Rhett Miller releases new single "All For You" from 10th solo album 'A lifetime of riding by night' out Oct. 10

Rhett Miller has just released a wonderfully affecting single off his forthcoming album "A Lifetime of Riding by Night." Hear the single and learn more about the celebrated artist's new album via the official media release...Robert Kinsler

Rhett Miller Releases New Single “All For You” Co-Written by Gin Blossoms’ Jesse Valenzuela 10th Solo Album A lifetime of riding by night Produced by Old 97’s Bandmate Murry Hammond Out October 10 via ATO Records Old 97’s To Receive Lifetime Achievement Award at the 24th Annual Americana Honors & Awards Tomorrow

Photo Credit: Jason Quigley

September 9, 2025: Today, Rhett Miller released “All For You,” the second song to be released from his forthcoming solo album A lifetime of riding by night that arrives on October 10 via ATO Records. Co-written by Jesse Valenzuela of Gin Blossoms, the song is a poignant reflection of redemption and gratitude that took on an even deeper meaning during the recording which took place just days before a high risk vocal cord surgery: Had a dream and it came true, me and you and them / In a house filled with sun and loved ones and friends / It was worth all the work it took to wind up in this place / And I’ll try to make it better and better every single day / All for you. The album is now available for pre-order on vinyl and CD.  Tomorrow, Miller’s band Old 97’s will be honored with a lifetime achievement award at the 24th annual Americana Honors & Awards in Nashville, TN. Last year, Old 97’s celebrated their 30th anniversary with the release of the critically-acclaimed album American Primitive.

Watch the lyric video for “All For You.” Stream “All For You”

About the single, Miller explains, "My buddy Jesse Valenzuela brought me the idea for the song, a guitar hook and a lyric hook, so he had done the trickiest part. When I was fleshing out the lyrics, I imagined that it would be a song for Jesse's album rather than something I'd be recording. Ironically, this level of remove gave me permission to get a little more personal and sensitive than I might otherwise have done. As soon as it was finished, I loved the song and knew that someday I would record it. And it tickles me that I finally got to work with my super-talented friend Jesse." “It’s simply a joy to work with my compadre Rhett Miller,” Valenzuela adds. “He is a gifted, insightful lyricist. I’m a longtime fan of his songs and I really love ‘All for you.’ I believe it’s a special song that seems to resonate with people and I'm so proud that it’s found a spot on Rhett’s beautiful new record.” “All For You” follows the release of “Come As You Are,” that features Turnpike Troubadours’ Evan Felker, who also co-wrote the song, on background vocals. The song was praised by Rolling Stone, BrooklynVegan, Dallas Observer, and Whiskey Riff, who proclaimed, “[Rhett Miller] has managed to stay relevant and inspire generations of artists for well over 30 years. [He] is the type of musician that is likely one of your favorite artist’s favorite artists.” A lifetime of riding by night was recorded primarily at Dave’s Room in Los Angeles and marks Miller’s first time enlisting his Old 97’s bandmate Murry Hammond as a producer since his solo debut album Mythologies (a 1989 LP created when he was 17-years-old). Threaded with his lived-in reflection on mortality and love in all forms, the album contains some of Miller’s most unguarded material yet—an achievement he attributes to revelations gleaned through his recent work in teaching songwriting at The New School in Manhattan, as well as the eclectic lineup of co-writers including Turnpike Troubadours frontman Evan Felker, Caitlin Rose, Nicole Atkins, Jesse Valenzuela of Gin Blossoms, and Ben Greenman.  Miller will kick off a national album release on October 9 in Worcester, MA that will make stops in Los Angeles, Seattle, New York, Dallas, St. Paul and many more. Find a full list of tour dates below or visit his website. A lifetime of riding by night tracklist: 1) A Little Song (Prologue)  2) All For You 3) Ellie On The Wharf 4) Come As You Are 5) Be Mine 6) People Are Lifted 7) A Little Song (Interlude) 8) The Bells of St. Mike’s 9) All Over Again 10) Time Again 11) A Lifetime of Riding by Night 12) A Little Song 13) Brand New Heart Rhett Miller Tour Dates: Sep. 12 – Arlington, TX – Texas Live! Oct. 2–4 – Halifax, NS, Canada – The Carleton Oct. 9 – Worcester, MA – Off The Rails Oct. 10 – Bar Harbor, ME – Criterion Theatre Oct. 15 – Los Angeles, CA – Largo at the Coronet Oct. 16 – Ramona, CA – Ramona Mainstage Oct. 17 – Hermosa Beach, CA – Saint Rocke Oct. 18 – Fontana, CA – Stage Red Oct. 20 – San Francisco, CA – Cafe Du Nord Oct. 21 – Santa Cruz, CA – Moe’s Alley Oct. 23 – Eugene, OR – WOW Hall Oct. 24 – Portland, OR – The Showdown Oct. 25 – Seattle, WA – Clock-Out Lounge Oct. 28 – New York, NY – Le Poisson Rouge Nov. 6 – Houston, TX – McGonigel’s Mucky Duck Nov. 8 – Fischer, TX – Devil’s Backbone Tavern Nov. 9 – Dallas, TX – Granada Theater Nov. 12 – Ann Arbor, MI – The Ark Nov. 13 – Cleveland, OH – Music Box Supper Club Nov. 14 – Bloomington, IN – Buskirk-Chumley Theater Nov. 15 – Covington, KY – Madison Theater Nov. 16 – Bloomington, IL – The Castle Theatre Nov. 20 – St. Paul, MN – Turf Club Nov. 22 – Lawrence, KS – The Bottleneck Nov. 23 – Tulsa, OK – Mercury Lounge Dec. 2 – Indianapolis, IN – Hi-Fi Dec. 3 – Madison, WI – Atwood Music Hall Dec. 4 – Milwaukee, WI – Vivarium Dec. 5 – Davenport, IA – Raccoon Motel Dec. 11 – Washington, D.C. – Union Stage Dec. 12 – Wayne, PA – 118 North Dec. 14 – Charlottesville, VA – The Southern

