Fletcher VanVliet On the Water Return Strange Mono Records September 2025

Philadelphia band On the Water released Return through Strange Mono Records, ending a decade-long gap since their last full-length recording. The album represents seventeen years of gradual sonic development, moving the group from their initial nine-piece acoustic configuration toward a more concentrated lineup that incorporates classical instrumentation alongside heavier electric elements.

Title: Rebirth
Artist: On the Water
Release Date: 2025-09-05
Genres: Alternative Rock, Experimental Music, Post-rock, Psych-folk, Psychedelic Rock
Label: Strange Mono Records
Description: Philadelphia band On the Water releases Return album via Strange Mono Records after decade gap, combining folk, metal with Jeff Zeigler production.

Photo credits: Ziggy Brubaker

Fletcher VanVliet formed the band in 2008 as an acoustic folk collective. The current roster includes drummer Lucas Carine, bassist Aubrey VanVliet, lead guitarist Robin Carine, cellist Evan McGonagill, and frequent collaborator Jesse Sparhawk. All current members joined the band by 2015’s Cordelia, which marked their transition away from purely acoustic arrangements. The band’s name derives from a mistranslation of VanVliet’s Dutch surname, which literally means “of the water.”

Work on Return began in 2017, with the final track “Permutations” originating from an earlier abandoned record submitted to a label that subsequently folded. The recording process stretched across multiple years as the band navigated internal changes, including a divorce between members, mental health challenges, and pandemic disruptions. They regrouped in 2022 with producer Jeff Zeigler, who has worked with Kurt Vile and The War on Drugs.

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