On June 19th, beloved jam quartet Spafford is dropping a new album - their first in four years.
The 11 tracks on “Cat Shop” are the first studio recordings from the current iteration of the band, which pairs longstanding members Brian Moss and Nick Tkachyk – Spafford’s lead singer/guitarist and drummer, respectively – with the recent additions of keyboardist Cory Schechtman and bassist Shon Gordon. As Shakedown Beat bravely reported after catching a trio of shows around the Northeast in March, the four musicians have hit a special stride that’s made them an unmissable act in 2026. All of the enthusiasm, joy, and deep jamming generated over the past few months is captured perfectly on “Cat Shop,” which flexes the strength of Spafford’s core songwriting while demonstrating just how good an ensemble they’ve become. I can’t stop spinning the thing, and I can’t wait for the complete musical experience of slipping the CD into my Prius’s stereo for a long drive through the Berkshire hills in just a few weeks.
Until then, I tided myself over by speaking with Moss for an exclusive Shakedown Beat breakdown of every song on “Cat Shop.” You can hear my penetrating interview questions and Brian’s thoughtful answers – including why he thought my joke about the album title was a 5.5 out of 10 as well as a full breakdown of the album tracks – by hitting the blue “listen” button above.
Spafford is back in the WAMC listening area on July 10 in Essex, Vermont, and July 11 in Lake George, NY, for Rock The Dock 2026. If you’re not a head, you’re behind.
