The country vocal group legends are back with their 11th studio album (the Christmas one doesn’t count) and first since 2022’s Mr. Sun. The quartet have put out some of the biggest, most fantastic songs in the genre this millennium, and have had steady success throughout. I’ve been a fan of them for years at this point, and since the moment this was announced all of us here at Overtone have been excited! Without further ado, let’s dive in!
After a short vocal intro track, we launch right into their huge, Ashley Monroe featuring single, ‘Sucker for a Sad Song’. From the Western guitaring and vibes to the expectedly perfect harmonies, it had me in a chokehold right from the get-go. It’s a rather simple, stripped-back track throughout. Having said that, the chorus, while still a similar level as the rest, still sounds massive and catchy as anything with all the harmonies. The four work perfectly together, and have for decades at this point, and Ashley slots in amongst them amazingly. It’s a chilled out, Western-folky song that sets the tone perfectly for the rest of the album! And, at nearly six minutes in length, everything gets plenty of time to breathe, which is really awesome.
The chilled vibes continue through ‘The Door’, but it was cool changing things up with a male-lead, shorter song. It’s mainly just one guitar and vocals, with some added leads and strings to fill things out, but again the harmonies on the chorus are phenomenal, nearly taking my breath away. The lyrics are amazing too, emotional and heartfelt and devastatingly bittersweet. If you like slower, more traditional country stuff, this is absolutely the track for you, and is a massive early highlight!
‘Dying Art’ picks the pace and the rock a little bit, more of what I expected from the band heading into this. A simple, guitar lead verse builds perfectly into massive, arena-filled chorus. The harmonies are excellent again, but the instrumental fills out the sound perfectly. The dynamics for the song is great too, really making the chorus hit that much harder when everything around it is a little lower. And it’s catchy as anything, certainly one to be stuck in my head for days to come. The whole second half is amazing, too. From the male vocals to the women building in over the top to the awesome guitar solo, it’s all SO GOOD. And it slowly all dropping out at the end is perfection. I’m honestly shocked it wasn’t a pre-release single, it’s that good, but will probably do excellently still on the radio post-release! This is a song that easily makes our playlist!
Singles ‘Hey There Sunshine’ and ‘We Could Have it All’ are beautiful piano ballads, both handled in very different ways. The first is an emotion-filled, slower, simple song that is very much focused around the piano and female vocals, the odd guitar and string swell and harmonies adding even more depth to the sound and vibe. Meanwhile the latter has almost a Bowie or ELO with the multi-tracked vocals throughout. Instrumentally it’s got more to it too, with the drums and guitars and even some soloing coming in throughout. Both are great in their own right and were absolutely great choices for singles. ‘…Sunshine’ is definitely more of the country side of their sound, with the other leaning into rock power ballad status, so there is still variety through them. And, them being broken apart through the album was absolutely the right call!
Another single, ‘Over and Over’, brings back the acoustic guitar as the focus, and definitely has a classic country vibe to it. It’s maybe the most Fleetwood Mac-esque track on the album, but also has an air of late 90s/early 2000s folk pop, blending the two together seamlessly. And, having said that, it still feels so very Little Big Town. It’s catchy and so well put together and performed. And by the end it builds into a rather grandiose, rock opera sound and feel, which I really loved. It’s easily another big highlight of the album!
Tracks like ‘The Idea’, ‘It’s a Long Way to Your Heart’ and ‘Jet Plane’ are all more steady acoustic songs. Once again, all are great in their own right, but certainly have similarities in vibe. The former has some of the most heartbreakingly brilliant lyrics on the album, and is another firm highlight. The latter closes things in perfect fashion, just like the way the album opens. It’s country AF, and packed full of some truly excellent harmonies. Plus, the guitaring it in is awesome, almost Buffett-like at times. Meanwhile ‘Long Way’ is your typical Little Big Town ballad in all the best ways. As I said, all the songs are good and beautiful, but they definitely have a shared vibe through them.
‘Crickets’ has a fun bluesy/jazz feel and riff running through it. The vocals over the top definitely fit that feel to a T. It’s another excellent change of pace for the album, and certainly a welcome one after a few slower ones. Hell, it’s arguably the most different one o the release, and I really love it for that. However, it’s also a fantastic song in its own right, that’s for sure! It’s a lot of fun that still had plenty of hallmarks of a great LBT song to boot. It’s simple in its arrangement and very Louisiana blues in the best way. Another song that I’d highly recommend, and another firm album highlight!
The final single of the album, the Kelsea Ballerini featuring ‘Closing Time’, keeps the blues vibes going but slows them down into more of an easy-listening/Southern soul style. And, what would you know, it’s another excellent song! It’s a sort, simple song that gets straight to the point, and is a truly fantastic listen. And, just like Ashley, Kelsea slots in perfectly in with the band. The sheer levels of harmonies and vocal levels throughout are incredible, and the lyrics are great too. It kept me hooked though it’s two and a half minute runtime amazingly, and is another song I’ll be revisiting a lot. Amazing stuff!
The last song from the album, ‘It’s Coming Around’, is another Fleetwood-like song, it building very much like ‘The Chain’. That rocky folk/country sound is one that the band do so well, and this track is a real testament to that! It’s massive and packed full of huge, catchy vocal lines. Hell, we even get an organ solo which was a lot of fun, especially since it duels with the guitar! Once again, the last third of the song is incredible, and the band do such a good job of their stuff dropping gradually out to its base parts. It’s a song I would absolutely love to see live, so hopefully they’re back out here soon!
Overall: This is a damn good album! It’s actually been a couple of releases since I’ve checked out a full album from them, and what a way to jump back into them! The album as a whole was maybe a touch too slow at times, but when all the tracks are so damn good and pretty it’s hard for that to be too much of an issue! There are plenty of great songs throughout, and the band prove that somehow even nearly three decades into their career, they are still firing on all cylinders. If you like the band, or their lighter, folkier brand of country music in general, I would certainly recommend giving this a spin!
Another stacked week of massive and great new music, from rock to metal to country! Let’s dive into it all!
Weezer: Weezer (Gold Album)
After the band finally took a much-needed break from writing/releasing following 2022’s middling SZNZ collection, they returned with their highly anticipated 20th studio album. Honestly, it proves if nothing else, quantity is definitely not directly proportional to quality. This is their best album in a while, easily since ’21s Van Weezer. It’s rather fitting too, since this is their first return to a self-titled release since 2019’s polarising (Black Album). The album starts on a massive high with ‘Say Yes’, while single ‘We Might as Well Be Strangers’ is also a banger. Heck, it’s a solidly great 32 minutes of rock music, with the only low-light being single ‘C.E.O.’ (the video is excellent but the track really hasn’t grown on me since its release). It’s some really good moody, melodic, punk-infused rock like really only Weezer can do. It’s the closest they’ve come to sounding like their early 2000s peak, and it was definitely a welcome return! I’m sure it will have its critics, but I’ve had a blast listening to it multiple times over the weekend. It’s a harmless album that doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but certainly reinforces it! One of the easiest 8/10s I’ve ever given.
Dan + Shay: Young
Album six from the country duo finally dropped to a lot of hype this last Friday. If y’all can remember, we LOVED their last album, so this has definitely been a big one I’ve been waiting for this year. And, given how excellent the singles have been, we were even more excited!
The album certainly doesn’t let me down, that’s for sure! While the title track was maybe a little of an odd choice opening the release, it being a slower ballad track, it is still great. And, following it up with the massive, amazing, emotional single ‘Say So’ was a great call. ‘Marry You Again’ is a catchy pop-country banger of a love song that was another excellent choice for a single. Them adding another harmony into ‘The Old Guys’ with Cody Johnson worked incredibly well too, and is another excellent song. The closer is also a beautiful, bittersweet, piano-lead song, and another huge highlight.
The rest of it, while all great, is a touch on the slow side. They can get away with it because their lyric writing, vocals and harmonies are all excellent, but I’d have liked a couple more up-tempo tracks like from Bigger Houses, honestly. They are so very good at making fantastic, sappy love songs, so the wife will be happy, at least! It’s all first dance music, through and through. I do hope it grows on me, like the other did. It’s certainly not bad by any stretch, but it is a step below their last. But, I will certainly be listening to it again plenty moving forward, that’s for sure! So for now it gets a tentative 7.5/10
Chelsea Wolfe: The Dark
Just two and a half years removed from her critically acclaimed last album, the gothic musician is back with her ninth. Her beautiful, haunting dark-folk sound is back on full display, a style I feel only Wolfe can do like this. Honestly, it’s a welcome return to the sound after her recent more electronic/industrial sound. From the opener to ‘Swallower’ to ‘I’m Not There’, there’s some really great songs on here. Honestly, the album begs for a full listen from front-to-back, though. There is no denying her skill, as a songwriter or a vocalist, as her lyrics and delivery throughout are excellent and the production on the whole release is phenomenal. Honestly, it feels like a strange comparison, but the grandiose nature of the album almost gives off Seal vibes at times. That is a big compliment though, trust me!
