Rachael Yamagata spoke with the Philadelphia Inquirer (link has since expired) about the delay getting her sophomore album ‘Elephants … Teeth Sinking Into Heart’ released, an effort that was actually completed two years ago by the singer. The problem was that RCA wasn’t happy with the finished product. “They said, ‘We want you to go back in the studio. We don’t think you have a mass-appeal single’,” she told David Hiltbrand. Rachael resisted the label’s desire to move her in a more commercial direction, standing behind album she describes as “dark but beautiful.” As a result, RCA dropped her, throwing Yamagata into financial turmoil. “I was broke,” she said. “I had to get creative about life in general and keep my chin up about this record. I took a tour with Mandy Moore for a month. I became my own manager, tour manager and business manager. The whole thing took forever.” ‘Elephants’ is out Tuesday on Warner Bros. Records.

Rachael Yamagata checked in with fans on her blog at MySpace on Wednesday (June 18) with news she’s signed a new record deal. “News news news! I’ve just signed with Warner Bros Records and we are working overtime to get all ducks in a row for an early October release,” she writes. “Thank you for hanging with me all this time – it’s been a long road of red tape trails, but I’m very excited about the new team of peeps and I can finally say that we are on our way!” Read more.