Rostam Announces New Album 'American Stories' And Supporting Tour Dates
Tuesday, 10 March 2026
Written by Laura Johnson
Rostam will return with a new album later this spring.
The Grammy Award-winning songwriter and producer's third solo album is called 'American Stories' and will arrive on May 15 via his own Matsor Projects via Secretly Distribution.
The follow-up to 2021's 'Changephobia' is the first time the multi-instrumentalist has full explored his Persian heritage, and finds him weaving together elements of traditional Persian music with Americana. Rostam said:
“At some point in making this record I realised the album I wanted to make was one that reflected my identity as both Iranian and American. Pushing the most Iranian elements right up against the most American ones brought me a certain kind of joy. The first time I put microtonal saz melodies over Western guitar chords, I was thrown off by the way the two rubbed together. But the more I listened the more I became drawn to that rub. I became addicted to it.”
Although he plays a few instruments on the record, the former Vampire Weekend member did get help from fellow Iranian-American Amir Yaghmai of The Voidz, as well as Clairo on vocals for Hardy, Yaghmai on saz, violin and guitar, Daniel Aged on upright bass and pedal steel, Paul Cartwright on violin, Gabe Noel on cello and upright bass, Hamilton Berry on cello, Henry Solomon on flute and clarinet, and Andrew Tachine and Joey Messina-Doerning on drums.
As a preview, he's shared the album's first single, Like A Spark, which arrives with a video taken from American Stories: A Concert Film, due out later this spring.
The film finds Rostam performing with his six-piece band for an eight-song set shot live with director Antony Muse at the legendary Sound City Studio A, where Nirvana, Fleetwood Mac, Tom Petty and more have recorded. Rostam brought in furniture from his own living room and studio to make the space truly his.
Head below to check out the video, alongside the tracklist and cover art, which features an upside down American flag. Discussing the intentional choice, Rostam said:
“The presentation of the flag upside down is something that the Left, the Right, and the Native American Land Back movement have all made use of. It’s a symbology that’s shared by all these groups and yet could mean different things to each of us. I’m interested in that conversation; that conversation is fundamentally American."
He'll support the new record with a North American tour this summer and a European tour in the autumn, with the latter including a London show at Village Underground on September 8. Tickets go on general sale at 10am local time on March 13.
Since his last album, Rostam has been busy earning GRAMMY nominations for his production work with Haim and producing for Georgia, Carly Rae Jepsen, Santigold and Vagabon.
'American Stories' tracklist:
1. Like a Spark
2. Back of a Truck
3. Different Light
4. Hardy
5. Forgive Is To Know
6. To Feel No Way
7. The Road to Death
8. Come Apart
9. The Weight
Rostam Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows
Tue September 08 2026 - LONDON Village Underground
We don't run any advertising! Our editorial content is solely funded by lovely people like yourself using Stereoboard's listings when buying tickets for live events. To keep supporting us, next time you're looking for concert, festival, sport or theatre tickets, please search for "Stereoboard". It costs you nothing, you may find a better price than the usual outlets, and save yourself from waiting in an endless queue on Friday mornings as we list ALL available sellers!