I know a lot of people loved She Reaches Out…, but this is the most I’ve enjoyed a Chelsea Wolfe release in a while, at least since her Converge collaboration. If you are all into the darker, more epic side of folk-rock, I cannot recommend this album enough! While I probably wouldn’t listen to the individual tracks on their own too much, I cannot deny how incredible of an album as a whole it is. It’s a truly special release that I’ve already spun twice this weekend, and will be doing so plenty in the future! And, for that reason, I can’t give it any less than 8.5/10!
The Afghan Whigs: Soft Control
The first new album in four years from the alt rockers is a fun 36-minutes of catch melodies, creative riffing and amazing vocals and harmonies. I wasn’t too familiar with the band heading into this, but ‘Jungle Roux’ had me hooked immediately with its soulful, heavy-indie vibe. That was followed excellently by single ‘House of I’, while tracks like the grandiose ‘Mariah Luster’ and the jazzy ’77’ are also big highlights. If you’re into the style though, you’ll enjoy the whole album, just like I did. It’s quirky, that’s for sure, and there’s barely anyone out there doing this kind of sound still today. The closest comparison my brain kept making was Dogstar. So, if all of that sounds like your sort of thing, what are you waiting for, give this a listen! It’s probably not something I’d revisit too often, but I had a good time listening to it and am definitely curious to check out more of the band’s stuff. A solid 7/10 from us!
Ian Munsick: The Mountain Goat
We’ve already checked out this awesome album! Check out our full review here.
Cutthroat LA: The Purge
The first new music from the American melodic hardcore band since their 2023 debut album, this EP picks up excellently where that left off! This is an awesome 18 minutes of hip-hop-infused hardcore/thrash, with each of the five tracks being as good as the last. The opener has plenty of hardcore and crossover vibes to it, while single ‘Purge’ is much more straight-up thrash. Meanwhile ‘Bullet Proof Mind’ and ‘Feeling Disconnected’ straddle that line perfectly, being amazing songs and almost remind me of Hed(PE) or even Body Count in the best way! If any of this sounds even slightly up your street, I can’t recommend checking this out enough! The band have a big new fan in me, and I really wish I could see it all live! I already can’t wait to hear where they go from here, but for now will happily be spinning this plenty moving forward. A very easy 8.5/10 from us!
Famous Strangers: Self-Titled
This is one hell of a debut album! It definitely fits alongside the likes of Rattlesnakesand Tailgunner with this resurgence of NWOBHM revival bands, and I am all for it! It’s packed full of awesome riffs, blistering solos and some really excellent, powerful vocals. We even get some harshness and screams throughout, adding almost a metalcore/melodeath element to it, in the best way possible! And there truly isn’t a bad song on the album, all seven being as excellent as each other! Whether it’s the balls-to-the-wall opener, the bluesy ‘Please Her’ or the more melodic metal ‘Far Away From Home’, there is plenty of variety, and it’s all amazing in its own right. At only seven tracks it goes by in a flash, too! The band haven’t been a thing for all too long, and this may already be an early breakout success for them, if there is any justice in the world. They already have a massive new fan in me from this album, and I truly cannot wait to hear where they go from here! I’ll be spinning it a lot in the coming weeks and months, and don’t be surprised to see it make our albums of the year listcome December. A very easy 9/10 from us!
Brandon Leake: Intimacy
Album five from the Californian poet is a different release for us generally, but that doesn’t make it any less great! It gives off big 90s hip-hop vibes, and I love it. Having said that, it also reminds me of Hamilton, but either way is fine by me! The lyrics are expectedly awesome, but the delivery and the instrumentation is just as good! Opener ‘I’ve Got’ is honestly a phenomenal track, and sets the tone perfectly for the rest of the release. Tracks like ‘Fear’ and ‘Shine’ are also great and, while the solely spoken word stuff isn’t typically my sort of thing, there’s no denying they are well written and performed. The story throughout is awesome and a fascinating listen, keeping me hooked thoroughly unexpectedly (even if it was a little too religious for me). If you are at all curious, give this a try, you might find yourself enjoying it like I did! 6.5/10. It sounds low but is high for something that I normally wouldn’t go for!
Mob Rules: Stories From the Verdant Vale
Coming just a year after their last massive album, the German power metallers once again knock it out of the park with this release. Honestly, thank god they didn’t wait another seven years like before! While only a short five-track EP, it’s a truly excellent release, and a welcome return from the studio after a surprisingly short break. Opening on a reprise from their debut album was a master stroke, and it leading into the big new single ‘Master of the Black Crow’ was an excellent choice. It almost has some modern Maiden vibes to it, though very much still sticking rooted to their epic power metal roots too. The other two singles are awesome while the new one, ‘Masquerade Ball’ is just as good as the rest! The whole thing flows perfectly and goes by in a flash. The band don’t get nearly the love they deserve, so if you like anything even vaguely close to power metal, give this a spin! A very solid 8/10
Ken Pomeroy: Tonight’s News
Another EP, this time a chilled-out one from the amazing Native American folk singer-songwriter. I remember enjoying her last album when it dropped, and this is another stellar release to add to her discography! Tracks like the opener and ‘Late for the Sky’ are personal high points, but there certainly isn’t a bad song throughout. It’s 20 minutes of beautiful, simple and stripped back folk music. Her vocals are amazing, and her lyrics throughout the EP are also great. Plus, the rest of the instrumentation fits the vibe perfectly. Much like with her album, it’s a solid 7/10, and I’d recommend it to anyone into folk stuff!
The Night Eternal: Cold Velvet
The third album from the dark heavy metallers is every bit as good as their previous two! It’s like a gothier (somehow) Mercyful Fate, but with a modern edge and production to it. Heck, it has a very early goth tone to it at times, think Type O or even Sisters of Mercy, which was awesome. It’s a lot of fun! Opener ‘Where This World Ends’ kicks things off excellently, while the likes of ‘Caught in a Spell’ and ‘The Watcher of the Burning Veil’ are also awesome. However, the more I listened to this album, the more I fell in love. Everyone song is as good as their last, and the vibe throughout is amazing. At 41 minutes spread across just eight tracks, it may be a little much for some people, but I’m the opposite! It felt epic and grandiose and pretty fresh, there not being many that sound like this at all! Although I had checked out a little of their other work in preparation for this, I can safely say this is their best yet, and they have a big new fan in me. I saw they are touring near me at the end of the year, I am gonna have to get tickets! Another easy 9/10, this is awesome!
Speed Stroke: Damage Control
The first album in nearly six years from the Italian Hard ‘n’ Heavy band is a lot of fun! It’s almost 40 minutes of catchy, heavy sleaze that it none-stop awesomeness from start to finish! The band are insanely talented, both as players and writers, the album packed full of amazing riffing, solid drumming, insane solos and some catchy, massive vocals, both in terms of melodies and harmonies. It really channels that awesome European heavy sleaze sound excellently, like the heyday of Santa Cruz, Crashdiet or Dust Bowl Jokies. And, on top of that, every song is as good as the last, making it impossible to pick set highlights. The whole album goes by in a flash so it’s well worth listening to the album as a whole! If you are at all into this sort of style, I cannot recommend this release enough! I’ll certainly be spinning it plenty moving forward, and I can’t give it any less than 8.5/10. Heck, it may grow on me even more with more listens and end up even higher in the future!
Silica Gel: Ballad of You
This is a wild, quirky album from the Korean psychedelia four-piece! While this sort of thing isn’t my typical go-to, the likes of Angine de Poitrine have really gotten me into it more than I expected, and I can appreciate the hell out of all that goes into art like this. It very much is art, and the talent and creativity that goes into stuff like this is insane. The band do a great job of straddling the line between experimental psychedelia and more of an indie vibe, too. The opener is craziness, while the likes of ‘Melatonin 88mg’, ‘Molecular Gastronomy’ and ‘BIG VOID’ lean a little more into a poppier side, and are really excellent tracks. It’s fantastically creative and well put together, and I fell in love the more I listened! It flows amazingly, the production throughout masterful. It’s certainly not for everyone, but if you’re at all curious it’s well worth a listen! It will most likely grow on me even more with more listens, but for now it still gets a massive 8.5/10.
Oddland: Unilluminate to Illuminate
Album four from the Finnish prog metallers wasn’t at all what I expected heading into it, and I mean that it in the best way possible! Right from the tribal-meets-jazz-meets-metal opener I was hooked, not let go until 40 minutes later when the album finished! While ‘Freefall’ and ‘Red Canvas’ are highlights, there really isn’t a bad track throughout, and it’s all arranged excellently. It reminds me a lot of the likes of Haken and The band are all hugely talented, and have crafted something special here together, all working alongside each other perfectly. This is an absolute masterclass in grandiose, melodic heaviness, and is yet another amazing album from this week! The band have a massive new fan in me. My only slight gripe is that some of the songs are maybe a little similar structurally, but when they’re all this good that’s hardly an issue! I can’t give it any less than yet another huge 8.5/10
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 SOGOOD. 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!
Another big week for new releases, from everything from rock to metal to country! Let’s not waste time and dive right in!