Keep up with Rhett Miller: Website – Instagram – Facebook – X  Keep up with Old 97’s: Website – Instagram – Facebook – X

About Rhett Miller:  Rhett Miller is a Texas-born, New York-based singer-songwriter, author, podcaster, actor and professor who has fronted the band Old 97’s for the last 32 years. Miller has released 12 albums with Old 97’s and will release his tenth solo album A lifetime of riding by night on October 10 via ATO Records. In addition to his songwriting, Miller is an accomplished writer who has authored short stories, essays and articles that have been featured in Rolling Stone, Bookforum, Sports Illustrated, McSweeney’s, The Atlantic and Salon. He has published two children's books: The Baby-Changing Station (released via Little, Brown) and No More Poems! Miller is also the host of Wheels Off, a podcast about the messy reality of living a creative life. The “must listen” (Rolling Stone) podcast has released well over two hundred episodes over the last 6 years and has featured prominent guests like Tig Notaro, Jeff Tweedy, Jennifer Egan, Billy Strings, Michael Chabon, Norah Jones and many more. As an actor Rhett has appeared in films, most recently Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and the Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, in which he performs a song he co-wrote with director James Gunn. His songs have been used in countless movies, television shows and commercials.

Rhett Miller announces 10th solo album 'A lifetime of riding by night' out Oct. 10 - Debut Single ft. Turnpike Troubadours' Evan Felker out now

I had to share the exciting news that Rhett Miller's 10th solo album is set to arrive this fall...Robert Kinsler

Rhett Miller Announces 10th Solo Album  A lifetime of riding by night Produced by Old 97’s Bandmate Murry Hammond Out October 10 via ATO Records Debut single “Come As You Are” Featuring Turnpike Troubadours’ Evan Felker Out Now Announces Solo Album Release Tour

August 5, 2025: Today, acclaimed singer/songwriter Rhett Miller announced A lifetime of riding by night, his tenth studio album that will be released on October 10 via ATO Records. Produced by his Old 97’s bandmate Murry Hammond, the 13-song collection was recorded just days before undergoing a high-risk surgery on his vocal cords. Threaded with his lived-in reflection on mortality and love in all forms, the album contains some of Miller’s most unguarded material yet—an achievement he attributes to revelations gleaned through his recent work in teaching songwriting at The New School in Manhattan, as well as the eclectic lineup of co-writers including Turnpike Troubadours frontman Evan Felker, Caitlin Rose, Nicole Atkins, and Jesse Valenzuela of Gin Blossoms. The album is now available for pre-order, including a limited edition vinyl run of 300 copies pressed on frosted Coke bottle, available only via Rhett Miller’s and ATO’s web store.  This morning, Miller released the album’s first single “Come As You Are” that features Evan Felker, who also co-wrote the song, on background vocals. Miller has also announced a national album release tour that will kick off this October and make stops in Los Angeles, Seattle, New York, Dallas, St. Paul and many more. Find a full list of tour dates below or visit his website.

