Peter Stampfel, the Grammy-winning psych-folk pioneer and longtime champion of freak-folk and anti-folk, will release his eighteenth solo album, Song Shards: Soul Jingles, Stoic Jingles, Vintage Jingles, Prayers and Rounds, on September 19 via Jalopy Records. The project finds Stampfel reemerging in vibrant form, both creatively and vocally, following a long battle with dysphonia that once left him unable to sing.
A sampler of five tracks is now available, offering a glimpse into Stampfel’s latest collection, where wisdom collides with whimsy and vintage nostalgia. The album combines stoic aphorisms set to music with reimagined advertising jingles from mid-20th century American radio. Each piece is strikingly brief—most under two minutes—yet packed with character, melody, and invention.
A Return to Voice and Experimentation
Song Shards signals not only a new chapter in Stampfel’s storied career but also a personal triumph. Years of dedicated vocal exercises have allowed him to reclaim his voice, now marked with raw edges that only deepen the impact of his words and melodies. The result is music that is at once eccentric, funny, philosophical, and unlike anything else in the folk tradition.
The first half of the record offers fragments of prayers, observations, and made-up “soul jingles,” influenced by both Alcoholics Anonymous teachings and revelations found in altered states. The second half reimagines jingles that Stampfel first heard growing up in Wisconsin during the 1940s and ’50s—what he calls “capitalism’s sonic heraldry.” Together, these shards form a kaleidoscopic songbook that defies categorization.
Collaborators and Production
The album was produced by Mark Bingham, founder of New Orleans’ renowned Piety Street Studios and known for work with Marianne Faithfull, Dr. John, R.E.M., and Allen Toussaint. Recording sessions took place in Brooklyn and New Orleans, with contributions from Jonathan Frelich of the New Orleans Klezmer All Stars and other longtime collaborators.
A Lifelong Musical Outlaw
Stampfel’s influence on American music stretches back to the 1960s when he co-founded the Holy Modal Rounders alongside playwright Sam Shepard, sharing stages with the Velvet Underground, Pink Floyd, and Ike & Tina Turner. The Rounders’ “If You Want to Be a Bird (Bird Song)” became part of the Easy Rider soundtrack, cementing Stampfel’s role in shaping the countercultural soundscape. Over the decades, he has collaborated with Michael Hurley, Jeffrey Lewis, Yo La Tengo, and They Might Be Giants, while continually carving his own singular path.
In addition to his performance work, Stampfel earned a Grammy for his liner notes to The Anthology of American Folk Music reissue, affirming his deep knowledge of the folk canon.
Track Listing
The 46 tracks of Song Shards are divided between original aphoristic songs and recreated vintage jingles, with highlights including “God May Be Indifferent,” “Maximum Love,” “More Wack,” and “Beer Jingle.” Together, they create a playful, meditative, and often surprising listening experience.
Complete liner notes and annotations, written by Stampfel himself, accompany the release—spanning nearly 14,000 words and offering rare insight into his creative mind.
Release Details
Song Shards: Soul Jingles, Stoic Jingles, Vintage Jingles, Prayers and Rounds will be released September 19, 2025, on Jalopy Records.
Listen to the sampler and learn more here: Album Sampler
