The Western Express is a duo comprising Stephen Castillo and Phill Brush. The two met via Craigslist in 2018 and immediately bonded over a love of country hits of the 80s and 90s. They started as a band playing at open-mic events and honky tonks, and are ready to release their debut album Lunatics, Lovers & Poets. The album was produced by John Evans, who has also produced Hayes Carll and Corb Lund. Of Evans, Castillo said, “Without him, we would have had a decent record, probably, but it would not be what it is.”
The album is an exploration of country storytelling with plenty of influence from the 80s and 90s country the two enjoy. Of the album, Castillo said, “I took the craft of writing these songs very seriously, but the songs don’t take themselves very seriously.”
“Honky Tonk Saints” is one of those songs that embraces but also celebrates bad behavior. With a beat that is sure to get you moving and a rich organ sound, Castillo sings about “taking communion from a whiskey well and staring down the flames of hell”. When you hear the chorus, you just know that barrooms full of people have sung along to the lyrics, “I’ll bring the brimstone, you bring the fire. We’ll raise a little hell, and we’ll run a little wild. After the sinning, then comes the grace when you’re praying to the honky-tonk saints.”
That’s not the only song on the album about enjoying time in a bar. “You and Me and the Neon” is a song that is ready-made for finding a dance partner and moving around a well-worn hardwood floor. Castillo sings about hanging out at a usual place and then being immediately taken with a certain someone who walks into the place. A similar story unfolds in “Lovin You for a While”. The narrator finds himself in a familiar place when someone catches his eye. He declares, “I knew my place was with you on the floor.” With the Tex-Mex sound of the melody, you’re likely to find yourself with a partner dancing just like the couple in the song.
It’s not the only song with some Latin influence. “Flower of the Rio Grande” also features some fiddle and a guitar tone that bring a Latin sound to the song. The story is in the vein of one of those love story songs by Marty Robbins. In it, the narrator meets a woman, kisses her beneath the moon, and professes his love for her. She says that she’ll never be his, leaving him to declare, “I’d cross the valley and the river just to taste her sweet lips again.”
Lunatics, Lovers & Poets by The Western Express is an album of well-crafted songs that definitely show the depth of the Castillo and Brush’s roots in country music. From honky-tonk ready dance songs to songs of unrequited love, these songs tell stories that draw the listener in with vivid imagery and well-chosen words.
