Faun Fables returns with Counterclockwise featuring new and archival songs

Faun Fables will release a new album, Counterclockwise, on May 30, 2025. This marks the first album from the duo since Born of the Sun in 2016, making it the longest gap between releases in their twenty-seven-year history. The first single, “Ember Bell,” is available today along with a music video directed by Lara Miranda.

Title: Counterclockwise
Artist: Faun Fables
Release Date: 2025-05-30
Genres: Experimental Music, Folk, Psych-folk
Label: Drag City
Description: Faun Fables releases Counterclockwise on May 30 through Drag City featuring new songs, covers, and collaborations with their daughters.

The album is the first entirely engineered and produced by Dawn McCarthy and Nils Frykdahl, presenting a collection of songs developed over a span of fifteen years. Some tracks originated from commissioned projects centered on werewolves, Mother Goose, and fairy tales, while others reflect personal and familial experiences. “Ember Bell” addresses themes of motherhood and pregnancy. The album also includes several cover songs, such as material by Yes, Bee Gees, and the theme song from the 1970s television show Grizzly Adams.

Counterclockwise features contributions from the couple’s daughters—Edda, Ura, and Gudrin—who provide keyboard and percussion accompaniment. Nils Frykdahl, known for his work in Sleepytime Gorilla Museum and Free Salamander Exhibit, plays multiple instruments, including guitar, bass, flutes, glockenspiel, harmonium, trombone, and tenor saxophone. Norwegian musician Arild Hammerø contributes guitar parts on several tracks, including “Ember Bell.”

The album is dedicated to Edward ‘Will’ McCarthy, Dawn’s late father. The project examines the passage of time and the recurrence of experience, demonstrates how traditions move across generations.

Dawn McCarthy is a musician and vocalist whose work incorporates elements of folk, storytelling, and theatrical performance. She is the central figure of Faun Fables, a project she formed in the 1990s, blending traditional ballads with original compositions. McCarthy has collaborated with a range of musicians, including Will Oldham, with whom she recorded What the Brothers Sang, an album of Everly Brothers interpretations. Her work often explores folklore, mythology, and personal narratives, integrating a variety of musical styles and influences.

Counterclockwise will be available on May 30, 2025, through Drag City.

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