i love this band. i think i was an early adopter and caught them right after their first album came out and dutifully followed them through the next few albums, saw them live once, and then they seemed to fall off the face of the earth. there seemed to be lots of rumors about broken marriages and alcohol abuse, and then the pandemic. but i started to hear glimmers of hope that they were coming back about a year ago, and they have now put out their first album in about six years, and i quickly picked it up as soon as it came out.

for those familiar with the band from the red dirt country of oklahoma, i think you will find this a welcome release. produced by shooter jennings (waylon’s son) at the legendary fame studios in muscle shoals alabama, it is a really great return to form for the entire band.

it became clear early on in their evolution that their lead singer and songwriter, evan felker, was becoming a key to their signature sound. he really has a knack for turning a phrase and painting pictures. but maybe just as importantly, crafting the lyrics to not only be clever, but lyrical as well. what i mean by that is that the songs are just so damn infectious. and for the most part he returns to form here. it is by now no secret that the main issue that they were facing in their hiatus was evan’s drinking problem, and he spends some time in some of the songs reflecting on that. but his new sobriety brings a clearer eye to his perspective on life, and we are all better for it.

this is not to diminish anything from the rest of this great band. they are all great musicians in their own right and work very cohesively here, as good as they have ever been. in fact, the vocal harmonies on this album are arguably more inclusive and better than on anything they have done before.

this is an album that will sound pretty good the first time you here it, and will get better upon repeated listening, especially as you try to better understand the tales that are being woven.

welcome back boys, and i hope to see you on the road soon.