Hear Miko Marks' New Album 'Hell Or High Water'
(Brooklyn Basement) Oakland-based powerhouse Miko Marks releases her new album, Hell Or High Water, via Redtone Records. Her first new studio album since 2022's acclaimed Feel Like Going Home, the record finds Marks leaning further into the blues while drawing on the gospel, country soul, and rock 'n' roll traditions that have long shaped her music. Marks has also announced her first headlining tour, the 2027 Hell or High Water Tour, kicking off January 19 with two nights at Seattle's Jazz Alley.
Produced by and co-written with longtime collaborator Justin Phipps, Hell Or High Water emerged from a period of enormous personal change. In 2024, Marks' 29-year marriage ended amicably, and shortly afterward, she began her journey with sobriety.
"Hell Or High Water is an album about resilience, healing, freedom, and choosing hope in the face of pain," Marks explains. "These songs acknowledge the darkness without surrendering to it. I find comfort in nature, music, community, faith, memory, and the simple moments that bring me back to myself."
That spirit runs through focus track "It's Alright," accompanied by an official video. Inspired by the one-chord blues grooves of "Shake Your Hips," "Boogie Chillen," and "La Grange," the song began with a guitar riff from Phipps and Marks' immediate response: "I ain't gonna worry...it's alright."
Against classic blues imagery of hellhounds, gathering storms, and rising rivers, that refrain became a personal reminder to trust what comes next as Marks learned to navigate life on her own. "There are moments where I question what's next and where my path will lead," Marks shares. "It reminds me that I can trust that everything is being revealed exactly as it should. Looking back, I can see that my strength was built during tough times and if I just hold on, keep trusting, all will be well."
Previously released single "Death Rolls Like Thunder" draws on the Battle of Little Bighorn to tell a story of resistance against greed, ego, and inhumanity. On the deeply personal title track, "Hell Or High Water," Marks reaches back to her roots in Flint, Michigan, and draws on the losses of her mother and sister, finding strength in the wisdom she has gained and the loved ones she carries with her.
"Perseverance could be my middle name," Marks shares. "Despite the temptation to give up, I have not." Stream the album here
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