featuring the very best of americana, alt.country and roots music
July 6, 2025
Scott Foley, purveyor of dust
What with Independence Day falling on Friday this year, there isn't more than a smattering of new full-lengths this week. That said ...
IF YOU ONLY LiSTEN to ONE RECORD THiS WEEK
Fact is, even on the busiest of release days, I would still strongly recommend the sophomore record from Ryan Davis & the Roadhouse Band, New Threats From the Soul (Sophomore Lounge). A one-time force behind such monikers as State Champion, Davis issued Dancing On the Edge in 2023, falling roughly into the lineage of Kurt Wagner, David Berman and Bill Callahan. New Threats is even less beholden to expectations, with songs that stretch beyond the seven-minute mark, characterized by the Kentucky artist's free-associating lyrics. The effect is mesmerizing, like piling elements of your average alt.country band into a box, adding extraneous sonic paraphernalia, then shaking it vigorously. See, f'rinstance the squelchy synths on "Mutilation Falls", the breeze of flute (and clinky toy piano) beneath the lovely "Mutilation Springs", the terrifically complimentary backing vocals throughout (Myriam Gendron, Catherine Irwin, Will Oldham, Grace Rogers, Lou Turner, etc etc). Despite the decidedly generous song length, there is little meandering on New Threats. While it's not easy to say what his pieces are "about", Ryan Davis is a surprising and expressive lyricist, unspooling one worthy phrase atop another: I learned that time was not my friend or my foe / More like one of the guys from work.
ROUTES-cast July 6, 2025
^ Ryan Davis & the Roadhouse Band, "Simple Joy" New Threats From the Soul (Sophomore Lounge, 25)
- Vandoliers, "Valencia" Life Behind Bars (Break Maiden, 25)
- Honeydogs, "Attic Brain" Algebra for Broken Hearts (Jullian, Jul 25) D
- Pink Stones, "If I Can't Win (with You)" Thank the Lord ... It's the Pink Stones (Normaltown, Sep 19) D
- Alien Eyelid, "Vinegar Hill" single (Tall Texan, 25) D
- Harvest Thieves, "Cowboy Song" single (Harvest, 25) D
- Pat Hatt, "Drunk on Leaving" Pat Hatt EP (Hatt, Jul 11) D
- James Yorkston, "Moment Longer (ft Nina Persson)" Songs for Nina and Johanna (Domino, Aug 22)
- Christian Lopez, "Know Your Name" Christian Lopez EP (Paradox, 25)
- Lera Lynn, "Comic Book Cowboy" Comic Book Cowboy (Ruby Range, Sep 19) D
- Boo Boos, "That's Not a Thing" Young Love (Play It Again Sam, Sep 19)
- Laura Stevenson, "Domino" Late Great (Really, 25)
- Kolton Moore & the Clever Few, "When We Were Young" A Place That I Call Home (Motion & Thought, Sep 26) D
- Kathleen Edwards, "Pine" Billionaire (Dualtone, Aug 22)
- Grant-Lee Phillips, "She Knows Me" In the Hour of Dust (Yep Roc, Sep 5)
- Caitlin Canty, "Don't Worry About Nothing" Night Owl Envies the Mourning Dove (Canty, Oct 2)
- Wildmans, "Take Me" Longtime Friend (New West, Jul 11) D
- Ryan Bingham, "Americana (ft Texas Gentlemen)" single (Bingham, 25) D
- Tyler Childers, "Oneida" Snipe Hunter (Hickman Holler, Jul 25)
- Zach Bryan, "Streets of London" single (Belting Bronce, 25) D
- Charley Crockett, "Crucified Son" Dollar a Day (Island, Aug 8) D
- Ian Noe, "Born in the USA" single (Lock13, 25) D
- Nicki Bluhm, "Cumberland Banks" Rancho Deluxe (Bluhm, Oct 3) D
- Jesse Welles, "Wild Onions" Pilgrim (Welles, 25)
- Son of the Velvet Rat, "Wagon Wheel (ft Ghost and the Machine)" single (Rat Music, 25) D
- Low Water Bridge Band, "Trust the Dark" Honky Tonk Process (Mountain Sound, Aug 1) D
- Willi Carlisle, "Wildflowers Growin''" Winged Victory (Signature Sounds, 25)
- Jackson & the Janks, "Windowsill" Write it Down (Jalopy, 25) D
- Third Mind, "Darkness Darkness" Right Now! (Yep Roc, Sep 19) D
- Emily Hines, "UFO" These Days (Keeled Scales, Aug 1)
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