FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE The Mammals Release “Touch Grass Vol. 1 & 2” – A Lyrical Wake-Up Call and Tender Salve for the Soul

Sept 24, 2025 – Hudson Valley, NY — With their most expansive and soul-nourishing offering to date, indie-roots torchbearers The Mammals return with Touch Grass Vol. 1 & 2, a double album that is equal parts protest anthem and love letter to community, healing, and the messy beauty of being alive. Five singles have been released so far to streaming platforms with the full double-album available for purchase at live shows and on the band’s website. A full digital release will come Nov 1st on the final night of their autumnal Touch Grass Album Release Tour.

Known for their jubilant live shows and unapologetically political songwriting, the Hudson Valley quintet—fronted by musical partners Mike Merenda and Ruth Ungar—have toured the world bringing their blend of front-porch folk and barn-burning roots music to audiences in the U.S., U.K., Australia, and Europe. With Touch Grass, The Mammals distill two decades of lived experience and musical camaraderie into 17 songs that rage, reflect, and rejoice.

Recorded over four years at the band’s own Humble Abode Music studio and produced by the group itself, Touch Grass pulses with Americana soul and lyrical clarity. From the opening manifesto “Unpopular Ideas”—which skewers corporate greed and calls for decentralization and food sovereignty—to the cathartic chorus of “The Doldrums,” the album refuses to look away from the turbulence of the past few years. “I want the thoughts in my head to be there because I put them there,” says Merenda. “That realization is the seed this album grew from.”

Volume 1 serves as the record’s rallying cry, delving into cultural dissent with tracks like “Free State of Mind” and the fiddle-fired “Rolling Stone Refugee,” while also grounding listeners in connection through the warmth of “One Good Friend” and the quirky acceptance of “Families.”

Volume 2 shifts the lens inward, offering songs that radiate empathy and introspection. From the meditative shimmer of “Luna Light” to the ache of “Mama Don’t Feel Good” and the rallying warmth of “Heal Our Heart,” these are songs of resilience and repair. The affirming “Do Good” reminds us that kindness is its own form of resistance: “Doing good doesn’t have to mean do more.”

Although created as a cohesive double album, Touch Grass Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 will be available as separate releases—allowing listeners to explore each chapter on its own or together as a unified journey.

The band’s sonic palette is rich and varied—touching on bluegrass, folk-rock, vintage soul, and acoustic balladry—anchored by the Morrison brothers’ rhythm section, expressive keyboards from Will Bryant and Scott Milici, and elegant guest contributions by Charlie Rose (pedal steel), Daniel Littleton (guitar), and Courtney Hartman (guitar). Mastered by Greg Calbi at Sterling Sound, Touch Grass is a warm and dynamic musical ecosystem, lovingly cultivated and ready to share.

For The Mammals, touching grass is more than a metaphor—it’s a call to wake up, root down, and live true.

Official Release date: 11/1/2025

Bandcamp customers, concert-goers & Patreon supporters receive advance access.

Press Contact:
USA Ruth Merenda | Humble Abode Music | humbleabodemusic@gmail.com | (914) 466-8334
UK / Ireland Loudon Temple | Bloody Great PR | info@bloodygreatpr.com |  +44 (0)1505 705325

Listen & Learn More:
Bandcamp |Official Website |YouTube

 Bio.

The Mammals are folksingers Ruth Ungar, Mike Merenda, and a dynamic quintet of multi-instrumentalists whose sound spans fiddle, banjo, guitar, organ, bass, and drums. Over two decades, this fiercely independent band has built a legacy of genre-defying, politically charged, and emotionally resonant folk-rock praised as “some of the best songwriting of their generation” (LA Times). Their music resonates with urgency and tenderness—amplifying the voices of conscience, connection, and the full spectrum of human experience.

Hailing from New York’s Hudson Valley, The Mammals emerged in the early 2000s as “subversive acoustic traditionalists” (Boston Globe), blending old-timey roots with lyrical fire and magnetic force. After a period of redefinition as Mike + Ruthy, the band reemerged in 2017 and have since continued to forge music that is as topical as it is timeless. The Washington Post writes, “They don’t suffer from multiple genre syndrome—they celebrate it.”

