Colorado's On Fire Again [Cobalt]

Richy Mitch & The Coal Miners’ fourth studio album, Colorado’s On Fire Again, is out now. Formed by lifelong friends Mitch Cutts, Nic Haughn, and Jakob Ervin, the band started in Colorado and now calls Seattle home. Their 2017 single “Evergreen” recently reached RIAA Platinum status and charted on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2024, marking a milestone in their grassroots rise. The new record draws deeply from their upbringing in wildfire-prone communities, shaped by the Hayman, Waldo Canyon, and Black Forest fires. “It felt like every year our world was burning down,” says Cutts. “This album captures both the grief of that destruction and the hope that eventually follows.”

The title comes from a phrase they heard nearly every summer, a recurring reminder of loss that shaped their childhoods. Lead single “Berry Herman” encapsulates this duality, expressing the need to let the past burn to make room for renewal. 50% of its proceeds support Colorado Wildfire Councils and MusiCares LA Fire Relief. The rest of the album’s profits will aid wildfire relief efforts through April 2025.

As natural disasters grow more frequent and severe, the album has taken on new, urgent meaning. “It’s about the cyclical nature of devastation and restoration,” says Ervin. Through indie folk-rock arrangements and introspective lyrics, the band weaves personal memory with broader environmental themes. Colorado’s On Fire Again is both a tribute to what’s been lost and a hopeful step toward what’s next.