I don't often feature a lot of Americana on this blog, so it is good to mention 'Of The Essence' by the excellently named, Virtual Nobodies. The coastal desert-rock outfit, led by Jeremiah Gray and Xavier Valdez, blend cinematic Americana with a gritty Mojave-road sensibility. That really comes through with 'Of The Essence', the recording is a real slow-burner which meanders and builds within a sort of relaxed intensity (if that makes sense?). The accompanying video is also a great representation of the song - perfectly suiting the human tale set in a dusty outback.
The bands' debut album arrives in October 2026, produced by Niko Bolas (Neil Young/Prince) and featuring an impressive supporting cast including Perla Batalla (Leonard Cohen), Waddy Wachtel (Stevie Nicks) and Jesse Siebenberg (Sturgill Simpson).
Virtual Nobodies also recently supported the once-floppy-haired favourites A Flock of Seagulls during their Southern California tour. Having already picked up attention from NPR Tiny Desk and an award-winning film placement, the band clearly have a few more miles in them than their name might suggest.