8/10
Label: Thirty Tigers
Released February, 2022
The difficult third album sees Sarah Shook and her band expanding their horizons.
Nightroamer, Sarah Shook and the Disarmers third full album, finds the band on a different label, moving from Bloodshot just prior to that label’s buy out by Exceleration Music and signing with Thirty Tigers, personnel changes, with John Howie Jr and Phil Sullivan replaced by Jack Foster and Adam Kurtz, and big-name producer Pete Anderson on board. Thankfully, what hasn’t changed is Shook’s visceral, heart breaking and hopeful song writing, backed by a rock steady crew of musicians. But this is no mere re-tread of a successful formula based on the critically acclaimed albums Sidelong (2017) and Years (2018). Nightroamer sees the band expanding their vison and straying into alt-rock territory with verve and confidence. Shook brings an outsider’s vision to her music – after all, how many bi-sexual, non-binary, vegans in the Country scene can you name? She recently said, “I’m starting to realize that being an outlier and a weirdo––it doesn’t have to be a bad thing. It can be whatever you want it to be.”
With any development a band risks losing some old fans, whilst gaining new ones. But the artist must move forward and as long as it’s done with integrity and a desire to experiment it should be applauded. And Shook is nothing if not full of integrity. Nightroamer was actually recorded just before the pandemic hit and has been sitting in the vaults waiting to be released, which must have been a trying wait for the band. Anderson’s production gives the album a slicker sound, without losing sight of the bands rough edges that could see the band easily playing both stadiums or small sweaty dives. One thing that certainly hasn’t changed is Shook’s impressive voice which at times is imbued with so much emotion it’s heart breaking, and at other times with a vicious edge that Johnny Rotten would be proud of. Shook’s unmistakable vocals veer between utter beauty and an almost broken vibrato. It’s like a butterfly with fangs. A butterfly clinging to hope and beauty in the midst of violence and decay. It’s a voice that tears at the heart whilst giving you hope to carry on. She’s faced the worse and she’s still standing – so fuck the world.
Album opener, Somebody Else, starts with a Morricone like spaghetti western motif. Then that voice, sweet as honey torn apart by bears, it has a yearning and a comfort, a broken yet healing voice. There are lots of negative space in which the vocals can take centre stage. There’s a deep back beat with arpeggio motifs from the guitar. Been Lovin’ You has an alt-rock REM sound to it with an almost pop production sensibility.
The album then veers to a 50s rock n roll groove with If It’s Poison. It’s a track that’s draped in drive thru diner jukebox ballad beats and, lyrically, balances on the precipice of jumping into a relationship that you’re unsure of. No Mistakes is pure outlaw country, whilst title track, Nightroamer, sees our hero hitting the road, one step after another, just seeing where she goes. It’s a crossroads song. It Doesn’t Change Anything starts with acoustic guitar, before the pedal guitar creates a country blues sound. Shook says of the song, “It’s about addiction and depression, and it’s holding space for somebody. It’s just saying, ‘I acknowledge what you’re going through and the battles that you’re facing are valid.’”
Please Be A Stranger has a big opening and a somewhat Beatles sound to it. Shook is great with the sneering put down chorus in the song. I Got This has a great rock opening riff played acoustically and you can hear Shook expanding her vocal range. If this was a song played heavy it could easily be a Black Sabbath number. Next track, Believer, opens with a tribal drum beat and when Shook starts singing you know it’s not in the vein of the Monkees’ I’m A Believer, this is the voice of someone who has suffered so much but still carries on, almost with resignation.
Album closer is a great swaggering garage rock tune, Talkin’ To Myself. It’s the Kinks or the Stones with a liberal sprinkling of punk that ends the album on a massive high.
With Nightroamer, Sarah Shook and the Disarmers, have expanded their sound whilst remaining true to their core. Shook opens her heart and soul with honesty, embracing her otherness, and offering hope to those who have been through similar sufferings. That she achieves this with a touch of humour and a heavy dose of fuck you attitude is testament to her character.
The difficult third album? Nah, they make it look easy.
This review first appeared on Spectrum Culture February, 2022
Mark Ray 