Marilyn Manson: One Assassination Under God – Chapter 2
The follow-up to 2024’s Chapter 1 certainly takes things in a weird direction. It feels a lot more classical goth than his usual nu-tinged industrial metal older stuff, the pace generally slower and the tone somehow even darker. Don’t get me wrong, it at least fits in well with its sister album, but this feels like it has less elements of classic Manson than its predecessor did. Outside of single ‘Front Toward Enemy’, this feels like a very different artist to the one who released Antichrist Superstar or Holy Wood. However, that doesn’t necessarily make it a bad album. Much like with Chapter 1, the opener is excellent, as is ‘Exit Wound’. He’s at least picked the singles well. Though, I don’t think I’d listen to any of them outside of the context of the album as a whole. It’s very much a release designed to be listened to in full, arguably proceeded by Chapter 1. Lyrically he is still fantastic, but the instrumentation lacked something throughout for me. It seemed to drone on without much memorable aside a riff or two. Maybe we need a return of Twiggy, or even John 5 at this point!
So, as an album as a whole, and taking into account the previous too, I at least had an enjoyable listen. But it is still a far cry from what made Manson such a popular figure, and if you’re a fan of his early work, you may want to brace yourself before you listen. As a combined grade for both together, I can’t give it much more than a 6/10
Ashley Cooke: ashley cooke
Album four from the modern country superstar comes just nine months after her last. We sadly missed that one back in November, but I do remember enjoying and still spinning 2023’s shot in the dark before that. This is another excellent release to add to her stellar back catologue. It’s pop/folk infused 2000s country, and it’s hard not to draw comparisons to early Taylor Swift, though I certainly mean that as a compliment! Tracks like ‘baby blues’, ‘excuses’, ‘sleepless in Seattle’ and ‘xs’ are all personal highlights, but there certainly isn’t a bad song throughout. Much like shot in the dark, it’s a little long, especially when it’s a lot of slower-style songs. However, it’s all that good that I honestly wouldn’t know what to cut to shorten it! If you are a fan of poppier, modern country, this is absolutely worth giving a listen! I’ll certainly be revisiting it again soon, and it gets a solid 8/10 from us.
Saliva: Breaking Through
Album 12 from the alt metal/early 2000s legends is exactly what you’d expect from the band, but I mean that in the best possible way! As a big fan of the band from my childhood, opener ‘Hit ‘Em Where it Hurts’ is fantastic cheesiness and instantly had me loving this release. Then you have tracks like the LP-esque ‘Breaking Through’, ‘Fight of my Life’ and the Johnny Van Zant-featuring ‘Longshot’ to close that is also awesome! The latter works perfectly with their guest, it certainly having a Southern twang to it. Don’t get me wrong, none of them were quite as fun as the opener, but none of the songs were bad by any stretch! It was maybe a touch long, especially when a lot of it was a little edgy in theme and vibe, but much like with Ashley before this, it’s not like I’d know which to cut out! I had a better time with it than I did their last album, and have spun most of it at least a couple of times over the weekend. A solid 7/10 from us!
Kris Barras: Monsters We Made
We’ve already checked out this awesome album! Read our full review here.
Mason Ramsey: Outlaw in Love
Album two from the disgustingly young neo-traditional country rising star is a great, chilled-out half-hour of music! His vocals are phenomenal and his songwriting is far more advanced than his just 19 years of age would indicate. From ‘Hey There Trouble’ to ‘Hypnotized’ to ‘Life Sentence’, there is a lot to love here, and honestly every song is at least pretty good! Despite the generally old-school style, it still has elements of modern pop-country too, like a combination of Garth Brooks and Kane Brown. Honestly, I find myself drawing a lot of comparisons between this and Blake Whiten’sdebut the other week, and it makes me feel like country is in very safe hands for decades to come! If you are at all a fan of country in any capacity do yourselves a favour and listen to this, you will surely find something to love. It’s an incredibly easy listen, and I can’t give it any less than 8.5/10!
Evil Island: Terraform the Afterlife
The debut album from the post-hardcore supergroup goes hard from start to finish! However, alongside its heaviness, it’s pretty fun and quirky, and really interesting written and arranged. It feels like it takes inspiration from everything from Dillinger Escape Plan to Strung Out, Refused to early Mr Bungle, and is a really wild listen. Right from ‘Melted Heart’, it sets a crazy tone and breakneck pace, and had me hooked until the very end! Songs like single ‘Tiger Baby’ and ‘Moonlight Doomlight’ are also big personal highlights, but the album goes by in a flash and has an excellent flow to it, certainly not having a dull moment. And it has something for almost everyone! The band have debuted with a huge splash with this release, and have a big new fan in me! I can’t give it any less than 9/10!
Josh Weathers: Niles City Sessions
This six-track release comes just a few months after his huge last album, and is another excellent addition to his discography. It opens on a fantastic rendition of the Fleetwood Mac ‘Dreams’, showing off his insanely impressive vocal range even better than ever before. Then we have the awesome, soulful ‘Love on a Roll’ and the fun ‘When You Honky Tonk’, though the other half of the release is also excellent! It’s a bit stripped-back compared to Neon Never Fades, but was recorded excellently in this session, giving a pretty good indicator as to how fantastic he and his band are as performers. While certainly not up there with his full studio works, it’s a damn fun shorter release that is well worth a listen if you are at all a fan of the guy! A solid 7.5/10!
Occult Master: Self-Titled
Another debut album, this time from the Finnish old-school metallers. It definitely has a traditional, 70s metal vibe to it, right down to the production and track structures. Having said that, a bit of it boarders on prog territory too, which makes it even more fun. The band are all insanely talented too, some amazing riffing, soloing and drumming across all nine songs. The vocals grew on me a lot throughout, too. ‘Island of Leper’ and ‘Sorry Soul’ are personal highlights, but if you like this kind of music you’ll surely enjoy all of it! I’m certainly curious to hear where they go from here, and it gets an easy 7/10 from us!
Racetraitor: Nobody Son of Nobody
More hardcore-ness this week, this time from the controversial American five-piece. It follows up their 2023 album which I didn’t really get. Sadly, this is the same. It’s heavy, that’s for sure, and for a band of this sound and persuasion to still be active these days is awesome. We certainly need more music with their message these days. But, that doesn’t mean the music is good. ‘Red Summer’ was probably my favourite from the release, but even that’s not a song I’d revisit all that often. If you are into this sort of thing, you’ll probably get some enjoyment out of it, but it’s not something I’d personally listen to. Maybe it’d win me over more live, as I imagine in that setting they are awesome! But, for this release specifically, it’s slightly better than the album. Maybe a 3.5/10, sorry guys!
Just Jayne: Jayne
A follow-up to their debut EP last year, the female country-pop trio knock it out of the park again here! It’s seven catchy-as-anything songs, packed full of great melodies and huge harmonies. The lyrics are pretty great throughout too, surprisingly packed with emotion, a slight rarity in the more pop side of country these days. From the opener to ‘Bad Day’ to ‘Death & Taxes’, it’s packed full of highlights! It’s every bit as good as their debut, and I am already excited to hear where they go from here! They have the potential to be a MASSIVE name in the scene sooner rather than later, and I hope they do a full-length in the near future. Until then, I’ll certainly be spinning this plenty, and it gets a solid 8/10 from us!
We had the pleasure of chatting to the amazing Australian country rock singer Jayne Denham about her new single and album, working alongside the incredible Marti Frederiksen! Check out the full interview below!
It seems like a somewhat unlikely pairing, how did it come about?
I’ve always been known for country rock, but I’ve leaned more toward rock always have a few rock covers in my shows as it is who I am. When my management suggested Marti as a producer, it felt like the right way to move a little further in that direction while still keeping my country roots.
At first, Marti was only meant to do one song, but it went so well that he ended up doing more. Before long, we were making a full record together, and it felt like the start of something new and special.
What is the writing process like between the two of you?
Most of the album was written with Marti, Kylie Sackley, and me, starting with ‘Hillbilly Halo’, which clicked right away! Kylie’s Australian background helped her understand me, and together we found an easy creative chemistry.
I’ve always loved writing songs that lift other people up, but this was the first time I wrote so openly about my own story. The album draws from my life, including ‘Preachers Son’ about my first boyfriend and ‘Angel of Mercy’ about my marriage breaking down.
You have embraced your rockier side with this collaboration. Did that come from Marti’s previous experience with rock and metal bands?
It came from me owning even more of who I am and recognizing that Marti was the producer who could take it where I wanted to go, based on what he’s done in the past.
The collaboration has given birth to a full album, right? Does it all lean more towards the rock side of country? Is there a similar theme present throughout the release?
It’s country and rock, so let’s split it in the middle. And yes, after my first three singles, there is a theme and a story behind why I chose this concept.
What can we expect from not only ‘Angel of Mercy’, but any other singles from the release?
We all know one of Australia’s biggest musical exports is INXS. Andrew Farriss and his beautiful wife, Marlina, live not far from us now, so we’ve become good friends. When I asked Marti what Australian artists he had worked with, he mentioned INXS, and I said, “Oh, that’s so cool I know Andrew!”. Marti then suggested we all write together, so I drove out to their farm, and we all jumped on a Zoom call with Marti in Nashville. It went so well that not only did it make the record, but it’s also the next song we’re going to really push for promotion!
