Nashville-based Americana rock band Cordovas has announced the release of their highly anticipated fifth studio album, Back to Life, out January 30, 2026, via Yep Roc Records/Redeye. Known for their soulful harmonies, poetic songwriting, and cosmic improvisation, the group has long drawn comparisons to The Band, Grateful Dead, and Crosby, Stills & Nash. With Back to Life, they sharpen the edges of their identity—road-tested, deeply traditional in the ways that matter, and determined to be respected on their own terms. The album also features a standout collaboration with dynamic American composer Kamasi Washington, further expanding the band’s sonic reach.

The album will arrive just days after the group hosts their 10th annual Tropic of Cancer Music & Arts Festival (January 14–18, 2026) in Todos Santos. This gathering has become a beloved fixture of the international roots music calendar.

The announcement arrives alongside the album’s first single, “Higher Every Time,” available today on all streaming platforms. The track is accompanied by an official music video, highlighting the band’s ability to fuse grounded storytelling with expansive grooves.

Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qG2vXmZkXyE

At the core of Cordovas are songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Joe Firstman and guitarist/vocalist Lucca Soria, partners in what they describe as a “musical friendship.” Their growth as musicians and people is woven throughout Back to Life. Also embedded in the band’s ethos is their longtime creative home of Todos Santos, Mexico, where Cordovas have spent years writing, rehearsing, and building a small compound of artist residencies. From Mexico to Nashville, Cordovas refine songs through a cycle of relaxed creation and rigorous rehearsal. The process has produced a record that is both varied and cohesive, a reflection of the band’s range and focus.

“We took all that we had and worked for free,” Firstman says of the new album. “We did exactly what Wendell Berry told us to do. What Big Steve Parish told us to do. And we feel like we have made our best record so far.”

Cordovas have built their reputation on relentless touring and acclaimed releases, including That Santa Fe Channel (2018), Destiny Hotel (2020), and The Rose of Aces (2023). With Back to Life, they are not only showcasing their most focused and fully realized songs to date but also building the business framework to match the artistry they’ve cultivated for over a decade.

BACK TO LIFE – TRACKLIST

1. Higher Every Time

2. Josefina

3. Back to Life

4. Step Outside

5. Lost at Sea

6. Sunset

7. Wings (feat. Kamasi Washington)

8. Mexico Home

9. Black Sand