Today, Nashville singer-songwriter Paul McDonald is thrilled to share “Unwind,” the third song to be released off his forthcoming studio album, So Long To The Dark Side.
“This song emerged spontaneously during a late-night jam session with my old bandmate from The Grand Magnolias, Jonathan Pears,” says McDonald. “We hadn’t written together in over a decade, but that night, we picked up our guitars and somehow the magic fell out of the sky. We finished up the song a few days later with our buddy Hailey Steele. The song is a simple feel-good track kind of born from a moment of nostalgia, but reflects on the free-spirited journey of my college band days. It eventually evolves into a reminder to slow down, let go, and be present.”
“Unwind” follows the releases of “Dark Side” and “What’s The Point?”
In support of the new album, Paul will play several shows from coast to coast throughout the next several months. For all news and up-to-date information, please visit thepaulmcdonald.com.
Paul McDonald on Tour
June 7 Cathead Jam 2025 - Jackson, MS
June 13 Grants Lounge - Macon, GA
June 14 - 185 King Street - Brevard, NC
June 26 - Songbirds - Chattanooga, TN
June 27 - Steel Hands Brewing - Cayce, SC
July 2 - Jammin Java - Vienna, VA
July 3 - American Music Festival 2025 - Berwyn, IL
July 5 - Turntable - Indianapolis, IN
July 17 - Skinny Dennis - Nashville, TN
July 24 - Cervantes’ Masterpiece Ballroom & Other Side - Denver, CO
Nov 9 - Venue Shrine - Tulsa, OK
Nov 30 - Nashbash - Miami Beach Bandshell - Miami Beach, FL
“This album took the long road home.”
That’s how Paul McDonald sums it up—and it’s the truth.
His last full-length release came in 2018. Since then, McDonald wrote and recorded multiple albums… and shelved them all. Burned out and broke after chasing an elusive sound through countless sessions, he hit pause on the studio grind and returned to the only place that ever felt right: the stage.
With a new band—The Mourning Doves—he hit every dive bar, burger joint, and juke hall that would have him. No pressure, no polish. Just songs, played loud and honest. That spirit came to life during a month-long residency at East Nashville’s The Underdog, where word of mouth turned into a groundswell. A local buzz grew. A community formed. And out of that energy, McDonald launched One Big Love, a grassroots festival that became a magnet for the city’s most vibrant players.
It was during this time that a friend and local producer, Bobby Holland, offered to record the band. At first, McDonald resisted—after five scrapped albums, he wasn’t eager to try again. But the band cut the record live, straight to tape, with no overthinking. And just like that, the sound he’d been chasing for years finally arrived.
“This album helped me heal,” he says. “It brought me back to life. It’s not perfect, and that’s the point. It’s raw and human and alive. And for the first time in a long time, I feel like I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be.”
