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new music mondays

New Music Mondays: Kid Rock, Gloryhammer and More!

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A quieter but no less stacked week of release for us to check out this week, covering plenty from rock, metal, country, and even dipping our toes in gospel and rap! Let’s dive right in, shall we?!

Kid Rock: Halfway 2 Jesus

I ummed and arred about doing this album. His crazy right-wing and super Christian turn in the last few years has certainly been different, and not in a good way. Some of his views these days I don’t agree with, but hell, if James Hetfield can claim to be apolitical (lol) then I can at least try!

Honestly, musically it’s not bad. The gospel stuff is well done, the southern rock, late 2000s part of his sound is still great. There’s even some slight NO-jazz elements that I enjoyed, and ‘Heal My Faith’ almost feels like a Devil Without a Cause/History of Rock era track. However, it’s the track with the worst guest appearance. I’ve honestly lost a tiny bit of respect for Eminem for doing this collab, even if he was probably the best part of the record.

Though, I do have two main issues with the album. One is the bloated 71-minute runtime, an issue I also had with his last release. The other is, of course, the theming. I really have nothing against people being religious, and part of me gets it given everything in his personal life this year, but it’s a rather preachy album, and it’s rather hard to look past that and solely focus on the music. ‘Broken Hearted People’ is easily my favourite track from the album, a stompy country rock track and a lot of fun. A bit of the early album is good too, but a lot of the later half is a touch slow and samey. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not a bad release, and it will surely have its fans. But it simply isn’t what I want to listen to when I spin Kid Rock. So, for that, I can’t give it any more than a 4/10

Joe from the future hear. I have since seen articles saying he used Suno’s AI generation software for the choirs, instead of paying an actual group of artists to do so. Yeah, that’s shitty, dog. That drops this easily down to a 2/10.

Gloryhammer: Space 1993: Wrath of Kor-Virliath

We’ve already checked out this awesome album! Check out our full review here.

Devin Townsend/DreamPeace: Harmonic Dharma

This is the first release under Heavy Devy’s relaxation background music project since his slew of albums in 2023. And honestly, with me having become a brand new daddy this week, it was just what I needed! It’s 45-minutes of pure bliss. I know I have been a bit critical of his ambient stuff in the past, but I totally get it now. Who needs them albums of whale sounds and rainforests sold at odd gift shops (I may be showing my age there!) when you have Mr Townsend creating music to sleep and meditate to! Hell, even the baby liked it! I don’t have much to say or analyse with this one, not like I have any specific tracks to dive in deep with. Honestly, I’m not even going to give it a rating, it doesn’t feel right to given the nature of the project. However, if you have insomnia or just need to relax, throw this one, I can’t recommend it enough!

David Allan Coe: A Million Reasons

The first posthumous release from the outlaw country legend is a welcome return after 20 years without music from him. Nine songs lost to time until now, an acoustic version and even an intro done by the Nature Boy himself, it’s a damn good release from start to finish. From the title track to the rocky ‘Take Your Job and Shove It’, ‘Free my Mind’ to ‘Only God Knows Why’ are all personal highlights, but the other songs are just as good, honestly. If you’re a fan of classic DAC or outlaw country in general, this is very much a release for you. I certainly had a good time listening! I don’t know if the plan is to put together more stuff from his unreleased material like other sadly passed on country stars, but I kinda hope so if they’re going to be as good as this! A solid 7.5/10!

Kid Bookie: Cheaper Than Therapy II

Following up 2024’s Songs of the Living/Songs for the Dead, yet being a direct sequel to his 2021 album, the trap metal/rap rock Brit once again kills it here. Firstly, at 34-minutes spread across nine tracks and an interlude, it’s the perfect length, the only slight issue I had with Part I. And also, it’s packed full of great songs, making it pretty hard to pick highlights! Having said that, his trap cover of Slipknot’s ‘Disasterpiece’ was pretty interesting and rather awesome! It’s not going to be for everyone, but has some great heavy moments, some fantastic raps, and some pretty big choruses designed to be played to huge festival crowds. Mr Bookie is an incredible talented vocalist and writer, and his band kill it throughout too. However, the guests are just as excellent, ranging from Corey Taylor to Kate Nash to Rose McGowan, all adding to the tracks they are on perfectly. If you are into him already, or trap/modern rap/trap-pop, this is very much an album worth spinning! Or heck, if you are all curious, give it a try, you may be surprised at how much you like it! I had a good time listening, and will certainly be spinning it again! 8.5/10

Temperance: Arcani

The power metal Italians once again knock it out of the park with their eighth studio album! It’s a fair old chunk of music at 55 minutes, but it is so very worth it if you are a fan of the genre. It’s epic, grandiose, heavy and catchy all in equal measure, with every member of the band killing it at their respective positions. Powerful, melodic vocals from Michele and Kristin? Check. Some awesome riffs and soloing from Marco Pastornio? Check. Marco Sacchetto and Luca holding down the rhythm section perfectly? Check. And, from the opener to ‘Lean into Fear’, ‘Forgiveness’ to ‘The Man of Moonlight’, there are some really great songs throughout! However, there really isn’t a bad song on here, all of it flowing impressively well together. It’s very power metal, so if that is your thing you will absolutely love it. However, it may not be your thing if you don’t do the likes of Hammerfall or Avantasia. Still, I had a lot of fun with it, and it’s another great addition to their growing discography! 8/10

Mother of Graves: The Light That Keeps Us

The doomy melodeath band returned with their third studio album this last Friday. It’s a massive, gloomy 45-minutes of music, and I had a great time with it! Firstly, it’s really well put together, with the writing and production and dynamics being top notch throughout. Everyone worked their asses off on the whole album too, all clearly being masters of their craft. And, between ‘Through the Pale Shade’, ‘Eventide Angel’ and ‘The Beggar’s Allegory’, there’s some really amazing songs on here! However, the whole album is damn good, and the tracks flow excellently into each other. If you are into this side of metal, I’d absolutely recommend it. I’ll certainly be listening again, and I need to go and check out their previous releases, as they definitely have a new fan in me! Another solid 8/10!

Emily Ann Roberts: Thread

We’ve also reviewed this EP in full, aren’t you lucky! Check it out here.

Leadbelcher: Heaven’s Bloated Corpse

This is a really brutal, excellent debut album. 22 minutes of utter carnage, falling somewhere between death, grind and hardcore, it certainly isn’t for the faint of heart. However, if you like the heavier side of metal, this is absolutely a release for you! It’s hard to pick highlight songs as they’re all pretty similar and run so perfectly into one another, but are so very good throughout! It’s refreshing to hear a release in this style not have terribly mixed vocals. They’re great, but so are the brutal riffs and frankly insane drumming. I had a good time with this and would LOVE to see it live. For now, I’ll settle for spinning this a few more times at home, and already can’t wait to hear where they go from here! 7.5/10

Of Spite: Raisu EP

Following up on their 2023 album with this three track EP, the Finnish “Stumblecore” quintet is quarter of an hour of brutal growls and some insane riffing. Much like with Leadbelcher above, it certainly isn’t for everyone, but I had a great time with it, all three songs being as good as the last. Some of the guitaring honestly blew me away, there being some real 2000s metalcore and melodeath runs and leads throughout, adding some great melody to the heaviness. And we also get some fantastic soloing on each track too, really giving the band a bit of a unique feel to them that I am really liking! It’s like a heavier melodeath, and I’m honestly shocked I haven’t heard more of this style around. Do yourselves a favour and check this out, regardless of what you are into, it’s that good you surely can’t not love it like I do! I already need more of this ASAP, pump it into my veins, but for now I can’t give this any less than 9/10

K. Michelle: Jesus & Whiskey

Album seven from the modern country superstar is a brief, fun affair! I surprisingly wasn’t very familiar with her before this outside of her name, but I really enjoyed what I heard! It’s interesting, as this felt like exactly what COWBOY CARTER wanted to sound like, except Michelle has nailed it here. It’s country rooted, but has elements of everything from pop to rock, R&B to roots, and plenty between! It’s also packed full of highlights, from ‘Damn Good Friend’ to the Blush-featuring ‘Anything’ to single ‘Jack Daniel’s’. However, none of the songs are back, by any stretch! It’s maybe a touch slow for me overall, but that certainly doesn’t take away from the quality of the music. It’s certainly non-traditional or pop-focused, but is definitely worth checking out if you’re into your roots/country stuff. I had a good time, and am curious about her earlier work. 7/10!

