Karen Haglof is back on the scene with the release of her second solo album, Perseverance and Grace, on April 22nd. Her debut solo album, Western Holiday, was released in the summer of 2014, but afterwards the artist shifted gears in a major way, taking a break from music to work towards a medical degree. But she couldn’t stay away for long, and now, a full time staff member at the New York University Hospital in the hematology/oncology department, Haglof returns with her sophomore record. This singer/songwriter and guitarist first uploaded “Chains” onto SoundCloud in October 2015 to mark her 60^th birthday, and the songs just kept on coming until she had enough to put together a full album. Haglof has said, “this album was written in bits and pieces, over the course of a year. I’d get two or three songs together, make demos and send them off to [Producer] Steve Almaas for feedback, then go into the studio to cut them.” The album itself was recorded at three different studios spanning three states.

Today, Elmore has the exclusive stream of Perseverance and Grace before its release. It’s a dynamic, genre hopping album, opening with a low-key, country vibe, and showcasing Haglof’s lyrical chops. Later, she blends in a wider range of influences, from rock to blues-country. The opening track, “Cowgirl Clothes,” is a fun meditation on confidence and our need to take on the persona of someone else every once in a while. Haglof explores her bad girl side on “Trouble – Won’t Say More.” The title track, “Perseverance and Grace,” mixes country with blues rock, a bridge to later, rock leaning tracks “Tornado (Through the Bottleneck)” and “Hair Bite,” both dance floor ready. From start to finish, the album is filled with upbeat, life-affirming tracks and quirky yet insightful lyrics, a testament to Haglof’s guitar skills and songwriting abilities. Welcome back to music, Dr. Haglof, you’ve been missed.

Stream Perseverance and Grace below, and head to her website to preorder the album.