The Droptines have tapped into some original alt-country chemistry that’s been sorely missing in the roots music diet, and have spent the last couple of years since releasing their debut self-titled album.
“Our album ‘Drought Flower’ is the culmination of a lot of hard work from the guys and me,” says frontman and primary songwriter Conner Arthur in one of those prepared statements that accompanies an album announcement. “It will be our first big release since being signed to Big Loud Texas and we’re all very excited that this project will be our first pressed into vinyl.”More important to note, the album will feature a collaboration with Zandi Holup on the opening song “A Town Near You,” and another with Sarah Jarosz on the song “Mawmaw.” All the songs were written by Connor Arthur except for a cover of Mike McClure Band’s “Calling All Cars,” and “Grand Canyon” by The Magnetic Fields. Drought Flower will include numerous songs already released from the album, namely “Calling All Cars,” “Old Tricks,” “Take Too Much” and “Snowed In,” the were released throughout 2025, along with their latest single, the sensational “Tombstone” released in November (listen below).Along with Connor Arthur, The Droptines features Dillon Sampson on bass, drummer Johnny Sheets, guitarist Donny Parkinson, and steel guitar player Tony Rincon. Drought Flower is now available for pre-add, as well as vinyl pre-order.TRACK LIST: 1. A Town Near You feat. Zandi Holup (Connor Arthur)2. Tombstone (Connor Arthur)
To me, Americana these days is a more rootsy sound. There’s also a lot of soul and R&B in Americana. Alt-country hearkens back to more of the rock edge to country like we originally heard from Ryan Adams and Whiskeytown, The Old ’97s, Neko Case, Bloodshot Records and Yep Roc. That’s what I’m hearing in The Droptines. It’s rock music, but there’s a steel guitar in the band, and the songwriting is more out front.
Trying to put Ryan Adams in any bucket (other than cantankerous) is quite the feat… but I am looking forward to getting to know the droptines!
To me the quintessential Alt-Country band is Old 97s or The Bottle Rockets. So if it reminds me of that, and The Droptines do, it’s alt-country.
Yeah
What are the other bands that are new this decade who are doing that sound? Not old bands with new albums but stuff that has shown up that has that much late 90’s/early 2000’s rock or whatever in it?
Well, using Saving Country Music’s Dewey Decimal System and searching for Alt-Country category #564 …
some recent albums/artists that fit the alt-country definition would be Low Gap’s “Geneva,” Wednesday’s “Bleeds,” The Lowdown Drifters “In Time,” and Jeff Crosby.
American Aquarium is a great example of alt-country, though they’re not exactly new, but they’re newer than the original alt-country bands.
Could you consider Son Volt and Drving N Cryin alt country? Thats where my head goes when I think although country
Son Volt is definitely essential alt-country. Drivin’ N Cryin’ and Kevn Kinney were always more of a rock band that was in the alt-country scene, but they have some alt-country songs for sure.
ha I was just listening to Low Gap and Lowdown Drifters for the first time in the past few days. That’s probably why this was on my mind.
I went down a rabbit hole of Kenny Feidler and Kellen Smith this past week too, and for some reason that stuff feels different than this era of alt-country. They both have a rock influence on their later songs/albums but it feels more related to what Cole Chaney did than the Son Volt etc No Depression era of alt-country to me for some reason.
Uncle Tupelo’s No Depression is the definition of alt-country. Yesterday, today, forever. No changing it.
I think of it as country music with strong rock/punk influences featuring great songwriting and bad singers lol.
This is absolutely fantastic news! One of my absolute favorite bands! And collabs with Zandi Holup and Sarah Jarosz, both outstanding, almost sound too good to be true! I’m very excited about the album.
…if the rest is living up to the promise of “tombstone”, this album may kick up some dust in the americana realm. their self-titled 2024 release was pretty good already, if they can up their good game another notch or perhaps even two, we’d be in for a treat most likely.
Wow, I’m liking this. This has the sound of the stuff I was listening to in the late ’90s early oughts.
Connor is one of the best songwriters in the game right now, and I couldn’t be more stoked to see these fellas in Omaha in April. Cheers.
Was on their website the other day looking into the new Jake Ethridge project that I somehow missed, and noticed that Droptines, Moonrocks, and Edgehill were also on the label.
It would be helpful to have the release date in the article. It’s easy enough to look up but might as well include in the article about a new album release.
That song isnt bad. I would consider it more rock than country. Nor all rock is screeching guitars, heavy drums, or ballads. But i def see the country influence. Ill check out more.
Have seen them at least a dozen times in the lasts couple of years including last night in the stockyards. They just keep getting better and while much more rock than country the steel guitar does show up in a majority of the songs. One of my must see bands along with Siverada. Glad to be in the DFW area where I get multiple shows a year from both of these bands.
I like the sound of the single. They sound good. They remind me a fair bit of of American Aquarium. I look forward to giving them a listen.
You telling me that the Faithless Street Whiskeytown album is barf? I can’t imagine any real country fan would think so, but different strokes I guess.
I saw the Droptines last year at Hogs for the Cause. For the first twenty + minutes I wondered what the hype was about, but my midset I began changing my mind, and came to enjoy the rest of the show. I think they played a 75-minute set. If given a chance, I’d see them again.
I’m definitely gonna be one of the losers saying I was ahead of the curve on this band. Listened to their first album after you reviewed it on this site, and became a quick fan. Had a chance to see them here in Florida at a small venue but couldn’t go because my wife is super pregnant, have a feeling those venues might not be around for them too much longer.
I am looking forward to hearing this. But from a personal standpoint, I am disappointed that there appears to be no CD release.
Source: savingcountrymusic.com