Teddy and the Rough Riders

There’s been plenty of cosmic country breezing through these halls, but one of my favorites has always been Nashville’s own Teddy and the Rough Riders. From the band’s first EP, an unshakeable release without a skip in the bunch, through their overlooked 2020 gem, The Congress of Teddy and The Rough Riders, the band has been something of a insider secret. Hell, even getting your hands on Congress proved tough at the time. Though with their latest they aim to shake the ground cover and get a few more heads turned on and tapping. The band has been backing up some RSTB faves over the years, swapping motions with Sean Thompson (once upon a time helping to make up The Weird Ears) and backing Skyway Man on an excellent Lagniappe for Aquarium Drunkard. This time the stars shine their way and Margo Price slips behind the board to produce the band’s sophomore LP.

The band smooths the dust from their last album, letting the eponymous effort pull at the outlaw thread while pressing their collars for some cool water country moves as well. There’s a lot of slow swaying sundown anthems, dappled in pedal steel and twirled with a lacing of fiddle. Though when it calls for some tempo-turned romp, the band is more than capable of kicking the dirt off the bar stage and getting the patrons dancing. Price’s involvement gives the band a certain rounded thickness, echoing some of her own timeless air. There’s a bit less lean on the New Riders ripple that’s been hovering in their magnetic pull for years and a bit more Robbie Robertson/Leon Russell/Dave Edmunds dirt-caked, R&B rolled strains. It’s great to see the band shine after years of playing the opener, stepping into their spotlight with an assured feeling that’s well deserved. The more this rolls through the speakers, the better it feels. Gonna be one of the country records to beat this year!