By Azzam Bilal 
HangupsMusic.com – In the ever-evolving landscape of contemporary indie rock, few figures have commanded as much quiet reverence recently as Nate Amos. Primarily known as one-half of the experimental pop duo Water From Your Eyes, Amos has long maintained a prolific solo output under the moniker This Is Lorelei. While his work has often been characterized by a restless, avant-garde spirit, his 2024 full-length album, Box For Buddy, Box For Star, marked a significant shift toward a more grounded, poignant, and traditionally melodic songwriting style. Now, that acclaimed body of work is receiving a monumental expansion. Double Double Whammy has announced the release of Box For Buddy, Box For Star (Super Deluxe), a project that not only extends the original tracklist but transforms the album into a communal celebration of Amos’s craft, featuring a roster of indie rock’s most influential voices.
Leading the charge for this new iteration is Katie Crutchfield, better known as Waxahatchee. Her contribution, a collaborative studio re-recording of the track “Where’s Your Love Now,” serves as a centerpiece for the deluxe edition. The pairing is a natural fit; both artists have spent the last few years leaning into a more "timeless" Americana-inflected sound while maintaining the sharp, modern edges that define their respective discographies. On this new version, Crutchfield joined Amos in the studio to breathe new life into the song, blending her signature Alabama-bred lilt with Amos’s intricate arrangements.
In a press statement accompanying the announcement, Crutchfield expressed a deep, personal connection to the source material. She noted that Box for Buddy, Box for Star has been a constant companion for her over the last several years, describing the album as a work that feels simultaneously current and classic. Crutchfield’s praise for Amos was superlative, labeling him one of the most vital songwriters of the current era. She specifically highlighted “Where’s Your Love Now” as a career-defining composition, admitting that upon first hearing the track, she considered it one of the finest songs she had ever encountered. This level of endorsement from an artist of Crutchfield’s stature—who is currently riding a career-high following the success of her 2024 album Tigers Blood—underscores the weight of Amos’s influence within the musician community.
The Super Deluxe edition, scheduled for release this Friday, April 17, is far more than a standard reissue with a few bonus demos. It represents a curated retrospective and reimagining of the album’s core themes. The guest list reads like a "who’s who" of modern independent music, suggesting that Amos’s peers are just as enamored with his writing as the critics are. Among the most anticipated contributions is a cover of “Perfect Hand” by Power Snatch. This project is a collaboration between Paramore frontwoman Hayley Williams and Daniel James. Williams has been increasingly active in the indie and alternative spheres outside of her primary band, and her involvement here adds a layer of high-profile alt-pop sensibility to the project.
The diversity of the contributors reflects the multifaceted nature of This Is Lorelei’s music. The deluxe edition features interpretations from MJ Lenderman, the North Carolina singer-songwriter whose fuzzy, alt-country stylings have made him a breakout star of the 2020s. Also included is Jeff Tweedy, the legendary Wilco frontman whose presence acts as a bridge between the foundational alt-country movement and the new generation of songwriters like Amos. The lineup is rounded out by Lindsey Jordan of Snail Mail, the comedic and musical polymath Tim Heidecker, and the multi-instrumentalist Sasami. Each artist brings a distinct perspective to Amos’s lyrics, illustrating the versatility of the songs themselves.
For Nate Amos, this project serves as a definitive moment of recognition. For years, his work with Water From Your Eyes has been celebrated for its challenging textures and deconstructed pop structures. However, This Is Lorelei allows him to inhabit a more vulnerable space. Box For Buddy, Box For Star was born out of a period of significant personal change for Amos, including his journey toward sobriety and a renewed focus on the fundamental elements of songcraft. By stripping away some of the experimental armor of his previous work, he revealed a gift for melody and emotional resonance that has clearly struck a chord with his peers.
The timing of this release is particularly poignant for Waxahatchee. Katie Crutchfield has spent the better part of the last decade reinventing herself, moving from the lo-fi indie punk of her early days to the polished, critically adored "alt-country" of Saint Cloud and Tigers Blood. Her participation in the This Is Lorelei project is part of a broader trend of high-profile collaborations and covers for her. Just last month, she teamed up with Brennan Wedl to release a haunting rendition of “Six O’Clock News,” the 2002 debut single from Canadian songwriter Kathleen Edwards. That cover, which tells the tragic story of a man killed by police, highlighted Crutchfield’s ability to handle heavy, narrative-driven material with grace. Her work on “Where’s Your Love Now” continues this streak, showcasing her role as a curator and champion of great songwriting.
The release of the Super Deluxe edition via Double Double Whammy also highlights the importance of independent labels in fostering these kinds of creative communities. Based in Brooklyn, Double Double Whammy has long been a home for artists who prioritize artistic integrity over commercial trends. By facilitating a project that brings together artists like Jeff Tweedy and Snail Mail under the umbrella of a This Is Lorelei record, the label is reinforcing the idea of the "musician’s musician"—a status Amos has firmly secured.
Musically, “Where’s Your Love Now” is a study in restrained tension. In its original form, it captured a sense of yearning and existential inquiry. With Crutchfield’s involvement, the song gains a new dimension of warmth. The interplay between her voice and Amos’s production creates a soundscape that is both intimate and expansive. It is the kind of collaboration that feels earned, born out of mutual respect rather than a marketing directive.
As the music industry continues to grapple with the fast-paced nature of digital consumption, projects like Box For Buddy, Box For Star (Super Deluxe) offer a different pace. It invites listeners to sit with an album they may have already discovered and see it through the eyes—and voices—of others. It is an exploration of how a song can change depending on who is singing it, and how a great melody can survive and thrive in multiple contexts.
For fans of Waxahatchee, this cover is another essential piece of the Tigers Blood era, a period defined by Crutchfield’s confidence and her willingness to engage with the wider musical world. For fans of Nate Amos, it is a well-deserved victory lap for an album that has already been hailed as a modern classic in many circles. When the full expansion arrives on Friday, it will likely serve as a testament to the strength of the current indie scene—a scene that, despite the pressures of the modern world, remains deeply rooted in the art of the song and the power of collaboration.
The inclusion of artists like MJ Lenderman and Snail Mail further suggests a "passing of the torch" or at least a shared communion between the different waves of indie rock. When Jeff Tweedy lends his voice to a project, it provides a certain historical weight, while the inclusion of younger icons like Lindsey Jordan ensures the project remains firmly planted in the present. This Is Lorelei has managed to bridge these gaps, creating a space where the "current and timeless" qualities Katie Crutchfield noted can truly flourish.
Ultimately, the story of Box For Buddy, Box For Star (Super Deluxe) is one of friendship and artistic kinship. It is about the way songs travel between people, picking up new meanings and textures along the way. In the hands of Waxahatchee and her peers, Nate Amos’s music is being given a grand stage, proving that sometimes the best way to move forward is to look back at the work that has already touched so many lives and find new ways to sing it back to the world.