Some artists follow eras. Block defined one. Emerging from the fertile, chaotic brilliance of late-1990s New York City, Block became a central force in the rise of anti-folk—a movement that rewrote the rules of indie songwriting and shifted the cultural pulse of downtown music. His earliest recordings became underground touchstones, placing him alongside the likes of Regina Spektor, Beck, and Ani DiFranco as a pioneer who reshaped the boundaries of folk, punk, and lo-fi expression.
After a landmark 2025 resurgence sparked by Meridian’s four-part deluxe reissue series of his full catalog, Block now steps forward with I Thought I Won The War, the first single from his forthcoming album Love Crash, arriving in early 2026. Produced by Chris Kuffner (Ingrid Michaelson, Regina Spektor) and mixed and mastered by Blake Morgan (Lenny Kravitz, Lesley Gore, Janita), the track presents Block at his most incisive—razor-sharp in storytelling, emotionally bare, and sonically revitalized.
This new era was paved by the 2025 reissues—The Greene Street Sessions [Deluxe Edition], The Last Single Guy [Deluxe Edition], Whitecaps On The Hudson [Deluxe Edition], and Lead Me Not Into Penn Station [Remastered]—a project painstakingly restored by ECR Music Group President Blake Morgan. The series introduced Block to a widened global audience, generating nearly half a million streams and sparking renewed attention from critics and longtime fans. It also catalyzed a celebrated New York City residency at KGB’s Red Room, affirming Block’s lasting influence and contemporary relevance.
“For me, each reissue was like reclaiming a lost part of myself,” Block says. “Having my work restored and honored this way has been a once-in-a-lifetime moment. And it’s all happening before the new record, which feels exactly right.”
I Thought I Won The War channels this spirit of reclamation. Written during a difficult personal chapter, the song uses wartime imagery to describe the unexpected emotional siege of a failing relationship. “I was watching a lot of World War I documentaries,” Block recalls. “Suddenly I realized I was in a romantic relationship I had no business being in—my escape routes cut off, surrounded on all sides. The war was on.” The track serves as the perfect introduction to Love Crash, a collection built from heartbreak, resilience, and the strange clarity found on the other side of struggle. “Each song became the rung of a ladder leading me out of a dark place,” he explains. “I made it out—but just barely.”
Block’s career has always eluded neat categorization. Rolling Stone describes him as “too complex to fit into a musical drawer.” Spin calls his work “engaging and promise-filled.” And Billboard praises his songwriting as “a witty, knowing collection of pop tracks.” With Love Crash, Block stands poised to expand that legacy once again.
“I Thought I Won The War” arrives November 12th on Meridian (ECR Music Group), offering an electrifying first glimpse into an album that promises to be one of the early standout releases of 2026.
