New Release: David Coller – Blue Water
Connecticut-based folk-Americana singer-songwriter David Coller returns with his second album of 2026, Blue Water
David Coller – Blue Water
Format: CD / Digital Download / Streaming
Label: Upstart Yankee Records
Release: 2026
Release date: September 18, 2026
Blue Water is now available to pre-order and pre-save via David Colley’s official website.
Connecticut-based folk-Americana singer-songwriter David Coller returns with his second album of 2026, Blue Water, scheduled for release on September 18, 2026 via Upstart Yankee Records.
Following the critically acclaimed When Summer Comes, Coller delivers an intimate collection of songs inspired by a lifetime on the water, blending folk, Americana and traditional maritime storytelling into one of his most personal recordings to date.
For David Coller, sailing has been a lifelong passion. Having first taken to the water at the age of nine, the sea has shaped both his life and his songwriting.
Around a third of the songs he has written over the years have been inspired by oceans, rivers and life aboard sailing vessels. With Blue Water, he has gathered the finest of those maritime-inspired compositions while writing several brand-new songs specifically for this release.
Initially believing maritime music appealed only to a niche audience, Coller’s perspective changed after performing at major maritime music festivals and the Hudson River Maritime Museum. Encouraged by the enthusiasm and generosity of the maritime music community, he decided these songs deserved a permanent place together on one album.
The project also marks an emotional turning point in Coller’s personal life. After owning and sailing his beloved schooner Renegade for twenty-one years, he has made the difficult decision to put the vessel up for sale. Blue Water therefore serves not only as a celebration of the sea, but also as a farewell to an important chapter of his life.
The album artwork features photographs taken during voyages to Newfoundland, Maine and Nova Scotia by David and his partner in life and music, Diane Chodkowski, whose beautiful harmony vocals appear throughout the album.
Once again, the album was recorded in Woodstock, New York, with Mark Dann, who also plays bass. The recordings feature an outstanding group of musicians including Patty Deneen (hammered dulcimer), Sara Milonovich (fiddle), Brian Mitchell (accordion), Rusty Park (pedal steel) and Eric Parker (drums), creating a rich and authentic acoustic soundscape.
Earlier this year, When Summer Comes received glowing reviews from the international music press. Americana UK praised the album as “thirty years’ worth of songs just oozing with wisdom“, while FATEA described it as “old school in all the best ways“.
Folker highlighted Coller’s unpretentious and wise songwriting, and Paris Move called him “a craftsman as sincere and meticulous as he is inspired.“
Website: https://davidcoller.com/
Tracks:
01.Nova Scotia Bound
02.Captain, My Captain
03.Just Another Day
04.Sally Anne
05.We’re Sinkin’
06.Love on a Lee Shore
07.Rigger’s Apprentice
08.Let Your Love Roll Easy
09..Diggin’ For Clams
10.Roseanna
Selfie of David Coller & Diane Chodkowski
Track Highlights:
Rather than simply writing songs about the sea, David Coller draws from genuine experiences collected over decades of sailing.
Nova Scotia Bound was written during a lonely midnight watch while sailing through dense fog across the Gulf of Maine on the way to Halifax, where Diane was waiting for him.
Captain, My Captain began life more than thirty years ago. Unsatisfied with the original version, Coller completely rewrote and rearranged the song this year before finally recording it.
Just Another Day tells the true story of a young girl from the Pacific island nation of Kiribati whose life changes overnight, inspired by J. Maarten Troost’s travel memoir Sex Lives of Cannibals.
Sally Anne was inspired by a walk with his youngest daughter along Connecticut’s Quinnipiac River while watching oyster boats pass by.
We’re Sinkin’ is a humorous nod to anyone who has ever owned a wooden boat and understands the endless maintenance that comes with it.
Love on a Lee Shore explores the challenges of maintaining relationships while spending long periods at sea and was written for the crews Coller met during the Gloucester Schooner Festival.
Rigger’s Apprentice reflects on the enormous task of replacing the standing rigging on his schooner Renegade, while paying tribute to legendary rigger Brion Toss.
Let Your Love Roll Easy uses the sea as a metaphor while offering gentle advice to Coller’s granddaughter about love and heartbreak.
Diggin’ For Clams began as a children’s song but has grown into a favourite for audiences of all ages.
The closing traditional sea shanty Roseanna has been one of Coller’s favourites since his teenage years and provides a fitting finale to this deeply personal maritime collection.
With Blue Water, David Coller delivers much more than another folk album. It is a heartfelt reflection on adventure, friendship, craftsmanship and a lifelong connection to the sea. For lovers of folk, Americana and maritime music, this promises to be one of the most authentic releases of the autumn.
Bluestown Music will revisit Blue Water with a full review closer to its September release.