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Features, Reviews

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

<- Day 2

Features, Reviews

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

<- Day 1

Day 3 ->

Features, Reviews

The Long Road 2026: The Big Bad Review!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Day 2 ->

Reviews

It’s a Dying Art: Little Big Town Return with Another Huge Album!

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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!

The Score: 8/10

Reviews

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Score: 9/10

Interviews & Features

Alex Hughes: ‘I’m definitely looking forward to the next project!’

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We chatted to the wonderful Alex Hughes the other day about her new EP, the country music scene and her future plans. Check it all out below!

The EP’s been out a couple of weeks now, right? It seems to have gone down really well!

Yeah, it’s been a pretty great response! So, I feel really grateful that people are are digging the music!

What’s it like to finally have it out after a run of singles the last few years?

It’s been kind of surreal. Doing the single thing for years has been fun, but it just hasn’t felt like a collection of music. So, these songs all together, I’ve been working on them for three to five years, some of them. So it’s so nice to finally have see them through completely from the writing to the recording. And to I got to pick up my very first vinyl! So, just be able to even hold it in your hands is something that’s been on the bucket list for a while for me.

Was it always the same tracks on the EP? Or have some hopped on in that time or been released as a single instead?

Yeah, that’s a great question! It kind of all came together organically, and I did do a writing trip specifically for songs for the EP. But how it did end up changing was, we added one last song, not last minute, but, like, after the others were recorded. That was ‘Slow Dancing in the Kitchen’, and it’s ’cause I I couldn’t release the EP without having it on there!

What’s the plan moving forward? The EP’s only just dropped but is there another release already in the pipeline?

Absolutely, yeah. We’ve we’ve actually got a Summer Surprise that’s going to drop in July. so that’s exciting. And then, yeah, I’ve been writing a ton. So, I’m definitely looking forward to the next project. I think we’re going to definitely do another EP, we’re just kind of collecting those songs now. We’ll get in the studio hopefully soon, kind of after the summer rush, and, yeah, get back in it!

It seems like it’s so difficult these days to plan what you want to put out and how you want to release it, with the streaming algorithms and all this now. It’s such a nightmare to try and keep up with it all!

It is, and it’s just interesting ’cause music’s being consumed so quickly, and there’s so much good music out there. And it’s expensive to produce and release music, so it’s kind of balancing all those things like budgets and keeping up with the demand. But creating something that feels complete, it’s like, it’s a balance.

What’s the writing process like for you?

I know, at least with country, there’s a lot more focus on writing with other people or getting songs from other people. It’s quite fascinating to see from more of a rock background that everyone is kind of writing for each other and chipping in. It’s pretty cool!

Right, yeah. No, you’re so right. It’s so interesting how different genres sort of have their creative process, and then I know it’s different artist to artist, too.

Yeah, but for me, I spend a lot of time just with my guitar coming up with ideas, and brainstorming like titles, hooks. My voice notes on my phone is just absolutely filled with a million (probably terrible) ideas, but they’re there! And then I co-write a lot. So, what I usually do is collect those ideas, and then before I do, let’s say, a writing trip, or even just buckle down and do like a week’s worth of writing, I’ll go through all those ideas, figure out which ones are bad, which ones are good, and which ones I want to kind of maybe present because you can kind of tell, at least, sort of in the country world when you look into the background of somebody, what someone’s strengths might be. So, then I’m like, oh, I have this idea that I think this writer would really be able to help me create!

Do you have a favourite track on the EP?

Ooh, that’s a great question! Um, yeah. I mean, they’re all, as you know, they’re your song babies, so they feel like they’re all precious. Not to choose a favorite child! But, I guess I think maybe the title track, “Taking Me Home,” is my favorite because it it sort of encompasses all of the things that I wanted the EP to have; some fun, sonic sounds that are a little bit more pop and country and just sort of show the influences that I’ve had throughout my life. And, and then lyrically, it’s a love song, and even though it sounds like it might be surface level, when you really listen, there’s some deep, deep lyric things there. So, I think maybe, if I have to choose my favorite, I’d say this one.

