Heart Like a Levee

Heart Like a Levee was released on Merge on October 7, 2016. It was recorded in Durham, produced by M.C. Taylor and Brad Cook, and runs 42:55 in its standard edition; the studio was not named in the sources found. Taylor told Stereogum that the songs began in a Washington, DC hotel room in January 2015, during a snowstorm, when he felt wrenched apart by his responsibilities to his family and to his music. The companion record Vestapol adds Blackeyed Boy, After the Colors, John the Gun and others, for 1:10:00 together.

Metacritic gives it 81 out of 100 from twelve reviews, which it labels universal acclaim; Pitchfork's Laura Snapes gave it 8.2, AllMusic's Thom Jurek 4 out of 5 and Classic Rock 4.5. American Songwriter placed it 24th on its list of 2016, The Independent 18th and Paste 45th. It reached 19 on the Billboard Americana and Folk chart, 49 on Top Rock Albums and 37 on Independent Albums.