Legendary singer-songwriter Carly Simon is set to make a long-awaited return with Comes In Waves, her first album of original songs since 2008. Arriving August 14, the 12-track collection finds the acclaimed artist revisiting the themes that have defined her career while embracing a renewed sense of clarity, perspective, and emotional honesty.
Written and recorded primarily at her home on Martha’s Vineyard, Comes In Waves reflects the wisdom and vulnerability of an artist who remains deeply connected to her craft more than six decades after launching her solo career. Rather than looking backward, the album offers a thoughtful examination of life’s enduring complexities, exploring love, family, memory, forgiveness, and self-discovery through a contemporary lens.
Leading the album is its opening track and first single, “Howl,” a powerful meditation on betrayal, anger, and ultimately forgiveness. Co-written and produced alongside David Spencer, the song showcases Simon’s unmistakable voice and lyrical precision, delivering an emotionally charged performance that balances vulnerability with resilience.
“‘Howl’ lives in that space between betrayal and forgiveness, where anger has to be voiced before it can be released,” Simon explains. “It’s about letting the frustration out so it doesn’t sit and simmer. The song begins in anger, but it moves toward forgiveness, and speaks to any situation where trust has been broken.”
That emotional evolution serves as a central thread throughout Comes In Waves. The album embraces contradiction and nuance, allowing feelings to coexist rather than forcing tidy resolutions. Across its twelve songs, Simon reflects on the realities of human connection and personal growth with the same literary depth and emotional intelligence that have made her one of music’s most enduring storytellers.
The album’s title originates from the track “Slowly,” which uses the natural rhythm of the ocean as a metaphor for emotional renewal. Throughout the record, emotions rise and recede like tides—love, grief, creativity, healing, and remembrance all arriving in waves, shaping the album’s philosophical and emotional framework.
A deeply collaborative project, Comes In Waves was created alongside family members, longtime friends, and trusted creative partners. The album features contributions from John Forté, whose appearance on the record arrives following his passing earlier this year. Simon’s son, Ben Taylor, plays a significant role as a vocalist, musician, songwriter, and producer, while her daughter, Sally Taylor, contributes backing vocals and created the artwork for the album’s lead single.
The project also reunites Simon with several key figures from her storied career. Renowned producer Paul Samwell-Smith returned to revisit and rework “Share The End,” a song he originally produced for Simon’s landmark 1971 album Anticipation. Acclaimed producer and engineer Frank Filipetti, one of her most trusted collaborators, also played a major role in shaping the album’s overall sound and direction.
What makes Comes In Waves particularly compelling is its refusal to rely on nostalgia. Instead, the album feels like a continuation of the ongoing conversation Carly Simon has maintained with listeners for decades—one rooted in truth, emotional complexity, and a willingness to confront life’s uncertainties head-on.
At a time when many legacy artists revisit familiar territory, Simon remains focused on discovery. Comes In Waves finds her still asking questions, still embracing vulnerability, and still uncovering new ways to articulate the experiences that connect us all.
With its blend of introspection, warmth, and emotional depth, Comes In Waves stands as a reminder that great songwriting does not diminish with time—it evolves. The album arrives August 14 and marks a significant new chapter in the remarkable career of one of music’s most celebrated voices.
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