It’s been a long time coming for Flatland Cavalry fans, but the wait is almost over. The band’s sophomore album, “Homeland Insecurity,” is set to release on Friday, Jan. 18.
And for those who waited patiently for some new music from the group, it will be well worth it.
The new album is an evolution for Flatland Cavalry, showing growth both musically and lyrically. Inspiration for the album came from an extended period on the road, bandleader and chief lyricist Cleto Cordero said.
“It’s all pretty much just road stories from being gone for three years,” Cordero said. “A lot of stuff happened, and we experienced a lot of things that helped form these songs.”
The continuous occurrence of shootings over the past few years inspired the song “Other Side of Lonesome,” he said. In fact, each song is in some regards influenced by a somber experience the group has had recently.
What Flatland Cavalry really succeeded at with this album is capturing the human emotion in each lyric, telling a story that is sure to resonate with a wide range of audiences.
While it make take writers a long time to perfectly shape a song into a great piece of art, that’s not always the case. It only took 20 minutes for Cordero to write the final track of the album, “Years From Now,” which he called a gift.
“My buddy, Josh Abbott, started a weekly writing group,” he said. “We take a phrase each week and just write a song about it. The phrase for that week ended up being ‘Years From Now.’”
As Cordero sat down to write, the words came instantly. Before he knew it, he had a song.
“I realized that whenever I’m a lot older, I’m not going to remember the hard times about my youth,” he said. “I’m just going to enjoy it, or try to at least. That’s where this song came from. We will just look back on all the good stuff and not so much the bad.”
And there’s been plenty of good to look back on for the group.
Flatland Cavalry was formed back in 2012 when Cordero was still in college. The group didn’t spend a lot of time on the road then, resorting to playing shows closer to home. They would perform shows in Lubbock, Midland and Amarillo, whenever and wherever they could.
Somewhere along the way, they got their chance. The group released their debut EP, “Come May,” in May, 2015, and followed that up with their first full-length album, “Humble Folks,” on April 1, 2016. That record housed hit songs such as “A Life Where We Work Out” and “Goodbye Kiss.”
“In the past few years, we have been on the road constantly,” Cordero said.
Their success has taken them all over the country, including Seattle, Atlanta and New York City. It’s been an amazing experience to see all of those places and to interact with their fans, he said.
The band has seen other changes, beyond just a busier tour schedule. In July 2018, fiddle player Laura Jane Houle announced her departure from the group. Wesley Hall was soon announced as her replacement.
While the change did make a lot of headlines, Cordero said the only thing that changed was the public’s perception.
“It might be a little bit of a change, but essentially it’s the same sound,” he said.
Going forward, the focus is on promoting the new album, with stops all across Texas to do so.
Flatland Cavalry will debut the album at Billy Bob’s Texas in Fort Worth, before hitting up Hurricane Harry’s on Sunday, Jan. 20, for a CD release party.
After that, the group will head across the U.S. to share their music with their fans.
“We want to get our music to as many people as we can,” Cordero said.
The new album is an exciting step forward for Cordero and the rest of Flatland Cavalry. He knows it has been a wait for some, but he believes it was needed to deliver a solid second album.
“I know it’s been a few years since the last record came out, and people have been asking for a new one,” he said. “It took a little bit longer just because we really care about making good music.”
Don’t miss Flatland Cavalry’s new album, “Homeland Insecurity,” when it releases Friday.
