Hum Of The Road opens with its title track, which has a bright, positive sound as it starts, something that grabs us, like a bit of magic sprinkled over us and inviting us to travel that road. Then Tylor Ketchum’s voice has that familiar quality that makes it a perfect companion on the road, a voice of someone who has clearly been there, a voice of experience, yet one promising no simple answers. “Up until now, ain’t nothing stopped me in my tracks/It’s getting tough to take it easy and even harder to find the facts.” The steel guitar helps to create that delicious country sound. “I ain’t being what I thought I should/Even though I know that I still probably could/But where’s that gonna get me in the long run.” Toward end he repeats “In the long run,” and we can hear in his voice thoughts of the future, where all our minds wander off to, I suppose. Who doesn’t wonder where these things will get them? That’s followed by “Next Long Haul,” which begins with some cool bluesy folk guitar work. Its first lines mention the road: “If you’re feeling like this road has got you beat/You’ve got to turn around and hit it just one more time/Because hitting that road, it ain’t even your toughest feat/And even something you’d come to love on down the line.” The song settles into more of a country sound. “It’s time to pack it up and head out on our next long haul.” Oh yes, we all get that itch to head out on the road, but it is something in the sound that makes me smile. The band seems to be having a good time here, and that instrumental section in the middle is wonderful, featuring some really good stuff on guitar and harmonica. “So if you’re doing what you want to be doing, then you’ll probably be fine.”
“The Way We Learn” has a fun vibe from the start, and the vocal line is a part of the song’s delightful rhythm. “When you’re a cold one and a bold one/Opportune times are pretty seldom/But remember you’re just living/The way you learned to be.” This is the kind of number that will have skirts twirling and beer bottles raised. It’s a totally enjoyable number. That’s followed by “Skittle Man,” a rocking country tune with a driving rhythm and some good stuff on steel guitar. But it is that vocal performance that is the focus here, and this song contains some excellent lyrics: “The choices I make, they’re the choices I’ll live with/The choices I make, you can put ‘em on me/But when you’re brought up to lose and put down when you win/You become afraid of where you’re going and afraid of where you’ve been.” There are some surprising lines, like “And I’m talking down a tweaker about medieval times.” And when the narrating character is shot in the chest, he comments how it results in him “making a mess.” Plus, this song uses the word “skedaddle.” What more could you want? A little fiddle? Well, this song gives that to you too, with Cody Braun delivering some nice work. This is one of my personal favorites.
“Workin’ Hands” begins with some excellent work on guitar that sets the tone and creates expectations that this will be one of the album’s best tracks. And indeed, it is another of my favorites. There is a delicious energy to the vocal delivery, and some lines that I love. “It seems that we’ve been leaving all our dreams for tomorrow/And this life has been a nightmare, now it’s time to wake up.” There is more catchy and impressive guitar work throughout the track. This one has a great forward momentum. “Converse on what you thirst and lift the curse before it worsens.” Oh, this song will remain ahead of that curse, no question. That’s followed by “Sailing Song,” a sweeter number. Check out these lines from early in the song: “I’d like to pick you up, I’d never mean to bring you down/If you felt like life was rough, I’ve got the tools to sand it down.” This one is about moving too, but here it is wanting that special someone at your side. Perhaps two journeys can align. This song has a pleasant, friendly vibe. “When I’ve seen you at the dock you don’t have no time to talk to me/But I say that if you love it it’s bound to set you free/So keep an eye out for a lighthouse to draw you back in from out at sea/And I’ve never been the one to table how I feel/But it’s a hard day at the harbor while you’re harboring something so real.” This band certainly can craft a great lyric, don’t you agree? Jonathan Tyler joins the group on organ for this one.
“Straight As An Arrow” uses the dreaded “self”/“shelf” rhyme, but it sort of works here: “But I know that she’s lying ‘cause I fed her myself/She’s just begging at me for them treats off the shelf.” Then it’s used a second time later on, and this time it’s a woman begging for treats from the shelf. A parallel is drawn between the two, so, again, it sort of works. I know using the word “shelf” in a song doesn’t bother everyone, but that word almost always seems forced into a line, like there is no other choice. Anyway, Cody Braun adds some nice work on fiddle on this track. And there are some good lyrics, such as these lines: “If tonight were all I had, I’d say the hell with tomorrow/At least the morning will put tonight in my past.” Then “I Ain’t The Only One” has a rockin’ groove. “But you can give it all you got,” Tylor sings near the beginning of this one, and the band seems to be doing just that, creating a fun number to get us dancing. There is something of a party vibe to this track, and it contains some strong work on guitar. And I love these lines: “Have you met Mr. Psilocybin/He’ll help to brighten your horizon/But if you’ve got demons on your mind/He makes them easier to find/So take it slow.” Oh yes, good advice.
“I’ve been shouting from a mountain top as if they can hear me down below/I take it easy on the way down ‘cause these brakes are starting to go,” Tylor sings at the beginning of “On The Go.” Those opening lines take me back to certain moments when my van had no control and we were heading down a steep hill. Fun memories now, but terrifying at the time. This song features some lovely work on steel guitar. As with all of this band’s songs, this one contains some good and memorable lyrics, such as this line: “The price you pay day to day, it won’t cover what you owe.” The band then wraps up the album with “Ton Of Trails,” which features some pretty work on guitar. Dave Percefull joins the group on organ for this one. This is a really good folk number, with a more intimate tone to the vocal approach. “Try and keep what’s real and throw the rest away/And be true to who you want to be/What would you do if what you did was done/Could you stop living your life afraid to jump the gun/This ain’t no time for asking permission/That’s what put you here in this here position.”
CD Track List
- Hum Of The Road
- Next Long Haul
- The Way We Learn
- Skittle Man
- Workin’ Hands
- Sailing Song
- Straight As An Arrow
- I Ain’t The Only One
- On The Go
- Ton Of Trails
Hum Of The Road was released on May 3, 2024.
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