3FORCE: Strange Peace

Album six from the Russian electronic trio dropped last Tuesday, and I have spun it a lot since then! It’s a fantastic, epic journey, and surprisingly heavy for the genre. It gives off Carpenter Brut vibes in the best ways, as well of of course being perfect for a video game soundtrack. ‘Status Quo’ kicks things off perfectly, while tracks like the title one and ‘It Could be Worse’ are also great! The whole album is solid though and, while it can be a little samey at times, it’s a very easy listen, 40 minutes going by in a flash. It’s certainly not for everyone, especially with it being wholly instrumental, but it’s a rare release that I am completely happy without any vocals on. Maybe the odd spoken word thing would be interesting, but the instrumentation really speaks for itself throughout. The whole darkwave scene has really taken off in recent years, and these guys are truly at the forefront of the pack, and for good reason! If you are at all interested, give this a spin, you won’t be disappoint! A very easy 8/10 from us!

Zach Bryan: Young Manhood and Other Donatable Organs

Country’s most controversial star is back with another EP, just nine months after the awesome With Heaven on Top. To the surprise of no one, it’s another excellent release! ‘Lodi When’ is the perfect opener. Then you have the Dusty Rhodes-opened, rockier ‘Robot Killed the Working Man’ which is a big highlight. The tracks with Lana Del Ray and Turnpike Troubadours are both fantastic too, each artist contributing perfectly to their respective songs. The other four songs on the release are also amazing, with ‘Dog Days’ being another particular highlight. His particular brand of country-Americana is so good, and the emotion in his lyric writing and delivery is still top notch. I almost prefer a shorter release from Zach, as his albums can be a slight slog at times. This fits perfectly with the rest of his stellar discography, and is well worth a listen for anyone interested! 8/10

John Diva & the Rockets of Love: Your Favourite Drug

The fourth album from the German glam metallers continues on their stellar discography perfectly! 10 head-bangin’, boot-stompin’ rockers all as good as the last, and combine to make an incredibly easy 34-minute listen. The opener sets up the album perfectly, while the likes of The Gems-featuring ‘Favourite Drug’ and ‘Love is Cold’ are all personal favourites but as I said, there certainly isn’t a bad track throughout! It’s a very European sleaze sound, reminding me of everything from Dust Bowl Jokies to Kissin’ Dynamite, though there is just a touch of The New Roses in there too. So, if you are into that, this is definitely a release for you! I’ll certainly be spinning it plenty in the weeks and months to come, and it gets an incredibly solid 8.5/10 from us!

Defects: Artificial Icons

This is an absolutely amazing alt metal/metalcore album! The British quartet’s sophomore release is jam packed with brutal screams, awesome riffing and drumming and some really massive choruses, the best of everything! Right from the opener/title track I was hooked, and not let go for the full 43 minutes. It’s honestly another release in which it’s truly impossible to pick highlight tracks. Even the slower songs like ‘Where did I go Wrong’, ‘The Other Side’ and ‘State of Mind’ are excellent, and fit the tone of the album perfectly! While this is mainly a release for those into the heavier side of metal, the three afformentioned tracks certainly fit in more with a lighter crowd, so honestly whoever is interested give this a listen ASAP! It is every bit as good as their debut, if not somehow even better, and they deserve every bit of love and momentum they are getting. I absolutely love this release, and don’t be surprised to see it high on our top albums list come December! 9.5/10, amazing stuff!

Reviews

Thread: The Brand New EP from Emily Ann Roberts!

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A year removed from last year’s awesome Memory Lane, the country singer-songwriter is back with another massive, highly anticipated EP. The Voice alumni has been killing it in the decade since she nearly won the competition, with so many amazing albums, EPs and singles under her belt. She has been a constant, fantastic force within the country scene for years. Hell, the singles from this release so far have been great, and have me incredibly excited to give this a spin. Without further ado, let’s dive in!

The title track sets the tone for the EP perfectly. It’s a chilled-out, slowish number that highlights Emily’s phenomenal vocals. She makes it all sound so effortless, even when she puts a bit more power in in the choruses. It gives off big Colby Caillat vibes in the best ways possible. The instrumentation is simple but fits excellently behind the vocals, and some of the harmonies throughout on her voice are great. The chorus is big for the style, and effortlessly catchy. I’m honestly shocked it wasn’t a pre-release single, but will surely be a big radio hit now that it is out! A great start to the release!

Speaking of singles, the most recent, ‘Lonely Boy’, is up next. Again, her vocals are phenomenal from the jump, and the real focal point of the track. It’s also a bit more uptempo, there being a little more to the instrumentation and feels a lot like a 90s/early 2000s radio country hit. There’s a touch more power to her voice throughout as well, really getting to show off her impressive range, and the lyrics here are great too! The chorus is sure to be stuck in my head for days to come, a real earworm, but the whole track is catchy in its own right. And all the strings, be it the guitars or fiddle, really kill it through the whole nearly-four-minutes. It’s even better than the opener and certainly an easy early highlight, a very good choice for a single. No wonder it’s already caught some momentum! 

The higher tempo and more barn-burner vibes continue through ‘Garden Grow’, and it’s amazing! Speaking of barn burner, it actually reminds me of the Dan Davidson track of the same name. It’s got a bit more of a Shania or Reba vibe to it, the guitars giving it a rocky edge that I loved. The lyrics are amazing too, maybe my favourite of the release, and once again the harmonies on Emily’s vocals through the chorus are phenomenal. We even get a short-but-sweet duelling solo between the guitar and fiddle, which bridged the gaps between choruses excellently. I am honestly a little obsessed with this track already; it’s one of my favourite country songs of the year at this point, honestly. A song that easily makes our playlist, and one I’d recommend to anyone!

The pace drops again for the final two songs on the album, but it honestly feels perfectly fitting. ‘When I Do’ still has a bit of anthemic vibe to it, especially in the big chorus, and there is plenty going on in the instrumentation. And the male vocal harmony pairs so incredibly with hers on this track, maybe the best of the whole EP. Then the release closes on the other single, the stripped-back ‘Laundry’. It’s a very simple arrangement, mainly focused around her vocals and an acoustic guitar. Once again that AMAZING vocal harmony comes in for the choruses, alongside a simple drumbeat and some more strings in the back. Despite the slower pace and chilled vibe, the arrangement is still great! Both songs are excellent in their own right, and fit in with the other songs on the EP perfectly. The closer is a great ballad and another good choice for a single, but that shouldn’t take away anything from ‘When I Do’. It is, however, the perfect way to close out the release, it really building to a grandiose sound by the end!

Overall: I absolutely loved this! Every track is as amazing as the last, and they all fit in perfectly with each other. Her vocals and lyrics are incredible throughout, but her backing band also work their asses off, killing it through the whole damn thing. I cannot recommend this enough to anyone even vaguely into country music, and I’ll be spinning it plenty in the weeks and months to come. Despite her being a big name already, this deserves so much more love than it will surely get. What are you waiting for? Go listen to it!

The Score: 8.5/10

Interviews & Features

Liam Price: ‘I’ve got some really good fans, some really good friends!’

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We had the pleasure of chatting to the rising UK country star Liam Price at The Long Road the other week about him playing the main stage there, getting to support Larry Fleet and much more! Check it all out below!

