Twelve years and numerous releases into their career,
Drew Holcomb & the Neighbors are by now a seasoned roots rock act whose stalwart presence on the Americana scene continues to hover just shy of a legitimate breakout. An earnest and passionate songwriter who balances his earthy folk appeal with undeniable pop smarts,
Holcomb and his crew have wandered into their share of respectable chart successes and high-profile gigs without becoming a household name. Their previous album, 2017's highly regarded
Souvenir, was perhaps their most appealing collection yet and they follow it here with the similarly engaging
Dragons. In a bid to switch things up, the Memphis native turned to collaboration, hoping to gain a different perspective and add some new colors to
the Neighbors' quilt. Throughout his career, the affable
Holcomb has picked up many friends and admirers within the industry and he calls upon several of them here to share both the songwriting experience and join in on the recording. Acclaimed country tunesmith
Lori McKenna brings her mix of confidence and weary warmth to two of
Dragons' standouts, co-writing the excellent "You Want What You Can't Have" and "Make It Look So Easy," while guesting as a vocalist on the former. Another Americana notable,
Sean McConnell, helped pen the splashy "End of the World" which, aside from
Holcomb's infectious folk-pop opener, "Family," is probably the most pop-driven tune in the set. Other collaborators include Brooklyn folk-rockers,
the Lone Bellow, who co-write and add their voices to the sing-along title cut, and
Holcomb's wife and frequent singing partner,
Ellie Holcomb, who duets on the romantic "But I'll Never Forget the Way You Make Me Feel" and the sweet "See the World," the latter of which seems to be directed toward their children. Album producer
Cason Cooley even gets in on the game, sharing a writing credit on the dreamy synth-aided closer, "Bittersweet." With so many new
Neighbors in the mix, the results don't feel quite as immediate as on
Souvenir, but the overall quality of
Dragons is in keeping with the consistency of
Holcomb's last several outings. ~ Timothy Monger
