From the opening lines of the title track on Ryan Davis’ new album New Threats From the Soul it’s pretty evident we’re invited on a poetically rich and vivid ride. Davis is an idiosyncratic songwriter and storyteller, well read and sharp eyed, imaginative with a wry sense of humor, he’s unveiling tales of a working class America as observed from a bar stool or the streets.

I jolted up to some new transference from a sliding door
On a sister vessel and just let it play through
I left my wallet in El Segundo
She had the kind of smile to get a blue swine in trouble

While the entire album is an artistic victory, I’ve chosen to highlight the opening song featuring lovely vocal harmonies from Freakwater’s Catherine Irwin; nine minutes of the most generous, effortless, ecstatic metamodern sounds of bummer country music you’ll hear the entire year. Or perhaps in a generation.

I will never be never be
Anything
Other than a caged bird swinging from a chain swing, whistlin’ for my payseed
Pecking on a W9

Ryan Davis is grounded in blue collar country and rock, and is the poster child for the burgeoning new Alt-Country scene, but he’s always been a musical chameleon difficult to pigeonhole. Over lengthy and epic songs he shares the poetic imagination of his late friend David Berman, the eclectic musical approach of Lambchop, the stark realism of Jason Molina, and the sardonic drawl of Bill Callahan — but most of all he’s created his very own unique musical language.

Even though Ryan Davis and the Roadhouse Band is a relatively new project – this is their second album – Davis himself has been around for more than a minute and is highly recognized as a driving force in the Louisville music scene as member of ramshackled country-punk band State Champion, founder of the Cropped Out festival and for more than 20 years running the Sophomore Lounge label. He’s always been great, but now it’s like time finally caught up with his music. It’s hard to think of anyone deserving success and recognition as much, and if there’s any justice left in this world he’ll be a superstar. Roll down the windows, turn up the volume and give it a listen.

This text was originally published on tidal.com/magazine August 1, 2025