London-based songwriter Elanor Moss announces her debut album, The Knife, The Needle, and releases the lead single, “Sarah Waiting in the Car.” Watch the Matthew Thorne-directed video for “Sarah Waiting in the Car” below, listen to the track wherever you stream music, and reserve your copy of The Knife, The Needle ahead of its August 21 release date on CD, LP, or clear purple wave Peak Vinyl from the US or UK Merge store.

The first song written for The Knife, The Needle, “Sarah Waiting in the Car,” sets the tone for the album, Moss’ delicate, contemplative guitar playing and the brushstrokes of Matthew Herd’s arrangement of an ensemble — Marcus Hamblett (horn), Jool Owen (horn), Andrew Stuart-Buttle (violin), Reid Jenkins (violin), Linus Fenton (double bass), and Herd (saxophone) — embellishing her intricately detailed lyrics with heart-rending gravitas as the song’s narrative turns, deftly, from a meeting at the bar to the aftermath of an abusive relationship, gentleness turning into violence. 

“‘Sarah Waiting in the Car’ broke an almost year-long drought of writing songs,” says Moss. “It reignited that spark in me around songwriting, and felt like a breakthrough into something new and intriguing that I wanted to follow. It served as a bit of a guiding light as I re-entered a more consistent relationship with songwriting again; the north star of the album in a way.”

In addition to this first glimpse into The Knife, The Needle, Moss has also detailed an upcoming run of UK headline dates to take place this October. Tickets go on sale Wednesday, June 10, at 10am local time. For more information, visit her website. 

Elanor Moss on tour: 
Jun 09 Corfe Castle, UK – Sandy Hill Arts *
Jun 10 Norwich, UK – Norwich Arts Centre *
Jun 24 Mariefred, SE – Skottvångs Grufva +
Jun 25 Lund, SW – Park Live
Jun 26 Gothenburg, SW – Ringön
Aug 29 Little Mongeham, UK – Smuggler's Festival
Oct 01 Glasgow UK – The Poetry CLub
Oct 02 Leeds, UK – The Attic
Oct 03 Manchester, UK – Low Four Studio
Oct 04 Stroud, UK – The Prince Albert
Oct 06 Birmingham, UK – Hare & Hounds
Oct 07 Bristol, UK – The Jam Jar
Oct 08 Cardiff, UK – Chapter Arts Centre
Oct 09 Oxford, UK – Common Ground
Oct 10 Ashburton, UK – Field System
Oct 11 Brighton, UK – The Folklore Rooms
Dec 03 London, UK – Cecil Sharp House

* supporting Ye Vagabonds
+ supporting Amanda Bergman