Do you have a busy rest of the year planned for live shows in the lead up to the release?
I have some big festivals here in Australia, but next year, once the album drops in February, we’ll hit the road even more, including a trip to the USA, hopefully!
If you could have written one song from history, what would it have been and why?
I’m a massive fan of Heart. Growing up on country and gospel music, I later discovered rock as a teenager, and Ann Wilson’s voice absolutely blew me away. I would sing her songs day in and day out, trying to figure out how to sound a little like her. So I’d have to say ‘Barracuda,’ because it taught me how to sing big, and I’m so grateful for it, because it helped me find my own voice that blends country and rock. When Marti found out I could sing a little like Ann, he pushed me to my vocal limits, and I was able to use everything I learned from her while adding my own signature, too!
A slightly steadier but no less awesome week of new releases across the rock, metal and country world! Let’s dive in and check it all out!
Electric Callboy: TANZNEID
Despite my feelings about bands putting out nearly the entire album as pre-release singles (especially when the first came out over two years ago), this is a fantastic album. We’ve loved reacting tosome of the singles, and stuff like ‘RATATATA’ and ‘Let the Good Times Roll’ are also great. Hell, the title track has grown on me a lot since it first dropped, and is now one of my favourite tracks on the album. And the two previously-unheard tracks, ‘Heartaid’ and ‘The Saviour’, are also awesome, with the latter being another firm favourite! There truly isn’t a bad track throughout.
The band can honestly do no wrong at this point. They are all such insanely talented musicians and songwriters that everything they touch turns to gold. It feels like the perfect follow-up to Tekkno, taking everything that worked from that release and dialling it up to 11. I think as a whole it’s a more consistent release than anything they’ve put out before, even if I’d struggle to pick a favourite between this one or their last. It’s just a hugely fun metal album that doesn’t take itself too seriously, and is a release that I would recommend to absolutely anyone. They deserve every bit of ground the band have gained in recent years, and are well on their way to being one of the biggest artists of their generation in the metal world. I can’t give this any more than a 9.5/10, and it very well could have gotten perfect marks if I’d have heard less before today.
Erin Kinsey: Suede
Whether her debut album or not (I would still contend that was 2024’s Gettin’ Away with It), this is another truly incredible country release from her. ‘High Water’ opens things excellently, while single ‘House Arrest’ is a firm highlight of not just this release, but her whole discography! Then you have tracks like ‘Tie Me Down’ and ‘I’m Done’ that are other big highlights, as is the Dylan Marlowe duet ‘Say I’m Wrong’. However, the whole album is amazing, there not being a bad song throughout! It’s an incredibly easy half-hour of music, and feels perfectly paced, the slower couple of songs at the end somehow feeling exactly what the release called for. Her vocals and songwriting throughout are amazing, and her band kill it on every single track. As you can tell, I’m a huge fan of her, but she is certainly one of the bright sparks of the country world, and is set to be a huge name sooner rather than later, if her output here has anything to say about it! This is slightly less rocky than her previous release, but no less awesome, and shows how versatile she is as a performer and writer. I’ll certainly be spinning this plenty moving forward, and it gets a very solid 8.5/10 from us!
Cancer Bats: Give Me Dirt
Somehow two decades into their career releasing music, there is still no one that sounds quite like Cancer Bats. They walk the line perfectly between hardcore punk, stoner metal and NWOAHM, and it’s a really awesome sound. And, while I remember enjoying their last album, I LOVED this one! It’s balls to the wall for its entire 38 minute runtime, and is packed full of amazing riffs, catchy vocal moments and plenty of heaviness. Tracks like ‘Stay Stuck’, ‘Don’t Trip’, ‘Long Tooth’ and ‘Prognosis’ are all personal highlights, but there really isn’t a bad song throughout! The band are criminally underrated at this stage in their careers, and I’d recommend this to anyone with even a passing interest in a more hardcore style. I’ll certainly be spinning it a fair bit moving forward, as I’ve already listened three times just this weekend! Another huge 8.5/10 from us!
Xandria: Eclipse
The brand new album from the German symphonic metallers is another excellent addition to their discography! We lovedThe Wonders Still Awaiting back in 2023, and this is an absolutely brilliant follow-up to that album. The title track kicks things off phenomenally; one of the best and catchiest choruses they have ever laid down, and the epic vibes are present right from the offset. Then you have tracks like ‘The Grand Delusion’, ‘Northstar’ and the monumental ‘The Last Generation’ that are all huge highlights. Hell, there isn’t a bad song throughout, honestly. The album is, like the last one, a touch on the too-long side, but I couldn’t think of which tracks I’d cut from it to make it shorter! The band are so incredibly talented, and have crafted yet another amazing symphonic metal album with this release. The story they weave throughout is captivating, and the band never give it a chance to get boring. If you are at all into this side of metal, this album is an absolute must! 8/10
Evan Honer: 4 songs
This short collection of, you guessed it, four tracks is a little different to what one may come to expect from Evan’s music, typically. It’s still great, don’t get me wrong, but is a fair bit more stripped-back overall than his last couple of albums. Still, his lyric writing is just as phenomenal as ever, and his delivery is second to none in any genre currently. ‘say anything’ is a fantastic song that easily sits up there alongside his best. Also, the Medium Build-featuring ‘pull me out’ is incredible, too. The other two songs are awesome too though; the release has gotten better and better to me with each listen. It’s if anything just made me want more. It’s a fantastic EP but does feel like a little stop-gap on the way to his next full-length. It does feel a little weird that we most likely aren’t going to get an album from him this year, after three on the trot. Still, if you are a fan of his or the indie-Americana style, give this a spin. It’s short and sweet and excellent! 8.5/10
Kye Alfred Hillig: Widowmaker Express
The second album from the indie-folk singer-songwriter this year, following his return from semi-retirement, is another deeply personal, vulnerable release. It’s a stripped-back release, mainly focusing on Kye’s guitar and vocals, though there is the odd keys or strings parts in the back to fill out the sound. It only adds even more weight to his lyrics and delivery though, both of which are heartbreaking and phenomenal in equal measure. ‘Disease of the Heart’, ‘Coyote Skins’ and ‘Romance Whinnies on the Reins’ are all personal highlights. However, if you are into this sort of style, you’ll more than likely love all of it! I had a surprisingly great time with it; Kye is a fantastically songwriter and vocalist. And I’ll leave you to do some reading about the subject matter, because man is it heavy, but I felt every word, and it gave me goosebumps more than once. A very solid 7.5/10 from me, and I already can’t wait to check out The All-Night Costume Company!
Flowers of Rust: Crude Exhibitions of the Soul
The sophomore album from the post-black-metallers is a dark, bleak half-hour of music. And that is said with the uttermost love and respect, as I am sure that is the intended sound! The band are all clearly talented musicians and songwriters, and have crafted a cohesive sound through the seven songs that never once got old. It’s not typically my sort of style but I actually had a good time listening to this, with ‘Sour Mercy’ and ‘Mother Atrophy’ being personal highlights. My only slight issue was the production didn’t quite hit at times; if it had more of a Rotting Christ feel to it it would have been massive. Still, it didn’t take away from the release too much for me. I feel like live it would hit even harder, and be truly awesome! If you are into the heavier side of metal, this is well worth giving a spin. 7/10 from us!
Charlie Worsham: Once Upon a Second Time Around
I was somehow not familiar with Charlie before being sent this album. However, I have come out of it an absolutely massive new fan of him. Holy crap this thing is awesome! His first full-length in nearly a decade, this album is all killer from start to finish! ‘Powers That Be’ sets things off excellently, while tracks like ‘Wrap my Porch Around’, ‘Grass’ and the title one are all awesome in their own right. Then you have the guest features; two of the biggest names in the country world right now in Miss Lainey Wilson and Steven Wilson Jr., alongside The Travelin’ McCourys tagging onto their own version of ‘Wrap my Porch Around’ to end things. The former is a beautiful duet, and a fantastic, emotion-filled ballad. Meanwhile Wilson’s song somehow feels like the perfect combination of both artists’ sounds, and is another firm highlight. And the more acoustic, bluegrass version of ‘Wrap…’ is a great take on an awesome song!
As you can surely tell by now, I loved this! He’s got a sound that is somehow both old-school and modern and pretty chilled-out, definitely giving hints of Buffett as well as his modern neo-traditional counterparts. It’s twelve tracks that go by in a flash, the whole thing is such an easy listen. If you are at all into country music, this is absolutely a release you need to be checking out! I can’t give it any less than 9/10, amazing stuff!
The Anchoress: As We Once Were
Album three from the Welsh indie rocker picks up right where 2021’s The Art of Losing left off. It’s another big collection, 14 tracks across 50 minutes, and is dripping in coolness and swaggering vibes. ‘Throw Over Your Man’ is a great opener, setting the tone for the release excellently, while the likes of ‘All I Really Want is Peace’ and ‘What You Did’ are also good songs. Her vocals are incredible, and the harmonies add to that even more so, the vocals being by far the main highlight and focus of the release. It’s an interesting album, that’s for sure, and at least kept me interested throughout despite this not really being my sort of style. If you like the lighter, pop/folky side of indie, this is worth a listen. Otherwise, I’m not sure I’d actually recommend it. Still, I didn’t have a bad time with this, so it gets 6.5/10 from me!
