforward and unguarded the project has ever been.

To record The Avalanche, Kinsella reunited with producer Sean Carey (Bon Iver, Peter Gabriel) and engineer Zach Hanson (The Tallest Man On Earth, Waxahatchee) and decamped to snow-covered Hive Studio in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, just far enough away from the routines and distractions of daily life to really focus on the process. Echoes of the lo-fi bedroom balladry that defined early Owen come through on the heart-crushing "I Should Have Known," familiar open-tuned acoustic guitars and weary vocals supported by glowing string arrangements. "On With The Show" is bounding and upbeat, with a jangly instrumental standing in stark contrast to lyrics about crushing failure. KC Dalager from Now, Now contributes guest vocals to several songs, most notably the glacially paced album centerpiece "Mom and Dead."

Easily the most intense Owen album, The Avalanche is also the most beautifully crafted. Kinsella goes deeper than ever before, with self-reflection so painfully blunt it's sometimes difficult to look at head on. It's a guided walk through one of life's more difficult chapters, resulting in nine of the best Owen songs ever penned and an album that's as heartbreaking as it is magnificent.