“Union Street” - Seán R. McLaughlin & The Wind-Up Crows
Photo Credit: Artist EPK
For fans of Joshua Burnside, The National, The Decemberists, and Frightened Rabbit, Seán R. McLaughlin & The Wind-Up Crows’ new single Union Street (out September 26, 2025, via Stitch Records) is a bruised hymn about leaving, belonging, and the heavy price of staying put.
The song was sparked by a street-corner punch in Aberdeen, but it grows into something much larger: a meditation on the small rituals that tether us to place, even when that place feels hostile. McLaughlin’s voice carries both ache and resilience as he sings, “quiet mornings, the ebb and flow. Any other motion is just for show,” anchoring a track that starts as a hush and swells into a gale in under four minutes.
Co-produced with Andy Monaghan (Frightened Rabbit), Union Street threads raw indie-folk storytelling with surging indie rock dynamics, and it doesn’t shy away from bruises. Backing vocals from LA songwriter Tristan Dolce add a spectral lift, while new drummer Sandy Batchelor (yes, the actor currently starring in 28 Years Later) drives the song with a heartbeat that feels both fragile and unstoppable. Mandolin and harmony vocals from the wider Crows family (Stephen Thom, Vicky Gray, Rosie McLaughlin) wrap the song in a bittersweet glow.
Recorded at McLaughlin’s home studio and mixed at Glasgow’s 312 Studio by Monaghan, the track was mastered by Ed Woods (The Who, Brian Eno, Idlewild), giving it the kind of punchy intimacy that feels equally suited to headphones and festival fields.
Photo Credit: Artist EPK
And in a move that mirrors the track’s spirit, the band is withholding Union Street from Spotify, citing both ethical and economic reasons. McLaughlin doesn’t mince words: “I’ve always had a love-hate relationship with Spotify… It pays next to nothing, and users’ subscription fees are now directly funding weapons investments. I’ve never been comfortable with the platform, but this is the straw that broke the camel’s back for us.”
It’s a bold stance, but one that aligns with the bruised integrity at the heart of the song. Union Street isn’t background music — it’s a reckoning, an insistence on honesty, and a reminder that even in the hardest places, music can become both mirror and anchor.
“Union Street” is available now on all major streaming platforms
Upcoming Live Dates:
Sept 27 — Dunbar Music Festival
Sept 28 — Lost Evenings @ O2 Academy Edinburgh (w/ Arab Strap, Frank Turner) (SOLD OUT)
Follow Seán R. McLaughlin & The Wind-Up Crows - Spotify | Instagram | Bandcamp | Website | Facebook
Listen to Seán R. McLaughlin & The Wind-Up Crows and other similar artists on our Spotify Playlist ‘New Music Spotlight - Indie & Alternative’