Watch the official video for “Come As You Are.”

About the song, Miller explains, “That song came together at a time when Evan and I were both wrestling with the difficulty of leaving our loved ones behind to go on tour. It’s a sweet song but there’s a sadness to it, which feels reflective of the true human condition. Evan's band Turnpike Troubadours recorded a version of the song a few years back as a single, but it's always been in my mind that I wanted to record my own version of the song. Despite it being a co-write, ‘Come As You Are’ feels like a really personal moment. That said, I get a tickle out of hearing Evan's harmony on there – he's such a talented guy and a great friend." Evan Felker adds, “Rhett has been a never-ending source of inspiration and wit and humility for my career and for the times when I didn’t have one. He writes with a passion for the world that is as reckless as it is correct and smart. Whatever deal he made with the devil, I want that one too. He’s the prime example of why you should meet your heroes.” Mainly recorded at Dave’s Room in Los Angeles, the album marks Miller’s first time enlisting Hammond as a producer since his solo debut album Mythologies (a 1989 LP created when he was 17-years-old). “Murry was a mentor to me when we made that first record all those decades ago, and this album felt like the right time to work with him in that capacity again,” Miller says. “I gave him carte blanche in a way I never have with any other producer—we went in and recorded 20 songs, and I flew home to New York without even knowing which songs he’d end up using or what the finished versions would sound like. I just let go and trusted Murry completely.” His first solo effort since 2022’s The Misfit (an extravagant collision of dream-pop and psychedelia), A lifetime of riding by night centers on a gorgeously sparse form of folk/indie-rock that reveals every nuance and idiosyncrasy of Miller’s vocal performance. “There’s a lot of terrifying stories about the type of surgery I received, and I wanted to record the album first because I knew the worst outcomes were on the table,” he says. “I was in a lot of physical pain as I was singing these songs; there are moments when you can hear me really struggling. But as much as I thought about going back and re-recording the vocals once I’d recovered, I knew those imperfections were part of the DNA of the record. To me there’s something very human about a singer trying to sing the best he can despite being compromised.” A lifetime of riding by night follows Old 97’s 2024 album American Primitive that celebrated their 30th anniversary.  The album was featured in Rolling Stone, SPIN, BrooklynVegan, Texas Monthly and AllMusic, who proclaimed, “Most bands don't sound as fresh, confident, and willing to take chances three decades into their career as the Old 97's do on American Primitive; they've quietly but firmly matured into one of America's best roots rock acts.” The band also made their return to network television to perform three songs on CBS Saturday Morning.   A lifetime of riding by night tracklist: 1) A Little Song (Prologue)  2) All For You 3) Ellie On The Wharf 4) Come As You Are 5) Be Mine 6) People Are Lifted 7) A Little Song (Interlude) 8) The Bells of St. Mike’s 9) All Over Again 10) Time Again 11) A Lifetime of Riding by Night 12) A Little Song 13) Brand New Heart Tour Dates: Aug. 24 – Amagansett, NY – The Stephen Talkhouse Aug. 27 – Pawling, NY – Daryl’s House Club Sep. 12 – Arlington, TX – Texas Live! Oct. 2–4 – Halifax, NS, Canada – The Carleton Oct. 9 – Worcester, MA – Off The Rails Oct. 10 – Bar Harbor, ME – Criterion Theatre Oct. 15 – Los Angeles, CA – Largo at the Coronet Oct. 16 – Ramona, CA – Ramona Mainstage Oct. 17 – Hermosa Beach, CA – Saint Rocke Oct. 18 – Fontana, CA – Stage Red Oct. 20 – San Francisco, CA – Cafe Du Nord Oct. 21 – Santa Cruz, CA – Moe’s Alley Oct. 23 – Eugene, OR – WOW Hall Oct. 24 – Portland, OR – The Showdown Oct. 25 – Seattle, WA – Clock-Out Lounge Oct. 28 – New York, NY – Le Poisson Rouge Nov. 6 – Houston, TX – McGonigel’s Mucky Duck Nov. 8 – Fischer, TX – Devil’s Backbone Tavern Nov. 9 – Dallas, TX – Granada Theater Nov. 12 – Ann Arbor, MI – The Ark Nov. 13 – Cleveland, OH – Music Box Supper Club Nov. 14 – Bloomington, IN – Buskirk-Chumley Theater Nov. 15 – Covington, KY – Madison Theater Nov. 16 – Bloomington, IL – The Castle Theatre Nov. 20 – St. Paul, MN – Turf Club Nov. 22 – Lawrence, KS – The Bottleneck Nov. 23 – Tulsa, OK – Mercury Lounge Dec. 2 – Indianapolis, IN – Hi-Fi Dec. 3 – Madison, WI – Atwood Music Hall Dec. 4 – Milwaukee, WI – Vivarium Dec. 5 – Davenport, IA – Raccoon Motel Dec. 11 – Washington, D.C. – Union Stage Dec. 12 – Wayne, PA – 118 North Dec. 14 – Charlottesville, VA – The Southern