Their forthcoming 2025 double album Touch Grass Vol. 1 & 2 marks the band’s most expansive offering to date. A lyrical wake-up call and a tender salve, the album was recorded at their own Humble Abode Music studio over four years. Produced by the band and mastered by Greg Calbi, Touch Grass pulses with Americana soul, front-porch folk, and barn-burning electricity. Volume 1 channels defiant spirit with tracks like “Unpopular Ideas” and “Rolling Stone Refugee,” while Volume 2 invites introspection and healing with meditative songs like “Luna Light” and “Heal Our Heart.” “Doing good doesn’t have to mean do more,” they sing—reminding us that kindness and community are forms of resistance.

Their previous release, Nonet (2020), was hailed as a landmark album that “marshals the defiant spirit needed to heal a damaged world” (No Depression), and the band continues to evolve with their sound, touring internationally and maintaining a vibrant creative base in the Catskills. Twice a year, The Mammals host The Hoot, a spirited folk festival they curate at The Ashokan Center, a nod to Ruth’s musical heritage—she’s the daughter of legendary fiddler Jay Ungar, composer of “Ashokan Farewell.”

With praise from fans, press, and peers including Anaïs Mitchell (“a national treasure”), The Mammals remain in the vanguard of today’s folk revival—musical storytellers rooted in empathy, joy, and fierce authenticity.

“Some of the best songwriting of their generation.” - LA Times

“A national treasure.” - Anais Mitchell

”A party band with a conscience” - Boston Globe

"Some of the best folk-rock music you will ever hear.” - TapeOp

"In the vanguard of today's vibrant folk revival" - PopMatters

“One of New York State’s finest treasures.” - Americana UK

“The songwriting of The Mammals is firmly rooted in the hand-me-down folk music of politics, community and rural splendor.” - American Songwriter

“These two will shatter any preconceived stereotypical notions of what it means to be a folk musician.” - Coastal Journal

“Marshals the defiant spirit needed to heal a damaged world” - No Depression

“The Mammals tell stories that are at once topical and timeless, bearing a message of hope
and empowerment with a modern string-band sound.” - Freshgrass Festival

Review by RBR Music: Reviving the Rebel Soul of Americana.

"The Mammals make music for the moment—and the movement. Anchored in the fertile folk traditions of the Hudson Valley, this fiercely independent band blends string-band swagger with indie-folk heart and a radical spirit that feels both deeply rooted and urgently current. Co-founded by Mike Merenda and Ruth Ungar (daughter of fiddle legend Jay Ungar), The Mammals emerged in the early 2000s with a mission: revive the rebel soul of Americana, and give it something real to say.

And say something, they do. Their songs straddle the personal and political, moving from love ballads and front porch reflections to rally cries for environmental justice, labor rights, and community healing. It’s protest music with hooks—think Pete Seeger meets Wilco at a modern hootenanny. Their harmonies ache, their fiddles fly, and their lyrics don’t flinch. The Mammals aren’t here for nostalgia—they’re here to make folk music matter again.

At a time when roots music can feel either too polished or too precious, The Mammals cut through with grit, grace, and a palpable sense of purpose. Whether they’re headlining a folk festival, recording in their own homegrown Humble Abode Studio, or showing up for a cause in their backyard, The Mammals carry on a living tradition: one where music doesn’t just entertain—it empowers” 

- RBR Music, June 13, 2025

Lyrics.

Touch Grass Vol. 1

UNPOPULAR IDEAS 

I’m afraid I have some unpopular ideas
Our health is derived by letting go of fear 
And eating clean food and breathing clean air
I’m afraid I have some unpopular ideas to share

I’m afraid I have some unpopular thoughts
Your government officials are mostly just bought
By oligarchic money bags grinning ear to ear
I’m afraid I have some unpopular ideas right here

I’m afraid I have just a few thoughts more
Most of your tax dollars get spent on endless war
And subsidized oil, subsidized GMO
I’m afraid I have some unpopular ideas, I know

I’m afraid I have some unpopular ideas to sing
Big pharma runs the whole thing
And a for-profit industry don’t want you to be well
I’m afraid I have some unpopular ideas to tell

I’m afraid I have some unpopular ideas
Let’s throw out the screens all peddling fear
And go and meet your neighbor, maybe share some food
Finally start that garden, it don’t matter if it’s good
And go support yr farmer on regenerative land 
I’m afraid I have some unpopular ideas, my friend 

I’m afraid I have some unpopular ideas
Your health is derived by letting go of fear 
And eating clean food and breathing clean air
I’m afraid I have some unpopular ideas to share

THE DOLDRUMS 

Why do the good times go so fast? 
Why do the doldrums linger and last? 
They say hold on but I just can’t do it
Today came down before I knew it

Oh my good friend told me that growin’ old beats dyin’
And all the wise men say it’s better to fail than not even tryin’

