Flatland Cavalry

One Liner: Lubbock's own Americana posse

Wikipedia Genre: Country, Americana, folk rock, Texas country
Home: Lubbock

Saturday

Thoughts: Funny thing, I've written about two of their albums, but never really written much about them.  Meanwhile, in my mind, I felt like I had probably written a full-on biography on them by now.  May just be I'm thinking of someone else.  Either way, this is good stuff.

Flatland was formed in Lubbock in 2012 by vocalist Clete Cordero and drummer Jason Albers.  They had previously performed together, since Junior High, and then even more when college roommates in Midland, but then moved to Lubbock and put together the rest of the band - currently at 6 members.  Their first album was 2016's Humble Folks, which I reviewed a few years ago:

"An in-law went and saw this band live a few weeks back and loved the show.  I had never heard of the band so I thought I'd check it out.  Pleasant enough Texas country stuff, in the vein of Pat Green.  In fact, the lead singer frequently sounds like Green.  "A Good Memory" is a good place to start to hear that similarity.  The hit on here is the one featuring the excellently named Kaitlin Butts [who is also going to be at Two Step this year!].  Who is either an heir to the HEB fortune and therefore it makes sense that she kept that surname, or was hoping for the old Beavis and Butthead crowd to find her and push her into stardom, or has a fantastic seat.  I'm going to imagine it's number 2.  Huh huh, cool.  Butts.  Anyway, "A Life Where We Work Out" boasts 89.6 million streams (up from 4.9 when I first reviewed this), which is damn solid for a Texas country band I've never heard of.

Nice little tune - her voice is nice.  I've been through this album a few times, and if I were still in my Americana 4 Lyfe mindset from post-college, I'd probably hold on to this one, but as it is, I'm cool letting it go."

At the time that album came out, they were getting Turnpike Troubadours comparisons, which totally makes sense.  That disc made it up to #17 on the Billboard Americana/Folk charts, which is also kind of impressive to me.  Before their next album, their original fiddle player left the band and was replaced.  2019's goofily named Homeland Insecurity was the next one, and it is pretty similar to the first one.  The big hit off of that one is a gentle ballad named "Sleeping Alone."  62.2 million streams.

Re-released on a new Greatest Hits album this year, that is where that cover art came from.  Sad as hell song, right there, but also beautiful.

The next disc was 2021's Welcome to Countryland.  No hits on there anywhere near as large as the last one, but "Gettin' By" is sort of up there, for this band.  29.1 million streams.

I was definitely hoping that this would have been a cover of the Jerry Jeff song instead.  But as it is, that is a nice little ditty.  A little Nashvillian for my tastes, with trite lyrics mixed in there, but for some reason I really like the organ.  I also wish they could have synched the nodding heads in that tour bus with the beat of the song.

Finally, we get to 2023's Wandering Star.  Here is what I had to say in my review:

"Flatland Cavalry - Wandering Star.  I don't think I've ever heard a single song from these guys, but I've heard them mentioned with the sorts of bands like Turnpike Troubadours for years.  This is their new 2023 album, and it is really solid southern rock/Americana stuff.  The album keeps starting over in the playlist and I really enjoy the sound.  Like, "The Best Days" is just a really lovely little violin-infused rocker that makes me happy.  "New American Dream" has some good one liners about how we're all going to hell while staring at 5 inch screens.  "Last American Summer" is a wonderful capture of nostalgia for some awkward moments from adolescence.  The top track is "Mornings With You," which features Kaitlin Butts (who is married to the lead singer of the band).  Just over 3 million streams. (up to 6.1 million now)

Why does YouTube call these "Official Visualizer"?  It's a music video.  Visualizer makes it sound like it's just going to be random light show graphics or something, not a nice little short movie about being in love.  And a nice tune about trading in the long night party time for a relaxed morning with a love.  "The Best Days" reaches out for really being a rock and roll tune, but with a pile of fiddle as well.  “The stars go on forever, like a billion fireflies, we’re glowing dust just burning out, lucky to be alive.”  I dig it."

I'd definitely go see this.  My personal opinion is that Turnpike is a better band, but I think they're in the same neighborhood and so this show could be really fun.