While it’s marketed as your debut EP, you actually released another back in 2013. Are there any comparisons you can make between that one and this new release?

yeah, that EP was the first time I ever recorded all my own songs, and they’re all my originals that I wrote. I wrote every single one all by myself. So, it’s a really special EP, and I think you can very easily hear the growth and the change, and not only in sort of how my music has progressed. Like, I feel like this, my new EP is the type of music that I’ve always wanted to create. I’ve kind of finally landed on the sound that feels artistically like me.

I love that EP and I think it’s a really cool stamp in time. I was like quite young when I did it too, so even lyrically, it’s sort of like, you can hear the youth, like the young voice.

It sounds like you have a busy rest of the year planned in terms of shows, right?

Yeah, yeah. It’s going to be a pretty great summer with lots of festivals here in Canada! And then yeah, we’re looking at maybe doing a bit of a tour in the fall. So yeah, it’s great. This EP really sort of opens some doors for me to be able to get on the road and share these songs with people. We’re at that stage, which is great!

What’s it like being a Canadian country artist? In the UK it’s still a sound so deeply associated with the south of the US!

Yeah, you know, I think it’s a really exciting time to be a Canadian artist. I think our music scene’s starting to finally boom. And and it has been for years, but there’s lots of cool opportunities here. I spent some time living down in Los Angeles and then I did a little bit of back and forth to Nashville, but one thing that’s been kind of amazing about settling in Canada is the opportunities. For example, when I first moved back, I got to do a program called the Canada’s Music Incubator Artist Entrepreneur Program. It’s like this two-week long intensive where you learn all about the music industry, and you just gain all these amazing tools. I’m not sure if they do programs like that over there too, but there are just some really cool ways to get support and help. It’s a cool time, and yeah, there’s just there’s lots of cool things going on, too. Lots of cool venues, the Canadian Country Music Awards are always a really fun week, and lots of opportunities there. So, yeah, it’s exciting!

You seem rather active and sucessful on social media. Do you have any advice for artists just starting out, on that front?

This is something that I’ve truly struggled with, is like, how do you not be annoying? But it’s such a great tool, and I think you just have to get over that. Like, people who want to support you, they’ll like what you’re doing and they’ll think it’s interesting, and those who don’t, they’ll unfollow you, and that’s fine. I think it’s a really great tool, and there’s a bit of a balance between posting so much that you burn out. I’ve definitely gone through those phases where I feel like I don’t have any more ideas and I just can’t do it anymore. But when you find a balance that kind of works, it can be such a good tool. So, I guess my advice is like, don’t be afraid to post, you’re not annoying anybody, and be creative with it, and have some fun, like, it’s a free tool!

Any plans/hopes to come to the UK in the future?

Oh Yeah! Yeah, there’s no plans currently, but I really hope to make it out there soon! I’ve had some interesting people even from the UK reach out that that like the music. So, I would like to get out there and play some shows!

new music mondays

New Music Mondays: The War and Treaty, Hard-Fi and More!

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A slightly quieter week this time, but we still have some great releases to be checking out! Let’s dive in!

The War and Treaty: The Story of Michael and Tanya

The second album in two years from the Southern soul duo and honestly, it may take a little growing for me. Tracks like ‘You Can’t Hurt Me Anymore’, ‘Holy Ghost Fire’ and the closer are high points, but the album as a whole is a touch slow. Don’t get me wrong, they’re not known for high pace generally, but they at least have some smattered throughout their projects. This is just all ballads aside for closer ‘High Heels’. Said track is up there among their best, honestly, but it certainly took some getting to. While I did very much like Plus One, it was a slight step below Lover’s Game for me in hindsight, and this release once again takes another sad step down. I did enjoy the concept of the release, the pair highlighting the ups and downs of their marriage from each perspective. However, it felt like they didn’t lean into each other as much, more having each track be a solo one with the other as backup. The emotion is still there, but it can make for a damn depressing listen at times. When they do sing together though, it still very much works to perfection. They still have two of the best voices in music currently. They just felt less of a team sharing each song than usual.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not exactly their target audience, and I’m sure plenty of their fans will love this. It’s still not a bad album by any stretch. However, it’s nothing we haven’t had from them before, except it leans hard on the stuff that I like a little more in moderation from the duo. As I said, hopefully it grows on me, as I’ll certainly be giving it more listens. For now, I can’t give it much more than 7.5/10.

Hard-Fi: Sweating Someone Else’s Fever

Having known the name for a while, I don’t think I’ve ever actually heard a track by the UK indie rockers outside of their big hit. However, the first album in a decade and a half and since their 2022 reunion, there was no way I wasn’t checking it out to see what all he hype was for.

