Half a decade ago, Margo Cilker released her debut full-length Pohorylle, and we called it one of the best country albums of the year. Two years later, when Cilker released her sophomore LP Valley Of Heart's Delight, we named it Album Of The Week and, again, one of the best country albums of the year. I also rated "Crazy Or Died" among my favorite songs of 2023.
With all those superlatives in mind, I'm extra excited to report that the Goldendale, Washington-based singer-songwriter has announced LP3 today. Recorded in Lockhart, Texas with veteran producer Bruce Robison (Charley Crockett, Lee Ann Womack, George Strait, the Chicks), Little White Cross is out in October, and we can hear its album-opening title track now.
"You could definitely call it a concept record. If that concept is that I got really sad and went to Texas," Cilker says. "I had some material so dark I didn’t think I’d show it to [Bruce]. Then I remembered this is the man who wrote 'Travelin’ Soldier.'" The album contains a mix of Cilker originals and covers of songs she'd been playing to work through her own pain. (About what? We're not privy to that information for now.)
One of those cover songs is "Little White Cross," originally written and recorded by her friend Christy Hays. True to the description, it sets a morbid yet tender tone: "Little white cross on the side of the road/ Little fake flower and a crown of gold/ They were going so fast how were they to know/ They'd be a little white cross on the side of the road."
Listen below, where you'll also find the Little White Cross tracklist and Cilker's tour dates.
TRACKLIST:
01 "Little White Cross"
02 "Ladybug"
03 "Molly And Me"
04 "State Line"
05 "Walls"
06 "Pauline"
07 "Road To Las Cruces"
08 "The Money"
09 "Maryhill Peaches, Goodnoe Pears"
10 "Wolves"
TOUR DATES:
10/08 - South Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground*
10/09 - Northampton, MA @ Iron Horse Music Hall*
10/10 - Portland, ME @ One Longfellow Square*
10/12 - Brooklyn, NY @ Baby's All Right*
10/13 - Philadelphia, PA @ MilkBoy*
10/14 - Washington, DC @ DC9*
10/16 - Troy, NY @ The Hangar*
10/17 - Boston, MA @ Cafe 939*
10/28 - Portland, OR @ Polaris Hall+
10/29 - Seattle, WA @ Tractor Tavern+
11/07 - Denver, CO @ Globe Hall^
11/08 - Santa Fe, NM @ The Marigold Room^
11/10 - Tucson, AZ @ Hotel Congress^
11/12 - Indio, CA @ Dune Room^
11/13 - West Hollywood, CA @ The Roxy Theatre^
11/14 - San Francisco, CA @ The Chapel^
11/15 - Felton, CA @ Felton Music Hall^
*co-headline tour with Lilly Hiatt
+headlining album release shows
^supporting The Cactus Blossoms
Little White Cross is out 10/9 on Fossil Records. Pre-order it here.
