Turnpike Troubadours – A Cat in the Rain
Oklahoma Red Dirt legends the Turnpike Troubadours have been on a self-imposed hiatus since 2019, but as their recent multi-night stint at Nashville’s legendary Ryman Auditorium proved, they certainly didn’t let any rust settle in during their time off. And A Cat in the Rain, their first LP in six years, clearly puts the exclamation point on that statement.
The 10-track record, produced by Shooter Jennings, is everything fans have come to love about the Oklahoma band: it’s driving Americana with smart, but relatable lyrics. Despite a fanbase that stretches across the globe, the fiercely independent band with a DIY ethos that’s more punk rock than traditional country, the band hasn’t lost any of that loyalty to their followers. Their recent single “Brought Me,” is in part a love letter to those crowds. “It’s about our fans, honestly,” says singer Evan Felker. “Or the idea of a crowd and being able to play for a crowd or having the attention of an audience. It’s sort of a thank you to people who stuck with us through this. The fact we get to come back and play for these amazing crowds that are thousands and thousands of people singing along? It’s an expression of gratitude.”
Elsewhere, on “Chipping Mill,” one of the early standouts on the record, Felker writes some of his most profound lyrics to date, pairing them with an upbeat soundtrack that belies the lyrics (“We are star dust brought to life/None of us were meant to stay/One thing about it/I’ll meet you at the gate”). The title track is equally compelling.
After their recent self-imposed exile, the band is clearly making up for lost time, opening for Luke Combs in Philly, making their debut at the Newport Folk Festival and selling out venues across the country on their own headlining tour and the band has already booked out dates for the rest of the year. A Cat in the Rain is the band firing on all cylinders.
Discover more information and tour dates on their website here: https://www.turnpiketroubadours.com/
Enjoy our previous coverage here: Show Review: Turnpike Troubadours and Kaitlin Butts Regaled the Sold Out New Years Eve Crowd at Cain’s in Tulsa