It’s at very least interesting. The opener is terrible, but I did enjoy the Latin-infused single ‘Digo Nada’. Tracks like ‘Looking for Fun’ and ‘Now and Then’ are also pretty good! However, overall it isn’t really the sort of thing I’m into much. None of it is bad at all, and does have a bit of a nostalgic twinge for me from when this sort of style was big in the bands heyday. If you are big into this sort of music, you’ll almost certainly have a lot of love for this. The band are clearly talented! Krysten Cummings also does great on her two guest tracks, adding a lot to the sound. However, the whole album is a bit boring and samey, dragging across its 40 minutes. It’s nothing that hasn’t been done before, and feels kinda dated; a little expected given their time off. As I say, if you’re a fan of the band or 2000s/2010s indie music, this is worth a listen. Outside of that though, I don’t think it’s win many new fans over. If it was on I wouldn’t turn it off, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to listen to this again. 5/10

When Rivers Meet: Rhythm Rust & Static

Coming just one year after the awesome Addicted to You, the husband-and-wife blues duo are back with album number five. I feels like the pair have gone a bit heavier with this release too, which was awesome to hear! I was hooked right from the opener, and not let go for the full 41 minutes. ‘Caught in the Middle’, ‘I’m Ready for You’ and ‘My Time Is Done’ are big personal highlights, but honestly the whole album is fantastic and has a great flow to it. Heck, as a soon-to-be-parent, hearing the pair of new parents write and perform a track like ‘Bring Life’ was truly beautiful. They are such a phenomenal combined talent, and I honestly feel like they have the ingredient that I was missing from War and Treaty above; they play off each other and compliment each other perfectly throughout. The pair and their backing band are all insanely talented, and I think they’ve maybe crafted their most cohesively high-quality release yet! Another incredibly solid 9/10 from us!

Endseeker: Coffin Born

The farewell EP from the German death metallers is a fittingly brutal. It’s 22 minutes of fast paced, heavy music, and each track is as good as the last! ‘Enemies of Peace’ is an amazing opener packed with some truly great lyrics. ‘Coffin Born’ goes hard too, and the Lord of the Lost-featuring ‘True Survivor’ not only closes things out perfectly, but adds some great dynamics to the release with some clean vocals. As I said though, the whole thing is great from beginning to end. It’s a shame to see the band go, but what a note to end it on! If to are into the heavier end of stuff at all, this is definitely worth a spin! I can’t give it any less than 8/10

Warning: Rituals of Shame

The first album from the British doom band in a whopping two decades finally dropped this last Friday, to much hype from its cult following. It’s 45-minutes of darkness and despair, the band picking things up like they never left it off in the first place. It’s only five tracks long, but each is proggy, doom-filled epicness, and it all flows surprisingly well together. Don’t get me wrong, on the whole it’s maybe a little slow for me personally, but I still very much appreciate the talent and writing that went into creating this! Having said that, I really enjoyed ‘Stations’, and closer ‘Teacher’ is awesome too. It all just feels a bit similar to me, and the slower doom stuff doesn’t hit as hard when that’s all it is, if that makes sense? For fans of the band, I imagine this is like Christmas, and it is certainly a worthy successor to Watching from a Distance. And while it is damn good doom metal, I can’t give it any more than 7/10

Pond: Terrestrials

Following up 2024’s Stung!, the Australian psychedelic five-piece show off their incredible talent once again here! While not typically my sort of thing on paper, I had a blast listening to it in full! Nestled comfortably between Yes, Deep Purple and ELO, their sound is awesome, and each member plays their asses off throughout, all getting their own time to shine. Personal highlights include ‘Casuarina’, ‘Roebuck Plains’ and ‘Personal Hell’, but the whole album is pretty damn good! If you like the softer, proggier side of rock music, this is absolutely an album for you. It’s not something I’ll be spinning too often, but will most likely be checking it out again in the relatively near future. It’s a solid 7.5/10, and is another that may grow on me even more through the rest of the year!

