The Steel Wheels Return With Indictment on Smartphone Culture

08-19-2025

(MPG) Virginia-based Americana pioneers The Steel Wheels return with new single "Easy," released via the band's own Big Ring Records label. With a placid sound that reinforces the song's title and an earworm of a chorus, the track is deceptively profound, as it finds the band asking whether it's worth the cost to have the world waiting for us on the other side of our screens. Tonight at 8 p.m. ET, the band will release the track's official music video that captures the electric energy that goes into one of their studio recording sessions.

On the new song, frontman Trent Wagler shares: "We live in the future now. Everything can be discovered and solved with the push of a button. It's so easy! And we're so lonely. And it's not easy. But still, we have it pretty good, right?"

Produced by D. James Goodwin (Goose, Bonny Light Horseman, I'm With Her), who mixed the band's 2019 album Over The Trees, the song was recorded at Goodwin's new Shenandoah Valley studio during a snowy Virginia winter. "Easy" follows a series of one off tracks and their critically-acclaimed 2024 LP Sideways, which garnered praise from Billboard, No Depresersion, Relix, The Bluegrass Situation and many more.

This summer, the group celebrated another successful year of their Red Wing Roots Music Festival with a lineup including Joy Oladokun, Hurray For The Riff Raff and many more. Taking place in the band's home state and founded in 2013, the festival has featured performances from Lucinda Williams, Billy Strings, Dawes and many more. Ever the road warriors, the band is currently on an extensive tour that will take them through Memphis, Denver, Portland and more over the next few months. Find a full list of tour dates here.