Beloved Americana collective Police Dog Hogan will return this spring with their most emotionally resonant work to date. The band have confirmed that their new album, The Light At The Top Of The Stairs, will be released on 10th April, accompanied by the reflective new single Passing Through.
Police Dog Hogan
Long praised for their uniquely British take on bluegrass and country-pop, Police Dog Hogan have built a devoted following through their eclectic songwriting and magnetic live performances. Their upcoming eighth album sees the band turning inward, exploring ageing, memory and resilience with a maturity that frontman James Studholme describes as their most powerful statement yet.
“The Light is the record I’ve always hoped we would one day make,” says Studholme. “We’ve tried to put into the songs all the multi-variegated wisdom, joy, disappointment, defiance, grief and stoicism that the rollercoaster of our life experience has granted us. It’s the most emotionally powerful LP we’ve made and we couldn’t be prouder of it.”
The record opens with How Did It Get To Be So Late?, a stark reflection on time’s passing, set against Studholme’s cracked and contemplative vocal. Themes of mortality surface throughout, none more poignantly than on One Last Trip Around The Song, a quiet, devastating meditation on saying goodbye to those nearing the end of their lives — a track that still manages to locate hope in the heaviest moments.
But the album is not without levity or lift. Run Towards The Fire bursts with restless energy, capturing the moments in life when trouble demands you meet it head-on. Flight 5A channels the wistful spirit of Glen Campbell, following a drifting heart heading home “with half of nothing”. Meanwhile Sister Louise offers a dose of piano-led, narrative magic, rich with Tom Waits-esque atmosphere.
The new single Passing Through stands apart in tone, tracing a lone traveller gliding through the American heartland. Built around vivid, cinematic imagery, it follows a character both present and removed — “an observer, forever stuck on the other side of the glass,” as Studholme puts it.
The band’s current line-up features Studholme (guitar, vocals), Eddie Bishop (fiddle, mandolin), Tim Dowling (banjo, steel guitar), Emily Norris (trumpet), Shahen Galichian (accordion, piano), Don Bowen (bass), and Alistair Hamer (drums).
Ahead of the album’s release, Police Dog Hogan will close out the year with three shows — Canterbury’s Gulbenkian Theatre, followed by two already sold-out nights at London’s Half Moon, Putney. They will then embark on an extensive 2026 UK headline tour, culminating in a special London performance at the Islington Assembly Hall on June 18th.
Upcoming Tour Dates:
APRIL
16th – South Petherton, The David Hall
17th – Tavistock, The Wharf
18th – Salisbury, Arts Centre
23rd – Burton-on-Trent, Deer Barn
24th – Liverpool, Tung Theatre
25th – Wallingford, The Snug Barn
30th – Hailsham, Pavilion
MAY
7th – Gateshead, Glasshouse
8th – Edinburgh, Queen’s Hall
9th – Birmingham, The MAC
JUNE
4th – Norwich, Arts Centre
5th – Cambridge, The Junction 1
11th – Manchester, Band On The Wall
12th – Settle, Victoria Hall (Hoganberry)
13th – Settle, Victoria Hall (Hoganberry)
18th – London, Islington Assembly Hall
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