River Shook is a songwriter who has never been afraid to speak their mind, and they've has had some new stuff to talk about since their last album,
Years, in 2018. In 2019,
Shook went into treatment to deal with a heavy dependence on alcohol and drugs, and after years of identifying as a bisexual, they came out as non-binary, not a common occurrence in the alt-country community.
Shook has never shied away from sharing the realities of life as a single mom dealing with tricky relationships and times when there's more month than money, and the changes they've gone through since
Years certainly inform 2022's
Nightroamer. If what
Shook has to say sometimes reflects their new realities, that hasn't changed the way they say it for the most part, and that's a good thing.
Shook's sensibilities have always been half in the honky tonk and half in a writers' group for confessional poets, and
Nightroamer makes the most of both sides of that formula. "It Doesn't Change Anything" is an unblinking look at the appetites that feed addiction, "Please Be a Stranger" is a firm but loving kiss-off to a toxic relationship, "No Mistakes" is a high-stepping plea for a second chance, and "Talkin' to Myself" is an inventory of the stuff going on all around them and inside their head. It's never precious, but it's always smart in its own streetwise way, and
Shook's vocals are as unflinchingly real as the day is long.
The Disarmers know just what to do with these songs, blending a strong honky tonk swing with a powerful helping of no-frills rock & roll attitude, and
Eric Peterson's lead guitar and
Adam Kurtz's pedal steel hit the balance between the two. This is
Shook's best-sounding album to date, thanks to the crisp, sympathetic production from
Pete Anderson, who was
Dwight Yoakam's studio ally in his 1980s and '90s heyday (though the Auto-Tune he put on
Shook's voice is a bit more noticeable than necessary). If
River Shook has evolved a bit as a person on
Nightroamer, as an artist they're as articulate, as fearless, and as smart as ever. ~ Mark Deming
![Envy of None [Special Edition]](http://prodimage.images-bn.com/pimages/0802644858210_p0_v1_s90x140.jpg "Envy of None [Special Edition]")
![Lullaby & The Ceaseless Roar [Bonus CD]](http://prodimage.images-bn.com/pimages/0075597954333_p0_v2_s90x140.jpg "Lullaby & The Ceaseless Roar [Bonus CD]")
