On their eponymous 2013 debut, Nashville's
Wild Feathers delivered a workmanlike, under-the-radar Americana/country-rock gem that invoked names like
Bad Company,
Tom Petty,
Big Star,
the Band, and
the Boss. Lonely Is a Lifetime, the group's sophomore outing, retains some of the classic rock architecture of their debut, but there's been a concerted effort to expand the band's sound. Like recent outings from like-minded American trad-rock confectioners
Delta Spirit, the LP dials back on the twang and introduces elements of psych, pop, and anthemic alt-rock into the mix. The band, fresh off a long bout of touring, decamped to both Muscle Shoals and Barcelona, Spain to compose, recorded the LP in Nashville with producer
Jay Joyce (
Cage the Elephant,
Wallflowers), and enlisted
Dave Sardy (
Oasis,
Band of Horses) to help mix. The resulting 11-track set bristles with modern touches and big production values. The lush, driving opener "Overnight" impresses with hooks galore and a chorus that unapologetically shoots for the moon, and the laid-back but groove-heavy "Help Me Out" flexes its Muscle Shoals roots with aplomb. ~ James Christopher Monger