At the beginning of 2020, Califone emerged after a long absence with their first album in 7 years, Echo Mine. They took some time, though not nearly as long, to get a follow-up ready. Today, the Tim Rutili-led project has announced a new album called villagers, which will be released in May. It includes contributions from Brian Deck, Michael Krassner, Rachel Blumberg, and Ben Massarella.