Widowspeak Discuss New Album ‘Roses’ Track by Track, Pairing Each Song With a Spice

Track by Track is our recurring column that sees artists take readers through each song on their newest release. In this edition, Widowspeak explore their new album, Roses .

The dynamic between Molly Hamilton and Robert Earl Thomas produces a pure magneticism in their songwriting. Between Hamilton’s hazy, effortless vocals and Thomas’ mesmerizing guitar playing, Widowspeak capture a warm familiarity in their sound, which they’ve spent 16 years perfecting.

This warmth is channeled in its truest form on their seventh album, Roses , in which their musical and personal growth is apparent, and the lives lived between their numerous projects are woven into the fabric of each track. Through the collaboration between producer Robert Earl Thomas and a few of their longtime touring members, the album was recorded on the Greek island Hydra at the Old Carpet Factory during winter, when tourism season is dormant, and that sense of ease and openness of the environment bleeds into the album as a whole.

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Drawing on dream and power pop influences, and artists including Yo La Tengo, Tom Petty, Neil Young, R.E.M., and even a bit of the Twin Peaks Roadhouse band, Widowspeak aim to speak to deeper heartaches through intimate moments.

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It’s looking at the bigger picture amid the smaller elements of the everyday, whether those are daily habits, thoughts, or observations, through a lens of love. Perhaps you see the world as a stage, and as a player, you feel conflicted about your role, but here, Widowspeak illustrates the beauty of the temporary in life and love.

Roses is now available to stream below, followed by Widowspeak’s Track by Track breakdown (complete with corresponding spices and herbs). You can also pick up a copy on vinyl here .

Widowspeak also have a number of tour dates throughout North America from June to August. Grab tickets to see them in concert here .

“The Hook”:

Spice/Herb Pairing: Black Pepper — Familiar and iconic and essential, sometimes surprisingly refreshing in its simplicity and exactly what you want, nothing more, nothing less.

We were calling this one the “Stonesy One” for a while because of the Keith Richards-style guitar part. It’s breezy and lived in, and kind of about casual infatuation. Seemed like a good way to kick off the record. The reference to “the college [radio] station” somehow always brings to mind perennial favorites R.E.M.

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“No Driver”:

Spice/Herb Pairing: Clove — Deep, mysterious, and heavy, like the memory of a late night… maybe even triggering a memory of clove cigarettes. But also warm and inviting. Can go a little too off the rails if it’s on its own, needs friends to really be its best self!

This song started out without any guitar parts, then turned into one big guitar solo that was essentially improvised on the spot. Jesus, take the wheel.

“Roses”:

Spice/Herb Pairing: Salt — Could literally be the only spice, but too much is really too much, makes you not want anything else afterwards. Can literally hurt you, but you also need it to live. Adds so much brightness and flavor, brings out the best in everything else.

It wouldn’t be a Widowspeak record without a title track. The message is essentially: “don’t give up on love just because it’s hard,” but also, don’t give up on anything. Aspire to let new experiences be the best experience: leave space for possibilities and surprises.

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“If You Change”:

Spice/Herb Pairing: Turmeric — Earth and grounded, but with an optimistic lightness. Leaves behind sunshine-y yellow on everything it touches.

We wanted a big, jangly, sunny song. Something like The La’s “There She Goes.” Are you one of those people that leaves the protective plastic on your belongings? Or do you embrace the scratches?

“Wondering”:

Spice/Herb Pairing: Paprika — What was once crisp, young, fresh is now sweet, nostalgic, warm, romantic, lived-in. A flavor that is good company, almost simple in its predictability. So present, it’s almost overused. But lovely, and true.

The ballads are always our favorites, and we’re quite proud of this one. Molly wrote this about watching people on first dates at her work. Going through the motions of service, and thinking about how love starts, grows, and becomes familiar.

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“Angel Number”:

Spice/Herb Pairing: Chili Pepper — A little sassy, definitely spicy. The memory of something hot, crisp, sweet, and bright… but now a bit dried out and painful. Sometimes an enduring warmth, sometimes a sharp burn, but it’s visceral in the moment. The memory of it carries with you, like a ghost.

This one feels indebted to the shamble-y, surfy indie rock of the 2000s. Maybe that makes it kind of an homage to our formative years. Do we have angel numbers? Hard to say, but keep staring at that big cloud.

“Soft Cover”:

Spice/Herb Pairing: Dried Ginger — Spicy and sharp, but also stabilizing, ground…ed. Has a duality to it, and shines as both sweet and savory.

This song came together so easily, we took it for granted. It’s nice to know we can still fall into the groove so effortlessly. Like diving back into a pulpy paperback, or your longtime lover.

“Heaven Is Waiting”:

Spice/Herb Pairing: Nutmeg — Heady, woodsy, but also a little sweet. Stable and grounding, usually something soft in the background of other things, but with the potential for big feeling: psychedelic in large quantities.

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Perhaps the moodiest one on the record, which is saying something for Widowspeak. For essentially unreligious people, we seem to like the canon of imagery it offers. We also seem to keep the hope alive that one day, somehow, we’ll hit the jackpot.

“Actor”:

Spice/Herb Pairing: Cinnamon — Kind of main character syndrome, but also relatable, iconic, instantly recognizable. Sometimes a lot of heat, more so a cozy warmth. Evoking youth at times, but wants to break out of the predictable roles it’s cast in, try out something surprising, reinvent. Like a child star having a midlife crisis-turned-renaissance, thriving in new versions of itself.

We were obsessed with the idea of headshots on the wall of an old school Italian restaurant. Also, the idea that we’re all just playing some role in our silly little lives. The extended outro had kinda been sketched out in a demo, but really, this is another that was basically improvised live in studio.

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“Hourglass”:

Spice/Herb Pairing: Saffron — The jar barely has anything in it, a tiny envelope like a gift, a single strand able to give everything its color. Fleeting, and delicate… but also powerful, and hypnotic. Valuable because it is special and rare.

Another favorite ballad, pure and simple. We’ve been working towards this type of song for 16 years. There was some back and forth about the unhinged slow dance guitar solo.

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_Originally reported by [Consequence](https://consequence.net/2026/06/widowspeak-roses-track-by-track-interview/)._