How’s this weekend been for you? Been pretty busy by the look of things!

Well, as you’ve seen, it was pretty wet yesterday. But everyone’s in the same boat, so to speak. And today the sun came out for our set on main stage, which is incredible for everybody! So, yeah, crazy weekend, but it seems to be my life at the moment!

Yeah! I suppose the rain packed out the VIP tent yesterday for you, too!

Yeah. I thought I was a big deal, but then I realized it was absolutely chucking it down out there and everyone was in there!

Is it a similar sort of set for the VIP one?

Yeah, just a stripped back, very intimate set. I’ll probably chuck a couple of covers in there as well.

You won the competition here last year. How is it to come back and do the big stage this year?

Yeah, I mean it’s just crazy. To do the little stage last year, little stage yesterday, and then all of a sudden you’re on the Rhinestone stage with a few thousand people! It was great turnout. So happy with everyone coming out and seeing me. That was really kind!

I saw you had quite the queue of people wanting to take photos and all this, which was pretty cool!

I’ve got some really good fans, some really good friends that support me all over the country, and I appreciate them greatly!

You say you’ve had a pretty full-on year so far. I saw you around the US, and you’re there again next month, right?

Yeah, I’m going to go and open for Larry Fleet! It’s going to be really cool. And he’s actually a massive inspiration for me. I tell the story; when I went in the studio to record ‘The Grass Ain’t Green’, I had to give a reference track about like how I wanted it to sound and mix, and I gave ‘Where I Find God’ by Larry Fleet. So, to get the call to go and play with him, like it’s crazy!

You’ve come from more of a tribute background. How is it kind of transitioning into a more originals kind of sound?

I mean, tribute background in terms of the country scene, but I’ve been writing songs since I was 16 years old! I was in like a pop-punk band back in the day.

But, yeah, I mean the transition’s been pretty simple, pretty easy. The main thing about this genre is people are so supportive for roots music, like, you know, grassroots. So, they want to hear anyone’s new songs, and that’s why it’s a pleasure to be part of this genre!

Yeah, definitely. I feel like because it’s still such a newish thing in the UK as well for this country music boom, anyone that’s kind of picking up some steam is so readily like is kind of let in!

Bang on the money. Long may it continue!

And then you obviously put out a single May, right? Are we expecting some more music to follow?

Priority this this year, just to keep writing and get some tracks together and and get them out. Maybe another EP! Potentially an album. But you know, writing and recording, it really is a huge cost. Easily upwards of, you know, fifteen K.

Yeah. I’ve spoken to a few people this weekend about what goes into the decision to put stuff out, and it’s so hard I feel, especially with streaming and all this nowadays.

Yeah, and nine times out of ten you’ll find the reason EPs are released is just because it’s all the budget allows at the time. For four tracks, you know. And I feel like they’re easier enough to get in a studio and do in a couple of days as well.

Have you got a busy rest of the year planned after September then? Have we got some more shows coming in?

yeah, I’ve got some shows. So I’m going to do the Larry Fleet thing, and then I’ll be doing just some individual shows. I’ll be playing at like Rodeos Barbecue, Wolverhampton, doing some stuff there, and Birmingham. I’ve just got little splinter shows all over the country. I’ll be playing the Ulster Hall in Belfast as well in December, which is like a bucket-list venue.

And obviously I’m busy with the tribute thing, some things have rolled over my head. But yeah, just doing a load of that. The the joy is you never know what’s going to happen, so we’ll see we’ll see what what opportunities come, you know!

I imagine the Larry Fleet thing was a little last minute, was it?

Yeah, I had a call and they just said we’d love you to come and to the open. I was like, when is it? Eight weeks?! I was like, all right, we’ll get we’ll get it together! And I’ve ended up getting another show on the back of that in North Carolina, so I’m going to go do a couple of shows out there, and then come back. At least it kind of covers the cost a little bit more, we’ll break even, a couple of days out of them!

My budget mainly goes on great food out there! I like barbecue and I’ll do all that stuff, no problem!

Do you have a dream tour lineup you’d want to be a part of? Anyone still on the bucket list?

It’s a bit of a crazy one, but I’m an absolute… like Chris Stapleton for me, is like God. So I’d love to be on that lineup. But then also I think why would I ever want to be on a lineup with him? He’s like totally going to wipe the floor. He’d outclass any singer in the world. Yeah, the guy’s unbelievable. He could sing the phone book, couldn’t he? Like, yeah, that’d be amazing. A tour with Chris Stapleton or maybe on a little bit of a lower level like Marcus King. But King’s blowing up now too! So, yeah, but anyone who wants to take me on tour, I’m available, I play anywhere!

If you could have written one song from history, do any spring to mind?

One of my favorite songs of all time is ‘Always on My Mind’ by Billy Joel!

Reviews

Leave on a Light: Max McNown’s Best Album So Far?

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The modern country-Americana megastar Max McNown dropped his highly anticipated third album in as many years today! I remember loving his last album last year, so have high hopes for this one too. A couple of the singles I’ve checked out so far are great, so I’m excited to dive in and see what it’s about!

The album starts pretty slow, fittingly, with ‘Slow Down, Slow Down’. Max’s fantastic vocals come over the top of a simple drum beat and guitar chord progression. It builds up before dropping out even more for the first half of the chorus, just being guitar and vocals. It makes it hit even harder when everything explodes back in for the second half, too! It’s a short and sweet track at barely over two and a half minutes, but is beautifully written and the dynamics and production are a real standout point. A great way to open the album!

The chilled out, slower vibes continue through ‘First Born Daughter’, fitting somewhere perfectly between old school Western and modern indie-Americana. It builds a bit more naturally into a bigger, more stadium-filling chorus this time, and it’s one that will be stuck in my head for days to come! It’s a beautiful, heart-felt love song, and a massive early album highlight for me. And what a choice for a single too, although there were quite a few from this release… Great stuff!

I like the rockier intro for single ‘Done For’, it upping the energy and pace a little and being an excellent change of pace. It leads to an absolutely massive chorus that is over as fast as it starts, but is so very memorable. His lyrics are again amazing and his voice fits this sort of style so well, reminding me a little bit of both Kip Moore and Evan Honer simultaneously. It’s another short and sweet track, but we even get some time for a little guitar lead part, which was nice. I like the rockier edge to his sound a lot, and this is a track that easily makes it onto our playlist. If you’re going to check out any track from this album, let it be this one. I’m a little obsessed!

The higher energy continues later in the album through tracks like singles ‘Heart You Didn’t Break’ and ‘Standstill’, ‘Make my Peace’ and ‘Selah’s Song’. The former reminds me of Mumford and Sons in the best way, and is another MASSIVE highlight song. However, all are great songs in their own right, and break up the generally slower pace of the album perfectly, exactly what a release of this length and magnitude needs. It also shows Max’s great range of different sounds and styles, his vocals fitting it all so well, and it’s all fantastically written. They are certainly more of ‘my vibe’ of songs compared to some of the others, as much as I enjoy other tracks on here, and I’d recommend all of them to absolutely anyone!

The other singles, ‘Something to Someone’, ‘World Change Me’, ‘Famous to You’ and ‘Comets’, are all more great choices for pre-release songs, and fantastic representations of Max’s sound and talent. The former is an excellent indie-Americana song, complete with maybe the best chorus on the whole album. ‘Famous to You’ reflects that style perfectly, too. ‘World Change Me’ has a great Western edge to it, and the stomping pace is excellent. Then you have the slower, more ballad-like ‘Comets’, being arguably the best of this pace and style on this release. Don’t get me wrong, there were maybe too many singles for the album, but when it’s this long it makes sense for there to be, and each represent a different part of the album perfectly. And they’re all great songs!

