Jul 2

Jul 2 Flatland Cavalry: Welcome to Countryland

Many bands and artists spent 2020 wondering if they were going to survive and what they were going to do next. That was not Flatland Cavalry. It appears that they spent 2020 getting more comfortable in their own skin and more confident in who they were as individuals, as artists, and as a band. And nowhere is this more apparent than in their new album, Welcome to Countryland. This album not only has them doubling (some might even say tripling) down on the sound that has made them a leader not only in Texas country, but in the more traditional country music stylings as well. But in that vein of confidence, they have stepped out of their comfort zone to write and record songs that depart from their very recognizable style. And this new confidence looks good on them.

Welcome to Countryland has 14 new tracks. Thirteen of which were either written by or co-written by Cleto Cordero, the band’s frontman.

The album starts with “Country Is…” (what country means to you). This is a great opener where, as I mentioned before, they step out of the comfort zone of their 'established' sound. This song has a much more “Willie & Waylon” kind of sound and feel. So, if you are a fan of this style, it will really take you back to some great memories. I particularly enjoyed the nod to Alabama and their song, "If You're Gonna’ Play in Texas (You Gotta’ Have a Fiddle in the Band)" with the line:

Yes ma’am, we’re Texans / we got us a fiddle in the band

The lyrics and sentiment of the song are humorous and good-natured and yet have a bite to them, calling out those who try to proclaim and define who and what is “REAL Country” with the chorus line:

Some folks say, 'that ain’t country' / Smile, let ’em in on the truth / Don’t rely on first impressions / Country is what country means to you

I am not too ashamed to say I have done the same from time to time myself; teeth marks duly noted.

Another wonderful song where the band, again, stepped out of their trademark sound is, also, the latest single from the album to be released, "No Ace in the Hole." To quote the late Guy Clark from his iconic song “The Guitar,” “I never saw it comin’.” This song has a harder and darker rock edge to it that is somewhat removed from songs that typify their music catalog, and yet it has a certain stylistic familiarity that keeps the song from being completely foreign to that same catalog of music. The main musical theme that runs through the song is a riff that Reid Dillon’s guitar and Wesley Hall’s fiddle playing pull off so well. This riff or theme has an old western feel that anchors the song into the band’s wheelhouse. This song has a strong beat guided by the masterful duo of the band’s rhythm section, Jonathan Saenz on bass and Jason Albers on drums.

Now, don’t get me wrong, it is great to see the boys stretch and grow as artists, but they do have an amazing, established sound and fortunately, for all of us, this album is full of those kinds of songs. A great honorable mention is another song released as a single, "A Life Without You." This is the sister song to their 2016 release and one of their biggest hits, “A Life Where We Work Out," and takes a look at that relationship from the perspective of “what if it doesn't work out?” The song is a traditional Flatland fare and is an amazing piece. The song is on the softer side, full of melancholy and fiddle, organ, and pedal steel. This song features Cleto and his now-wife, Kaitlin Cordero née Butts, just like she did on the first song they ever recorded together, "A Life Where We Work Out."

"Well Spent Time" is a fairly common song for Flatland, which, by comparison, any lesser band would gladly trade an arm and a leg for these kind of songwriting skills. The song has a feel similar to their song "Honeywine" off of their 2019 release Homeland Insecurity. It’s a fun, upbeat, and playful love song with Cleto’s familiar lyrical writing style, painting a picture of an impromptu romantic evening with mentions of a secondhand dress, red lipstick, and Yellowtail wine. The chorus demonstrates what a true romantic he is:

Some things money can’t buy / like a hopeful heart and a watchful eye / Livin’ costs a pretty dime but lovin’ don’t cost nothin’ / just a free and open mind and a little bit of well-spent time

The last song is the saddest one only because it is the last song on the album, and after you hear it that new album smell goes away. But in reality, "Meantime" is a fun piece with a great feel-good message of “don’t forget to stop and smell the roses.” The song has a beat and a twang like an old Waylon Jennings' song. The pedal steel and fiddle work make me feel right at home. This song also has Mrs. Cordero’s vocals prominently positioned upfront and center with her husband's from the first chorus throughout the entire song.

While many bands in 2020 struggled with the idea of “what do we do now,” Flatland Cavalry found a better way of spending that time and it shows. They wrote 13 great new songs that showed their skill and talent as musicians and artists and musically stretched them and took them out of their comfort zone. In my opinion, this is their best full album to date. I’d recommend you add this one to your collection and look for any of their upcoming shows as they tour in support of it. You won’t be disappointed.

Track Listing

1. Country Is… (written by Cleto Cordero, P. Palomino)

2. Some Things Never Change (written by Cleto Cordero, Ava Suppelsa)

3. A Cowboy Knows How (written by Luke Combs, Dan Isbell, Jonathan Singleton)

4. Gettin’ By (written by Cleto Cordero, Jason Nix)

5. Well Spent Time (Cleto Cordero)

6. Life Without You (feat. Kaitlin Butts) (written by Cleto Cordero, Brian Keane)

7. No Ace In The Hole (written by Jason Albers, Cleto Cordero, Reid Dillon)

8. It’s Good To Be Back (Round Here Again) (written by Cleto Cordero)

9. Tilt Your Chair Back (written by Cleto Cordero, Ryan Necci)

10. Fallen Star (written by Cleto Cordero)

11. Daydreamer (written by Cleto Cordero, Adam Landry)