Songwriter Ryan Tuohy leads the 6-piece band channeling the irreverent attitude of the 90s with the bright, 12-string tones of The Byrds and an admiration for the classics. “Buddy” announces the band’s debut Introducing… Wide Orbit, out on September 5 via 22TWENTY (Oracle Sisters, Cornelia Murr).
Chicago’s jangly, lo-fi rock outfit Wide Orbit announces their debut album Introducing… Wide Orbit with the breezy lead single “Buddy.” Fronted by songwriter Ryan Tuohy the six-piece tracked the debut album in a cramped room outside the City. It’s set for release on September 5, 2025 via 22TWENTY (Oracle Sisters, Cornelia Murr)
Atwood Magazine shared the announcement, writing, “Wide Orbit’s feel-good, rollicking ‘Buddy’ is a jangly, heartfelt indie rock ode to friendship, feline love, and the beautiful mess of sticking by each other through it all – proving a spirited and sincere introduction to one of the freshest, most promising faces on Chicago’s DIY scene!”
Wide Orbit taps into the scrappy charm of ’90s lo-fi indie rock, underpinned by a quiet discipline and devotion to classic songcraft. Tuohy’s vocals land with youthful clarity — honest, unpretentious, and hopeful without being naive. Tracked mostly live, the album captures the band’s natural looseness and magnetic pull. It’s the sound of misfits looking for a musical home — an orbit of their own.
Tuohy said of the single that it’s “the final track written for our album — it’s a heartfelt tribute to my cat Otis and the quiet moments that shape us. With Buddy announcing our debut album Introducing… Wide Orbit, the single is a glimpse into the record: putting songwriting first and blending rich twelve-string textures with full-band harmonies.”
Atwood continued, describing the single as “a sing-song celebration of togetherness wrapped in bright, Byrds-like guitars and slacker rock charm, delivered with the youthful energy of a band coming fully into their own.”
Alt77 wrote of the band’s previous single, “‘Full of Feathers’ makes the band sound as if they’ve discovered their parents’ old record collection and the school library’s love poetry anthology at the same time. The blend, together with the unique influence of their collective charisma, created a warm, indie-psych sound that makes you yearn for long Summer nights.”
Americana Pancake shared the same single, writing, “is punchy, sweet, and full of nervous gut punches we have all felt […] their distillation of folk rock, psychedelic indie rock, and surfy indie pop or surf punk sits well with me.”
Wide Orbit will be releasing Introducing… Wide Orbit off of 22TWENTY on September 5, 2025.
Chicago’s Wide Orbit is a Midwest cough drop for the sore soul. With their debut album entitled Introducing… Wide Orbit, releasing on September 5, 2025 on US label, 22TWENTY, their introduction to the scene is a convincing lure that shines from every angle.
Recorded in a room too small to even fit the entire band, this homegrown group of college-town friends has utilized practical limits to create magic. Etching out their own sound that’s subtle in its prowess and easy to connect to, the 6 piece band, led by Ryan Tuohy, proves to be as unpretentious as it is youthful. He hones melodies with a unique honesty, but before it all gets too innocent, there’s still a hue of irreverence that shines through. It’s the sound of misfits looking for a musical home, an orbit of their own. Group harmonies, instrumentals, a mid-song hiatus, 1/2 time grooves and piano solos all contribute to their idiosyncratic sound.
The core of the album was tracked live, imbuing it with a certain canter and looseness. After years of playing the stylistic chameleon, Tuohy has touched down on a path that feels true to himself. The devoted songwriter has written and produced a DIY American daydream; an album that was written to be played live, to be interacted with, to hit the road.
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