Between their innovative arrangements, instrument swapping, scope of emotions and experiences conveyed in their songwriting, and an eclectic group of old friends and collaborators, NYC-based trio Bandits on the Run are truly living up to what they call their “ethos of artmaking” on their new album, 'ROUGH MAGIC'. “With a reverence for imperfection, grit, commitment, an acceptance that chaos is inevitable, and a deep gratitude for the friendships that are truly the foundation for everything — ‘Rough Magic,’ like love, is both a noun and a verb. It’s the goal and the method. It’s the god we’re evoking and welcoming into the room with each song we write and each show we play. At our core, we’re NYC buskers. We’re throwing our jackets on the ground and playing troubadour style — timeless and evergreen. We know the alchemy at play when you dare to believe that an empty section of a subway platform full of strangers can turn into a concert hall with new friends. None of this is perfect, or requires permission, it only asks that you dare your heart to be seen — even with all the rough edges. Because it’s rough, it’s magic,” the band says. With rotating lead vocals and varied instrumentation, the trio of Adrian Blake Enscoe, Sydney Shepherd, and Regina Strayhorn evoke the 60s and 70s spirit of bands like Fleetwood Mac, The Mamas and the Papas, and The Velvet Underground while also carrying the sonic inventiveness of the modern folk power pop acts like First Aid Kit, Bonnie Light Horsemen, and Lucius. They swim in the same lyrical waves as I’m With Her, Folk Bitch Trio, The Staves, and other trios featuring impeccable harmonies and elevated songwriting so good they make the balancing act seem simple. The band’s sophomore full-length, 'ROUGH MAGIC', is about friends — how we connect with them (or fail to), how we fight with them, and most importantly, how we love them. It’s a testament and a celebration of what’s possible when making something from nothing with your nearest and dearest. Relationships, old and new, are the heart of this LP. “We hope 'ROUGH MAGIC' will be a friend to you in these uncertain times,” they share. “Whether you’re at the top of a mountain, lost and alone in the depths of a dark wood, or just vibing down winding roads in a tiny French car.” Produced by William Garrett (Electracraft, lead producer Spotify Singles) and engineered by Carl Bespolka (Live at Electric Lady), 'ROUGH MAGIC' was recorded over the course of three seasons in 2025 — in part at THUMP studios in Greenpoint, BK but primarily in a tucked-away house in the Catskill Mountains, a few hours north of New York City, offered as a writing refuge by generous friends. It was springtime, and the windy roads so perfectly brought William–who was en route to a Catskills car garage in his own tiny French car–Sydney, Adrian, and Regina together in some sort of fated Upstate NY/French connection. A quick pit stop for lunch at the house turned into lengthy artistic talks. Regina shares, “The house had been converted from its former life as a church, and sonically, you could tell the place was built for lingering sound. You could practically see the wheels turning in William’s head when he mentioned ‘You know, we could really make an album here…’ And so (spoiler alert!) we did.” The sounds from that cozy house in the mountains are woven into the songs themselves. The reverb of the living room, the birdsong out the window, the babbling brook down the road, the car in the driveway, and even the murmur of peepers (little frogs that live in Upstate streams and ponds) all found their way as music concrète into 'ROUGH MAGIC'. Adrian explains, “For this album, we were inspired to capture the environment around us and honor the house where so many of these songs were written.” Combined with a field trip to the veritable gearheads’ paradise that is THUMP studios in Brooklyn with the Bandits playing around with unexpected instruments and machines including a Roland TR-808, a Wurlitzer & a Rhodes played simultaneously by Sydney and Adrian, and more, 'ROUGH MAGIC' is at times cinematic, lush, and sprawling, and at other times so intimate, raw, and pulled back you can practically feel the sweaters hanging in the closet that the Bandits converted into a vocal booth. “Of course, we couldn't keep NYC out of this album, so we spent a few days at THUMP studios–a word-of-mouth recording studio headed by vintage equipment magician Richard Levengood,” Sydney says. “It often feels like a fever dream version of Santa's workshop where talented people can be found soldering together audio equipment instead of toy trucks.” Adrian adds, “And we roped in a few artists we admire to play in the Brooklyn sessions: Sam D'Agostino on bass and Dan Holodak on drums. Both are longtime friends and collaborators who have joined us onstage, and we are so in love with the energy and artistry they brought to their tracks on the album.” After a springtime session in the Catskills, the summer session at Thump, and one final winter session back Upstate, Bandits on the Run mastered the album with the great Oscar Zambrano of Zampol Productions, another frequent collaborator and friend. At the end of the session, Oscar pulled up a picture taken in the same room years before, when they worked on the Bandits’ first LP The Criminal Record. “We all looked younger, but not so distant from our current selves. Something we were starting to learn then, and have learned time and time again, is that what you make is less important than who you make it with,” says Regina. “The cheat code for us has always been that if you surround yourself with good people, chances are the art will be something you're proud of. And we are so incredibly proud of 'ROUGH MAGIC'.” “This album would not have happened without the support of people who believe in what Banditry is all about,” Sydney explains, noting that 'ROUGH MAGIC' was funded by donations. “Each step of the way, the people who surround us have been so generous with their time, talent, money, and spirit.” Adrian adds, “When we listen to these tracks, we feel all the love our chosen family has poured into this record. And we feel the pull of chosen family yet to come that these songs will draw us towards.” Bandits on the Run take their harmony-driven collectivist folk pop with them wherever they go, inviting us all to be on the run with them. On the heels of 'ROUGH MAGIC'’s release, Bandits on the Run will support Alan Doyle on his coast-to-coast US tour in 2026, and perform at festivals including Kerrville Folk Festival and Sisters Folk Festival. Never far from their theatrical roots, they are also creating the stage musical adaptation of the novel What’s Eating Gilbert Grape with actor-musician-longtime-friend Christopher Sears and newfound friend Academy Award Nominee Peter Hedges. “We hope that this album is a reminder that something can be made from nothing, a chance encounter can become your greatest hope, and there is always a curve coming down the road. We hope this record keeps you curious. Just never lose sight of the Rough Magic shining through us all.”