Orphans

One of the defining things about GA-20 is their total commitment to playing the songs they genuinely love. As bandleader Matthew Stubbs puts it, “we play the music we would want to hear.” That spirit runs right through ORPHANS, a set that captures the raw, physical energy that has made the band such a force in heavy Blues, alongside the deep-cut choices that have kept fans paying attention.

On Orphans, GA-20 pull together a selection of Blues and Blues-adjacent material that fits that approach perfectly. These are the outliers, the one-offs, the songs that have lived at their live shows, appeared as standalone singles between albums, or simply stuck with the band as personal favourites. Here, those tracks finally get a proper home.

Like the Blues tradition itself, this is music built on borrowing, sharing and transformation. The melodies and lyrics on Orphans are reinterpreted and reimagined with care, like strays taken in and given new life. It is also a chance to spotlight Cody Nilsen’s vocals and auxiliary guitar work, while bringing together the full strength of the trio of Stubbs, Nilsen and Josh Kiggans in physical form.

For longtime followers and new listeners alike, Orphans feels like an essential part of the GA-20 story.