Allison Russell finds joy on duet-filled album In the Hour of Chaos
Allison Russell is finding joy on "In the Hour of Chaos," her third solo album—a duets-filled set with her Rainbow Coalition band and guests including Norah Jones and Brittney Spencer. Variety reports she chose communal collaboration amid global unrest, turning darkness into what she calls a near-party record.
When "Outside Child" and "The Returner" earned year-end acclaim, Russell planned a trilogy-closing "Motherland." Instead, years on the road and two Broadway runs in "Hadestown" pushed her toward something different: an album recorded slowly over two years, with guests on all but one of 11 tracks. For more on streaming and music releases, follow our Streaming & TV Alerts coverage.
Key Takeaways
- Russell's "In the Hour of Chaos" is her third solo album and features a guest vocalist on 10 of 11 songs.
- She shelved the planned "Motherland" trilogy capper to make a community-focused record during rising authoritarianism.
- Guests include Norah Jones, Brittney Spencer, and Kashus Culpepper; lead single "Rainbows" opens the set.
- Russell released "Black Lavender" with Spencer ahead of Juneteenth before the full album drop.
- She is currently opening for Sarah McLachlan on tour before her own fall headlining dates.
What Makes "In the Hour of Chaos" Different From Russell's Earlier Albums?
Russell told Variety that her first two solo records were made in a sprint—"Outside Child" in four days and "The Returner" in six. This one unfolded over two years, with co-writers and producers including Dim Star, Wendy Melvoin, Lisa Coleman, and Meg McCormick building tracks across long distances.
Where her prior albums carried no featured guests, this collection is a deliberate conversation. Russell described herself as a "rainbow farmer," gathering carefully chosen artists to offset what she sees as divide-and-conquer forces online and in politics. The result, she said, is almost like a mixtape to a musical yet to be written.
Who Appears on the Album—and Why Does That Matter?
Featured artists span familiar names and rising voices. Norah Jones, whom Russell called "our queen," joins alongside Brittney Spencer, Kashus Culpepper, Kyshona, Sara Watkins, and others. Spencer duets on "Black Lavender," a track Russell issued for Juneteenth as a celebration of Black sisterhood and mutual uplift in Nashville's music community.
Russell said she wanted listeners to hear person-to-person dialogue in the music itself. Duets, in her view, can model the creative communion she believes counters algorithm-driven negativity and real-world authoritarian drift.
Why Did Russell Change Course From the Planned "Motherland" Album?
The singer-songwriter still intends to complete her conceptual trilogy with "Motherland," which would require extended time in Africa with family—a trip her nonstop schedule has not yet allowed. After five years of near-constant touring and prolonged separation from her partner and child, she felt compelled to reconnect through collaboration rather than wait.
"In the Hour of Chaos" still lives up to its predecessors, Variety notes, while scratching past its joyful surface reveals the tensions Russell processed to arrive at such a celebratory sound. She is now on the road opening for Sarah McLachlan, with solo headlining dates across North America this fall.