The only better combination than peanut butter and jelly is Americana and boxing. Western States serve it up with panache on “The Duke.” The St. Louis band has the swagger of a seasoned bar band and adds in some twang to give “The Duke” a humane warmth.
This is a song about perseverance that, I think, only country music can really provide. The chips are down for the Duke, but instead of crumbling into anger and self-loathing, the slide guitars remind us that we need to persevere, even when we know it’s futile.
The band’s new album, From the Center Out, will be released on July 19th and you’ll definitely hear more from Western States on here.