Whiskey Myers // Tornillo // Album Review

Whiskey Myers has been growing and developing since Firewater and every album has seen the band feel more comfortable in their sound and have made some incredible music along the way. I have been a fan of the band since Firewater and have had the pleasure of seeing the band live on numerous occasions along with playing the album on regular repeat.

When I saw that Tornillo was available for review and jumped at the chance to have a listen and share my opinion, so how does this latest offering match up?

The album is 12 tracks that span 51 minutes and continues the evolution of the band, which is clear immediately.

As the Spanish horn welcomes us to the album before the first track ‘John Wayne’ brings the new take on the WM sound. You can immediately feel the funk trying to burst through the sound and join the Southern Rock party. It certainly gets the toe-tapping straight away as the harmonica takes centre stage. This is a new take on the general Whiskey Myers but it feels like a natural progression as the instruments take over and showcase their strengths.

This new funk is something that you will get used to, even in tracks with serious themes such as ‘Antioch’ turning difficult situations into a celebration of surviving them. With some added Soul, Gospel and old-fashioned Rock n Roll, the band have broadened their horizons whilst retaining that Southern core.

By the time ‘The Wolf’ hits, you are familiar with the sound of Tornillo and if you weren’t before you will be fully sold, with its fuzzy vocals and a more Southern Rock n Roll take than some of the tracks, this bridges that gap between the self-titled album and this one.

I said earlier that I wanted to share my opinion on this new album and being honest, I was a little unprepared for this version of Whiskey Myers, in some ways it feels like a million miles away from songs like ‘Stone’ and ‘Ballad of a Southern Man’ but then these tracks were from 2011 and we need music to develop. If you go back to the songs mentioned the roots remain the same as the band explores a little and lets loose.

Tornillo may take a listen or two to grab you, but I can guarantee that when it does, it won’t let go. This Southern Rock with a shit ton of fun and feel good. Let’s be honest could you want anything more?!

Ed Ford

Tornillo will be released Friday 29^th July 2022 via thirty tigers