Photo: Laura Partain
The Wood Brothers Share ‘Pray God Listens’
One year shy of their 20th anniversary and The Wood Brothers keep getting better. On August 1, the Grammy Award-nominated trio — comprised by brothers Oliver and Chris Wood and Jano Rix — release their ninth studio album, Puff Of Smoke, an audacious 11-song musical meditation on the state of the human condition.
Today, the band shares Puff Of Smoke’s second single and its official lyric video, “Pray God Listens,” a tongue-in-cheek observation on the concept of “God” — he… she… me… or you… — that’s built upon a buoyant Cachito/Cuban-inspired groove.
Oliver Wood explains: “‘Pray God Listens,’ is a bit humorous and cynical, but ultimately it’s a song of compassion and humility. It’s meant to be light, but it’s ambiguous enough that you can draw your own conclusion. You can take the cynicism part and the humor, or you can go a little deeper and find the compassion.”
“Pray God Listens”
Stream the new single HERE
In the months leading up to Puff Of Smoke’s release, The Wood Brothers, ever the fearless road warriors, are on tour, criss-crossing the country. This week they conclude a May run with what are expected to be sold out shows at Harvester Performance Center (Rocky Mount, VA) and The Stone Pony (Asbury Park, NJ), as well as a set at DelFest (Cumberland, MD).
In June and July, they co-headline 15 shows with St. Paul & The Broken Bones, including stops in Colorado, Northern California, the Northwest and the Midwest. All of this alongside additional festival and headline dates throughout the summer months.
We’d love to have you share “Pray God Listens.” And if you’d like an advance of the new album, to arrange a conversation with the band or tickets to an upcoming show, just let me know. I look forward to hearing from you!”
Listening, in its truest sense, is a dying art, but it’s one The Wood Brothers are committed to practicing and upholding as a virtue. In fact, it’s the secret to the mélange of joyful sounds and musical styles on Puff of Smoke, the American roots trio’s ninth album of original music. Indeed, through the near two decades spent together in the studio and on the road, the Grammy Award-nominated trio have honed their interconnected, singular voice to telepathic proportions.
On this latest studio effort, a true collaborative effort between its three members, the songs weave a medley of musical ideas — ranging from Latin-inflected acoustic guitar lines, to driving post-jazz rhythms, to infectious sing along choruses — resulting in a cohesive, joyful whole. All with The Wood Brothers’ trademark turns of phrase and lighthearted, but subversively profound wisdom at the core. Puff of Smoke is a reminder that life is both precious and precarious, and The Wood Brothers invite you to enjoy the ride.
Pre-order the album HERE
Puff Of Smoke
Track Listing
1. Witness
2. Puff of Smoke
3. Pray God Listens
4. Money Song
5. The Trick
6. Is It Up To You
7. Above All Others
8. The Waves
9. Slow Rise (to the middle)
10. You Choose Me
11. Till The End
The Wood Brothers
Tour Dates
5/21 – Rocky Mount, VA – Harvester Performance Center
5/22 – Cumberland, MD – DelFest
5/23 – King of Prussia, PA – Concerts Under the Stars
5/24 – Asbury Park, NJ – The Stone Pony
6/11 – Dillon, CO – Dillon Amphitheater *
6/12 – Salt Lake City, UT – Red Butte Garden & Arboretum *
6/14 – Bonner, MT – KettleHouse Amphitheater *
6/15 – Woodinville, WA – Chateau Ste. Michelle *
6/18 – Santa Rosa, CA – Luther Burbank Center for the Arts *
6/19 – Reno, NV – Grand Theatre at The Grand Sierra Resort & Casino *
6/20 – Saratoga, CA – The Mountain Winery *
6/21 – Santa Barbara, CA – Santa Barbara Bowl *
6/23 – Chautauqua, NY – Chautauqua Institution Amphitheater
6/24 – Rochester, NY – Rochester International Jazz Fest
7/10 – Indianapolis, IN – Rock The Ruins *
7/11 – Cleveland, OH – MGM Northfield Park *
7/12 – Interlochen, MI – Interlochen Center for the Arts *
7/13 – Fort Wayne, IN – Sweetwater Performance Pavilion *
7/15 – Chesterfield, MO – The Factory *
7/16 – Kansas City, MO – Grinders KC *
7/17 – Salina, KS – The Stiefel Theatre *
7/18 – Morrison, CO – Red Rocks Amphitheatre #
7/19 – Paonia, CO – Big B’s Delicious Orchards
8/7 – Deerfield, MA – Tree House Brewing Company
8/8 – Lowell, MA – Lowell Summer Music Series
8/9 – Stowe, VT – Strawberry Jam Festival
8/10 – Westport, CT – Levitt Pavilion for the Performing Arts
8/12 – Annapolis, MD – Maryland Hall
8/13 – Richmond, VA – The National
8/14 – Wilmington, NC – Greenfield Lake Amphitheater
8/15 – Charleston, SC – The Refinery
8/16 – Ponte Vedra Beach, FL – Ponte Vedra Concert Hall
8/29 – Mill Spring, NC – Earl Scruggs Music Festival
8/31 – Charlestown, RI – Rhythm & Roots Festival
9/10-13 – Las Vegas, NV – Bender Jamboree Fest
9/19-20 – Chattanooga, TN – IBMA Bluegrass Live!
2/7-12 – Miami, FL – Jam Cruise 2026
# w/ The String Cheese Incident
* w/ St. Paul & The Broken Bones
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