[Cover photo credit to Nicole Nelson]
Minneapolis singer, songwriter, guitarist, and novelist Mary Strand embraces the whole gamut of holiday experiences on upcoming album, I Wanna Believe, arriving November 27, 2026, via Hygh Tension Records/Virgin Music Group. Featuring 10 entirely original Christmas songs, the album pairs her Punk energy, Garage-Rock guitars and Pop sensibilities with “humor, nostalgia and character-driven storytelling.”
The first single, “Beyond the Madness,” is out now, followed by “Happy Holidays” on November 13 and “Crazy Hazy Daze” on November 20.
On “Beyond the Madness,” Strand “finds the heart beneath the seasonal commotion.” The song preserves the details of life and “celebrates the connections that make the season matter”.
The album’s beginnings stretch back to specific January ruminations:
I wrote my first Christmas song, ‘I Wanna Believe,’ in January 2024 on a lark, when my own holiday decorations (indoors and outdoors) were still up. And my band and I loved it so much that we recorded and released it late that year.
While promoting the song, she assembled a playlist of holiday favorites by Rock bands and fellow Minnesota musicians. It sparked an idea for a bigger project.
She continues:
I loved songs by the Kinks, U2, Bruce Springsteen, and more, but I realized that there was a gaping hole as big as the North Pole in the existence of Christmas songs that rocked. I decided to fill that gap, so that became my goal for the first part of 2025. I love Christmas songs! But I particularly love ones that bring a rocker’s sensibility into play.
To bring the project to life, Strand wrote five tracks herself and co-wrote the other five with Minnesota songwriters Ted Hajnasiewicz, Sarah Morris, Amanda B. Perry, Katy Tessman and Doyle Turner.
I Wanna Believe was recorded by Mary Strand & The Garage, featuring Strand on electric guitar and lead vocals, Ryan Smith (Soul Asylum, UltraBomb, The Melismatics) on electric guitar, additional instruments and vocals, Mark Wade (The Melismatics, The Mood Swings) on bass and vocals, and Peter Anderson (The Ocean Blue, Maygen & The Birdwatcher) on drums. Strand’s son, Jack Strand (Loondale), plays drums on the opening title track.
Following the album’s release, Mary Strand & The Garage will celebrate on Friday, December 4, at The Hook & Ladder’s Zen Arcade in Minneapolis. Four of the five co-writers are scheduled to participate, bringing the album’s Minnesota songwriting community together for an evening that also features The Hell And The Quiet and The Silverteens. You can check out Tickets and show information.