Why do the good times go so fast? 
Why do the doldrums linger and last? 
They say hold on but I just can’t do it
Today came down before I knew it

They say hold on; they say let go. 
They say be strong; they say go with the flow
Baby, what’s wrong? I think I know
All the world is a stage and we all wanna go to the show

Why do the good times go so fast? 
Why do the doldrums linger and last? 
They say hold on but I just can’t do it
Today came down before I knew it

 WASHINGTON’S MARCH
(instrumental) 

FREE STATE OF MIND 

Tried to take my job, tried to take my pride 
Tried to take my friends right from my side, now I’m 

In a free state of mind
Where I know my thoughts are mine
And I know who’s on my side
In a free state of mind

Tried to take my joy, tried to take my light
Tried to take the blue right from the sky, now I’m 

In a free state of mind
Where I know my thoughts are mine
And I know who’s on my side
In a free state of mind 

Where I know my thoughts are mine
And I know who’s on my side
In a free state of mind

ONE GOOD FRIEND  

It's finally summer and our bikinis came in by post
Laying out on your roof where NY sun hits the most
Planning our road trip for when your Mom finally lets you go

Our map’s got a big red pencil line down to the Gulf of Mexico 
Thru the window your sister’s music that’s even cooler than yours
We’ve both got hand-me-downs in our dresser drawers
Just by being close we feel like it’s a holiday
Decades later we can still keep the blues at bay

One good friend is all you need
So much in life is make believe
Somewhere in the middle of the country on the highway 
And driving a little bit too fast
Trying to stay awake all you gotta do is call me
We can talk about nothing and we can make it last
See the sun rise over the western mountains
And laugh about something that we both remember differently
I trust you more than me . . .

One good friend is all you need
So much life is make believe

One good friend is better than a hundred bad ones
When the shit comes down you’re lucky if you have one - and you have one

Now the ice is melting and it’s finally starting to be spring 
Been doing it all winter but today feels like it might be the real thing
Invite folks over, light the fire and sing a song
Trade some food and feel like we belong
Take a picture to remember it later but it’s nothing like being here
Just drink in this day like it’s water like it’s wine or beer
Some kids crying and another one’s laugh
Cuts through the air like the wheat and the chaff

One good friend is all you need
So much in life is make believe
So much in life is make believe 

NOT MY WORLD

You make your bed, you sleep in it
It turns out I don’t give a damn
The world you live in is not my world, my friend

I made my mind up yesterday
The victim plays the losing hand
The world you live in is not my world, my friend 

So, make your bed and sleep in it
And have no reason to pretend
The world you live in is not my world, my friend

FAMILIES 

We're deeply wound and wounded from the twists and turns
Fire warms us and then it scares us when it burns
Only you alone can say what's welcome in your heart
You're king and queen of your own realm and that's a place to start

Families get scrambly and families get weird
Sharing last names, sharing fears
Under one roof or across state lines
Think your family's strange, take a look at mine

Parents pick the carpets for the floors and paint the halls
Kids hang in the balance and hang their art along the walls. 
New days, blue days, faded turquoise shark 
Lights out and I'm learning like a pupil from the light and dark

Families get scrambly and families get weird
Sharing last names, sharing fears
Under one roof or across state lines
Think your family's strange, take a look at mine

The deepest sea of worry has an even deeper floor
Fluorescent fishes can't hear the voices through your bedroom door
The fish are singing hopeful songs that you can hum
Bells are ringing and bubbles to the surface come

When families get scrambly and families get weird
Sharing last names, sharing fears
Under one roof or across state lines
Think your family's strange, take a look at mine

Normal to your left and right it seems but do you know
If wonder woman ever wonders and if superman still tries to grow
So grab your pillow tight today is past her prime
Close your eyes and sleep, it makes a difference every time

When families get scrambly and families get weird
Sharing last names, sharing fears
Under one roof or across state lines
Think your family's strange, take a look at mine

ROLLING STONE REFUGEE 

I’m a rolling stone refugee
I guess I ain’t welcome in the big city
But I got my friends and my friends got me
I got my friends and my friends got me

I’m a rolling stone, I’m stuck at home
But I caught that fox with a chicken bone
I think the new world order’s in the new iPhone
The new world order’s in the new iPhone

I’m a rolling stone, it’s pissin’ rain
I got a few too many podcasts in my brain
If you come sit by my fire pit I’ll try to explain
Come sit by my fire pit I’ll try to explain

