Article Contributed by Gratefulweb
Published on October 18, 2025
Rising alt-country star Podge Lane returns with his fourth studio album, Less Of Me, via Teip Records. Following the release of his rock concept album Multiple Dead Ends and a subsequent European headline tour, Lane, ever the wildcard, chose to uproot not only his writing style and sound but his continent too.
Moving to the U.S. from Ireland in March, Lane set out with the goal of writing songs based on his travels. This change set in motion Lane’s busiest performance calendar to date, with the troubadour playing over 100 shows in seven months. Throughout each performance, Lane debuted new songs and watched the album grow naturally from audience feedback, creating an aural postcard of a writer’s journey.
Ten songs emerged over three months of exploring the American South, recorded over a week in various makeshift studios amidst the New York City heatwave.
Lane describes the record as both literal and oxymoronic:
“This album is everything I’ve seen in these last few months of travelling reflected back showing a different version of what I thought I was gonna see, like a carnival mirror. Some things were prettier than I had hoped, some more painful than I expected. Ironically it’s the most open I’ve been about my own struggles, because I stopped thinking about myself. I just wrote songs to tell stories. Unabashedly, I put the song 1st and the kick drum 45th. Through it I answered my own questions, and saw the person I am, or the people I could become. Hopefully, if you need it you can find some answers in these songs.”
Less Of Me strikes a tempered balance between influence and innovation. Drawing on the classic heartland rock and world-building of Bruce Springsteen and John Prine, Lane captures the chaos of a wild road trip through the high energies of “Heatwave” and “Kicking Up Dust.” In contrast, moments like “Let Me Ask You” and “Broken Door” reflect the modern, unvarnished roots and vulnerability found in artists like Zach Bryan and Sierra Ferrell.
Bolstered by his expansive “Gecko Tour,” featuring performances at folk staples such as Pete’s Candy Store, The Bitter End, and Big City Folk, Lane’s journey has earned praise from RTÉ, Hot Press, Golden Plec, American Songwriter Magazine, The Grateful Web, and Maverick Magazine. Less Of Me leaves Lane bruised, battered, and a little better for the ride — a collection of lives lived, shows played, streets discovered, and lessons learned that capture the grit and heart of a songwriter coming into his own.
Track List:
Kicking Up Dust
Broken Door
Honesty
Intro to Story
The Story
Heatwave
January 2nd
Oh To Be Alive
Let Me Ask You
Kerosene Lighters And Fireflies