Keep up with Rhett Miller: Website – Instagram – Facebook – X  Keep up with Old 97’s: Website – Instagram – Facebook – X

Credit: Jason Quigley

About Rhett Miller:  Rhett Miller is a Texas-born, New York-based singer-songwriter, author, podcaster, actor and professor who has fronted the band Old 97’s for the last 32 years. Miller has released 12 albums with Old 97’s and will release his tenth solo album A lifetime of riding by night on October 10 via ATO Records. In addition to his songwriting, Miller is an accomplished writer who has authored short stories, essays and articles that have been featured in Rolling Stone, Bookforum, Sports Illustrated, McSweeney’s, The Atlantic and Salon. He has published two children's books: The Baby-Changing Station (released via Little, Brown) and No More Poems! Miller is also the host of Wheels Off, a podcast about the messy reality of living a creative life. The “must listen” (Rolling Stone) podcast has released well over two hundred episodes over the last 6 years and has featured prominent guests like Tig Notaro, Jeff Tweedy, Jennifer Egan, Billy Strings, Michael Chabon, Norah Jones and many more. As an actor Rhett has appeared in films, most recently Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and the Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, in which he performs a song he co-wrote with director James Gunn. His songs have been used in countless movies, television shows and commercials.

Old 97's set to release new album 'American Primitive' on April 5

Check out the wonderful music video for the new Old 97's track "Where The Road Goes" and get details on the beloved band's forthcoming new album "American Primitive" set for release on April 5...Robert Kinsler 

Old 97’s Celebrate 30th Anniversary with 

New Album American Primitive 

Out April 5 via ATO Records

 

Official Video for New Single

 “Where The Road Goes” Out Now

 

West Coast Tour Kicks Off April 3

February 20, 2024: Thirty years after the release of their powerhouse debut Hitchhike to Rhome, alt-country pioneers Old 97’s are celebrating with the announcement of their lucky 13th studio album American Primitive that will be released on April 5 via ATO Records. Opening with the lyric “You’ve got to dance like the world is falling down around you, because it is,” American Primitive radiates with rambunctious joy even as Miller’s lyrics contend with complex questions of love and mental illness and the routinely daunting state of the world. Today, the three-decade-long lineup of singer and guitarist Rhett Miller, bassist Murry Hammond, guitarist Ken Bethea, and drummer Philip Peeples released the official video for first single “Where The Road Goes” which features Peter Buck on guitar.

 

Watch the official video for “Where The Road Goes.”

Pre-Order American Primitive.

 

“I was in Montana and found myself on the banks of the Blackfoot River, watching the water pounding with a ferocious power, and I started building this song as a statement of gratitude for having survived this long,” explains Miller. “It revisits some of the darkest moments of my life, including a suicide attempt at age 14 that by all rights I shouldn’t have lived through and yet somehow did. In a way it’s like a spiritual travelogue that rolls back through all the places that shaped me for better or worse, and ends up in this beautiful place that I felt so thankful to experience.”

 

Produced by Tucker Martine (My Morning Jacket, The Decemberists, Neko Case) and featuring iconic guest musicians like Peter Buck of R.E.M. and Scott McCaughey of The Young Fresh Fellows and The Minus 5, the album took shape in a series of deliberately whirlwind sessions at Flora Studio in Portland, Oregon. “This was the first record we’ve ever done with zero pre-production,” Miller points out. “It’s us working completely on instinct, leaning on 30 years of playing together to come up with something on the fly rather than overthinking any of our choices.”