A lot of the other songs on the album are more slower, beautiful songs. They all fit the vibe and tone of the album excellently, and are very good songs in their own right. ‘Isn’t That Love?’ is probably my favourite of the bunch. However, all of them do have a slight album-track feel to them, and there’s just too many of them. I don’t mind a longer album generally, but 17 tracks when a lot of it channels the same sort of vibe and energy is a little much for me. Now, he is a massive name so is clearly doing something right, and there will be plenty of people who love all of these. They’re all well written, well performed and recorded songs, but when put together in the same collection I personally found it a little hard a listen, especially by the end. Still, if you are a fan of Max, they are still well worth a listen! The closer is also beautiful, giving me goosebumps, so there is that! The poem in the middle is phenomenal.

Overall: I certainly had a good time with this album. As I’ve said before, he is an incredibly talented musician and not a single track on here is bad by any stretch. And as I said, if you are already a fan of Max or his general style, you may have a lot of mileage for this release! However, it is a touch too long for me personally. There’s a phenomenal album tucked away in here spread across maybe 10 tracks, but the rest do bog it down, in this writers humble opinion. It’s very much a problem across the country spectrum though, and is probably why I’m not as big a fan of guys like Morgan Wallen and Riley Green. This is a great indie-infused country Americana album, and if you are a fan of the style it is very much worth the time and effort. But it’s not a release I’ll be revisiting in full all too often. It sadly falls just short of his sophomore release.

The Score: 7.5/10

Reviews

Play Boy: Jason Scott & the High Heat’s Best Album Yet?

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Album three from the American soul/heartland country rock quintet is dropping tomorrow, and we couldn’t be more excited! arriving just over a year removed from their stellar last album, the hype around this release is high, so getting to hear it a little early is a real pleasure. We sadly didn’t check said album out at the time, but have listened since in preparation to see them at The Long Road this year, and since loved it (and their live show!). So, without further ado, let’s dive in!

The opening single sets the tone for the album perfectly. A great, bluegrass-style guitar lick soon has Jason’s great vocals over the top, the multi-tracking on it making it sound massive from the jump. The song builds perfectly with more vocal harmonies and the steady inclusion of percussion. And it never quite explodes in like I expected either, instead just adding more and more with each new part. The more full guitar sounds from around the midpoint were awesome. Honestly, the whole song has an excellent, chilled-out vibe to it, nestled somewhere between Buffett and Jack Johnson. It’s catchy, well crafted and excellently performed, and a massive early highlight!

Another single, ‘Shit Show’, picks up the pace and the rock vibes, the riffing being so very Skynyrd in all the best ways. The vocals give it a bit more of a late 90s pop edge to it, which I also love, and both styles combine together excellently. The main way I can describe it just fun vibes, and I love it! Also, the clapping; great addition! The chorus isn’t a massive sing-along one, but it is still a catchy track, and the little guitar solo tucked away in the middle is a great addition to the song. The dynamics are great too as it drops back not long after into a slow, epic part filled with some great vocal moments and strings, all before ramping back up into the indie-country rock. It’s yet another excellent track, and a very good choice for a single!

The singles keep rolling with ‘Too Good, Too Bad’. It’s got a great stomping pace to it, but keeps the same upbeat, chilled out and fun vibes from the other tracks so far! The vocals are great, with the harmonies adding even more depth and awesomeness to them. And, from the verse to the choruse, it’s all hugely catchy! It’s another simply arranged song, but so infectiously fun, it almost impossible not to dance along to it! Once again we get an awesome, technical little guitar solo tucked away in the middle too, keeping the track amazing throughout. However the chorus and harmonies are the main kicker here, and make for a truly excellent song. The band are three for three so far on greatness, and this is a track that easily makes our playlist!

‘Highway Robbery’ is the most traditional country track on the release, giving big Brooks and Dunn vibes in all the best ways. The riff is great, while all the rest of the instrumentation adds so much, from the keys to the guitar to the drums. However, the vocals also fit the track perfectly, and are fantastic in their own right. Once again, the arrangements and structure are simple, but it works so well with the style of the song, and it still sounds so very High Heat. And it still gets a bit more rockin’ by the end! As you can tell, it’s another excellent song on an album so far full of them! Shame about the fade out though, I was hoping for a big ending with some half time and stuff…

The first non-single of the release, ‘Roll me All the Way’, opens on some great isolated vocals. The acoustic instrumentation soon comes in, and of course it’s very Willy in all the best ways! It’s a steady paced, incredibly chilled-out and exceptionally catchy track, and is just again a lot of fun! Honestly, it’s a similar vibe through the closer ‘If Heaven had a Honky Tonk’, right down to the vocal intro. And, honestly, it’s a fantastic way to close out the album, tying everything together excellently, as well as being a great song and a big highlight in its own right! That chorus is going to be stuck in my head for days to come!

Songs like ‘Willy, Waylon & Waltzes’, ‘Goodbye Moon’ and ‘Fastest Fool in Town’ are all slower, more ballad tracks. All give off a little more of an Orville Peck/Zach Top vibe to them, and are excellent in their own right! I also surprisingly love that the former two are one-after-another, breaking up the more higher-energy songs well, and slotting excellently into the middle of the album. Meanwhile the latter also reminds me a little of more of a Skynyrd-style southern rock ballad, which is also awesome! It’s some classic country in all the best ways and, while all are a little similar, they’re all fantastic tracks in their own right!

Meanwhile, the likes of singles ‘Cowboy Cold Beer’, ‘How to Get Away With Murder’ and ‘All This Pain’ are more like their signature blend of indies rock and chilled-out, upbeat country. Having said that, they also still have their own identities, that’s for sure! The former is a catchy, simple affair with plenty of catchy vocal lines and even some rapping, which was a great surprise! Meanwhile ‘How to Get Away…’ has a bit more of a Western flavour to it, while also turning up the indie and even RHCP vibes a little with that bass. And the latter is a straight-up rockier track. So yeah, again all are excellent songs that fit the tone of the release well. All are just as great as the rest of the album, honestly!

‘When Love Tries To Hurt You’, ‘What Do You Know About Love’ up the chilled vibes even more, and I love it! Having said that, both have some elements of rock still, and are infectiously catchy in their own right! The former is one of my favourite tracks on the album even, and that says a lot! Meanwhile the latter, while a little ballady again, still feels a little rock driven, like the perfect mix of Pinegrove and Treaty Oak Revival. Again, both songs are excellent in their own right, fitting the tone of the release perfectly while constantly keeping it interesting with a slight variation of their sound each time. I can’t get over how talented this band are!

Overall: I really loved this release! It doesn’t feel its length and there truly isn’t a bad song on it! The variety on display is excellent, showing just how fantastic the band are as combined songwriters, and they all play and sing their asses off throughout. The band have continued to build momentum in quick order the last few years, and it’s so easy to see why when their studio work is of such high quality! If you are at all into country or a more chilled-out, light-hearted rock sound, I cannot recommend this album enough. I’ll be spinning it a lot in the weeks and months to come, and don’t be surprised to see it high on our albums of the year list come December!

The Score: 9/10

Features, Reviews

The Long Road 2026: The Big Bad Review – Day 3!

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We kicked things off with a bang on the Sunday on the Interstate with the incredible Errol Linton. We had no idea who he was and very much just stumbled across him, but he and his band were phenomenal. Some of the best blues players I’ve ever seen all combined together, and they all played their asses off for their entire set. From all the soloing to the catchy writing, it was like I was back in Louisiana at the start of the blues and jazz movements, and he very much has two big new fans in me and my wife!

Then we headed over to the Rhinestone stage for last year’s talent contest, Liam Price. The guy has had a real whirlwind year since that contest, and has gained quite the rabbis following in the process. It’s easy to see why too, as he put on an amazing set, especially for so early in the day. Something that I did appreciate that I haven’t touched on until now is that all the sets across the weekend have been pretty long, giving every artist plenty of time to breath and really showcase what they’re about. I think it worked fantastically for Price, who had the packed-out crowd hanging on every word through the entire half-hour. And, of course, the highlight was the beautiful ‘Little Star of August’, though that may be mainly due to my own impending child! The whole set was great though, and I can’t wait to see where he goes from here. I can see a very bright future ahead!

