Flock of Dimes, the indie-pop solo project from acclaimed musician Jenn Wasner of Wye Oak, has unveiled her fourth studio album, The Life You Save, scheduled for release on October 10 via Sub Pop. Along with the album announcement, Wasner released the lead single “Long After Midnight” and its poignant music video, directed by Spencer Kelly—an intimate homebound visual featuring Wasner’s guitar performance against a backdrop of movers clearing out her living space.
In her statement, Wasner described the album as a raw and ongoing journey, centered on her struggle with addiction and co-dependency. She voiced a desire for the music to offer solace to listeners navigating their own emotional odysseys: “It is my hope that this record exists as a testament to the depth of my love… and that it might provide some comfort for anyone who is still learning how to love and live for themselves.” Co-produced by Wasner, the project was recorded across studios in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and Los Angeles.
Wasner’s previous Flock of Dimes albums—2016’s If You See Me, Say Yes and 2021’s Head of Roses—were largely retrospective, reflecting on past experiences. Head of Roses, in particular, was a deeply introspective, breakup-centric record shaped during pandemic isolation. Critics lauded its blend of guitar-drenched rock and synth-pop textures, describing it as a meditation on heartbreak and self-ownership. Pitchfork, awarding it a 7.5/10, commended its confident mix of haunting synth lines and Wasner’s evocative vocals.
In contrast, The Life You Save breaks from reflection into immediacy—a confessional front-row seat to Wasner’s emotional process, marked by vulnerability and active struggle.
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The debut single “Long After Midnight” arrives with a stripped-back acoustic performance, its mood underscored by the minimalist staging of the video. As moving boxes fill the frame, the scene feels like a literal and metaphorical clearing out—a powerful visual echo of Wasner’s ongoing journey through addiction and transformation. The video’s simple yet potent conception highlights Wasner’s intent to share deeply personal terrain, without artifice or distance.
To introduce her new material, Wasner has scheduled a U.S. fall tour spanning a month, starting in Philadelphia on November 6 and wrapping in Los Angeles on December 5. The tour strikes a balance between intimate venues and energetic cities—Philadelphia, New Haven, Brooklyn, Somerville, Washington D.C., Saxapahaw, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, and LA among others. This route echoes her evolving artistic path: personal, yet widely connecting.
Jenn Wasner, born in Baltimore in 1986, began her musical journey early—trained in piano and guitar from childhood and gaining prominence as one half of Wye Oak alongside Andy Stack. Wye Oak’s resonant, emotionally-charged music earned enthusiastic acclaim ever since their 2011 breakthrough album Civilian, and led to collaborations with Bon Iver, Dirty Projectors, and Sylvan Esso.
Her solo moniker, Flock of Dimes, emerged with the 2016 debut If You See Me, Say Yes, a synth-pop-infused record praised for its elegance and strong songwriting, holding an 83 Metacritic rating. Its follow-up, Head of Roses, delved deeper into emotionally layered, pandemic-born introspection, exploring love, autonomy, and recovery. Reviews recognized its stirring sonic blend—“dreamy synths and hazy guitar riffs,” as described by Riff Magazine—and its candid lyrical reflection.
With The Life You Save, Wasner evolves from retrospection to ongoing personal narrative. The new work confronts vulnerability head-on, exploring themes of addiction, co-dependency, and the struggle to love oneself. Though details of the full tracklist are available—12 songs, including “Afraid,” “Keep Me in the Dark,” “Defeat,” “River in My Arms,” and “I Think I’m God”—the core is undeniably real time: unfiltered, uncertain, and unfolding.
This marks a meaningful shift for Wasner—not just artistically but thematically. Where past records dealt in reflection and aftermath, The Life You Save is performative therapy: it holds space for discomfort and hope, for healing-in-progress.
Fans attending upcoming tour dates should expect an immersive experience. Wasner will likely feature stripped and ethereal renditions of new material reflective of the “Long After Midnight” aesthetic, alongside possibly more layered, textured versions of earlier songs. Given her multi-instrumental talents—from guitar to synths and sax—and reputation for emotionally resonant performances, shows are poised to blend intimacy with sonic depth.
As indie-pop continues embracing raw confessional content and genre-blurring sound, The Life You Save positions Wasner on a powerful trajectory. Sub Pop’s backing ensures strong visibility, while her knack for merging delicate introspection with rich musical landscapes makes this a highly anticipated release.
For longtime followers, the album signals deeper trust—an invitation into her most vulnerable spaces. For new listeners, it offers a compelling entry point: personal, artful, and alive with honest emotion.