Boy Named Banjo - DUSK

In the current climate of super-sized albums, this nine-song major label debut from Boy Named Banjo feels like a breath of fresh air.

Fueled by countrified versions of U2-inspired arena anthems ('Something 'Bout A Sunset'), rockabilly ragers ('Heart Attack', ‘Whiskey Dreams’) and grappling with their lives as entertainers (‘Mama, I’m Midbehavin’’), the five-piece’s fusion of bluegrass, folk-rock and everything in between all but blurs the lines between country’s famed Music Row and Americana’s haven of Laurel Canyon.

Sprinkling in their tight three-part harmonies and organic instrumentation, Dusk possesses a lot of nuance. It’s best exemplified in ‘Goodbyes Are Sad’, reiterating one of life’s undeniable truths that comes in so many different forms.

Though dripping in lyrical melancholy – without trying to overcomplicate its simple messaging – the production allows you to forget just how heavy the prose is. This quality can be applied throughout much of DUSK, including the breezy break-up ballad of ‘Lonely In This Town’.

Void of sounding like a 2023 remake of beloved figures or classic tunes, the record’s 30-minute runtime doesn’t seek to follow any pre-approved formula for country success. It thrives in doing so.

8.5 / 10

Boy Named Banjo's 2023 album, DUSK, is out now via Mercury Nashville / UMG.