I’m a rolling stone, I’m lucky as hell 
Cause I got my own garden and I’ve got my own well
And I got a little secret I ain’t ever gonna tell
I got a little secret I ain’t ever gonna tell

I’m a rolling stone, been around the world
Somehow I won the love of a beautiful girl
If you come sit by our fire pit we’ll sing you a little pearl
Come sit by our fire pit we’ll sing you a little pearl

I’m a rolling stone, got a family of four
You know yr always welcome at our front door
If you come sit by our fire pit we’ll try to keep you warm
Come sit by our fire pit we’ll try to keep you warm

I got my friends and my friends got me
I got my friends and my friends got me
I got my friends and my friends got me
I got my friends and my friends got me

O THE CRUELTY 

O the cruelty of this world has got me down
Yeah, the cruelty of this world has got me down
Ain’t it greed, ain't it envy, ain’t it all of this and more
When we know there’s enough to go around and we still keep score? 

O the cruelty of this world has got me down
The cruelty of this world has got me down
O ain’t it lies, ain’t it treason, 
Ain’t it all of this and more
When you and me, we disagree, and we go to war?
 
Yes, we all can agree that a child should be free 
And that each babe in arms is blessed
When we remember those that we love
Don't forget the rest

O the cruelty of this world has got me down
Yeah, the cruelty of this world has got me down
Ain’t it sinful to believe in 
Building walls and tellin’ the poor folks to leave
Yeah the cruelty of this world has got me down

VOL. 1 

Ruth Ungar vocal, guitar, banjo, ukulele
Mike Merenda vocal, guitars, banjo, casio sk-5, percussion
Brandon Morrison bass, vocals
Tim Morrison drums, percussion, vocals
Will Bryant vocals, piano, keyboards
Scott Milici, organ (4, 6)

Recorded by Brandon Morrison and Mike Merenda at Humble Abode Music

Mixed by Brandon Morrison
Mastered by Greg Calbi, Sterling Sound
except “Unpopular Ideas” mastered by Alex Saltz
Produced by The Mammals 

All songs by Mike Merenda / Ruth Ungar
© Shake Sugaree Music, ASCAP

Touch Grass Vol. 2

LUNA LIGHT 

New year, new day
New way to pray
New time, new friends
New hearts to mend
New love, new light
New norms to fight
Luna, luna, luna
Luna light, luna light

New clouds, new road
New highs, new lows
New hearts, new minds
New sounds, new signs
New time, new talk
New rhymes, new songs
Luna, luna, luna
Luna light, luna light

New year, new flame
New fire, new frame
New kinds, new cause
New lines, new stars
New minds aching
New earth quaking
Luna, luna, luna
Luna light, luna light

New birds, new cross
New blinds, new boss
New pines, new ponds
New lines, new loss
New shores, new finds
New poles, new pines
Luna, luna, luna,
Luna light, luna light

MAMA DON’T FEEL GOOD 

Mama don’t feel good
She’s just starin’ at her phone 
Sitting right across from me
But I still feel so alone 

She don’t like loud noises
And she’s tired after three
I try not to scream and yell
When she gives that look to me

Mama don’t feel good
She lets her troubles in
I see her cryin’
She says ignorance is the bigger sin

Mama don’t feel good
But I can hug her when she cries
I know it’s not my job
To wipe my Mama’s eyes

Mama don’t feel good
And I know the way she feels
All the world’s a boat
And at night it rocks and reels

Waves on the ocean
And they’re swirling thru my dreams
All the sails are full 
And they’re pullin’ at the seams

The world was on fire
nd then it all shut down
We used to tour the world
ow we barely go to town

Mama don’t feel good
But some days she feels okay
I hear her pick up her guitar
And gently start to play

HEAL OUR HEART 

I never imagined how good it could be
One minute yr a prisoner, the next yr free
How do I find the time? How do I make a start? 
How do I write the song that will heal your heart? 

How do I write the song
That’ll heal your heart
That’ll heal my heart
That’ll heal our heart? 

How do I write the song
That’ll heal your heart
That’ll heal my heart
That’ll heal our heart? 

The more we are together, the easier it will be
Many hands make short work, take it from Pete
How do I find the time? How do I make a start? 
How do I write the song that’ll heal your heart? 

How do I write the song
That’ll heal your heart
That’ll heal my heart
That’ll heal our heart? 

How do I write the song
That’ll heal your heart
That’ll heal my heart
That’ll heal our heart? 

Heal our heart! Heal our heart! 

How do I write the song
That’ll heal your heart
That’ll heal my heart
That’ll heal our heart? 

