The Divorcees - Drop of Blood (Self-Released)

If I had listened to a band like The Divorcees six months ago, it would have been painful to be reminded of all the shows I cannot go to anymore. Now however, with the end of the pandemic finally in sight, their new album Drop of Blood is a breath of fresh air because it is a reminder of what will likely return. The record is Outlaw Country at some of its best, and the Canadian group is tailor-made for anyone longing for honky tonks or at least a good old fashioned night out.

There are similarities to newer artists like Shooter Jennings and Sturgill Simpson, but Drop of Blood truly is country at its most authentic, and although the production may be new, the songs themselves would not have been out of place in the repertoires of Hank Williams Jr. or Waylon. There are the standard themes of alcoholism and rubes present in songs like “Drinkin’ in the Afternoon” and “Small Town City Boy,” but bubbling under the surface is an incredible amount of 21st century anxieties, fears, and insecurities. Essentially, their music is a party in spite of life falling apart, thus making The Divorcees the perfect post-pandemic soundtrack for anyone looking to relax after making it out by the skin of their teeth.