Inherits the Void: The Silent Abscission

This atmospheric black metal album is honestly awesome! Y’all know by now that I have an up-and-down relationship with black metal, but this was interesting and entertaining as hell throughout. Having elements of almost tech death added to the rest was awesome, the sheer playing and writing ability on display being off the charts. From the opener to ‘In the Shadow of the Falling Star’ to ‘A World Unmade’, the album is packed full of great songs! It’s another release that flows fantastically too, not at all feeling nearly 50 minutes in length. It’s not a release for everyone, but I really enjoyed it, and will certainly be spinning it again plenty moving forward. Even if you aren’t typically into black metal, give this a try, it will almost certainly win you over like it did me! 8.5/10, great stuff!

Kashus Culpepper: Act I: Summer Nights

The new EP from the rising country star is a short but very sweet affair. Three new songs, backed up by a fantastic cover and an interlude, and it makes for incredibly easy listening! It’s 13 minutes of chilled-out, beautiful pop-country/Southern soul, and I can’t get enough! ‘Let me Show You Love’ is fantastic, as is ‘Til the Sun Goes Down’. However, there is no beating that fantastic Glen Campbell cover, it opens things up perfectly. I remember checking out his debut album back at the start of the year and not minding it, but honestly this was a step up in quality for me! I feel like the brief nature of this release (Act I is long) helped it a lot, it being all-killer, no-filler. I’ll definitely be listening to this again, probably a fair bit over the summer, and would urge anyone reading this to check this out! Another incredibly easy 8.5/10 from us!

Swim Deep: Hum

Album five from the indie collective is another chilled-out release for us this week. I can’t say I’d really heard of them before checking out this album, and while it’s not usually my sort of style, I definitely had fun with it! It’s simple and relaxed and gives off a real early-mid 2000s vibe that I can’t help but be a little nostalgic for. And, from ‘You, Me and Mary’ to ‘Such a Fool’ to ‘In Dreams Alive’, there is a lot to love. It’s maybe a little too similar for me in terms of pace and sound for an album as a whole, but I’ll definitely be coming back to the aforementioned tracks pretty regularly! For any indie fans reading this, this is certainly an album for you. I’m at least curious to go back and check out the rest of their back catalogue to see if it’s all this good. And, while I do so, this gets a solid 7/10

Shadowborne: Heaven’s Falling

Time for a debut album, us having surprisingly few this week. The power metal newcomers kill it with this release! From the excellent opener ‘High and Low’ to ‘Hold the Door’ to ‘The Wall’, there is so much to love throughout, though the whole album is pretty excellent! If you are even a passing fan of power or heavy metal, give this a spin ASAP! From the soaring vocals to the solid drumming to the excellent riffs and synth, it’s all so damn good. And the choruses, they are easily a high point of the release as a whole, they are all so infectiously catchy. The band are going to go very far in the scene if this release is anything to go by. I already can’t wait to hear where they go from here, but for now I’ll certainly be listening to this a lot moving forward. I can’t give it any less than 8/10!

Mork: Monolitt

The ninth album from Thomas Eriksen’s black metal project is another brutal addition to their growing discography. It’s a perfect encapsulation of the 2nd wave of the genre, though with some real top-notch production that honestly helps it a lot. There are some awesome riffs throughout, and some truly heavy drums and screams. It’s a little more straight forward than Inherits the Void above, so did struggle to hold my attention a little more. However, there was enough more death metal-like parts that I still found myself enjoying it! Single ‘Ødelagt’ is a big high point of the release, as is ‘Martyr’. And the rest all sounds fairly similar, so if you generally like your metal black, you’re bound to love this! Another solid 7/10

Tucker Zimmerman: Dream Me a Dream

The criminally underrated folk singer-songwriter put out his fifth album this decade so far this last Friday. It’s a stripped-back, relaxed affair and a 37 minutes I found myself enjoying far more than I expected to! The lyrics were amazing, and sometimes the swell of the strings and other instrumentation around Tucker bring out so much emotion. ‘Don’t Feel Like Doing Nothing Today’ is probably my favourite, but I also really like the Lou Reed-like ‘Rooftops of San Francisco’. He’s an old-school storyteller through and through, and it’s cool to still be getting this sort of music being released. It’s probably not something I’d revisit a huge amount, but I can appreciate the hell out of the musicianship that went into it, and certainly liked it. It was cool to just throw on and get lost in the lyricism and feel of it all. And, for that, it gets an easy 7.5/10

News

Smithfield Announce UK & Europe Tour!