 

The album’s title was lifted from a bit of fictional art criticism in Stephen King’s psych-horror novel Duma Key and experienced a full-circle moment when King himself tweeted the news about the album early. In choosing the cover art for American Primitive, Old 97’s selected a painting created by Hammond’s 17-year-old son Tex Hammond — a prodigious talent who, at age 14, became the youngest artist ever to exhibit at the prestigious LA Art Show. It’s a fitting choice for a band who’ve maintained a certain youthful exuberance more than three decades into their career, and for an album in which a palpable sense of wonder prevails despite its world-weary undercurrent. 

 

“Over the last year of touring in celebration of our 30th anniversary, it’s been impossible not to feel some emotion welling up at the idea that my bandmates and I have been in this close brotherhood for so long,” says Miller. “I think a lot of that longevity has to do with the fact that we’re really the same band we were back then. We’ve experimented with pushing in different directions, and we’ve had experiences outside the band where we’ve learned new things, but the way we approach this music has fundamentally remained the same. Our heart is still in the exact same place.”

 

Old 97’s will kick off a spring west coast tour in Santa Fe, NM on April 3 and make stops in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland, Seattle and more. Find a full list of tour dates below or visit their website.

 

Early Acclaim for Old 97’s American Primitive:

 

“If it’s the end of the world as we know it, this is the record we want to hear to push us on through to the next level.” - Rosanne Cash

 

“Little did you know, Jerry Lee Lewis and Leonard Cohen had a bunch of bastard children that were raised in a dumpster behind a bar in Amarillo and their names are the Old 97’s.” 

- Rainn Wilson

 

“This is all I'll be listening to until the next Old 97’s album.”

- Tig Notaro

 

American Primitive tracklist:

1) Falling Down

2) Somebody

3) American Primitive

4) Where The Road Goes

5) Honeypie

6) By The End Of The Night

7) Masterpiece

8) Incantation

9) Magic

10) Western Stars

11) Chased The Setting Sun

12) This World

13) Estuviera Cayendo

 

Tour Dates:

4/3 – Santa Fe, NM – Tumbleroot Brewery

4/4 – Tucson, AZ – Hotel Congress

4/5 – Pioneertown, CA – Pappy and Harriet's Pioneertown Palace

4/6 – Los Angeles, CA – The Fonda Theatre

4/7 – Solana Beach, CA – Belly Up

4/8 – Morro Bay, CA – The Siren

4/9 – Roseville, CA – Goldfield Trading Post

4/11 – San Francisco, CA – The Fillmore

4/12 – Bend, OR – Domino Room

4/13 – Portland, OR – Aladdin Theater

4/14 –Seattle, WA – The Showbox

4/16 – Missoula, MT – The Wilma

4/17 – Bozeman, MT – The ELM

4/18 – Billings, MT – Pub Station - Ballroom 

4/19 – Laramie, WY – Gryphon Theatre

4/20 – Englewood, CO – Gothic Theatre

4/21 – Jackson, WY – Jackson Hole Center for the Arts – Center Theater

 

Website – Instagram – Facebook – Twitter

 

Photo credit: Jason Quigley

New Music: Dr. John, Rhett Miller, Doug "Cosmo" Clifford with Bobby Whitlock, Nikki Lane

A remarkable finale, an unearthed lost treasure and several new studio releases make for great listens.

Artist: Dr. John

Title: Things Happen That Way (Rounder Records)

