Podge Lane Strips Back His Alt-Country Sound
With New Single ‘The Dregs’, Out June 26th
Fresh Irish folk singer-songwriter connects with his roots and records direct to tape.
Irish-born, New York-based songwriter Podge Lane strips his sound back to its roots with new single ‘The Dregs’. Recorded live to tape, the track is a raw folk ballad set for release June 26th via Teip Records.
Moving to the US in early 2025, Lane released Less Of Me, an album inspired by his travels and was praised for ‘blending the twang of the American South with the freshness of Irish rock’ (Hot Press Magazine). Lane now explores a sonic shift with his new single, ‘The Dregs’ and his upcoming fifth record Ebb & Flow & The Great Unknown.
Reconnecting with the rustic, the 8-track album was performed solo and recorded live in a makeshift studio in an old shed then mixed and mastered on reel-to-reel tape. The album promises to be Lane’s most intimate recording to date featuring only acoustic guitar, harmonica and lone vocals.
Believing he recorded the demos of the tracks, Lane realised, as he pieced the album together, that he captured an authentic and complete performance as it happened. Lane shares, “Every mistake, every blemish, felt like my natural reaction, pushing away from pristine and artificial production. This was my way of creating a true connection with these folk stories.”
Visiting his native home in the rural West of Ireland, Lane found the album’s structural inspiration through his family's connection to the sea, “I went to visit my grandparents where they live in a small Irish seaside village. My grandfather’s a fisherman and an excellent storyteller. I saw so many similarities between his stories and my experiences. Being back home, the album grew out of a boat trip with him.”
Lane delves into a tale of isolation, regret and eventual escape with ‘The Dregs’, as Lane’s lonesome vocals sing, “I can’t feel my legs, feels like I’m swimming through the dregs of a lake that was half emptied over twenty years ago.”
The track hits a space perfect for fans drawn to the starkness of Bruce Springsteen's Nebraska, the traditional rawness of Gillian Welch and the lyrical vulnerability of Irish contemporary folk group, Amble. ‘The Dregs’ is a storytellers' lament that grounds Lane's identity in both Irish heritage and gritty Americana.
‘The Dregs’ will be available on streaming services on June 26th, with Ebb & Flow & The Great Unknown to be released in Late August,2026.
Track Details:
Single Title: ‘The Dregs’
Release Date: June 26th, 2026 (available on all streaming services)
Produced by: Podge Lane
Mixed & Mastered by: Sean Weyers of SWS Recordings
About Podge Lane:
Podge Lane is an Irish alt-country artist based in New York. Drawing on his inspirations from Johnny Cash, Lucinda Williams and Zach Bryan, Lane is praised as “an artist making waves in the US Alt-Country scene” - RTÉ Folk On One
Since his debut album Outer Monologues (2021), Lane has built a diverse catalogue spanning intimate folk recordings, concept albums and live performances, culminating in his 2025 release Less Of Me, a sonic postcard capturing his transition from Ireland to the United States.
Podge is a dynamic live artist having performed various sold-out solo tours across Ireland and the UK, and playing alongside high profile acts such as Charlie Parr, Vieux Farka Touré, The Wedding Present, Rachael Sage, Florence Dore, Steve'N'Seagulls, Crywank, The Riptide Movement, Damsel, The Brother Brothers, Cat Clyde and Annika Kilkenny.
Since his move to the US in early 2025, Podge set out on his Gecko Tour and played over 150 shows travelling throughout the American South to New York, including performances at iconic folk venues from Pete's Candy Store, The Bitter End, Irish Haven and Big City Folk.
Bringing his road-tested show back to Ireland in March 2026, Lane embarked on a series of performances across the country including shows at St. Catherine’s Cultural Center (Kinsale), his hometown Kilworth Arts Center, a showcase with Rebel City Networks at Fred Zeppelin's (Cork) and supporting Samantha Crain in Whelan’s (Dublin).
Now based in New York, Lane continues to build his reputation as a relentless live performer while preparing for the release of his most stripped-back record yet, Ebb & Flow & The Great Unknown.
“Cork-based singer-songwriter is a serious one to watch combining feel-good energy and vibrant instrumentation with painfully honest lyrics” (Hot Press Magazine).
“You can hear similarities to his contemporaries such as Willie J Healey and Boy Azooga. Yet there is a retrospective element that is subtly Dylan-esque.” (Clunk Magazine)
“An artist making waves in the US Alt-Country Scene“ (RTE)
Podge Lane New York Tour Dates:
6/14 - Little Honey
6/18 - The Vale
6/27 - Irish Haven, BK
7/5 - 31st Avenue Festival
7/6 - Big City Folk, Greely Square Park
7/25 - Irish Haven, BK
7/26 - Kato Sake Works
7/28 - Montague St