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Texas-raised, Nashville-based Country duo Smithfield have today announced multiple headline UK shows, in addition to their appearance at the British Country Music Festival in Blackpool. Their anticipated return will see them playing in London, Newcastle, York, Birmingham and Selsey.

“We have been anxious to make it back to the UK since our performances at C2C London 2023,” shares Smithfield. “We’ll never forget the welcome and warmth we received from the UK crowd and how deeply we felt that our music was appreciated. We’re excited to bring our music to several different cities this time and hopefully make a lot of new fans.

“We are honored that the British Country Music Festival asked us to headline, and we are committed to building our fanbase in the UK for the long-term, and making our British fans feel like part of the Smithfield family. We can’t wait to see you all again, share these songs with you in person, and hopefully meet a lot of you for the first time.”

The duo shared their latest single ‘Let You’ on Friday, the follow up to ‘Giving Up On Us’, released in March. Both songs give fans a taste of their forthcoming project, due for release later in the year. The new single – a playful, up-tempo track about finally giving in to undeniable chemistry, co-written by the duo (Jenn Fielder and Trey Smith) with GRAMMY-nominee Karen Kosowski and Emma D Ashlee, and produced by Smith.

An established name in the US Country scene with 150M+ global streams, 40 Grand Ole Opry appearances and a regular fixture at CMA Fest with their sold-out annual fan parties, Smithfield have been a rising force in music since forming over fourteen years ago. With powerful vocal harmonies and emotionally resonant songwriting, the duo have enjoyed critical acclaim while building a loyal fanbase worldwide.

An established name in the US Country scene with 150M+ global streams, 40 Grand Ole Opry appearances and a regular fixture at CMA Fest with their sold-out annual fan parties, Smithfield have been a rising force in music since forming over fourteen years ago. With powerful vocal harmonies and emotionally resonant songwriting, the duo have enjoyed critical acclaim while building a loyal fanbase worldwide.

30 August 2026 – The Crown Inn & Pub – Selsey, United Kingdom
4 September 2026 – Forty-Five Vinyl Cafe – York, United Kingdom
5 September 2026 – Rodeo’s BBQ – Birmingham, United Kingdom
6 September 2026 – British Country Music Festival, Blackpool, United Kingdom
7 September 2026 – The Cluny – Newcastle, United Kingdom
9 September 2026 – St. Pancras Old Church – London, United Kingdom
11 September 2026 – Nashville Nights Songwriter’s Festival – Odense, Denmark

Tickets for Newcastle are on sale now, while Birmingham and London go on sale this Friday. You can purchase tickets here!

Interviews & Features

Yonah: ‘I think the scene now is defined as more “indie rock” but there’s still folks doing the thing! I think the scene now is defined as more “indie rock” but there’s still folks doing the thing!’ 

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The incredible indie rocker Yonah released his massive debut album today! Ahead of it, we sat and had a quick chat about it, the scene in New York and his touring plans! Check it all out below!

How would you describe your current sound?

I’d describe it as a reflection of my current taste, which is everchanging. My record Bird of Miraclesis rooted in my first major influences, which were mostly folk/indie rock music, but I like to think of my sound as something I can experiment with and mold from project to project.

How did someone from Manhattan get into writing this style? It’s not typically something I’d associate with the area as an outsider! 

I have to give credit to my mother for this one! I grew up listening to two records until I got my first digital device when I was 11. We had an old Subaru Outback that my great grandmother used, and we would listen to a perpetual rotation of Bob Dylan’s The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan and Billy Joel’s Songs in The Attic. When I started playing guitar, my only reference for chords/style was Dylan. I’d also have to disagree slightly that New York is not the typical scene for this music–my major influences come from Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, and Elliot Smith, who are all artists that spent a significant amount of time in New York. I think the scene now is defined as more “indie rock” but there’s still folks doing the thing! 

The album is out at the end of the month, it seems to have some quite heavy themes, right? 

Yes indeed! I think writing about the songs is heavier than the actual process. I didn’t really conceptualize the weight of what I was writing about until after looking at the songs in hindsight. It’s about death and god and identity. Arguably the top tier heavy topics of this lifetime!

What went into the decision to release an album over another EP or standalone singles? 

