Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real- Sticks and Stones
Label: Thirty Tigers
Producers: Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real
The glory days of Southern Rock and Outlaw Country are indeed alive and well on Sticks and Stones, the delightfully loose and rowdy eighth set from second-generation talent, Lukas Nelson and his scintillating band, Promise of the Real. Nelson’s voice is as twangy and swinging as it’s ever been, his ensemble’s playing is at its most fiery, and their lyrical storytelling remains entertaining as hell. Like his legendary father Willie Nelson, Lukas and his troops have never been afraid to color outside the restrictive stylistic lines of straight-forward country. With that said, this record stays as loyal to 70s Texas country as anything in their canon, and they do the art-form mighty proud; it would play seamlessly beside any peak period record from Willie, Waylon, Jerry Jeff or the like. The track-list is stacked with astounding musical dexterity, authentic grit, and down-home humor, from the cheeky gospel-tinged honky tonk of “Alcohallelujah” and the breakneck parlor fire of “Ladder of Love”, to the hilarious buffoonery of “Wrong House” and brutal but comedic reality check of “Overpass”, which also boasts perhaps the record’s most succulent guitar work. And then there’s the splendid duet magic of “More Than Friends”, which would be a star-making performance for mainstream darling, Lainey Wilson, if she wasn’t already a rare beacon in the Nashville stratosphere. Nelson has had no trouble emerging out of the imposing shadow cast by his iconic lineage, but part of that can be attributed to the fact that he isn’t afraid to lean into it either. Enter “Every Time I Drink”, with its honky piano summoning the ghost of his aunt, Bobbie, while his high and reedy twang fully embraces his father’s magical influence. This inherited gift particularly shines through glowingly on “Lying”, as mournful a country heartache tune that you’ll hear all decade. With Sticks & Stones, Lukas Nelson and POTR continue to dutifully honor the legacy of both family and the country art form, while boldly and reverently blazing a path for it into the future, just like their heroes before them.
Track Listing:
- “Sticks and Stones” (Nelson)
- “Alcohallelujah” (Nelson)
- “Every Time I Drink” (Nelson)
- “More Than Friends” featuring Lainey Wilson (Nelson)
- “Ladder of Love” (Nelson)
- “Wrong House” (Nelson)
- “Icarus” (Nelson)
- “If I Didn’t Love You” (Nelson)
- “Overpass” (Nelson)
- “Lying” (Nelson)
- “All Four Winds” (Nelson)
- “The View” (Nelson)
The 706 
Leave a comment