Welsh folk-rock band Rusty Shackle are preparing to release their new album, Mayfield, on August 29, 2026, through Get Folked Records. Described as the band’s most ambitious release so far, the 14-track record takes a more stripped-back, reflective approach while retaining the folk, rock, and Americana influences that have shaped their sound.
Recorded at Stompbox Studios and produced and engineered by Todd Campbell, Mayfield places storytelling at the centre of the band’s music. Rather than relying on elaborate production, the album uses acoustic textures, organic instrumentation and carefully arranged dynamics to create space for its themes to come through.
At its heart, Mayfield is a record about resilience. The songs explore friendship, perseverance, uncertainty and the difficult process of rebuilding confidence when life doesn’t go according to plan. There is a sense of reflection throughout the album, but the band avoids turning those ideas into overly dramatic statements. Instead, the songwriting allows the emotions to develop naturally.
That balance between intimacy and energy is central to the record. Acoustic arrangements provide much of its foundation, while warmer indie-rock elements add movement and colour. The result sits comfortably between traditional folk storytelling and the more expansive sound of a contemporary rock band.
The album includes previously featured tracks such as ‘Stand Up Tall’, ‘Your Arrows’ and ‘Riders of the Purple Sage’, giving listeners an early taste of the direction Rusty Shackle have taken with Mayfield.
The full tracklist moves across two sides, opening with ‘Prologue’ and continuing through songs including ‘Swandive’, ‘Calico’, ‘Begin’, ‘The Pearl and the Rainbow’, ‘Unshakeable’ and ‘Saturn’s Rings’, before closing with ‘Juniper (Whining of the Winds)’ and ‘Of Gallows & Galleries’.
Rusty Shackle’s lineup brings together a broad range of instrumentation. Alex McConnachie contributes guitar, synth and vocals, while Baz Barwick plays guitar, tenor guitar and mandolin. George Barrell handles drums and vocals, Liam Collins provides vocals and guitar, Scott McKeon adds fiddle and banjo, and Ryan Williams plays bass, trumpet and piano.
Additional contributions include harmonica from John McConnachie on ‘Calico’ and narration by Wayne Moriarty on the opening ‘Prologue’. The album was mastered by HBomb Mastering, with cover photography by Tom Damsell and artwork by George Schofield.
The release also marks an active period for the band on the live circuit. Rusty Shackle will celebrate Mayfield with an album launch at Tramshed in Cardiff on August 29, followed by appearances at Between The Trees in Merthyr Mawr, Bunkfest in Oxfordshire and Days In The Sun in Gloucestershire.
With Mayfield, Rusty Shackle appear less interested in simply making a bigger record and more interested in making a more honest one. Its themes of resilience and connection are matched by a sound that gives the songs room to breathe, making the album a thoughtful new chapter for the Welsh folk-rock group.
TOUR DATES 2026
29/08 – Tramshed, Cardiff, Album Launch
30/08 – Between The Trees – Merthyr Mawr
06/09 – Bunkfest – Oxfordshire
19/09 – Days In The Sun – Gloucestershire
A Little More About Rusty Shackle
Based in Wales, Rusty Shackle have developed their identity around the meeting point of folk storytelling and rock instrumentation. Their use of fiddle, banjo, mandolin and acoustic guitar alongside bass, drums, piano and trumpet gives them plenty of room to move between traditional and contemporary sounds.
With Mayfield, the band are taking that musical foundation into a more reflective direction while keeping the warmth and live energy that have become an important part of their identity.
You can connect with Rusty Shackle through site rustyshackle.com, Bandcamp rustyshackle.bandcamp.com, Instagram @rustyshackle, and Facebook
