Prelude Press
Prelude Press – An independent music outlet focused on discovering and sharing the best emerging artists and diving deeper with the ones you already love.
Critically acclaimed singer-songwriter Max McNown has released the highly anticipated deluxe album, Night Diving (The Cost of Growing Up), a powerful blend of folk and country that chronicles themes of grief, healing, love, and hope, with soul-baring lyricism and compelling instrumentation. Featuring 11 never-before-heard songs, the new, expanded edition of his stunning sophomore LP is out now on Fugitive Recordings x The Orchard x Columbia Records.
“Even though ‘Night Diving’ was the length of a full album, in my heart it never felt complete to me,” shares McNown. “All of these songs were written in the same time period, and my intention was always to have them be one body of work.” The previously unreleased songs surfaced from a recent evolution of his mesmerizing sound, spotlighting an earthy tonality informed by his upbringing in the Pacific Northwest and warm vocal presence honed partly by busking on the San Clemente pier.
“Since my first EP I’ve been on the hunt to find myself as a musician, and with this album, I’ve officially made something that fully represents me, both sonically and in my songwriting,” he continues. Produced by Jamie Kenney (Colbie Caillat, Laci Kaye Booth) and made with an A-list lineup of session players, ‘Night Diving (The Cost of Growing Up)’ ultimately provides an extraordinary vessel for his profoundly moving and intimate storytelling.
Standout, dreamlike songs such as the chart-climbing “Better Me For You (Brown Eyes)” and the unstoppably joyful focus track “Forever Ain’t Long Enough,” Max lets his inner hopeless romantic shine. Whereas on the heavy-hearted but exquisitely catchy “Same Questions” and the ode to old love “St. Helen’s Alpenglow,” Max explores everything that’s lost following a breakup. Meanwhile, the gorgeously textured track “The Cost of Growing Up” arrives as a clear-eyed but melancholic reflection on the inevitability of pain.
Revisiting the title track of the original album, Max recruited country artist Cameron Whitcomb for a new, heartfelt rendition of “Night Diving,” a profound meditation on the cycles of addiction, set against a spellbinding backdrop of otherworldly textures, moody guitar tones, and strangely haunting rhythms. Watch Max and Cameron poke fun at each other in this hilarious clip promoting the single (which has earned over half a million views within just one week).
“One of the things I respect above all else is authenticity and honesty in music, and Cam is the epitome of that,” says McNown of working with Whitcomb. “When I started thinking about a feature on that song, I knew there was no better person than Cam to join me. He gave it so much energy and his voice is so distinct, and now the song has a whole new life to it.”
Cameron Whitcomb adds, “When Max first pitched the song to me, I barely got halfway through the first verse and called him back immediately. I think this song is honest and special, and I’m honored to sing alongside an incredible artist and human being on such an amazing record.”
In celebration of the new music, Max is continuing on the road hitting Lollapalooza and the fast-selling North American headline “Forever Ain’t Long Enough,” tour, which kicks off August 21st in Kansas City. The tour will be making stops in Austin at Emo’s on August 27th, Los Angeles at The Novo on September 6th, and at 9:30 Club in Washington D.C. on September 8th – see full dates below and visit maxmcnown.com/tour for tickets and more information.
The Night Diving (The Cost of Growing Up) deluxe album is a powerful milestone for a prolific young artist rooted in his craft. Even as his star quickly rises, Max stays true to his small-town soul—anchored by humility, heart, and a deep love for honest songwriting. With every track, he continues his mission to make music that lets folks feel seen, heard, and understood.
FULL TOUR DATES
Jul 18 Fri – Redmond, OR – Fairwell Music Festival
Aug 1 Fri – REGGIES Chicago (Official Lollapalooza Aftershow) – SOLD OUT
Aug 2 Sat – Chicago, IL – Lollapalooza
Aug 8 Fri – Elkhorn Precinct, NE – Pinnacle Bank Championship Concert Series
Aug 21 Thu – Kansas City, MO – KC Live!
Aug 22 Fri – Tulsa, OK – Cain’s Ballroom – LOW TICKETS
Aug 23 Sat – Dallas, TX – House of Blues – SOLD OUT
Aug 26 Tue – Houston, TX – House of Blues – LOW TICKETS
Aug 27 Wed – Austin, TX – Emo’s
Aug 28 Thu – Helotes, TX – Floore’s Outdoors
Aug 30 Sat – Aspen, CO – JAS Aspen Labor Day Experience
Sep 1 Mon – Sandy, UT – Sandy Amphitheater – LOW TICKETS
Sep 4 Thu – Sacramento, CA – Ace of Spades – SOLD OUT
Sep 5 Fri – San Francisco, CA – The Fillmore – SOLD OUT
Sep 6 Sat – Los Angeles, CA – The Novo
Sep 9 Tue – San Diego, CA – SOMA
Sep 10 Wed – Phoenix, AZ – The Van Buren – LOW TICKETS
Sep 11 Thu – Albuquerque, NM – El Rey Theater
Sep 13 Sat – Denver, CO – Ogden Theatre – SOLD OUT
Sep 14 Sun – Boulder, CO – Boulder Theater
Sep 17 Wed – Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue – SOLD OUT
Sep 20 Sat – Grand Rapids, MI – The Intersection
Sep 21 Sun – Detroit, MI – The Fillmore
Sep 23 Tue – Cleveland, OH – House of Blues – SOLD OUT
Sep 24 Wed – Pittsburgh, PA – Roxian Theatre – LOW TICKETS
Sep 28 Sun – Washington, DC – 9:30 Club – SOLD OUT
Oct 1 Wed – Montreal, QC – MTELUS – SOLD OUT
Oct 2 Thu – Toronto, ON – The Danforth Music Hall – SOLD OUT
Oct 3 Fri – Toronto, ON – The Danforth Music Hall – SOLD OUT
Oct 5 Sun – London, ON – London Music Hall – SOLD OUT
Oct 6 Mon – Ottawa, ON – Bronson Centre – SOLD OUT
Oct 9 Thu – Winnipeg, MB – Burton Cummings Theatre – LOW TICKETS
Oct 11 Sat – Saskatoon, SK – Coors Event Centre – SOLD OUT
Oct 12 Sun – Edmonton, AB – Midway Music Hall – SOLD OUT
Oct 13 Mon – Edmonton, AB – Midway Music Hall
Oct 15 Wed – Vancouver, BC – Commodore Ballroom – SOLD OUT
Oct 16 Thu – Vancouver, BC – Commodore Ballroom – SOLD OUT
Oct 19 Sun – Seattle, WA – The Showbox – SOLD OUT
Oct 20 Mon – Portland, OR – Crystal Ballroom – SOLD OUT
Dec 1 Mon – Dublin, Ireland – 3Olympia Theatre – SOLD OUT
Dec 2 Tues – Glasgow, Scotland – Barrowland Ballroom – SOLD OUT
Dec 3 Wed – Manchester, England – Albert Hall – SOLD OUT
Dec 5 Fri – Amsterdam, Netherlands – Melkweg – SOLD OUT
Dec 6 Sat – Hamburg, Germany – Fabrik – SOLD OUT
Dec 8 Mon – Paris, France – Alhambra – SOLD OUT
Dec 9 Tues – London, England – O2 Forum Kentish Town – SOLD OUT
Dec 10 Wed – London, England – O2 Forum Kentish Town – SOLD OUT