You might like if you enjoy: Dr. John, Leon Russell, Willie Nelson

Tell me more: At once a genre-defying artist and the very sonic definition of New Orleans' timeless sound, Malcolm "Mac" Rebenack, Jr. — better known as Dr. John — had long spoke about wanting to record a county and western album to pay homage to the songwriters and music makers whose songs had touched him. Rebennack was in the midst of realizing that dream when a heart attack tragically ended his life on June 6, 2019. The Grammy-winning Rock & Roll Hall of Famer who had masterfully fused soul, R&B, funk, rock and blues since the 1950s was only 77.  The good news is that the resulting posthumous masterwork Things Happen That Way (released via Rounder Records on Sept. 23) showcase those final recordings and fully celebrate Dr. John's groundbreaking six-decade-long recording career. The range of material stretches from a wistful take showcasing his distinctive vocals and piano playing on Willie Nelson's "Funny How Time Slips Away," an urgent reading of Hank Williams' 1951 classic "Ramblin' Man" and a playful take on the Traveling Wilburys' "End of the Line" (the latter bolstered by Aaron Neville's vocals) to his own co-writes with famed guitarist Shane Theriot ("Holy Water," "Sleeping Dogs Best Left Alone," "Give Myself a Good Talkin' To"). Willie Nelson joins Dr. John on a R&B-flavored take of the traditional "Gimme That Old Time Religion." The album's closing title track (written by Jack Henderson Clement) is poignant, elevated by Dr. John's rich baritone and sparse piano work. Currently available on audio CD and digitally, Things Happen That Way will be released on vinyl on Oct. 14. Information: Rounder.com.

Artist: Rhett Miller

Title: The Misfit (ATO Records)

You might like if you enjoy: Old 97's, Wilco, John Lennon, Tom Petty

Tell me more: A notable departure from his work with Dallas, Texas' alt-country favorites Old 97's and previous solo work, singer-songwriter Rhett Miller's ninth solo album The Misfit is a rich hybrid of psychedelic pop, indie folk rock and cosmic dream-pop bound by probing songcraft. The confessional "Follow You Home," evocative psychedelic rocker "Heart Attack Days," rootsy ballad "Already There," shimmering "Just When It Gets Good," luxurious "Fascination," reflective "The White Tops" and ardent piano-anchored "Let Me Go There With You" are among the great cuts that find Miller at the top of his game. Information: RhettMiller.com.

Artists: Doug "Cosmo" Clifford with Bobby Whitlock

Title: California Gold (Cliffsong Records)

You might like if you enjoy: Doug "Cosmo" Clifford, Bobby Whitlock, Derek and the Dominos, Deep Purple's "Burn"

Tell me more: Who knew that following the breakup of Creedence Clearwater Revival and Derek & The Dominos, a principal member from each of those illustrious troupes would join forces to write and record a killer full-length album that was never released — until September 2022. CCR drummer Doug "Cosmo" Clifford and Derek & the Dominos singer-keyboardist Bobby Whitlock were joined by bassists Donald "Duck" Dunn and Tom Miller, as well as guitarists David Vega and Mike O'Neill on the previously-unissued California Gold. Recorded at the infamous Cosmos Factory and other area Bay Area studios, the 12-track disc will definitely appeal to fans of classic '70s blues rock outfits such as Humble Pie,  Grand Funk Railroad and the Doobie Brothers. The terrific track listing includes the aptly-titled "Good Times," bluesy "Get Down Fever," soul music mining "It's Always Darkest Before The Dawn," hard-edged "Do Or Die" and soaring "I'm Happy Just Being Alive." My favorite original on the album is the driving "Purple Mountain," an enticing six-minute rocker bolstered by sublime lead guitar work, deft drumming from Clifford along with Whitlock's signature lead vocals and keyboard playing. Information: DougCosmoClifford.com.

Artist: Nikki Lane

Title: Denim & Diamonds (New West Records)

You might like if you enjoy: Loretta Lynn, Kasey Chambers, Nikki Lane

Tell me more: In the wake of the arrival of the global pandemic a parade of talented artists have issued probing and powerful albums that reflect a singular moment in time when the world was seemingly stopped in its tracks. Add Nikki Lane's name to that list of musical greats issuing a standout album over the past year or so. Denim & Diamonds is a wonderful leap forward for the Nashville-based songstress, with a blend of roots rock, Americana and alt-country showcased across the 10-track disc. The album was completed at a unique point just after the last days of Lane's extended tour in support of her 2017 album Highway Queen and after the beginning of the lockdown forcing everyone indoor. Lane enlisted famed Queens of the Stone Age leader Joshua Homme to help bring her vision to life. The melodic "First High" with its undeniable chorus, haunting alt-country ballad "Faded," rousing roots rocker "Born Tough" and defiant "Try Harder" are among the early standouts on the wonderful album. The tender "Live/Love," lusty "Black Widow" and haunting closer "Chimayo" continue the album's firm reach in its last half. Information: NikkiLane.com.

Robert Kinsler