"Russell's 2023 EP, This Is Son Solitaire, is his bold nod to a post-punk/art-rock sound and persona. An artistic chameleon, he presents an vibrant trio of songs which set a very high bar for his ever-expansive, increasingly diverse recorded output." - CUTS Music Group
Distilled from a solitary recording experiment during the 2020 pandemic lockdown, writing and recording alone in his home studio, Russell abandoned preconceptions and experimented freely, ultimately disrupting what he saw as his long-standing artistic archetype. The result yielded a three-song EP, This Is Son Solitaire, released in late 2023. In 2024, the EP landed on the Official 67th Annual Grammy Ballot for Best Alternative Music Performance, appearing alongside one of Russell’s heroes, Nick Cave. It was a moment he describes as “personally symbolic", adding that it felt like a"baptism for Son Solitaire, to be named among that list of artists.”
This Is Son Solitaire was mastered by John Webber (David Bowie, Rodrigo Y Gabriela, Echo & the Bunnymen, George Michael and many more) at AIR Studios in London.
VIDEOS
- “Swinging For The Fences” was created by Albanian based animator, Mr. Riddlestone, the film tells the story of a dreamer, across a dimension of unspecified time; it's older self - in a metaphorical letter to one's younger self - instills persistence, determination and courage despite the shadowy figures of Doubt, Failure, Fear, etc., aiming to derail the dreamer's ambitions. It was my great pleasure to work across continents, artist to artist, with Mr. Riddlestone on this complex concept. He achieved something beautiful.
- “Lifeboat” is a collaboration with Senara Studios, a collage style lyric video of vivid, psychedelic imagery.
Released September 29, 2023
Produced by Woody Russell
Recorded 2020 - '21 at Green Shoe Studio, Austin, Texas
Mastered by John Webber at Air Studios, London
SON SOLITAIRE, THE BAND
With its origin distilled from a solo recording experiment during the 2020 pandemic lockdown, Son Solitaire is acclaimed singer-songwriter and guitarist Woody Russell’s new band as of mid-2026. An agile trio, Son Solitaire crafts new music for what Russell calls “an anxious world.” The sound is a collaborative amplification of his assured, story-driven songwriting, moving between conversational narratives and darker observations. As recent videos show, Russell is joined by bandmates Greg Madianos (bass, keys) and Mikke Zeoli (drums, percussion), who meet the music with instinctive, shared purpose.
In Son Solitaire, Woody Russell leans into searching, metaphor-rich songcraft and performance, a gifted raconteur who confronts his ruminations with angular guitar work. Observational lyrics collide with a boundary-crossing sound rooted in experimental alt-rock that carries folk, blues and jazz in its bones.
Look for new music from Son Solitaire in 2027.
