Today is just not going my way. Shows are getting canceled and postponed left and right, I can’t find a favorite necklace of mine (I know it’s here somewhere), and now my turntable has decided to go on strike (probably from playing the Machine Gun Kelly album one too many times). It’s just one of those “off” days which means I need some new music to help snap me out of it. Unfortunately, the album speaking to me right now is also one that was given to me on vinyl but my heart is stuck on checking out ‘Rail Vodka’ from Jordan Carr & The Boys. Thankfully, it’s up on streaming services so not all hope is lost. Unfortunately, I will only be able to cover one side of this album as that’s all that is listed on streaming services but I also kind of like that. The songs on side B are the same as the three on side A but the demo versions along with a bonus song. Assuming the first side catches me, I urge you all to snag a copy of this record so you can get the bonus tracks and, once I get my player working again, I may come back and revisit the B side for a separate review but I digress– let’s dig into ‘Rail Vodka’ from Jordan Carr & The Boys!
“La Respeusta” kicks things off on this three-song EP and I instantly knew that this is exactly what I needed right now. It starts off with a powerful for approachable guitar before the vocals come in and instantly win over your heart. There’s something a little Laura Jane Grace about the delivery of the words– a little folksy but a whole lot of attitude and energy– and something a little almost Gaslight Anthem about the overall package of the song. What I’m trying to say is that if you have a similar taste in music to me, you are absolutely going to love this opening track and, this may be a bold assumption, the entire EP. Although this track is four and a half minutes long, I found myself completely captivated by everything going on from the words to the instrumentation. It’s all so perfectly balanced that you are able to hear everything separately but also, it all fits together so well that it’s easy to just take it all in as a full song instead of individual parts.
The second track “The Never Ending Sitcom” is another one that, although nearly five minutes long, seems to be over in the blink of an eye. There’s something just a little more playful about the instrumentation in this track that I found completely addicting and something just a little bit more raw about the vocals which made my heart flutter. There’s a distinct vocal style when it comes to Jordan Carr and I’m honestly here for it. Although at moments it sounds raw and very heart-on-your-sleeve, it never feels unpolished or garage-rock style (not that there’s anything wrong with that sound or style). Every word has a little edge to it in this second track and that is what made this track an instant favorite of mine.
I was dreading everything as “The Never Ending Sitcom” ended and gave way to the title track, “Rail Vodka” because that meant that this all too quick journey was already done but Jordan Carr & The Boys still had some tricks up their sleeves for this final track. Definitely the most mature and somber track out of the three, the amount of beauty that comes with this track left me absolutely speechless. The ebb and flow of this track is genius and both expected and unexpected at the same time. I just mean that there are some rises that I wasn’t completely ready for but, when listening to the song as a whole, they make sense. I’m not going to spoil anything but there’s a triumphant and giant twist in this track that had my jaw dropping to my desk. Seriously just a gorgeous work of art. This is such a stellar track to end this EP on and it made me want oh so much more so excuse me while I drop everything and try to fix this record player so I can hear the second side to this album!
My Favorite Track(s): “The Never Ending Sitcom”
For Fans Of: Retro-Styled Vibes; Stunning Vocals With An Edge
Mosh-ability: 5 out of 10
What My Cats Thought Of It: Artie laid right next to my arms so blame any typos on him; Autumn slept upstairs
How Badly I Want To See This Performed Live: 9 out of 10
My Overall Rating: 8.4 out of 10
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