Sensational. Hair-raising. Breathtaking. Brilliant.
Since bursting onto the scene in 2017, countless writers, bloggers, critics, etc. – yours truly included – have exhausted nearly every superlative available to try to describe the monumental impact Billy Strings had on live music. And for good reason. After all, Strings’ meteoric rise through the musical ranks is, quite simply, unprecedented in the world of bluegrass.
In just the past few years alone, the Michigan-born guitarist has graduated from playing in clubs & theaters to filling arenas, amphitheaters & stadiums. He’s also managed to find time to release a trio of critically acclaimed studio efforts, in addition to his first-ever official live release, Billy Strings Live Vol. 1, debuting at #1 on Billboard’s Bluegrass Albums chart. As if that wasn’t enough, Strings is now into his fourth year of hosting Renewal, his own multi-day festival-like camping & music experience in Buena Vista, CO, which attracts tens of thousands of attendees from across the globe.
Given that borderline masochistic schedule, no one would have blamed Billy for taking some much-deserved time off from performing. Instead, Strings hopped on a plane to L.A, met up with producer Jon Brion, and walked away with his most ambitious studio project to date: Highway Prayers. Featuring twenty tracks of Strings’ original material, Highway Prayers plays out like a musical travelogue set in the Old West, thanks to timeless lyrics that evoke brilliant echoes of saloon-hopping gunslingers and fortune-seeking trailblazers.
As Strings’ fourth studio album since forming his core band in 2017, Highway Prayers is a marked departure from his previous releases. Gone are the epic progressive anthems that nearly stretched to the ten minute mark such as “Hide & Seek”, “Meet Me at the Creek” and “Away From The Mire”. Instead, Highway Prayers takes on a “quality not quantity” approach to the song lengths, focusing on more traditional-leaning material in which none of the tracks surpass the six-minute mark and over half clock in at under four minutes.
Not to worry. There are still plenty of Strings’ trademark progressive fireworks on Highway Prayers, but the traditional bias that seems to permeate throughout is ultimately what carries this album, making it a resoundingly refreshing and compelling entry to Strings’ already formidable studio catalog.
“Leaning on a Travelin’ Song” kicks the LP off on an upbeat note after a tender acapella intro and does a fine job setting the “life on the road” lyrical theme that the album is seemingly centered around. One of a handful of songs on the album that were recently debuted at Billy’s 2023 NYE blowout at the UNO Lakefront Arena in New Orleans, “In the Clear” takes on the difficult task of coping with life’s uncertainties thanks to some poignant lyrics from Strings and his writing partners Jon Weisberger & Aaron Allen.
“Escanaba,” the first of two instrumentals on Highway Prayers that were named after locales near Billy’s childhood home on the shores of Michigan’s northern peninsula, features a triumphant melody and jazzy David Grisman-esque interlude. The track also allows the most recent addition to Billy’s band, Alex Hargreaves, to shine thanks to some impressive fiddle work.
Brion, who has worked with the likes of Fiona Apple, Mac Miller, and Aimee Mann, has perhaps his biggest influence on one of the album’s standout tracks, “Gild the Lily.” With some clever vocal effects that give off strong indie/alternative vibes, along with a hint of The Beatles, “Gild the Lily” showcases Strings’ dynamic songwriting abilities and promises to become a fan-favorite. The album’s Old West feel is perhaps most palpable on “Seven Weeks in County” with lyrics that seem to traverse the same long forgotten horse & buggy trails encountered by the narrator from the Grateful Dead’s “Friend of the Devil”.
The album’s dose of psychedelia is provided courtesy of “Stratosphere Blues,” a delicate etude that segues masterfully into “I Believe in You.” With some breathtaking fingerpicking from Strings and introspective lyrics about a loved one struggling with their demons, “I Believe in You” clocks in as a genuine goosebump-inducer. The traditional strains of “Cabin Song” allow Billy Failing to showcase his imposing banjo chops before leading into “Don ‘t Be Calling Me (at 4 a.m.),” a humorous kiss-off to a jilted (and seemingly desperate) ex that features seamless transitions between the instrumentalists, including Jerry Douglas on dobro. “Malfunction Junction”, another instrumental with impressive group dynamics also features some of the most impressive playing from mandolinist Jarrod Walker to date and is bound to become a staple in Strings live setlists once it makes its inevitable concert debut.
Highway Prayers’ latter half kicks off with the tender “Be Your Man”, featuring a rollicking piano solo from Cory Henry before giving way to “Gone A Long Time”, another road sermon co-written by Walker. The addition of a jew’s harp and harmonica add an authentic Louisiana Bayou feel to the traditional-hued “It Ain’t Before”. At the same time “My Alice” provides some tear-jerker moments as the LP’s lone ballad.
The album’s homestretch is highlighted by “MORBUD4ME,” a pro-cannabis anthem that cleverly uses stoner-related sound effects (think lighters and bong hits) to double as a percussion track. Also highlighted is “Leadfoot,” the LP’s first single, featuring Strings playing on everything from bass to EBow electric guitar and even a 1972 Chevrolet Chevelle.
Highway Prayers wraps up on a resilient note with a pair of traditional-leaning originals, “Happy Hollow” and “The Beginning of the End.” The latter plays out like a love letter penned by Strings to his devoted fanbase and features some impressive group vocals. As with Strings’ recently released live album, Billy Strings Vol. 1, Highway Prayers ends with the supple acapella strains of “Richard Petty” and its life-affirming message. While Highway Prayers may surprise some fans due to its genuine old-school bluegrass environs, it ultimately stands as yet another testament to Strings’ unmatched artistic genius.
