Modern Refuge, the alt-rock quartet from New Haven, Connecticut, has unveiled their first full-length album, Runaway Dream, released on August 1, 2025. Fronted by siblings Sam Winfield (vocals) and Vincent Amendola (guitar), with Brian Winfield (drums) and Jim McLoughlin (bass), the band channels decades of shared history and electric chemistry into a deeply lived-in record. Produced by Tom Pisani, the album fuses lush soundscapes with raw, jagged edges, a blend that mirrors the groupโs balance of intimacy and grandeur.
Right from the opener โTeething,โ the record comes out swinging with slashing, sharp guitar riffs and pounding drums. Samโs husky, soaring vocals pour out all her vulnerability with such richness as she rides over sparkling cymbals. Her delivery brims with grit, especially when the lyrics explode into the defiant refrain: โIโm teething / And your hand is in the way / And honestly / Iโm beginning to like this side of me.โ
Then comes โPearl,โ one of the recordโs emotional high points, opening with a mystical glistening sound emanating from sparkling splashing cymbals and rumbling drums, soon joined by lush guitar strums that anchor Samโs emotive, melancholy voice. She performs delicately and weightily, trailing off in moments of tenderness before surging with power. The outro haunts with winding melodic riffs. Itโs no wonder this song has already crossed over 1.1k streams on Spotify.
Further in, โCoconinoโ bursts with energy, opening on glittering acoustic plucks before swelling into bustling drums and crashing cymbals. The band leans into its desert inspiration, conjuring imagery of burning landscapes and whispered myths, while Sam belts at her most powerful.
Altogether, Runaway Dream as a debut is cinematic, visceral, and full of heart. As a huge fan of Fleetwood Mac, I was getting those vibes strongly from Modern Refugeโs music and I loved every bit of it. Check it out on Spotify if you are into all this.
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Review by: Naomi Joan