How do I write the song
That’ll heal your heart
That’ll heal my heart
That’ll heal our heart? 

OLD FRIEND 

Old friend, come on in
It’s good to see you again
Old friend, come on in

Old friend, take yr time
I have got all night
Old friend, I am on your side

Old friend, it’s been hard
I’ve been holdin’ on
Old friend, it has been so long

Old friend, how you’ve grown
You make me feel less alone
Please don’t wait so long for your return, old friend

DO GOOD 

Slow down and appreciate
What’s right in front of you today
Do less than you’ve ever done before
It’s a privilege to be alive, to be you and me this time 
Doin good doesn’t have to mean do more

Do a little, and be a little
kinder to the ones who love you
Hear a little and see a little
wisdom from beneath and above you
The treetops pullin sun
making air for everyone
And the roots holding it down
spreading love all around

So slow down and appreciate
What’s right in front of you today
And do less than you’ve ever done before 

It’s a privilege to be alive
To be you and me this time 
Doin good doesn’t have to mean do more

I’LL TELL YOU 

If you wanna know the truth about me, I’ll tell you
And I’ll gladly sit with anyone who cares to listen, too
In a world of automation, in a world of lies,
It’s a world that I am only starting to survive

If you wanna know the truth about what side I’m on
Gaze into the ocean waves and dive into the dawn
It’s a world of isolation, it’s a world that divides
it’s a world that I am only starting to survive

If you wanna know the truth about the love I found
It’s swirlin’ right in front of you, it’s hummin’ through the ground
It’s a world of obfuscation hidden right before yr eyes
It’s a world that I am only starting to survive

It’s a world of obfuscation hidden right before yr eyes
it’s a world that I am only starting to survive

WHEN YOU LOVE LET GO 

When you love let go, when you love let go 
When you love let go, when you love… 

When you love let go, don’t you know
I’ve seen a genius trapped inside his own clothes
When you love, give in, ‘cause you’ll never win
Like a spider spinning webs around her own kin

When a promise is for you remember 
You’re taking off a tailfeather
When a love is true you don’t get to be upset 
Every time two birds fly different ways in the sky

When you love let go, everybody knows
I’ve seen an angel trapped inside of her own clothes
When you love give in, ‘cause you’ll never win
Who’s the fool who called compromise a sin

When you make decrees everybody sees 
I seen a lumberjack assigned to go repaint all the trees
When you make a friend it’s all good, there’s no should
Like a smile you bend, like a sapling loves the wind

When you love let go, everybody knows
You gotta open up a wall when the doors close
When you love give in, ‘cause you’ll never win
Like a spider weaving webs around your own kin

Disaster strikes and you’re not ready
I’d rather be flying when it all breaks
Without the blame, release the shame
With every fiber of my blind faith

When you love let go, everybody knows
I’ve seen a genius trapped inside his own clothes
When you love give in, ‘cause you’ll never win
You’re a spider weaving webs around your own kin

When you love, let go, when you love, let go
When you love, let go, when you love, let go

GOING AWAY 

Is that the moon I see over there in West? 
Or just the headlight’s gleam, the C & O Express? 
I know you’re gone, whatever I say 
And it won’t be long til I make up my mind and go away

Is that the sun coming up on the eastern seashore? 
Or just the coal fire glow on the firebox door?  
I know you’re gone, whatever I say
And it won’t be long til I make up my mind and go away

See that fool he can’t hear the whistle
Blind old man caught out on the trestle
He can’t go up and he can’t go back
Train kept a-coming brushed him off the track

Other storms may blow and the wind may rise
But I long to go where the fast mail flies
I know you’re gone, whatever I say
And it won’t be long til I make up my mind
Til I make up my mind
Until I make up my mind and go away

VOL. 2

Ruth Ungar vocal, guitar, banjo, ukulele
Mike Merenda vocal, guitars, banjo, casio sk-5, Lowrey, percussion
Brandon Morrison bass, vocals
Tim Morrison drums, percussion
Will Bryant vocals, piano, keyboards
Charlie Rose pedal steel (8) 
Daniel Littleton guitar (1)
Courtney Hartman guitar (2) 

Recorded by Brandon Morrison and Mike Merenda at Humble Abode Music

Mixed by Brandon Morrison
Mastered by Greg Calbi, Sterling Sound
Produced by The Mammals 

All songs by Mike Merenda / Ruth Ungar
© Shake Sugaree Music, ASCAP
except “Going Away” written by U. Utah Phillips, On Strike Music