Billy Morrison: HOLLOW
The hard rock legend of Billy Idol and The Cult fame released his fourth solo album this last Friday, and it’s a bit good! 46 minutes of chunky riffs, awesome leads and some massive, catchy vocal melodies. The tracks that he’s on his own for, like the title one or ‘Tearing Down the Walls’, are great, but the guests really add another layer of awesomeness to this album. The combination of Sully Erna and Nuno Bettencourt on ‘Becoming’ was one I never thought I needed until hearing it, and am now a little obsessed. ‘The Tailor’ features Manson and is industrial/nu metal goodness. The hip-hop-legend-featuring ‘No Suspects’ is a lot of fun and still pretty heavy, ‘Leave no Trace’ has a country tinge to it with Duff McKagen, and the Dexter Holland-featuring ‘Never Gonna Change’ is a straight-up punk song. I love that Morrison changes his style depending on who he’s playing/writing with, a real testament to his incredible talents. It kinda reminds me of Slash’s 2010 release, which is a big compliment, honestly! It’s an album I’d honestly recommend to anyone, as there is something for everyone throughout. I’ll certainly be spinning it again plenty moving forward, and it gets a solid 8/10 from us!
Suffer: Soul From Flesh
The first EP from the UK deathcorers since their debut album back in 2022, this release is an all-out assault for 20 minutes. All four tracks go HARD (and the intro ‘III’ lays it all up perfectly). It’s certainly not for the faint of heart, but seasoned listeners of the heavier side of metal will surely find a lot to love in this, just as I do! The riffing and drumming are all excellent, as are the screams, but honestly the breakdowns are where it’s at here. The one to close our ‘Pendulum of Vengeance’ is brutal, and makes the song a big high point of the release. That certainly shouldn’t take away from the other tracks though, which are just as great. Whenever I need some heavy on, this will certainly be a go-to for a while! I can’t give it any less than 8/10, great stuff!
Casey Barnes: MADE FOR THIS
Album six from the country rocker knocks it out of the park, honestly! It’s half an hour of catchy radio hooks, fun lyrics and some surprisingly great instrumentation. The title track hooked me in immediately, while songs like ‘SHE DOES’, ‘ROUGH AROUND THE EDGES’, ‘TIPTOE’ and ‘BUY THAT GIRL A BEER’ kept me that way. And hell, even the slower ballads were great, breaking things up excellently. He is certainly a big name in the scene, but how he isn’t one of the biggest when his output is of this sort of quality is wild to me. He’s got that great combination of early 2000s country, a rock tinge and a more modern bro/pop country edge that is just born for massive radio play. Either way, I loved this from start to finish, and will be spinning this plenty in the weeks and months to come! If you have even a passing interest in country, give this a spin, you won’t be disappointed! 9/10
We’re back with another one of these! Sadly, we are only human, and we can’t quite get to every single album and EP each week it release. However, we listen to plenty more, and here is a handful of our very favourites from the ones we haven’t yet written about!
Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra: [SKA] SHOWDOWN
A band that I actually didn’t know about until chatting to Suburban Legendsa couple of months back, they are quickly becoming a bit of an obsession of mine. Not only am I a big fan of the genre in general, but these guys do it so damn well! Whether it’s the punkier edge that got me into the genre to begin with or the slower, more jazz-leaning end, the band showcase that they are utterly phenomenal at both throughout this entire release. I also love that they alternate between the two styles with each track, keeping it constantly interesting and making nearly 50 minute so insanely interesting. It’s honestly impossible to pick highlights, it’s all so good! It’s impossible to have a bad time listening to this, and I’ve spun it a LOT over the last couple of months. The band are all such talented songwriters and musicians, and how they aren’t global superstars at this point is beyond me. Check this out immediately, no matter what you are into, you won’t be disappointed! Spoiler alert, this is very high on our albums of the year list so far. 9.5/10
Bite Down: Violent Playground
I found this while searching for a band of the same name as the album title, and what a find it was! This is absolute brutality from front to back, and an excellent 23 minutes of hardcore/metal music! Whether it’s the excellent riffs, crazy drumming, amazing screams or truly crushing breakdowns, it’s all written and performed to perfection! Also, at such a short release, it’s truly impossible to pick highlights, each track being as good as the last! Having said that, the tracks that feature guests in Orbit Culture and HÅRD are both spectacular, and utilise the other people so damn well. The band deserve so much more love than they are getting, though have certainly carved out a rabid fanbase for themselves among the underground scene, in large part due to this debut album. If you are into anything on the deathcore or heavier hardcore side of things, do yourselves a favour and give this a listen ASAP. It gets a very easy 9/10 from us, and don’t be surprised to see it high on our top albums listcome December!
Morgan Myles: Laced
The much-anticipated second studio album from the rising country star dropped back in Feb, and is another release that has not gotten nearly enough love! I’ve been a little obsessed with it since I first heard it, and have spun it a good few times in full in the last few months. It’s a throwback sound to the 90s and early 2000s country world, and I fell in love right from the opener. From Shania to Reba to Miranda, she wears her inspirations on here sleeve perfectly. Tracks like ‘Love is Lonesome’, ‘Que Sera Serenade’ and the title track are also big highlights, but there really isn’t a bad song on the release! Heck, the vast majority made it onto my personal playlist. Her vocals are amazing, as is her writing. If you are at all into country, this is an absolute must-listen. I’ve not gotten sick of it yet, and feel like I won’t for the rest of the year at this rate! 9/10
Ondt Blod: Bauta
The third album from the Norwegian hardcore punk rockers is every bit as good as their previous two. Longtime readers here would know my complicated relationship with hardcore, but this is the absolute best way to be doing it, honestly. It has elements of crossover thrash, straight up punk, old-school hardcore, and plenty of melody to go with it. It’s also packed full of massive highlights, from ‘AUX’ to ‘Mortal Enemy’, ‘Máddu’ to ‘Flamma’ and everything in between! As is a growing trend with this list, the band deserves so much more love and attention than they are getting, as they really are something special. I’ve spun this a bunch since I first heard it, and it has not once gotten old in that time! Heck, I don’t speak the language but still feel every bit of emotion put into the vocals. It’s yet another incredibly solid 9/10 from us!
Colton Bowlin: Grandpa’s Mill
I’ve seen a LOT of love for this release in the country scene, and rightfully so! It’s old-school country through and through, and Colton has really captured lightning in a bottle across this 41 minutes of music. And, while every song on it is amazing, personal favourites include ‘Don’t Come Home’, ‘Dirty River’, ‘State Lines’ and ‘Set me Free’. Colton’s voice is incredible, and his lyric writing is up there alongside the very best. He’s a classic storyteller and up there alongside the likes of Zach Top and Braxton Keith as the very best of the revival sound. Even if you aren’t typically into the older country sound, this is well worth checking out, it would surely win over even the firmest of skeptics. It feels modernised as well as traditional, and is a very easy 12 tracks to listen to! I’ve spun it a good few times since it dropped, and it’s a solid 8.5/10 from me!
Forcefed Horsehead & Shaving Werewolf: From Horrid to Worse
Collab albums seem to be becoming a rather popular thing these days, and if they’re all this high quality I’m all for it! What is interesting is that the bands take four tracks each instead of all eight being both. However, both bands fit together well, and it has surely worked in shining a light on both individually! It’s certainly not going to be a release for everyone, but if you are a fan of death metal, grindcore or hardcore in general, this is certainly one to check out. It’s only 25 minutes, but an all-out assault through that whole runtime, in the best way possible! ‘The Will of the Many’ and ‘Smoking the Crack of Dawn’ were personal favourites of mine, but none of it is bad by any stretch. The two bands are all insanely talented, and have put out something rather special with this release. A solid 8/10, and definitely my go-to heavy release the last month or two!
Joshua Sinclair: Dirty Dirty
Album six from the country rocker is a fantastic, fun release from start to finish. ‘Black Rose’ had me hooked from first listen, while tracks like ‘Check One Two’, ‘Hank’ and ‘Sundays are for Shots’ are also big personal highlights. As with everything on this list though, there really isn’t a bad song throughout! It’s a real early 2000s sound in the best way possible, and is such an easy listen. I honestly don’t have much else to say about it other than check this out as soon as you can if you are in any way interested! I’ve since gone back and checked out his other stuff and he has a big new fan in me. Hopefully he gets the attention and love he so sorely deserves soon, as he is one of the most overlooked talents in the scene. 8.5/10
Paul Cauthen: Book of Paul
Album six from the old-school country superstar is a fun, awesome 40 minutes of music! His vocals are as amazing as they have always been, and instrumentally it’s as good as any modern classical revivalist. He did a fantastic job picking the singles, as both ‘Texas Swagger’ and ‘Dark Horse’ are big highlights, but both tracks features, both Jake Worthington and Delaney Ramsdell, are also excellent! If you like an older sound as opposed to the modern radio sound country has, this is very much an album you need to hear immediately! It’s just a lot of fun, and goes by in a flash. A very easy 8/10, and an album I’ve spun a lot since its release.
