Article Contributed by Gratefulweb
Published on 2026-11-11
As another year draws to a close, Brother Townsend is preparing to release a song that reflects the weight of difficult times and the quiet hope that can endure beneath them.
“Long December,” the new single from the folk, rock, country and blues project of singer-songwriter Brett Townsend, arrives November 28, 2026. Based in the Pacific Northwest, with roots in Northwest Montana and Northwest Washington, Brother Townsend continues to explore the more complicated corners of the human experience through heartfelt songwriting and American roots music.
Described as a December song for difficult times, “Long December” is an acoustic-led, meditative recording that runs just over three minutes. Rather than offering the usual seasonal celebration, the song mourns the difficulties of the present moment, finding its place in the quieter, more contemplative side of Townsend's songwriting.
The new single follows the August 2026 release of Heavy Hands, a four-song EP that ranks among Brother Townsend's more somber recordings. Moving through warnings of apocalypse, meditations on death and suicide, songs of lament, and reflections on an overburdened life, the collection explores challenging subjects while maintaining a persistent, quieter thread of hope beneath its darker themes.
The EP includes “Storm,” “Giving Up the Ghost,” “East of Eden,” and “All on Me,” with “East of Eden” offering a particularly accessible introduction to the collection at four minutes and 46 seconds.
On Heavy Hands, Townsend is joined by guitarist Billy Winters, bassist and harmony vocalist Kristina Ziese, drummer Andrew Rudd, and pedal steel guitarist Pete Remine. The recording was engineered and produced by Bill Yates and mastered by Troy Glessner.
Listen to Heavy Hands on Bandcamp, Spotify, or Apple Music.
Brother Townsend is the musical project of singer-songwriter Brett Townsend, drawing from the traditions of American rock and roll, folk, country, and blues. At its core, the project is an ongoing inquiry into the human condition—conviction and doubt, freedom and conformity, faith and reason—expressed through storytelling, melody, and a sound that moves freely between roots-rock, blues, country, and folk.
Townsend's musical journey stretches back more than a decade. Brother Townsend began taking shape as a band in 2014 and has since moved through various lineups and collaborations, building a catalog that includes the full-length album All the King's Ashes, the In Time EP, and a series of live recordings from Rainshadow Recording Studio in Washington.
With “Long December,” Townsend returns to a more intimate musical setting. Coming after the heavier emotional landscape of Heavy Hands, the single continues his interest in confronting life's difficult realities without losing sight of the possibility of hope.
“Long December” will be available on digital music platforms November 28, 2026. Fans can pre-save the single here.
For more information and additional music, visit Brother Townsend's official website.
New Single
Release Date: November 28, 2026
Running Time: 3:04
Artist: Brett Townsend / Brother Townsend
Released August 15, 2026
Tracklist
1. Storm – 6:50
2. Giving Up the Ghost – 6:35
3. East of Eden – 4:46
4. All on Me – 6:40