Ryan & Rory absolutely blew me away on the Rhinestone after Liam. I have been a fan of the duo since I interviewed them last year, but I wasn’t expecting them to be quite this fantastic live! And, as a running theme this year, they were pretty heavy in a live setting compared to the track, though some of that may be attributed to the volume of the stage. I certainly wasn’t complaining though, them walking the line between southern rock and radio-country perfectly! The duo are born showmen and work so well together, while their band for the show also put in the work and made them sound awesome! And their setlist was packed with awesome songs, from their brand new one that dropped a couple of days before to their older stuff. They really impressed me, to the point they have been one of the bands I’ve not stopped listening to since getting home.

Dan Byrne was an interesting one. Taking Rivers’ spot from last year of ‘why the hell is this act on this festival?’, the crowd once again showed up, filling Buddy’s more than for most artists I’d seen that weekend. And, being a fan of him since his days in Revival Black, I knew he was going to be good. He had one of the best voices of the festival, and seemed genuinely appreciative of people actually showing up for his set, putting on an energetic performance because of it. And I knew his music was awesome too, having loved his album the other month, so to hear a lot of it live was awesome! It was great to see the set so popular as he fully deserves all the love, and I’m somehow an even bigger fan of the guy and his band coming out of the weekend!

Rosalie Cunningham followed Dan, continuing on the wild Snakefarm takeover of ‘let’s see what out there genres Baylen will let us book’. However, I’m not complaining, as I thought she put on one of the most fun and interesting sets of the whole weekend! My brain kept comparing it to Jethro Tull, however right or wrongly, but her prog-infused folk-rock was fantastically crafted and written, regardless. And, what’s more, is her and her band performed it masterfully. Her vocals are just as amazing live as they are on track, and some of the riffing and arrangements honestly blew me away. It certainly wasn’t for everyone at the festival, but I had a blast and will certainly be keeping an eye out for when she’s next near me to see her again!

On the way out we caught a little bit of Buddy’s we caught a little bit of the legendary Jim Lauderdale on the Front Porch. After two full-on rock bands, Jim just sitting there with an acoustic and some slow traditional country was a bit of a comedown. However, it certainly wasn’t bad, and I’m glad I got to see a few songs. Then, it was over to Rhinestone for Ann Wilson. Musically and vocally she was brilliant, but my gosh was it Jesusy. Some of her songs are really well written and catchy, but when I feel like I’m being beaten over the head with a bible every couple of minutes I kinda zone out. I get that she was here for the Christian festival that sadly and tragically got called off, but it was like her religion got more concentrated and spilled out doubly at TLR. I’m not massively well versed on her music, so if she has less religious songs, please let me know as I’d love to hear them!

We took a bit of a wander afterwards, catching the cutest dog show every for a bit before catching the back half of The Felice Brothers. Both were fun and entertaining in their own way. I learnt that some owners have so much better control over their dogs than me and the wife do, but also how to try and make them do tricks better (it didn’t work). I also learnt that the rockier, higher tempo Felice Brothers stuff is right up my street, while the slower stuff wasn’t so much. Still, it was nice to sit and relax and watch both from a little further back, especially when the weather had held out all day!

Story time. I went travelling in the US back in the before times (2019), and when I was working for a woman in Santa Cruz she took me to a bluegrass show one night. I loved it, but was slightly too tipsy and lost the ticket stub, so forgot who I’d seen. Fast forward to when The Brothers Comatose were announced as Shakey Graves’ replacement and I went to check them out on YouTube I realised… I’d found them! You couldn’t make this up, folks!

As for the band and their set, HOLY CRAP. They were my introduction to live Bluegrass music, they’ve been the marker to which I compare all others from the genre, and they still hold up as the best I’ve seen. It was an hour of some of the best musicianship and playing I have ever seen, each and every member getting their own chance to shine throughout. The fiddle, banjo and mandolin solos utterly blew my mind, while the actual songwriting and vocals from Ben and Steve were excellent throughout. The crowd were surprisingly big into it too, given how short notice they had to check it out beforehand. Plenty were singing and dancing and clapping along throughout. And it was clear the band were enjoying themselves, laughing and joking around and all huddling up to jam together. The covers were certainly highlights, with an epic rendition of ‘Dreams’ being my highlight of the weekend, alongside their absolutely ridiculous Wheeler Walker Jr. nod. However, their own songs were just as excellent, with ‘Golden Grass’ and set closer ‘The IPA Song’ also being great. I honestly can’t gush over the band enough, I am so glad I got to see them again and already want to once more. I’d recommend them to absolutely anyone, on track but especially live!

And with that, we reached the closing headliner of the weekend, Maren Morris. I have to admit she wasn’t really my thing heading into the festival, though I had heard lots of people say how good she is live. I do have to say, she sounded great, that much is for sure! However, I’m not sure if it was the sheer exhaustion of the weekend catching up with me or the generally slower, poppy nature of her music, but I found myself flagging in the last third, and we left a couple before the end. As I said, she was so very good, but I don’t think it was quite my sort of music. Plus, there wasn’t much of a show, just her walking about the stage, barely acknowledging her band. As good as she sounded and as well written as her songs were, it was a touch boring to watch. I know plenty who loved the set and I’m so glad, I’m certainly in the minority. But it was still a fittingly big name, and a fittingly big conclusion to a great festival!

And there we have it, another great year at The Long Road! Some amazing bands and some of the loveliest people around, gathered at still my favourite site in the country. Despite the rumblings of unhappiness before the event, it is still run phenomenally well for the customers, and there is almost too much to do in just a weekend. I’d recommend the festival to anyone even slightly into your country or Americana music, and already can’t wait to go again next year!

Did you go? If so, who was your favourite artist?

<- Day 2

Features, Reviews

The Long Road 2026: The Big Bad Review – Day 2!

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Our second day started out with another artist we’d seen before, this time pretty recently, in Bec O’Malley. He opened for Mr Pardi back in May, and we really enjoyed him then. However, we enjoyed him even more this time around! The sound on the Rhinestone stage was pretty great all weekend, and Bec having a full band backing him this time filled out his music to a fantastic degree. It was a similar setlist to when we saw him previously, but it felt fresh and still excellent seeing it again, especially on an outdoor, festival stage. I said it then and I’ll say it again now, Bec is already set to be a MASSIVE name in the coming years, so I’d recommend seeing him in smaller slots like this while you still can!

Next we had a bit of a stroll up to the Interstate to check out the opening few of Brennan Leigh. She certainly caught our ear heading into the festival, and she didn’t disappoint live! She’s the perfect blend of old-school country and bluegrass, a style I hadn’t gotten much of so far over the weekend, so I was certainly down. Her and her band performed it masterfully too, everyone working together to produce a great sound. Sadly we could only stay for a few, as our good friends First Time Flyers made their triumphant main stage debut after a few years on other stages. Now, they always sound excellent, the quartet being a contender with Shires for best harmonies, but the level of show they put on on the bigger stage was fantastic. Right from the offset they had the big intro, making them feel like a massive deal, and the four of them (and their band) performed like their lives depended on it for the full hour! They have been kicking ass at this festival, and across the UK as a whole, for years now, but this felt like a band at the next level. Another artist I’d recommend absolutely anyone reading this to check out!

