New York’s premier post-outlaw country band, Austin and the In-Laws, has released their long-awaited debut studio album Songs of Yearning. Featuring ten songs written by them and them alone, Songs of Yearning is both a love letter to a mythical musical past and a bold mission statement intent on dragging country music kicking and screaming into the future. They dare to present themselves as a parallel evolution down the family tree of the “outlaw country” genre— traditional non-traditionalists that allow their music to blend with rock, folk, and pop influences while remaining deadly serious about staying true to their roots and inspirations.
Containing songs composed as long ago as 2013 and as recently as 2023, Songs of Yearning was recorded entirely through an analog tape machine once owned by 1950s music industry legend Les Paul — and onto an old iMac. Such is the philosophy inherited by the In-Laws of attempting to mix the Old with the New. While these songs were honed and demoed live at countless shows over the years, a single marathon 3-day weekend supervised by Hunter Davidsohn (producer and engineer for such bands as Sheer Mag, Porches, and Frankie Cosmos) of Business District Recording yielded a fully orchestrated album, with many tracks recorded in only one take. Keeping with the theme, Songs of Yearning will be released in two formats: vinyl record and digital streaming.
Austin and the In-Laws began as a conventional cover band in 2018 – a group called “Cash Journey” that primarily conveyed the life and songs of Johnny Cash. Despite widening their repertoire to include many more iconic works of the 20th-century country music canon, the band desired a greater sense of personal expression. Luckily, after a few years of faithfully reproducing the work of their musical heroes, they naturally felt at ease tapping into the spirit of “classic” country as the foundation for their original music. Thus, in 2021, ”Austin and the In-Laws” was born, featuring both the titular Austin Petrashune and his brother-in-law Matt Hall as principal songwriters, arrangers, recordists, and players.
“I stand more proudly behind Songs of Yearning than anything else I’ve made thus far in my life. We have thrown our hats into the ring and humbly offer the world ten authentic, heartfelt country songs intended to stand the test of time. The vinyl cut is one of the best-sounding records I’ve ever heard.”
– Austin Petrashune
The album opens with “C Note,” a rich and rootsy “post-outlaw country” song that uses raw and earnest lyrics to cultivate an intimate feel. Austin and the In-Laws accompanied the release of this track with a music video, taking a DIY approach to mix organic lyrics with authentic visuals.
Following this track comes “Four O’clock,” which sets the scene for much slower and melancholic melodies that are played throughout the album. The song paints a picture of times slow crawl from 4 PM through the hours of 4 AM: “It’s four o’clock pm / The sun’s setting again / And I set another drink on the table / My watch don’t tick no more / It reads seven forty-four / And I’ll wind it up as soon as I am able / Yes I’ll wind it up as soon as I am able / Now I have given plenty of thought to what she told me / About how I don’t say enough how I feel / Well I’m telling her right now / If she’s listening somehow / I’ve never been better / than bitter / That’s how I feel / It’s four o’clock am / The sun’s rising again / And I set another drink upon the table / Couldn’t tell it got so late / Nearly on-quarter to eight / Guess I got so wound up I wasn’t able / Guess I got so wound up I wasn’t able.”
The closing song of the album is titled “Just Because,” a track in which the build-up is slow and deliberate – a reflection of the album’s progression. The track’s gradual build and melancholic sound through the use of acoustic guitar and gentle percussion establishes a nighttime ambiance, thoughtful, sincere, and deeply affecting.
Songs of Yearning is a soul-worn collection that lives up to its name. Across ten tracks, Austin and the In-Laws offer weathered storytelling rooted in small-town observations and unspoken longing, from the dusty parading of “C Note” to the quiet ache of “Just Because,” the album unfolds like a barstool confession.
To listen to Songs of Yearning and learn more about Austin and the In-Laws, click here.
Comments are closed.