Kröwnn: Santa Somnia
This is an awesome metal album, and a welcome return after six years from the doomy quartet. From ‘You Died’ to ‘Skullknight’ to ‘Permadeath’, this is packed to the brim with awesome tracks. However, there really isn’t a bad song throughout, and it flows together perfectly, like any good doom album should! It’s an absolute must for anyone into the genre, and has been on regular rotation for me since it dropped back in February. They deserve so much love in the scene, and hopefully this release helps them build that up, as I’d love to see them make it out to the UK for a show or two at some point! The band are all insanely talented, and have crafted something truly awesome with this album. 8.5/10
The Imaginary Band: Self-Titled
Some more country/folk/Americana and, as I’m sure you’re aware given the purpose of this article, another excellent release! And, it’s yet another band that are criminally underrated, and this album hasn’t had nearly enough love since its release at the end of March. Andrew Christopher and co are all hugely talented, and have crafted a great, chilled-out half-hour with this release. From ‘If You Only Knew’ to ‘Smoke Song’ to ‘Polka Hands’, there is plenty to love, and there really isn’t a bad song throughout! If you are at all interested from my words give this one a listen, you’re bound to enjoy it as much as I do! A very solid 7.5/10 from us, and a release that I’ll certainly be spinning plenty more still through the summer!
Black Veil Brides: VINDICATE
How we missed this back in May I don’t know. While I’ve never been the biggest fan of the band generally, there was no denying their huge popularity when I was a teenager, and I did enjoy their big tracks despite the cheesiness. And, their recent lean into their old heavier side has served them well the last few years. The same can be said for this album! The opener/title track SLAPS, as does single ‘Hallelujah’ and ‘Woe & Pain’. Then you have ‘Alive’ that goes harder than arguably anything they’ve done before, and they even convinced Robb Flynn to be on ‘Revenger’, and it’s pretty sick! There are times where it goes a little too cheese for me, but for the most part the album as a whole is excellent, the best they have put out in a VERY long time. The band have blended the 2000s and modern metalcore styles together perfectly, and the result is a lot of fun. 8.5/10, awesome stuff!
Elles Bailey: Can’t Take My Story Away
The fifth album from the modern blues superstar is every bit as good as her last two! The title track is excellent, and opens the release in spectacular fashion. Then you have songs like singles ‘Better Days’ and ‘Take a Step Back’, and ‘Angel’ that are all equally amazing. The whole album slaps though, spanning up-tempo blues/jazz rock and slower ballads perfectly, all providing an excellent backdrop for Ellles’ effortlessly powerful vocals. It’s an incredibly easy listen, and 46 minutes goes by in a flash. This is another album that I’d recommend to absolutely anyone, and I can’t give it any less than 8/10. It’s been a regular revisit for me for the whole year, and I’m sure it will be the same for you!
Sticks N’ Stones: Diggin’ For Daylight
The sophomore album from the Canadian brothers comes just a year after their debut, and packs one hell of a punch! The band are a fantastic blend of classic rock and modern metallic metal, and it makes for an awesome 35 minutes of amazing riffs and catchy melodies. Hell, we even get the odd great growl throughout, fitting the sound surprisingly excellently! It reminds me of everything from Alter Bridge to Mammoth to Florence Black in the best ways. From ‘Saviour’ to ‘Feel Again’ to the truly epic ‘Last Goodbye’, it’s packed full of highlights, but every song is amazing in its own right! The band are already gathering some amazing momentum, and have a massively bright future ahead of them if they keep putting out music of this quality! It is right up my street, and the band have a huge new fan in me from this release! 9.5/10, and I’ve already gone back and listened to their equally awesome debut!
Archspire: Too Fast to Die
I have seen that this is already a lot of peoples album of the year in the heavier circles of metal. And, honestly, it’s hard to argue with that. This is 40 minutes of technical, brutal death metal performed by some of the very best in the genre. The sheer pace that Oliver Rae Aleron Peters can scream at is second to none, and is a phenomenal talent in of itself. However, the other four members kill it just as much at their respective instrument. The whole album is beautiful chaos from start to finish, but personal favourites include ‘Red Goliath’ and ‘Limb of Leviticus’. If you are into the heavier end of metal, this is absolutely an album for you, and it may be my favourite the band have ever point out at this point. It has been on regular rotation for me since April, and I can’t give it any less than 9/10!
Angine De Poitrine: Vol.II
I feel like I can’t go without talking about the breakout band of the year finally, can I? These guys are suddenly massive and everywhere, which is insane given that it is instrumental, technical prog/jazz rock. Still, they have clearly captured lightening in a bottle, sitting at nearly one million monthly listeners on Spotify alone, some four months after this album dropped. So, we’ll get the obvious out the way immediately: holy crap are the duo talented! From the playing to the arrangement, it’s all phenomenal. And, while I didn’t really ‘get’ it at first, after a couple of listens it is certainly growing on me. Don’t get me wrong, it can certainly get repetitive at times, especially when it’s six songs, each based around the same sort of riffing, spread across 36 minutes. But, the pair are so talented it almost makes up for all of that! It’s impossible to pick specific highlights as it’s all like one big piece, so if you are interested, certainly give this a full spin! 8/10 for now, and it may continue to grow on me more with more listens!
M.ILL.ION: Legend
The latest album from the Swedish melodic hard rock band follows up 2021’s Back on Track perfectly. It’s a grandiose 37 minutes of amazing riffs and catchy, arena-filling vocal lines. Right from opener ‘Kingmaker’ I was hooked, and through highlights ‘Bad Lovin’’ and ‘Private Dancer’ to the epic closer, it’s a real tour de force of modern AOR. If anyone is into that 80s style that the band started in, this is absolutely the release for you, and it shows that the band haven’t lost a step in their nearly four-decade careers. I’ve listened to this a few times since I got told about it, and it hasn’t once gotten tired since. A very solid 8/10 from us!
Dust: Thoughts of a Falling Man
This is the second album from the Italian metalcore/melodeath band, and honestly feels like the second coming of Trivium. This album reminds me a LOT of Ascendency in all the best ways, and I honestly haven’t been able to get enough of it the last four months. ‘Before You Awaken’ is the perfect opener, setting the tone for the rest of the album excellently, but honestly every song that follows it is just as good! The whole thing is packed full of incredible riffs, solid drumming and some surprisingly catchy vocals for them being so harsh. It’s almost criminal that this didn’t get the love it deserves when it dropped, so I can only ask that if you are at all interested, give this a spin, you’re sure to love it as much as I do! I can’t give this any less than a 9/10, and already can’t wait to hear where they go from here!
Vanderlust: The Human Farm
This is an incredible, proggy metal release. Nestled somewhere between Dream Theater and Tool, the album takes the listener on a phenomenal journey through its whole 47 minute runtime, and hits plenty of awesome musical beats along the way! Tracks like ‘The Turning Point’, ‘Battlefield’ and ‘Reborn… Again’ are personal highlights, but the whole album is great. It flows perfectly, and the concept and story behind it is really excellent. We don’t get enough releases like this these days, it channeling both Mindcrime and The Metal Opera in its sound and execution. If any of that sounds like your sort of thing, give this thing a spin, you will surely love it! And it is another that is absolutely worth listening to from front-to-back, not that that should really require saying! A solid 8/10 again from us!
Another big week of new music spanning the rock, metal and country world! Let’s dive in and see what’s in store!
Five Finger Death Punch: Legacy
10 albums into their career at this point, you know exactly what you’re getting into with a FFDP album. This was exactly what I expected, for better or worse. It’s completely fine, and is the same sort of thing that the band have been putting out since American Capitalist, at this point. I did enjoy tracks like ‘Eye of the Storm’, ‘Scapegoat’ and even the ballad ‘In Time’. The rest of it, while pretty damn good radio-metal, was a touch forgettable and didn’t do a whole lot for me. It doesn’t have much in the way of the massive hits that Wrong Side of Heaven or even Got Your Six produced. Maybe I’ve just gotten old and moved on from the sound; if you like their more recent output you’ll most likely love this. It just feels slightly… safe. It’s very, very FFDP. At the very least my boy Andy James gets plenty of time to shine throughout, one of the most criminally underrated guitarists around. Hell, the whole band are immensely talented at what they do, and Ivan even cuts back on the bro lyrics quite a lot with this release. His vocals are as powerful as ever.
Hopefully the album grows on me with another couple of listens. This certainly isn’t a negative review, but for a band that I used to love in my teen years, I wish there was a little more umph behind their work still. It almost feels like another box-ticking-for-the-label exercise. 6.5/10. It’s at least better than their last!
Wyatt Flores: Scared of Heights
We’ve already checked out this awesome album! Read our full review here.