One of my most anticipated sets of the weekend was up next in Zandi Holup. I loved her album last year, still listening to it on the regular, so getting to hear it in a live setting was truly special. Honestly, her opening on her big breakout hit ‘Gas Station Flowers’ was unexpected, but set the beautiful, bittersweet tone of the set perfectly. From other album highlights like ‘Dirty Wings’ and ‘Wildflower’ to upcoming new tracks, it was a really great setlist. Her voice is so unique and powerful, and had me misty eyed on more than one occasion. And there was something about her stood there with her guitar, the only other accompaniment being an incredible fiddle player, that was so captivating, and filled out the sound so well in the packed out tent. It’s wild to me that I actually didn’t mind it not being a full band setup, and would love to see this sort of set again! She teased a new album for 2027 and I already can’t wait; hopefully we get a full tour off the back of it over here!

Another artist we were familiar with was up next on the Rhinestone, Uncle Lucius. Much like with Bec above, as much as I enjoyed them at The Bodga, they blew me away here! It started a little low energy which was odd, but the rockier numbers really hooked me in, and I was obsessed just a few songs in. They were another band that had had a big feel and vibe to them, the show being so well put together and flowed excellently, as well as sounding perfect. The band are so insanely talented too, playing their asses off throughout. It was a similarish setlist to when we saw them before, at least in terms of their own stuff, but it hit that much harder on a massive open field, and the crowd ate it up too!

Twinnie packed out the Interstate stage, and for good reason! She was fucking awesome! One of the most born-performers I saw all weekend, she kept everyone in the palm of her hand from the start of her set to the very end. Being another leading light of the UK country scene it’s no surprise, and her pop-infused sound had everyone singing and dancing along throughout. I don’t think it’ll be too long before she’s up in The Shires’ spot on bills like this, and it couldn’t happen to a more deserving artist. Another firm highlight of the weekend!

A lot of people had been impatiently waiting for Josh Ross all day. So imagine my surprise when the track I most wanted to see from the guy was what opened the setlist. ‘Hate How You Look’ is a banger and was awesome live. So, sadly, the rest of the set felt a touch deflating for me. I’m certainly not opposed to some pop-country, but opening the show on one of your rockier numbers and then slowing the pace way down for a bit kinda ruined the hype for me. Don’t get me wrong, he’s a great performer and a fantastic vocalist. However, I’d kinda checked out by the middle of his set. It’s a bit of a shame too because I was looking forward to him, especially with the hype surrounding his set. He certainly wasn’t awful and if you enjoyed him, that’s great! But I found myself struggling to get into it at times.

Over on the Front Porch, Ken Pomeroy was treating us to a fantastic acoustic set. She has such an interesting voice and way of songwriting, that I certainly enjoyed standing and watching for a few tracks. If it was a typical year where the weather was better, I’d have loved to chill out on the grass and watch the full set. Still, I am a fan of her work and it translated well live, even if there were a couple of slightly awkward pauses between songs. Then, back at the Interstate Jason Scott & The High Heat blew the roof off the joint. Their blend of country, Southern rock and Americana is fantastic and pretty unique, and translates excellently to a live environment, especially a dark, packed-out tent! And, from tracks from the upcoming Play Boy album to more firm classics, the setlist was pretty damn excellent, too. The strutted around like they owned the stage, and the crowd very much were on board with it, hanging on every note! I had a blast from start to end, and very much need to see them again ASAP!

The replacement for Bailey Zimmerman, as well as being a living breathing Rolling Stone, Ronnie Wood took to the stage to close out the Saturday. Honestly, I didn’t really have much expectation heading in, but I ended up having a blast! Ronnie is a larger than life character, and his energy and happiness is infectious. And, to his credit, he still sounds pretty good for his age. Not only that, but he makes his rather brilliant soloing look so effortless… I’m not jealous at all… However, his band killed it too, matching his energy and drive and ability. It felt a touch odd waiting so long to bring out Imelda May, but when they did HOT DAMN, she was incredible. Honestly one of the best voices of all time, and hearing it live was phenomenal.

And, in terms of the setlist, it was pretty damn fun. Covering the expanses of his decades long career with tracks from both the Stones and Faces to even a couple of his solo bits thrown in for good measure. But, he threw in plenty of covers too, some even being country to fit in with the theme of the festival. From Willie to Hank, Chuck Berry to Aretha Franklin to, of course, a couple of Dolly, there was plenty of massive and fitting music to love. Sadly, the rain picked up rather lots towards the back half, and the crowd thinned out substantially. It did take away a slight bit from the set, but it was still enjoyable, regardless. It was a real party vibe, and a great way to close out the day!

<- Day 1

Day 3 ->

Features, Reviews

The Long Road 2026: The Big Bad Review!

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We returned to Stanford Hall for our fifth straight Long Road festival, and boy oh boy what a memorable year it was! The festivals curse reared its ugly head after a couple of years off, with Bailey Zimmerman having to pull out relatively last minute and being replaced by the Rolling Stones legend Ronnie Wood. On top of that, it was the first year out of those five where we didn’t have good weather, it being rainy for the most part and a couple of electrical storms actually stopping things at times. Despite that, it was a fantastic weekend still through and through! We saw plenty of incredible artists across all three days, and wanted to tell you just how much we loved them!

The first artist for us this weekend was Chanel Yates on the Interstate. I wasn’t too familiar with her outside of a song or two we checked out beforehand, but she honestly blew me away! Her particular brand of pop country is incredibly modern, drawing comparisons to the likes of Carter Faith and even Ella Langley at times, and translated fantastically well to a live environment. And, what’s more, she fully owned that stage! For a relatively new artist, she really had the crowd in the palm of her hand throughout. And, what’s more, her band killed it too, backing her up perfectly. Her massive hit ‘Big Girl Boots’ was a clear highlight, but so was her upcoming single ‘Sugar Honey Ice Tea’, the crowd fully behind it even though it’s not dropping until later this month. She has a big new fan in me, and I already want to see her live again soon!

Next up we headed over to the Rhinstone stage for Irish folk pop-rocker Jordan O’Keefe. However, he’s another artists that I’ve come away being a big fan of! It all felt a little heavier live, maybe because of the full-band backing, but it served him very well here! And still, his catchy, massive melodies and choruses shined through, the crowd hanging on every note throughout. His big hit, ‘History’, was of course a firm set highlight, but every track was great in its own way. And, for still pretty early on, the crowd was pretty packed for him; it’s clear he has a bright future ahead of him!

We have been a fan of Gina Larner since first catching her at the same festival a couple of years back. To finally see her again was awesome, and she killed it once again! Back on maybe my favourite stage at the festival, Buddy’s Good Time Bar, it had more of an intimate setting, yet we still got plenty of rockiness and a huge sound. And, until the weather intervened, the set was awesome! She is a criminally underrated vocalist, and her songwriting skills are amazing, blending folk, country, indie and rock together seamlessly. ‘Cocktail Menu’ was a particular set highlight, finally getting to see that song live was awesome! Also, her cover of Chris Cagle’s ‘Let There Be Cowgirls’ is always excellent, and has caused the song to be stuck in my head for the last few days yet again. Sadly due to the storms, they had to cut her off a song to the end and send everyone back to our tents. It was certainly a shame, but it just means we need to go and see her again soon!

The sheer musicianship on display throughout Striking Matches’ set on the Interstate stage was insane. For just the two of them up there, they really packed out the sound, and put on an entertaining show from start to finish. The pair are masters of their craft, writing some amazing music and also jamming out some incredible instrumental parts in and around them. It’s clear that the band are seasoned veterans, as they play off of each other perfectly. My only hope now is that we get them coming back over here soon with a full band, as I’d love an even bigger show out of them, even if this was pretty huge enough as is!

The legendary Steve Earle showed up to the Rhinstone with nothing but his guitar, and blew away the packed out crowd before him. That was all he needed, as his soulful voice and incredible storytelling took the crowd on a journey. He has so many huge songs, with the legendary ‘Copperhead Road’ of course being the one a lot of the fans came to see, and Steve pulls it off amazing still all these years later. We also get an incredible yet-unreleased duet with Zandi Holup (more on her later). The fact that he can get such a captivating show and full sound when it is just him is a sheer testament to the man’s talent, and it was honestly an honour getting to see what he does best. I’m glad I finally got to see him live, and would still recommend him to anyone who is a fan of his work!