I had a concept and I really didn’t want to bend to “the norm.” I understand it’s a risk but catalogue depth and vision is important to me. I prefer to test something I am truly proud of than run a bunch of tests. At this point I’ve also been working on a bunch of new music and have a ton of stuff I’m super excited to release following this record. I think I also just needed to do something substantial to mark this time of my life. It’s really an ode to much of my past and it would feel wrong to wait longer to talk about it.

Do you have a favourite track on the album, and why?

My favorite track varies between 2-3 songs but if I had to choose one it would be “Bugs Blood.” It was the first song I wrote for the album and, in a sense, it laid the foundation for the entire project. It’s about feeling small as a bug in the eyes of god, and it is my most religious song I’ve written. It also ended up being a pretty hard song to produce as we had to experiment with how “intimate” the record version should be. I had played this song mostly myself and a guitar until bringing it to Harper James (producer), and it became a holy puzzle to solve. In the end I’m pretty stoked about how it turned out.

Is more writing still going on in the background?

Always, it never stops, haha! I am addicted to working on new material and it’s a problem. I have the entire follow up record demos ready and I am compiling a bunch of single options/collaborations with new producers. 

Do you have a busy live year planned to promote the album?

To be honest I couldn’t tell you what is in store other than for April. I’m hosting a house show for an early listen to the record and playing a show the night it releases. What comes next will be planned after. It is difficult for my brain to plan more than a couple shows at a time independently as I like to make my shows as intentional as possible. I’d like to start touring as soon as possible but for now the focus is local.

Any plans/hopes to come to the UK for a show or two?

Huge hopes, unfortunately nay plans. If someone can get me a gig I’d be there in a jiffy (DM’s wide open)!

What is the current scene like in NYC for this style of music? 

I think the major breakout act in the city is from Hudson Freeman’s project. When his album came out it helped me feel like this style of music doesn’t exist in a total vacuum. There are artists and bands that I really dig in the city that I think are somewhat close to my vibe, such as Babe City, Robert Leslie, Ken Park, and Mer Marcum. It’s not the most straightforward sonic reference but I think my music lives somewhere in the in-between.

Do you have a dream tour lineup you’d want to be a part of? Any artists you’d want to support or friends you’ll bring with you?

YES. I am deeply in love with the band Babe City in New York. Recently a buddy of mine showed me their music and I fell in love. I really hope to play with them. I also recently made a friend by the name of Arin Reedy who makes the most beautiful music and I think it would be so fun to collaborate or tour together. Big dream tour would be to open for Big Thief or Adrianne Lenker, Cameron Winter, or MJ Lenderman.

If you could have written one song from history, what would it have been and why?

Wowow, I love this question. Probably “I’m On Fire” by Bruce Springsteen. Every time I listen to this song I think to myself “wait, I am on fire. I’ve been on fire. And I would’ve been even more on fire in the 80’s.” I like the idea of making a revolutionary song.

Reviews

Patience to Play: Two Ways Home Knock it Out of the Park with Album Two!

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The incredible Anglo-Austrian duo are set to release their highly anticipated sophomore album tomorrow! Featuring a lot of the singles they’ve put out over the last few years, it’s a real celebration of where they pair are in 2026, as well as a hint of where they are headed with some new songs smattered in for good measure. We’re big fans of the pair here at Overtone, even chatting to them last year and getting some hints of this. So, to say we’re hyped that it’s finally here is an understatement. Let’s dive right in!

The title track opens things up perfectly; a hauntingly beautiful acoustic guitar riff that soon has Lewis’ vocals fitting incredibly over the top. Isabella soon harmonises perfectly too, it all building up fantastically to an almost Southern rock sound. The drums and other instrumentation coming in for the chorus was a fantastic choice, adding some great dynamics to it, and makes it feel effortlessly massive. The particular blend of folk, country and rock is awesome and is pretty uniquely their own. Heck, the bridge is phenomenal, giving off elements of the Who in the drums, Slash in the subtle lead guitars, and yet the vocals still firmly ground in Two Ways Home. It’s an absolutely amazing choice for an album opener, and is a definite early highlight!

