Mightmare

Mightmare represents River Shook’s independent solo venture, which steers sharply away from the vintage outlaw and alt-country fusion long associated with Sarah Shook & the Disarmers. Although the singer’s signature twang endured, the music pivoted instead toward gritty indie rock and even glossy electronic textures throughout the project’s intimate 2022 debut, the self-produced Cruel Liars.

The 2020 pandemic halted touring for Sarah Shook & the Disarmers, so the group’s leader funneled creative focus into writing, producing, and engineering an entire album alone. The resulting songs chronicled Shook’s evolving life as a sober, nonbinary artist and supplied a vital space for continued healing. A blend of urgent and contemplative material came together as Cruel Liars, which appeared on the Kill Rock Stars label in October 2022.