It’s been more than 10 years since Freakwater released an album, but the alt-country act swears they never broke up. “We never intended to not make a Freakwater record,” says vocalist-guitarist Catherine Irwin. “[But] there’s definitely no one in charge.” The group’s eighth record, “Scheherazade,” premieres on Speakeasy today.

The 12-song set was recorded in the fall of 2014 and mines many familiar Freakwater themes - dark storytelling married with soulful, rootsy arrangements they’ve been honing since they first formed in...