Turnpike Troubadours’ sophomore album Diamonds and Gasoline is the embodiment of what I would define as contemporary Americana music. Blending country, folk, and roots rock, the band weaves together a captivating tapestry of storytelling and musical craftsmanship that ruminate on love, loss, and life. These themes are set on top of familiar backdrops of Americana music– small-towns in the midst of struggle, lonely musicians on the road, and town squares dotted across the American heartland, filled with characters whose ubiquitous normality make them accessible vessels to explore the personal demons and day-to-day challenges all of us experience in our lives. And when the band launches into those gorgeous three-part harmonies, pedal steel guitar, and shuffle drums that sound like a freight train running through town in the middle of the night, you feel like you’ve arrived in a place where you belong.
Lead singer Evan Felker’s world-building chops reminds me a lot of one of my favorite singer-songwriters Slaid Cleaves, specifically his 2000 album Broke Down. The musical vehicle they utilize may be different, but you end up in the same place all the same. And that’s a good thing.
Standout Songs: “Every Girl”, “7 & 7”, “Diamonds & Gasoline”, “Long Hot Summer Day”