Iconic: II
The classic/hard rock supergroup is back with a followup to their 2022 debut. Anyone who’s familiar with that release, or the likes of Inglorious, Stryper or Mendoza’s solo stuff knows exactly what to expect from this album, and in that regard it certainly doesn’t disappoint. It’s 44 minutes of AOR-tinged rock music, and is a lot of fun. Tracks like ‘All I Want’, ‘Tears Keep on Falling’ and ‘Written in the Stars’ are personal highlights, though there isn’t a bad track throughout. Nathan’s vocals are just as good as ever since his return to the rock scene, and the other members prove that they very much still have it, all having their own chance to shine plenty throughout!
However, I mean this with the uttermost respect and do still like the release: it’s nothing we haven’t heard before. Classic rock has made a huge comeback in the last decade, and this is nothing we haven’t heard just as good or better in that time. Heck, I’d put Inglorious’ debut over this, still. If you are a fan of the style you will still get a lot of enjoyment out of this, but it may run the risk of flying under the radar a little against bands doing the sound a little more interestingly and creatively. I still had a good time with the release, and will certainly be spinning it again, but I’d struggle to give it much higher than a 7.5/10. A damn good rock album, but in a year of truly excellent releases, it doesn’t do a lot to stand out from the pack.
Garrow Hill: IX
The debut EP from the York-born modern metallers is a damn good introduction for anyone new to the band! The instrumental intro track was a surprisingly awesome choice, while songs like the slower, almost Skid Row-like ‘Crawl Harder’ and the releases namesake are also great. However, there really isn’t a bad song throughout. The fact that a release this short is still packed full of such variety is a real testament to the bands talents and writing ability, they really cover a lot of ground from the metal world in just 17 minutes! The riffing and screams were particular high points for me. They have a very bright future ahead of them, and I already can’t wait to hear where they go from here. However, for now I’ll be spinning this plenty in the weeks and months to come! A very easy 8/10 from us!
Shaboozey: The Outlaw Cherie Lee & Other Western Tales
The follow-up to his breakout 2024 release, Where I’ve Been, it feels like there’s a lot riding on this release for the country-R&B singer-songwriter. It’s an album that I’m a little two-minds about, too. While I very much got the appeal of his last album, it did feel a little one-note, with most sounding like ‘Tipsy’. So, when this release opened with the dark-country ‘Til Sunday’, I was at very least intrigued. Then you have the classical ‘If I Was an Outlaw’ and the beautiful duet with Kehlani that is ‘Bullets & Blades’ that are big high points for me. However, that was were the interestingness ended for me. A lot of the rest was either slow, slightly country-infused R&B, or vibes very similar to that of ‘Tipsy’. Don’t get me wrong, single ‘Born to Die’ is a banger and very much another high point of the album, but it’s a sound that he falls back on a lot, not that I’d blame him given its success. I was even if two minds as to whether I enjoyed all the interludes or not. It certainly made for an interesting, engaginging listen, and does make one want to listen to the album in full more. However, they were also a little sporadic and made the release feel disjointed at times.
Overall, it certainly isn’t a bad album, but much like with the last one I struggled to get into it as a whole. It’s simply not my sort of thing, for the most part. If you are a fan of his, it is worth a listen, but with 20 tracks and a lot of nothingness, it can feel like a big undertaking. 5.5/10
FireFlame: Force Against the End
The debut album from the Japanese heavy metallers is a fantastic glimpse into the scene they are championing in Osaka. This thing is over an hour of intense, catchy metal ripped straight from the 70s and 80s, but given a modern flavour. Heck, they even add a metalcore edge to things that certainly makes them stand out among other heavy metal revivalists. The band’s namesake track (and intro) sets the tone excellently, while songs like ‘The Last Ride’, ‘City of Corruption’ and ‘Let Her Burn’ are also huge highlights. Honestly, there isn’t a bad track on the release and, despite the extended length, it’s a surprisingly easy listen. The closest thing I can compare it to is something like Glamour of the Kill, but even then it doesn’t feel that close, the band truly feeling unique and kicking some serious ass doing so! As you can probably tell, I loved this! The band have a big new fan in me, and don’t be surprised to see this high on our top albums listcome December. 9/10, amazing stuff!
Doghouse Rose: Born to Break Even
The Toronto-based pop-punkers return with their third album, three years after their massive Unlearn. It’s a short release, in and out in less than half an hour, and is a lot of fun. It’s impossible not to have a good time while listening to this, and the groove throughout is truly infectious. ‘The Order of the Sun’, single ‘It Gets Worse’ and ‘Brightside’ are all personal highlights, but none of the tracks are bad by any stretch! If you like a new wave rock or heavy pop-punk punk sound, this is absolutely an album for you, and the band should have far more recognition than they have already as they are really fantastic songwriters. I’ll certainly be listening to this again plenty in the coming weeks, especially over the summer, and I can’t give it any less than 7.5/10!
Tim Montana: Entire State of Tim Montana
I was a big fan of American Thread when it dropped back in 2020, but have somehow missed his two releases since then. So, when ‘Beautiful Hate’ came blasting in like a heavier Black Stone Cherry, I was a touch taken aback, but certainly in a good way! It felt a little bit like A Thousand Horses’ newest album, which is also a massive compliment, trust me! And even at the nearly 50-minute length, it goes by in a flash, not once lagging or getting boring. The three guest-featuring tracks are all awesome, with First Crazy Dog, WolfBear, Slash and Gibbons and Royale Lynn all killing it and adding a lot to the sound. However, they are far from the only highlights. Single ‘Break me Down’, ‘Like a Satellite’ and ‘When it’s Over’ are all awesome songs in their own right. Heck, we even get a surprisingly awesome cover of Katy Perry’s ‘Roar’! So yeah, this whole thing is honestly awesome. It straddles the line perfectly between hard and southern rock, as well as a country tinge still, and is just a damn fun listen! If any of that sounds like your sort of thing, give this a spin, you won’t be disappointed! 8.5/10
All Out of Bubblegum: Slight Possibility of Overload
Another debut EP, this time from a ‘Post-Apocalyptic Party band’ from Manchester. It’s a fun collection that perfectly introduces what the band are about and their energetic sound. Opening on their excellent cover of ‘The Power of Love’ was a great choice, surely hooking in anyone even slightly unsure right from the jump. However, ‘In Hollywood’ was arguably just as great, from the lyrics to the vocals to the riffing it was all ace, and the acoustic version is pretty fun too! ‘Venomous’ is a good, dark alt metal track as well, while ‘Skinned Alive’ has a fun groove to it, and would be a blast live! It’s honestly a release that, while very good, I think overall would translate even better in a live setting. Still, I’d recommend this to anyone even slightly curious, and will certainly be adding most of it to my regular rotation over the coming weeks! An easy 7/10 from us!
Bitter Sweet Smile: Eat You Alive
The highly anticipated debut album from the alt-rock/grunge revivalists finally dropped this Friday. The band very much wear their inspirations on their sleeve, but deliver an awesome collection of heavy tracks here! Right from the opener, ‘Do It’, I was hooked, and not let go until the end of the nine tracks. ‘Dirty Dog’ was a huge highlight song, as was ‘Nosebleed’. However, as a big fan of the 90s rock sound that the band so perfectly encapsulate, I loved the whole album! It flows excellently too, there being some great slower grunge stuff broken up perfectly by the heavier alt stuff. The band are all incredibly talented, both at their chosen instrument and as collective songwriters, and are another one that have a big new fan in me moving forward! A damn solid 8/10!
Buffalo Traffic Jam: Pictures of You
The debut album from one of the fastest rising folk duos around dropped with a lot of hype surrounding it on Friday, and honestly lives up to it! I was a touch sceptical from the opener, but by the time ‘Older’ kicked in I completely saw the appeal and love for this band, and didn’t look back for the rest of the release. The band pack so much emotion and beauty into every song, even if it’s bittersweet. And they are far more than your usual folk band, having a darker, rockier edge throughout, a splash of Americana, and even some prog vibes and elements. In other words, they are right up my street, and I’m a little obsessed!
So much of this ended up on my personal playlist, and even at 50 minutes it went by in a flash. They have a real epic vibe to them at times, and one that would translate excellently live. Even with a lot of it being a similar vibe and level, the duo are that talented and interesting and emotion-filled that I didn’t once get bored. It’s like Zach Bryan meets Kip Moore meets Mumford and Sons, so if any of those are up your street, give this a listen immediately! Hell, even if you aren’t, I’d highly recommend giving this a try, anyway! No wonder they are already becoming a massive name, and the sky is very much the limit for the pair. 9.5/10, wow!
The Limit: Another Drop
The sophomore album from the old school rock/punkers comes a full half-decade after their debut, and shows a hell of a growth in that time. Don’t get me wrong, their debut was good, but this feels like it’s on another level! Then again, I’m big into the era of the Ramones, The Stooges and Misfits that it feels like this pulls from a fair bit, so of course I love it! Having said that, it has elements of both new-wave rock and modern hard rock too, a really interesting concoction. Tracks like ‘Don’t Say Try’, ‘(Just a) Calling Card’ and ‘Fall Down, Get Up’ are huge personal highlights, but if you’re like me and like this style, you’ll enjoy all of it! At 15 tracks it may be a touch long, but I honestly wouldn’t know what to cut to shorten it, as it all flows so well. I’ll certainly be listening to this again soon, and it gets a very solid 7.5/10 from me!
