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The Lowdown Drifters, a Texas-based band blending country, rock, and Americana, are releasing their third album, In Time, on October 25. 

“The epitome of a rock band with a fiddle problem,” is how the Lowdown Drifters describe themselves on their website. The band consists of Big John Cannon on vocals (an appropriate name if I’ve ever heard one), Dylan Welsh on guitar, Raina Wallace on bass, Josh Willaert on drums, and Doug Rehfeldt on the fiddle. 

The Lowdown Drifters have amassed over 500,000 monthly listeners and 50 million total streams, and they’ve previously shared the stage with big-name artists including Randy Rogers, Koe Wetzel, LeAnn Rimes, and Zach Bryan. Most recently, they performed at Wheatstock Music Festival, a non-profit music festival in Helix, OR. 

While their newest album, In Time, doesn’t come out until October 25, the Lowdown Drifters are touring all over the United States, both on their own and with other bands including Shane Smith and the Saints, Gracey Tyler, and Red Shahan. They have a slate of additional shows planned following the release of the album, as well. 

The Lowdown Drifters worked with Grammy Award-nominated producer Wes Sharon (Turnpike Troubadours, American Aquarium, John Fulbright) and Malcolm Springer (Matchbox 20, Collective Soul), on their latest album. The first song from the album is the title track and was released on August 16. 

The track describes a person who hopes his relationship can be saved like it has been previously. “Specifically, when it comes to relationships, timing can be the difference between happily ever after and what might have been, which is the narrative that plays out in the newest Lowdown Drifters song, ‘In Time,'” stated a press release from Gold Towne Music, the Lowdown Drifters’ management. 

“Gritty guitars and resonate drums serve as the foundation for John Cannon’s gruff vocalization, recalling the challenges of life catching up with love, leaving the listener fully engaged in the struggle of getting things turned around ‘in time,’ or forever living with the knowledge of the inability to do so,” the press release continues.

In the song, “She’ll come around in time / I know she’ll come around in time,” changes to “It’ll get fixed in time / I know I can fix it in time / In time / Well I hope I can fix it in time,” effectively illustrating the struggle to maintain hopeful in the face of a strained relationship. 

Gritty country 

I was able to listen to the entirety of In Time ahead of its release and my first impression is that the album has a great, gritty country sound. At just eight tracks, In Time is short and sweet but leaves a lasting impression. 

Big John Cannon’s voice is reminiscent of old country in many ways, and his voice particularly reminds me of Johnny Cash’s on the track “Streets of Aberdeen.” 

One of the standouts on the album for me is “Nothing’s Sacred,” which leads in with a heavy guitar riff and an unrelenting drum beat that is rather different from the rest of the album. “Awful Truth” is another great track, and Big John Cannon and Raina Wallace’s voices blend together beautifully. Raina’s voice has an almost milky quality to it and is similar to that of Canadian country artist Noeline Hofmann, while Big John Cannon’s booming voice is reduced to a deep drawl on the track to allow their voices to harmonize together well. 

“Burn” features an acoustic guitar and fiddle to create a soft, emotive sound. “I need to feel the burn / It’s the only way I learn,” Big John croons on the track. 

Overall, the album does a great job blending elements of old country with modern, Nashville influences. It’s an impressive follow-up to the band’s 2019 album, Last Call for Dreamers. “In Time,” the first single from the album is available to listen to now on all streaming platforms – you can listen to it here. 

The Lowdown Drifters’ album In Time will be released on October 25. Follow them on Instagram @thelowdowndrifters or visit their website for more updates.