Josh Abbott Band’s latest album, “Until My Voice Goes Out,” starts off more gently than any of the band’s previous offerings. The opening song, “Prelude,” is almost entirely composed of a kind of string music not usually associated with a country band’s fiddle, and the whole album defies the expectations listeners might be tempted to bring to it.
The album was recorded during a time of intense grief for Josh Abbott. His father, David, had a stroke two weeks into recording, and he asked to be taken off of life support only three weeks later. This grief is especially evident on the closing track, ”Ain’t My Daddy’s Town.” It is an incredibly moving song about life after losing a father. The song is also presented on the album without the usual amount of editing and cleaning, which makes it sound like you’re right there with Abbott as he sings about continuing to live with such a raw loss. Abbott is vulnerable and honest in these songs, and he shows his strength by refusing to pretend to be stronger or louder than he is.
All of the songs on this album are more mature than most of the band’s other work. On the title track, Abbott sings about love, of course, but also about his ambitions and hopes for his future. The album doesn’t lose anything of the Josh Abbott Band fans know and love though. The song “Texas Women, Tennessee Whiskey” is a fun number that will make for some great two stepping, but even on this track, the music sounds more polished and complex than earlier, similar songs.