Cairiss: Wilderness
Another debut album this week, this time curtesy of this post black metal sextet. At just six tracks spread across 42 minutes, it’s an epic release, and full of awesome moments! I say moments because this album very much begs to be listened to in full, the tracks slotting together to make one big piece. Having said that, the sheer depth and beauty of ‘The Guide’ honestly blew me away! The band are so damn talented at what they do, and have crafted a really special release that won’t get nearly the attention it deserves. It won’t be for everyone, but for anyone into the quirkier, more atmospheric side of black metal, this is an absolute must. I can’t give it any less than 8.5/10, awesome stuff!
Mor: Long Road
The debut EP of this indie-folk singer-songwriter is a simple yet beautiful release. It’s just Mor and his guitar for the most part, some amazing harmonies and strings filling things out perfectly. Opening on ‘Strong’ is a powerful choice, and brought me to tears right from the offset. He’s a fantastic lyricist, and his emotion-filled delivery only adds to their weight. The devastating vulnerability continues through ‘Lost a Kid’, honestly hitting a little close to home. ‘How to love you’ and ‘Who We Are’ are also fantastic. As you can tell though, I love this whole release! The tracks are all a bit similar, but are so well written it’s not at all an issue. It’s a fantastic start to a hugely promising career, and I already can’t wait to hear where he goes from here. For now though, this gets another very solid 8.5/10!
Lalu: A Mythmaker’s Demise
Album five from the prog rock/metallers is just as fun and inventive as their previous works! It’s certainly not going to be for everyone, but if you like things technical and proggy, you will find a lot to love here. It’s definitely got an 80s AOR edge to it as well with the massive, catchy harmonies, but there is plenty of technicality to it too. It’s like the perfect mix of Yes, Night Ranger and just a dash of Dream Theater. From ‘EKO’ to ‘Prince With the Swift Warning’ to closer ‘Midnight Ink’, there is plenty to love throughout! The band have a solid back catalogue and this adds to it perfectly. A solid 7/10 from us!
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!
We headed down to the amazing Bodega in Notts the other week to see the wonderful A Thousand Horses (review here). We got the chance to chat to them before the show about their UK tour, their latest album and their plans for the future. Check it all out below!
How’s the tour gone so far?
Michael: Yeah, it’s been great. We’ve been out a few weeks and all the shows have been good. Being out with The Black Crows was an awesome run, and then Germany for the first time. Headlining was a great run there, and then we’re kicking off the UK tonight. Let’s talk about that. That’s important!
Exactly. You guys did a couple of days over here last year, right, as well?
Michael: We did, last summer. We did Manchester, London, and Glasgow.
It’s cool that you’ve got a little bit more of an extensive tour this time round, as well!
Bill: Yeah, yeah, absolutely. We’ve have a lot of people telling us, “Hey, you got to get off the beaten path and come, you know? Come and see us. And so we’re glad to finally be here!
How would you guys compare the scene over here in Europe compared to back home?
Graham: It’s very different. It’s like a different type of fan. You know, I feel like over here, maybe people pay attention to individual bands or artists more so than I feel like in America, people get kind of looped into like the scene, the country scene or the rock scene. And I think when you’re just kind of generally into something, you can maybe miss something or whatever. And I feel like over here, people attach to artists more.
Michael: I would just say that there’s an excitement in the coming over here for not only the artists that do, but the people that live here having an American artist come overseas. And you know, because it’s a long trip and it’s so there’s a lot of, like, seeing somebody you haven’t seen in a long time and they made a big deal of it. Everybody is going to get together. So, I would say it’s just kind of, there’s just an excitement about coming over here. For us especially!
You guys have managed to kind of straddle the rock and the country line quite well over here. You’ve done a C2C as well, right?
Michael: We did back in 2015, yeah. It’s been a minute since we’ve done it. When our first record came out, we were in the country world. And you know, we’ve always straddled that line our whole career and we’ve kind of always been rock-forward in what we do. If you’re a fan of our band, you know that.
Bill: I think the important thing is really; we have just always felt and seen ourselves as really just a rock band, you know? And I think at times, that’s really the spirit of our band and what is at our core. So, it’s less about straddling a line necessarily and just kind of doing what we want to do.
Michael: Yeah, our creative expression at that time, that’s like the big thing of what we do, artist-wise. Each record is a different expression of that time of where we’re at in life.
Do you guys kind of feel like you fit more into the hard rock side back home than as well, I imagine?
Graham: I think that where we are now in how we’re creating, and the subject matter, and where we’re at in our lives and stuff, we’re definitely back to the rock band. That’s always been in us. It’s like Bill said, you know, we kind of, at any given point in time, an album is a snapshot of just where we’re at in that moment. And I think right now, and for the foreseeable future, it’s rock music.
The new album’s been out a few months now, it seems to have gone down really well!
Michael: Yeah, it’s been great man. The response to the album has been phenomenal and it keeps growing, and it keeps getting good feedback and good response from the fans and audience. And now we’re out on tour performing it, which we haven’t done. This is the first tour for the record, so it’s great to see the audience react to the new music and play the new music. We play some of the old stuff, too, because that’s what our people know, and jt’s been awesome to kind of experience that!
Would you say your writing style has changed as well in the last 10 years since your debut? Do you approach the music any differently?
Michael: I mean, I hope it’s improved!
Bill: I think it’s matured. I think I think we’re certainly in the best place we’ve ever been creatively. We’re more focused than we’ve ever been. And you know, we really bled for this album, more than we have anything else. Any of our other albums. Not that, you know, those weren’t hard work too and everything, but this album, there was so much emotional, there were so many emotional events in all of our lives that led up to this album that when I say we really bled for it, I mean it. But also, it was the most inspired record we’ve made to date, and the most fun we’ve had making one, and it really felt like we were making our debut album all over again. We felt like a new band doing it. And, um… So with all of that in mind, it makes it extra special to us that it’s been so well received.
Is there some more writing still going on in the background, or are you just focused on the tour for now?
Bill: Yeah, I mean we’ve already started on the next record, really. We haven’t started to necessarily record it yet. We started to write songs, and we’re always trying to create forwards, and think like, “Okay.” We don’t want to make music and turn around and look at it too long, you know what I mean?
As soon as we make it and put it out, it’s not ours anymore. It’s the fans’, and it’s the people that discover it and love it. That’s when the live experience to us really kicks in and is so important because it’s like, when we play live, it’s our goal is not to recreate album. You know what I mean? It’s like a live performance is different than like making our own.
I have spoken to bands and artists in the past who have also said like “it’s new to the audience, but we’ve been playing these songs to death for two plus years now, so we want to get onto new stuff already!”
Bill: Yeah, well luckily with this album, I mean, we’re a totally independent band. We don’t have any label or anybody to answer to, thank God. And so we were able to write it, make it, and put it out. We didn’t have to sit on it for so long like a lot of bands have to. And we’ve been in that position in our career, you know, before with the past records where we’ve held some of the songs. Some of the songs on our last record, The Outside, were over 10 years old, and they were never recorded because of some Label— Jackass of a label—was like, “Oh, let’s not do that,” and so we had to jump through all that thing. The whole process took like a year, I think. Like, from writing the first song to kind of having it ready to be, you know.
You guys seem rather up on the whole social media thing. Do you have any advice for a band just starting out with it?
Graham: Oh, God. It’s an uphill battle, man. It never ends. That’s what it feels like.
Michael: You know, I think the social media side of things is the the thorn in every artist’s side, you know. It’s something that you have to do, and it’s great to do, but consistency is key, not overthinking is key. And that’s it. I mean, you just do it and don’t pay attention too much to the metrics of every single thing you do. You know, you’re not an analyst.
Graham: I will say, on the flip side of that though, the gift that social media has given to artists is direct connectivity to their fans. Which is great. People DM us, they comment us, comment to us, and we just get on there, and I’m like having conversations with fans and like, “Oh, shit, you can’t get a ticket? I’ll put you on the guest list tonight.” It creates a level of connection with people that you wouldn’t have otherwise. So, as much as it can be a pain in the ass to be like, “Look, I’m eating a sandwich,” you do get to have experiences and interactions with fans that you wouldn’t get otherwise. So, it’s a double-edged sword, for sure. There’s a lot of good in it.
What can we expect from the show tonight?
Michael: It’s an exciting set we’ve put together. We’ve kind of been working it out as we’ve been on the road the last few weeks. We’re gonna play some real old stuff from our first EP that we just started working into the set. It’s been fun to revisit. And then a lot of new stuff from the record that we’ve worked up, that we are excited about. It’s a good mix of everything, but the show’s got its flow. The set feels good right now. It’s not something that you could kind of hash out in a rehearsal hall. It’s one of those things that, like, we’ve been out on the road for what? A couple weeks now. It kind of took that to get it in.
Graham: It’s a live-run show, man. I mean, no question. And it’s no frills. It’s just five dudes up there making music. No computers involved. Yeah, just purely people music!
