by Michael McCarthy
Today, singer-songwriter and actress Kate Voegele (One Tree Hill) has finally released her first new solo studio album in roughly a decade, Age of Alchemy, and in this writer’s opinion, it’s the best album she’s made thus far.
The album opens with “Bad Taste,” which finds Kate singing, “Sorry, sorry / I’m not sorry,” as she takes aim at someone with whom she apparently had a particularly unpleasant experience. It’s an infectious pop-rock tune that immediately gets the album off to a fantastic start.
Speaking about the album, Kate explains:
“This record came from learning to become a willing experiment — from realizing that difficult experiences can become songs, detours can become destinations, and trying something without knowing where it leads isn’t reckless; it might be the whole point. Age of Alchemy is the sound of me discovering in real time that transformation isn’t something you wait for — it’s something you practice. This album feels like a love letter to where I came from and, at the same time, a snapshot of who I am right now. That tension between past and present ended up becoming a huge part of the record, and ultimately inspired the Then & Now Tour too.”
The second song on Age of Alchemy is the bewitching “The Siren,” which finds Kate calling herself “sick in the head” as she sings about running from one obsession to the next. “She’s a siren,” she sings, before continuing with “I hope I get your attention.”
Well, if she’s talking about getting listeners’ attention, she’s certainly captured mine with this truly remarkable album!
Another highlight is “Ex-Marionette,” which finds Kate singing about “hanging by a thread” as she tries to find her footing in life. “I’m just an average ex-marionette,” she sings.
The song is a bit slower than “Bad Taste” and “The Siren,” but not so slow that one would consider it a ballad. Rather, it’s a sweet, mid-tempo pop-rock tune that I could easily imagine someone turning into a country song. It just has a certain modern Nashville vibe to it.
Later on the album, “Worst Enemy” slows things down a bit more and comes closer to being a ballad, although I still wouldn’t quite classify it as one, given its moderate tempo and lyrics about someone ripping Kate to shreds.
“Haunted,” on the other hand, is the song I would actually call a ballad. “It’s impossible to escape / the ghost of all these promises we swore we’d never break,” she sings, delivering one of the album’s more poignant moments.
I don’t know if this is a comparison anyone else would make, but the album Age of Alchemy reminds me most of is Liz Phair’s self-titled album from 2003. A few of Kate’s new songs strike me as being very much in the vein of Liz’s “Why Can’t I?” and “Extraordinary.”
Now, I understand why some longtime Liz Phair fans considered that album a sellout after her considerably more indie-minded earlier work. But that doesn’t erase the fact that it was full of infectious pop-rock gems with melodies and hooks that got inside your head and refused to leave.
And that’s exactly what Kate has accomplished here.
Age of Alchemy is filled with beautifully produced pop-rock gems that shine brightly and absolutely dazzle. There are irresistible hooks, memorable melodies, heartfelt lyrics, and the kind of choruses that practically demand to be sung along with.
I would recommend this album to fans of everyone from Natalie Imbruglia and Michelle Branch to Kelly Clarkson’s more rock-oriented material. If you enjoy melodic pop-rock by female singer-songwriters, I think you’ll absolutely love this record.
Age of Alchemy consists of ten songs, and there isn’t a weak one in the bunch. It’s a truly spectacular album where you could easily imagine virtually any song becoming a successful single.
After a decade without a new solo studio album, Kate Voegele has returned with what I consider her strongest work to date. It was well worth the wait. Highly recommended. I give it a solid A.
Upcoming Tour Dates
2026
November 13 – Scottsdale, AZ – Kate Voegele & Tyler Hilton: One Tree Holiday
November 15 – San Juan Capistrano, CA – Coach House Concert Hall
November 29 – Cleveland, OH – Then & Now Tour
December 1 – Vienna, VA – Then & Now Tour
December 2 – Philadelphia, PA – Then & Now Tour
December 5 – New York, NY – Then & Now Tour
December 6 – Boston, MA – Then & Now Tour
2027
March 1 – Dublin, Ireland – Then & Now Tour
March 3 – Manchester, UK – Then & Now Tour
March 5 – Glasgow, UK – Then & Now Tour
March 6 – Birmingham, UK – Then & Now Tour
March 9 – London, UK – Then & Now Tour
March 11 – Paris, France – Then & Now Tour
March 14 – Antwerp, Belgium – Then & Now Tour
March 15 – Köln, Germany – Then & Now Tour
March 17 – Vienna, Austria – Then & Now Tour
March 18 – Munich, Germany – Then & Now Tour
March 20 – Stockholm, Sweden – Then & Now Tour
March 21 – Oslo, Norway – Then & Now Tour
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