‘Waiting on Luck’ is a song I’ve loved since first got into them a couple of years ago. It was a fantastic single back in 2022, once again showcasing the bands mesmerising harmonies, and a bit softer a side to them. Isabella kinda takes the lead vocally this time, but the pair do a fantastic job of always showcasing each other’s talents and working together flawlessly. That chorus is also incredible, and has been stuck in my head periodically since I very first heard it! Even though it’s been out a while, it’s a track that I can’t seem to ever get enough of; simple and soft-rock-infused-country, but is so damn good. So far, two for two on excellent songs! And, acoustically (track 13), it was certainly a standout to me when we saw them at The Long Road last year!

The first new track on the album, ‘Room for Love’, is just as good as the previous two tracks! It definitely keeps the soft rock-like vibe to it, the blues edge to it almost giving it a Lenny Kravitz feel to it. However, by the time the chorus hits, the massive harmonies and big-band-instrumentation, it definitely brings in their country-adjacent sound too. It’s all so good, the instrumentation being as much of a high point as the vocals in this track. That riff through the bridge is awesome, and I love the touch of the chatter and keys behind it, making it a real feel-good moment. I’m coming across as a fangirl already, but this is another great track! It’s all fantastic so far!

We get both the full band and the acoustic version of ‘Polaroid Kids’ on this release. While both are similar, they still channel different energies, and it’s well worth checking both out. Heck, after multiple spins of both, I’m still not sure which I like more! The stripped-back nature of the acoustic one focuses more on the lyrics and the harmonies, but the emotion in the full band is palpable. I do have to say I think the spoken word bit fits better with the electric, in this writers humble opinion. However, as I said, both are excellent. They’re anthemic, ballad-like songs and the electric one breaks up the flow of the album perfectly to that point. And, lyrically, it’s maybe my favourite track on the album.

The most radio-country track here, ‘Feet on the Asphalt’, is a great, upbeat, track not too far removed from something like Russel Dickerson or Thomas Rhett. It’s catchy as anything and infused with enough rock to keep it high-energy. And, once again, the vocal harmonies are like only TWH can do, grounding the track to them despite it being a different feel again. I love the playfulness between the pairs vocal delivery in this track keeping it light and catchy throughout. You guessed it, it’s another amazing track, and one that easily makes our playlist!

‘Medicine Man’ is a more blues/rock based country bangers. It feels a touch darker than most on the release, and almost gives off ‘Wanted Dead or Alive’ vibes. And, it has one of the best choruses on the album! We also get a previously-unheard acoustic version of it to close out the album, pushing it much father into the country category in the best way. It takes on more of a Hank Jr vibe to it, the two tracks being so different in sound but both being excellent in their own right.

The following few tracks, ‘She Keeps Time Like a Casino’, ‘Hot Rain’ and ‘Signals in the Smoke’ are all slower songs, much more country-ballad territory. All are excellent songs in their own right, and even though they are one-after-another, it doesn’t feel like the momentum of the release drops at all, most likely due to the high quality. I like ‘Hot Rain’ building to more of a rock ballad by the end, the distorted guitars and soloing adding so much depth to the sound. It’s probably my favourite track of the few, but none of them are bad by any stretch!

‘Hear a Heartbreak’ has more of a soul feel to it, the steady plod and vocal delivery being more akin to Rag’n’Bone or Hozier. It has a fun bounce, energy and swagger to it, and once again when both of their voices entwine together, it’s phenomenal! And it still has enough of their unique brand of rock edge to it to keep it succinct to the album too, a true testament to their writing talents. It’s yet another major album highlight on a release packed full of them!

Meanwhile, ‘Colder Water’ is a straight up Western track, and I am all for it! It’s like I was trapped somewhere between an Eastwood and a Tarantino movie, it was awesome! It’s catchy, and packed full of some fun melodies from both the vocals and the instrumentation. Then you have the last non-acoustic track on the album, ‘Slower Kind of Love’. Honestly, it kinda bridges the gap rather perfectly, having plenty of acoustic elements to it while also having some great drumming for the choruses. It all builds perfectly to the massive bridge and crescendo too, the track being put together excellently. It’s another track I’m a little obsessed with, honestly, and yet another high point of the album!

Overall: This is an amazing album! It explores just about every avenue of country, folk and blues music across its runtime, being long but not feeling like it at all. It’s such an easy listen that goes by in a flash, somehow still leaving me wanting more! Every song is as good as the last, and it’s the perfect showcase of their recent output. If you are in any way into any of the genres named, do yourself a favour and check this out, you won’t be disappointed!

The Score: 9/10