Hailing from New Braunfels, Texas, Alabama Deathwalk is the recording project of Eric Reed, who makes self-described “post-evangelical rock music.” Starting in the early 2010s, he released a number of albums, EPs and splits, culminating in the 2016 full-length Steep Hills. A collection of b-sides and demos followed in 2017, and across the years Alabama Deathwalk opened for the likes of Built to Spill, Appleseed Cast, Deertick, AA Bondy, Porches, Frankie Cosmos and Listener.
Reed has since gone quiet, though after a successful crowdfunding campaign, he put the finishing touches to Young Runner, a brand new Alabama Deathwalk release that will come out early in 2021. With Austin Norman (drums), Chad Jaso (bass), Amber Reed (violin, piano, vocals) and Conor Davison (synths), the album sees Reed develop the Alabama Deathwalk style while retaining the heart and warmth of his previous releases.
First single ‘Bluff’ introduces the aesthetic, finding the sweet spot between the emotional intensity of emo and earnest nuance of indie rock bands like Cataldo and The Weakerthans. The style is put to great effect, allowing for a searching, reflective tone that comes with an immediacy too. The warmth of the track starts out as a smoldering flame, but without any one clear explosion, the closing moments arrive with the knowledge that the fire has grown, burning with an evocative ferocity.
now I see that you and I both needed
more than we could give back then
now I see that we both needed the same thing
more than we could give back then
pain in my chest
I gave all that I had to give
pain in your chest
you gave all that you had to give
pain in my chest
I gave all that I had to givecall it a bluff
call it anything you want
but I know the truth
