It’s been a minute since we’ve heard from Greatest Lakes. Well, more accurately, it’s been approximately a million minutes since we’ve heard from them. Back in 2014, the Milwaukee (by way of Kenosha) folk and indie rock hybrid released its self-titled debut album they’d been working on since the band’s 2010 formation. Other than collaborating on a song with Pharaoh Mac & DMT and covering a Beach Boys song in 2015, the band has kept and incredibly low profile—playing only one show in 2017, which didn’t even take place in Milwaukee.
Thankfully, a new year brings new material. Though Greatest Lakes work at a slow pace, their output has always been well worth the wait. Their forthcoming sophomore record, Divisions, will come out May 4. Before the long-awaited release makes its way into the world, the band you probably forgot you loved is giving listeners a preview of what’s to come with “Forest,” the first Greatest Lakes single since 2014.
“Divisions was written over the past couple of years,” Greatest Lakes guitarist Brian Steinseifer says. “We started the recording at a friend’s home studio in summer of 2017, but the space had to be gutted after some bad flooding and we were forced to move the whole setup into my basement, where we tracked everything ourselves.”
It took some time—okay, lots of time—and relocation, but Greatest Lakes are back and better than ever. Listen to “Forest” now and pre-order Divisions (which includes an instant download of “Forest”) before the band’s release show in May.