Between the poetic observations of Oliver and his brother, bassist and vocalist Chris Wood — with percussionist and multi-instrumentalist Jano Rix completing the trio — Puff of Smoke is an 11-song collection brimming with joy in the face of challenges, delivering lyrical wisdom with the winking subtlety of John Prine and the musical hive mind of a seasoned group with two decades of shared experiences.

Fans who have hopped aboard at waypoints along the journey that began with their now classic 2006 debut Ways Not to Lose already know to expect a new drop from The Wood Brothers will bring inventive songwriting, a grounded lyrical wit, and an adventurous sweep of sonic avenues. Unpredictability is part of the listening experience.

“This album is a little bit schizophrenic and eclectic, and it goes in a few different directions,” says Oliver.

“There’s a lot to unpack musically in this band, and it’s been this evolutionary process over the years and on each record,” Chris continues. “Over time, the diversity of things we can do has all become part of our language.”

Largely recorded at The Studio Nashville, a creative space in the Sylvan Heights neighborhood that has become an essential companion to the band’s evolution, Puff of Smoke distills the trio’s curious musical minds, voracious appetite for the creative process, and love of spontaneity.