Real music. Real people.
Bluesy alt rockers When Rivers Meet are ramping up the expectation ahead of new album Rhythm Rust & Static’s June 19th release after dropping heart versus head anthem Caught In The Middle.
Due to unforeseen vinyl manufacturing delays, the release date for Rhythm Rust & Static has moved slightly and will now be released on 19th June 2026. As a fully independent band, it’s incredibly important to Grace and Aaron that everything arrives exactly as it should and that the people who support them get the experience they deserve.
Rather than rush things at the last minute, they made the decision to hold the release back briefly to make sure everything is right. “We’re sorry for the delay and truly appreciate everyone’s patience and support, we promise it’ll be worth the wait”
The third single hewn from the award-winning duo’s latest long player tackles the emotional push and pull that plays with the mind and defies all rationale.
And it’s another thought-provoking track from genre-busting husband-and-wife duo Grace and Aaron Bond as the game changing couple continue to defy convention and stretch the creative boundaries.
“Caught In The Middle is about being pulled between knowing you should walk away from something and still feeling drawn back to it” explains Grace
“It sits right in that tension between your head and your heart. Part of you knows the danger but another part keeps moving towards it anyway.
“The song leans into that restless feeling of being stuck between two choices and not quite knowing which way you’re going to fall.
Caught In The Middle asks the uncomfortable questions and debates unsound judgement, against the backdrop of another biting, barbed wire riff”
“This one is really about that feeling of being pulled in two directions,” adds Aaron. “You tell yourself you’re going to walk away but somehow you end up back there again.
I think everyone has experienced that moment when what you know is good for you and what you feel are completely different things.
We wanted the music to mirror that tension. The groove keeps pulling you back in, almost like you can’t quite escape it. It feels dark and hypnotic at the same time.”
Caught In The Middle builds on the momentum gained from previously released tracks The Script and The Tide Is Turning.
The Script won Classic Rock Magazine’s Track of the Week with the music bible revealing ‘it finds Grace and Aaron Bond continuing to do more than most with the blues rock template, with overclocked guitar, a backing vocal that’s as righteous as it is rowdy, and a lead vocal from Grace that powers the song along until it disintegrates at the climax.”
Tastemaker Rushonrock, meanwhile, pitched The Tide Is Turning as its Red Hot Track of the Week and said, ‘the band’s bullish new single echoes those early days when power and passion trumped polished production’.
“With our previous album, Addicted To You, we leaned into a much bigger, more produced sound,” explains Grace.
“When we started thinking about the next album, though, we felt drawn to something a little more raw and intimate.”
Early reviews of Rhythm Rust & Static have picked up on the bold new direction with Music-News awarding the album 5/5 before admitting ‘it will polarise listeners and this is not easy listening. But it is magnificent. Ragged and glorious. Absolutely essential.”
When Rivers Meet usher in a brave new era on the back of three successive Band Of The Year wins at the UK Blues Awards and multiple tours across the UK, US and Europe.
Grace and Aaron continue to build on the striking potential that landed the duo Planet Rock Radio’s Best New Band award in 2021.
And on the back of 2025’s top four UK album Addicted To You, the Bonds are determined to break down more barriers and broaden their reach within a constantly evolving music industry.
“When Rivers Meet has never followed the music industry rulebook,” adds Aaron. “We’re proud to go our own way and our new album is a manifesto for doing just that.”
Caught In The Middle is OUT NOW on all digital platforms http://tunelink.to/T5PPY
23rd July, Arts Centre, Colchester
24th July, Forum, Tunbridge Wells
7th August, The Witham, Barnard Castle
8th August, The Cluny 2, Newcastle
21st August, Acapela, Cardiff
22nd August, The Boileroom, Guildford
3rd September, The Parish, Huddersfield
4th September, MacArts, Galashiels
5th September, Voodoo Rooms, Edinburgh
6th September, Lemon Tree, Aberdeen
17th September, The Fleece, Bristol
18th September, Norwich Arts Centre
1st October, Arlington Arts, Newbury
2nd October, Black Prince, Northampton
Tickets www.whenriversmeet.co.uk/tour
Fans can pre-order Rhythm Rust & Static now ahead of its June 19th release. Visit the band’s official website for details of various bundles and formats.
