49 Winchester

One Liner: Up and coming group with a soulful rock edge I'd compare to Stapleton

Wikipedia Genre: No Wikipedia, but I'll say Country, Americana, Country Rock, Rock
Home: Castlewood, VA

Sunday

Thoughts: After reading the band name, I sort of figured that this was a play on the Winchester gun brand.  But there isn't a .49 caliber (at least that I have ever heard of).  Instead, that is the house address where these dudes lived when they started the band - 49 Winchester Street, Castlewood, Virginia.  They started out as teenagers just wanting to make some music in a tiny town, and now are apparently the "Buzziest of Buzz Bands" according to Rolling Stone.  Luke Combs apparently posted a picture of himself wearing their t-shirt, and that added fuel to their fire.

Not sure that it is purely country.  Some of this almost sounds like soul ("Hays, Kansas" is a prime example).  A lot of it is straight rock and roll.  And that combination is pretty reminiscent of one of my favorite country stars right now - Chris Stapleton.

I can't actually read that Rolling Stone story, as I don't have the digital subscription.  And they don't have a Wikipedia.  But there are other articles out there about these dudes.  A bunch of big, bearded Appalachian men formed by two high school buddies and some of their friends.  As of 2020, the lead singer was still working as a carpenter with his dad, who was also the driver of their tour van.  I suspect that they are bigger than that now.  

Definitely a band where you can hear their evolution over time.  Their 2014 self-titled debut album is a sloppy, DIY thing.  It isn't jam band stuff, but it brings that to my mind.  The top track is this folky number called "Michigan."  483k streams.

Rough edge on his singing voice for sure.  I can see some hacky-sack loving undergrads at UVA grooving to this as they roll joints.  2018's The Wind is pretty close, but feels more rock and roll to me.  III starts to sound more soulful.  The top track off of that album has recently been redone, which is interesting.  They gave it a little more polish.  

Original has 9.6 million streams, the 2023 version only 328k.  But the above is the new one.  She sure came out slowly to greet him back home.  If I were in that Troop's shoes, I would have wanted a more immediate run into my arms after saving the world from bad guys.  Great tune though - soulful as hell, and all those harmonies in the chorus kick ass.

But it isn't until the fourth album, 2022's Fortune Favors the Bold, that you get the more fully realized package.  The album kicks off like a Beach Boys album, and then launches into a soulful Americana tune called "Annabel."  And then "Man's Best Friend" comes on much more like a country song from the holler.  But "Russell County Line" is the top track from the disc, with 29.2 million streams, which also makes it their top song overall.

You know how everyone kind of thinks that where they are from is the best or the prettiest?  Despite some of those photos that look like run-down dumps, there is a part of me that thinks that Virginia is some of the prettiest land in the country.  This is despite being born and raised in Austin and deeply believing in the beauty of home.  Nice song though.  Comes on very slowly.  I like the way the subtitles just said "(Mellow Music)," before the rock and roll ending kicks in.  The ending says "(intense music)" which is funny.  I like the intensity better!  

I'd absolutely go see this.  Feels like a band on the rise with a lot of promise in a genre that I already enjoy.