Futurebirds Expand Their Americana Palette on ‘Far Out Country’

Futurebirds have always operated as a collective, a band with three distinct songwriting voices pulling in different directions. That expansive, sometimes unwieldy energy finds its logical format on ‘Far Out Country,’ a double album that gives each thread room to breathe. Produced by Brad Cook, the record applies a cohesive, warm sheen to their established blend of psychedelic-tinged Southern rock and frayed country.

The collaboration with Cook, known for his work with Waxahatchee and Bon Iver, is significant. He reins in the band’s occasional jam-band tendencies, focusing instead on texture and vocal clarity. The contributions from Katie Crutchfield of Waxahatchee, who provides harmonies on several tracks, further anchor the sound in a contemporary, emotionally direct Americana space. Her presence is felt most on Carter King’s songs, which share a bruised, melodic sensibility with her own work.

The album’s structure, divided into two sides, allows the band’s personalities to delineate themselves. Thomas Johnson’s songs, like the opener ‘Colorado,’ lean into wide-open, reverb-drenched atmospheres, his voice a hazy instrument. Daniel Womack’s contributions offer more grounded, guitar-driven rock, while Carter King’s tracks often carry the album’s emotional weight. ‘Trippin” is a standout, a slow-burning reflection on dislocation where King’s weary vocal and a layered, melancholic arrangement create a potent sense of longing.

There is a lot of music here, and the double-album approach means the consistency wavers. Some tracks feel like sketches that could have been trimmed, a common hazard of the format. Yet the high points are compelling, showcasing a band that has matured without sanding off its edges. The interplay between pedal steel and distorted guitar, a Futurebirds signature, remains, but it’s now framed within more deliberate and patient compositions.

‘Far Out Country’ doesn’t reinvent the band’s wheel. Instead, it represents a consolidation and refinement. The partnership with Brad Cook provides a professional gravity that elevates their songcraft, proving that after fifteen years, there is still new terrain to explore within their own established country. It is the sound of a veteran group learning the value of space, both in their arrangements and in their ambitious presentation.