The second male-female duo of the day for us, Smithfield, were fantastic on the Front Porch stage. Right from the jump, the harmonies between the pair had me locked in, they were so good. And, much like Striking Matches, the pair clearly work the circuit back home a lot as they put on such a polished, professional set. The covers medley was especially smooth, weaving through their influences a verse-chorus at a time to the adoration of the crowd. However, their originals were also excellent. Whether it was stuff off their debut, sneak previews of tracks from their upcoming album, or standalone singles, we were treated to the very best of their catalogue to this point. They’re another act that I’d love to see with a full band, but I know they are doing a couple of stops on this run with one, so hopefully I can see that sooner rather than later! They’re another band with a hugely bright future ahead of them!

I had become a fan of The 502s when getting ready for this weekend, but I didn’t expect them to be this good. Y’all know by now how much I love some horns, so having an hours set with a saxophone on the main stage was amazing for me! The band are so upbeat and uplifting, a fantastic change of pace and honestly it felt more akin to some of the ska bands I’ve seen recently. They were just so much fun, and had the majority of the crowd dancing along throughout. From heavy hitters like ‘Your Nonsense Makes No Sense’ and ‘Just a Little While’ to lesser known numbers like ‘Friday Night’ to even the so-far unreleased ‘Gang’s Back Together Again’, the setlist was packed full of awesomeness. It helped that they had a pretty hefty amount of time too, but I loved every minute of it. And, of course, the band played their asses off throughout, and looked like they had a genuinely great time doing so. This was easily one of my highlights of the weekend, and a band I’d recommend to anyone!

Before we knew it we were at the headliners, the might Shires. Returning to the festival for the first time since its inaugural year in 2018, it was one hell of a triumphant comeback. And what followed was an absolute masterclass in live music from the very top of the UK country scene. Whether it’s the best of their brand new album in ‘Bonfire Song’ or ‘Getaway Car’, or career spanning hits like opener ‘Lightning Strikes’, ‘Daddy’s Little Girl’ or the massive ‘I Just Wanna Love You’, the setlist was amazing. We also got the perfect Dolly cover from them in ‘Islands in the Stream’. The pair have maybe the best harmonies in the game right now, working excellently not just on that track, but throughout. They are born performers too, even with the slight technical issues in the middle they handled it professionally, and the crowd ate up every minute they were on stage. And the band behind them killed it throughout too, playing excellently and providing the perfect backdrop of the duo. It is clear to see why they are such a massive name in the UK country scene, and they are born to out on sets of this magnitude and grandeur. What a way to close out day one!

Day 2 ->

Reviews

The Mountain Goat: Ian Munsick Knocks it Out of the Park Once Again!

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The American Country-Western singer-songwriter returns with his highly anticipated fourth album this coming Friday. Anyone who’s a regular here at our site knows how huge a fan of the guy we are, and have been already impatiently waiting for this since before it was even announced! I still regularly spin Eagle Feather now, and it was one of my favourite albums of 2025. So, when this came across our emails, we were very excited to be checking it out! Strap yourselves in, ladies and gents, this is a long one!

The title track sets the tone of the album excellently. Some great fiddle playing gives way to Ian’s iconic vocals, the neo-traditional Western vibes ringing awesomely right from the offset. The lyrics are fun too, with Ian proclaiming himself as the titular goat, fitting it perfectly with his character and sound. And, while the chorus stays a little understated, the whole track builds and builds throughout. It’s honestly the perfect way to kick off this mammoth release, however, building the anticipation and the expected sounds and layers in more with each part. And, as a song in its own right, it’s amazing! As you can tell, I already love this release!

Next up is the huge, awesome single, ‘Geronimo’. It was an excellent choice for a single as it certainly has more of a pop edge to it, but still has plenty of his signature Western/Americana sound too! The note he hits for the chorus is insanely impressive and sounds effortless, while the rest of the chorus is naturally catchy as anything! The bridge, while simple, breaks things up excellently with some great fiddle work and vocals, too. And, not only that, but we get the same for the outro, and it slowly dropping out was amazing! It was a great choice to put it this early on in the album too, hooking people in with maybe the biggest track on the release so far. Another excellent song, and one that I’ve loved since it dropped. It was an easy choice for the playlist!

The pace slows down for the first ballad-like track of the release, ‘My Montana’. It’s a perfectly timed change of vibe, and still sounds exactly as you’d expect from an Ian Munsick track. It’s still a catchy-as-anything chorus, one that will be stuck in my head for days to come. I also love the harmonies, be it the subtle ones through the chorus or the more clear ones on the second verse. The bridge is another fun one with some excellent instrumentation, alongside a great few vocal lines from Ian. The track as a whole is great, a bittersweet yet upbeat song that is surely going to be a big fan favourite when the album drops!

After a brief piano interlude, ‘Made Me a Man’ comes in and dials up the folky vibes to a 10. It’s a steady, stripped-back track built around Ian’s vocals and guitar, but the other instrumentation compliments it perfectly! The chorus is on a similar level to the rest of the track but still catchy and feels a lot bigger than it is. The structure is simple but so very effective, and it all adds so much emotion to the lyrics. It’s a truly beautiful song, another big high point of the release!

Some awesome Spanish guitar opens ‘Blue Roan’, reminding me instantly of ‘God Bless the West’, one of my favourite tracks off his last album. It’s a perfectly sets a great tone for the song, and is a complete change of pace again from what we’ve had on the album so far. I love it staying stripped back, the great guitaring and electric drum beat providing the perfect backdrop for the vocals at first. The chorus is once again on the same level as the rest, which I did find a little odd as I hoped that it would hit bigger. However, much like with the opener, the track feels like it builds steadily for its first couple of minutes, and certainly earns that huge explosion of guitars and acoustic drums. It shifts the whole dynamic of the track for a moment, and the ups and downs throughout from it are truly amazing. The solo and bridge parts honestly have a Stairway level of epicness to them, only adding even more awesomeness to things! Honestly, I can’t get enough of this song. It’s Southern/Americana rock at its very best, and may be not just an album, but a career highlight track for Mr Munsick. I cannot recommend this song enough!

Next up are a couple more singles. We are very familiar with ‘Love is Blind’ these days, being obsessed with it since it dropped and have thrown it plenty of praise over the months! It was an excellent early single, and hasn’t left my rotation since it dropped. Then you have ‘Medicine Man’, a slightly slower, simpler track than the former, but is no less great and catchy! The chorus is awesome, designed to be played to huge festival crowds around the world, and the instrumentation is another grandiose, amazing arrangement. Both are phenomenal songs in their own right, and fit the tone of the album excellently!

Another single, ‘Cutthroat World’, picks up the pace into a more lighthearted, rockier territory. It feels like a modern radio country-rock song, but very much still done in Ian’s signature style. The chorus is very Southern and Western, fitting his usual sound despite the verses giving off more of a FGL vibe. Somehow, the two parts and styles fit excellently together, like this is a completely normal thing that Ian is doing, and not something crazy and breaking new ground in the best way. It’s Munsick’s take on a stadium country song, and is completely excellent. Even the riffing is a lot of fun! What would you know, another huge highlight!

Another short interlude, and another big single in ‘Palomino Eyes’. The Spanish vibes return with that opening guitaring, and once again Ian’s vocals fit perfectly over the top. It’s another relatively stripped-back song, reminding me a little of ‘Blue Roan’ in that it builds a lot through its first third or so. However, it is still beautiful throughout, and just makes the song even more awesome when it gets into its higher gears. The harmonies and some of Ian’s higher notes are incredible, and the guitars and strings fill out underneath it perfectly. It was a good choice for a single again, that’s for sure, but with an album of this hugely high quality, it may be one that gets left to the wayside a little.

