Wednesday’s fifth album, Rat Saw God, is anything but ordinary. This latest release from the Asheville-based indie rock band stands out with its genre-defying sound and deeply personal storytelling. At the heart of it all is Karly Hartzman, the band’s dynamic vocalist and guitarist, whose lyrics are both poetic and unflinchingly honest. Alongside her bandmates — guitarist MJ “Jake” Lenderman, lap steel player Xandy Chelmis, bassist Margo Schultz, and drummer Alan Miller — Hartzman delivers a record that captures the gritty beauty of everyday life in America.

The group’s textured sound, driven by Chelmis’ ethereal lap steel and Lenderman’s rich guitar work, is grounded by a rhythm section that offers precision and subtle power. Tracks like “Quarry” showcase Hartzman’s lyrical eye for the strikingly mundane, with lines that paint vivid images of the world around her. In one verse, she captures a neighbor’s duality: “Old bitter lady sits catty-corner to the aftershock from the quarry / She says, ‘America’s a spoiled child that’s ignorant of grief’ / But then she gives out full-size candy bars on Halloween.” These juxtapositions are central to Hartzman’s approach — finding beauty and truth in contradiction.

Ahead of Wednesday’s sold-out June 20 show at Brooklyn’s Music Hall of Williamsburg, Hartzman opened up about her roots, her creative partnership with Lenderman (who is also her boyfriend), and what’s next for the band.

When asked about the origin of her lyrical style, Hartzman cited the influence of Southern storytelling and the writers she grew up admiring. “All the art I appreciate shares that same focus,” she said. “It’s very Southern — slowing things down and appreciating the details.” She referenced singer-songwriter Vic Chesnutt and authors like Mary Karr and Richard Brautigan, known for turning the smallest fragments of daily life into compelling narrative. “I find it easier to write by pulling from little moments. That’s what unlocks everything else for me, rather than trying to take on something broad like love or death right from the start.”

This deep connection to personal experience is perhaps most evident on the track “Bull Believer.” It was during the recording of that song that Hartzman screamed in a studio for only the third time in her life — an act that marked a breakthrough in both technique and emotional expression. “I didn’t have time or space to practice it before,” she said. “I’ve had to learn how to do it in a sustainable way since then.” She studied techniques from other artists, including the vocalist from Flyleaf, to ensure her voice could withstand the nightly demands of touring.

But Hartzman made it clear that screaming wasn’t just a performance choice — it came from necessity. “I always wanted to scream in our music,” she explained. “But I knew I had to reach a point where I was ready to scream about something that really mattered to me. There was a specific memory I needed to process first. Once I got through that, it opened the door to using that technique more freely.”

That raw authenticity is a defining element of Rat Saw God. Hartzman’s lyrics don’t aim for sweeping declarations. Instead, they build a mosaic of everyday moments, shaded with grief, humor, love, and contradiction — all delivered with emotional clarity and sonic ambition. It’s a sound that resonates deeply, and it’s no surprise that Wednesday’s momentum continues to grow.

As for what comes next, Hartzman and Lenderman are already sketching out ideas for the band’s next project, suggesting that their creative fire shows no signs of slowing down. And with an audience that’s growing by the day, it’s clear that Wednesday’s willingness to scream, reflect, and stay true to themselves is exactly what indie rock needs right now.