PARKER BARROW // HOLD THE MASH // ALBUM REVIEW

These Nashville-based Blues rockers are infused with Southern Rock. They are led by the husband-and-wife duo of Megan Kane (vocals) & Dylan Turner (drums). The name comes from the infamous outlaw couple Bonnie Parker & Clyde Barrow. The twin lead guitars of Alex Bender & Will Tipton are a huge part of the sound, as is the retro keyboard sound from Eric Safka.

Kane is a very energised focal point; her performance style is full of improvisation and soulful delivery. ‘Hold The Mash’ is their sophomore release, following on from 2023’s Jukebox Gypsies. In recent years, the band has toured extensively, expanding their audience in the process. I witnessed them supporting The Damn Truth at The Waterfront Studio in Norwich; they were simply compelling! I am therefore mega excited to be catching them in Stowmarket, England. May I suggest that if they are performing near you, you go to a venue and be blown away.

It’s only fair at this point to mention Kyle Priber’s bass; his playing, along with the drums, provides the depth that enables the band to stretch out into extended jams. Hold The Mash is recorded real & raw, definitely not overproduced. ‘The Healer’ is a Blues Rock stormer of an opening track; dual guitars and Hammond-style keys dance and dazzle around the swagger of Kane, who dances through the defence and scores! Sorry, that’s a different Kane; this one, Megan, not Harry, has all the moves, the body swerves and the voice to thrill! She’s so hot I’m ‘Blinded’, which is a bit of AC/DC hard rock, built around a solid rhythm; like TNT, it is explosive stuff.

That this ’ 70s-infused band are on the verge of greatness, there is no doubt, but it’s a big but: if you purchased the excellent Hold The Mash EP, you might feel a bit short-changed here, as all the 6 tracks are included, with only 3 new ones on the album! ‘Novocaine’ drops the pace with a country-infused intro before revealing its true identity in powerful fashion. Now then ‘Olivia Lane’ does change the style with its softer Southern Blues style which is built around the sound of an acoustic guitar, it may be slower but Kane’s vocalising offers no such restraint, as you might expect all instruments weave their way into this great song.

So, the foot was off the gas, but no longer, as Turner hammers his drums with vigour and vitality as ‘Make It’ explodes into the airwaves. Everything else follows with suitable energy; Kane howls with ethereal exuberance, the dual guitars sliding around her like rattlesnakes on the attack. You might want to light the campfire for ‘Ruby’s Reckoning ’; is that the sound of a banjo? The piano sounds just like you would expect to hear in any Wild West Saloon, Yee ha! The thunder returns for album closer ‘My Morning Song ’, which is underpinned by the organ, a nice change of pace for the midsection as the gunslingers dance, epic stuff! It has been a wild ride, one that I promise you will be more than replicated live, with no hydration breaks!

“Hold the Mash” Arrives Friday, July 17^th

Pre-Order Album

Review: Paul Mace

Hold The Mash – Album Track List

1. The Healer (3:44)
2. Blinded (3:38)
3. Nothing Left To Save (3:40)
4. Novocaine (3:57)
5. Oliva Lane (4:13)
6. Make It (3:26)
7. Glass Eyes (4:22)
8. Ruby’s Reckoning 4:43)
9. My Morning Song (4:22)

The Gig Cartel and Planet Rock
Presents

PARKER BARROW

JULY 2026 UK TOUR

*SPECIAL GUEST: GEORGIA NEVADA

TICKETS AVAILABLE FROM
PLANET ROCK & THEGIGCARTEL.COM

FROME, TREEHOUSE
FRIDAY 17 JULY 2026
*Special Guest: Georgia Nevada

Tickets: thegigcartel.com
35 Berkley Road, Frome, BA11 2EH
www.cheeseandgrain.com

STOWMARKET, JOHN PEEL CENTRE
SATURDAY 18 JULY 2026
*Special Guest: Georgia Nevada

Tickets: thegigcartel.com
Church Walk, Stowmarket, IP14 1ET
https://johnpeelcentre.com/JohnPeelCentre.dll/Home

MAID OF STONE FESTIVAL
SUNDAY 19 JULY 2026
Tickets: Box Office
Mote Park, Maidstone, Kent
https://maidofstonefestival.com

GLASGOW, AUDIO
TUESDAY 21 JULY 2026
*Special Guest: Georgia Nevada

Tickets: thegigcartel.com
14 Midland St, Glasgow, G1 4PP
https://audioglasgow.co.uk