‘Earn Your Spurs’ is the most Western track on the album, and is a lot of fun! It’s pretty up-beat for the album and has a poppier vibe to it, but is a fantastic song in its own right! Honestly, to the point where I’m shocked this wasn’t a pre-release single, too! Everything from the instruments to the hugely catchy chorus to the little extra touches on the production and writing side of things, it’s all SO GOOD. It’s yet another song that I think I’m a little obsessed with coming out of this, and is another massive highlight for me!

Another fun interlude (though I have to say none are quite as great as those from Eagle Feather), single ‘World War III’ is another stripped-back, grandiose Western-Americana track. Again, I can’t help but marvel at the incredible production and little touches throughout, all making the song sound so massive, and makes me incredibly curious to hear if it is pulled off live. The chorus is still pretty damn catchy, and once again Ian’s vocal range and power is a high point of it. It feels redundant at this point to say the song is good, but it truly is. It’s crazy that Ian is still firing on all cylinders this late into a longer album, honestly!

And finally, we have reached the closer, ‘Winter in Wyoming’. Part of me was shocked that he went with another more up-beat, rockier Western number over an epic ballad, but it’s still a good song, and ties a bow around the album perfectly. It’s a fun, catchy song that has elements of everything that preceded it, as well as being a single-worthy chorus just like the rest! Despite it being an ‘album track’ and the closer at that, it is still worth listening to, and I’d recommend it to anyone! An amazing song to close out an amazing album!

Overall: Once again, Ian Munsick puts out an absolutely amazing album! I was already won over by the singles, but every single album track also knocks it straight out of the park. There’s no one that sounds or makes music quite like Ian, and his winning formula once again paid off here. My only slight note is that the album doesn’t quite feel like it flows as well as Eagle Feather, though that might have been because I enjoyed its interludes more, as I said already. But the album as a whole, is still absolutely phenomenal. It’s an absolute must for any country fan, and don’t be surprised to see it once again high on our albums of the year list come December!

The Score: 9/10

Reviews

Scared of Heights: Wyatt Flores’ Massive Sophomore Album!

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Neo-traditional country young megastar Wyatt Flores is set to release his band new second album tomorrow. If you weren’t aware, we’re HUGE fans of the guy already, so when this came across our emails, there was no way we weren’t diving head first into a full review. From his incredible voice to his amazing lyrics to the instrumentation, he is one of the best country/Americana artists around today, and at just 24 he has one hell of a career in front of him already. So, let’s see what his sophomore album has to offer!

The album starts on a huge high with ‘Hate Myself’. It is Wyatt through and through, and I’m shocked it wasn’t a pre-release single, honestly! A low, acoustic-based verse builds perfectly into a massive, arena-filling chorus. It’s catchy as anything, but the emotional vulnerable lyrics are honestly the biggest highlight for me. This sort of style and scene is so good at lyrics currently, with Evan Honer being another great example, but Wyatt is up there at the very forefront for me of lyricists. And not to mention his vocals are absolutely incredible, especially for his young age. The structure of the track itself is a little simple, but works perfectly as an opening song, and highlights everything excellent about the musician!

‘Sober for a Month’ slows things down a touch, but keeps the same emotion-filled vibe. It’s stripped back, focusing mainly on Wyatts guitar and vocals, but it if anything adds even more impact to every vocal line. And the other instrumentation, from the driving bass drum to the subtle fiddle to the other strings, really adds so much depth behind the man. Again, it’s wonderfully written; Wyatt being an excellent storyteller here and showing off his vulnerability excellently. It’s a simple track that may have been a little risky putting so early in the album, but Flores pulled it off with ease. Another huge early highlight!

The first of the singles, ‘Drive all Night’, has a bit of a bluesy, swaggering energy to it, and was definitely a good call as a pre-release! It honestly reminds me a bit of Jon Pardi, that sort of neo-traditional country, and is another truly excellent chorus. The instrumentation was a big plus with this track too, the fiddle coming in behind the second and third choruses being awesome. It adds even more depth and catchiness to a song already full of both. It’s another short, sweet and simple arrangement, in-and-out in less than three minutes, but for what it is it’s perfect. Heck, I couldn’t think of much to add other than some big solo in the middle or the outro. And that little break in the instrumentation in the final chorus… DAMN. Three for three on excellent songs, and one that easily makes our playlist!

‘Not Good Enough’ picks up the Southern rock vibes from the jump, an awesome riff kicking things off. It was an excellent change of pace yet again, the album constantly keeping my attention so far. It feels like a very 90s/early 2000s country track; Darius Rucker in all the best ways. And man if it isn’t maybe one of my favourite choruses he’s ever written. I instantly wanted to see this live the moment I heard it, I hope he’s back in the UK again soon! It’s yet another side of his style that he is so damn good at, and is another track that just begs to be a single. We even get a tasty little guitar solo tucked away in the middle. How he’s managed to compact such a fantastic amount of music into just 140 seconds is beyond me. Banger after banger so far!

The title track is expectedly slower, leaning again back into his old-school country and Americana side. It’s a ballad through and through, once again mainly comprising of Wyatt’s guitaring and vocals. The lyrics are once again amazing and deep, and I love the harmonies in the chorus. As someone who can relate to his insecurities and self-doubt, this track hit home in a huge way. Heck, I had goosebumps by the end! My only slight complaint was the fade-out ending, but that is more personal preference than anything. Anyone who hasn’t already checked this song out, do so ASAP!

Tracks like ‘How to Let me Go’, ‘South Dakota’ and ‘The Way I Do’ are more songs like the opener. They’re exactly what I’d expect from a Wyatt album, and both written and performed masterfully by Flores and his band. ‘South Dakota’ in particular is another personal favourite of mine, having a bit of a chilled vibe, almost having a tinge of Buffett-beachness. Having said that, the greater focus on the latter was also great! And, what’s more, none feel like album tracks, all being excellent and memorable in their own ways. In case you haven’t realised by now, this album really is firing on all cylinders from start to finish!

The other two singles, ‘Half the Man’ and ‘Running on E’, are more on the slower side, but both have some of the best lyrics Flores has ever put to track. The former brought a tear to my eye, not only highlighting his insecurities again but the struggles of being a touring musician. Meanwhile the latter is more of a jaded, bittersweet love song. They approach similar sentiments in wildly different ways, but both do so incredibly successfully, as well as being awesome in their own right. Both, yet again, were very good choices for singles too, having a radio vibe to them and really highlighting the very best aspects of the album as a whole. I’ve listened to them both a lot since they dropped, and somehow haven’t gotten sick of either yet!

‘Sleepless Lullaby’, ‘God Forgives’ and the closing track are all slower, ballad-tracks. Much like with the singles though, they approach the style in their own unique way. The former is a dark, Southern rocker. ‘God Forgives’ is a bit more of a modern radio-country track. Meanwhile ‘Tulsa and Eleanor’ is a stripped-back, simple acoustic track. All play their parts perfectly, and are broken up enough by the other tracks around them that each has plenty of impact and isn’t at all boring. The former is another massive album highlight for me, and while the other two aren’t quite as memorable tracks as the rest of the album, they are still damn good songs in their own right. And, honestly, this is one of the few times where I fully love it closing on a slower song; it fit the tone and vibe excellently. Damn, I’m a little obsessed!

Overall: Goddamn, this is one hell of an album! From front to back, it is excellent; all killer, no filler. Being a fan of all of his previous work, this is at least up there, if not his best work to date. If you are at all a fan of Wyatt or country music in general, this album is an absolute must-listen. I’m going to be spinning this a lot in the weeks and months to come, and don’t be surprised to see it very high on our top albums list come December! To no surprise, it gets another huge score from me!

The Score: 9.5/10