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<\/a><\/p>\nI know a lot of folks are big fans of Turnpike Troubadours and you will be familiar with Kyle Nix from his fiddle work with the band. While there is plenty of good fiddle work showcased on this album, we have never heard Kyle Nix as a singer-songwriter or as a frontman of his own band. I was excited about this album from the moment it was announced. The premise of an album treated as a collection of short stories had me intrigued. Then you throw in the fact that his backing band are fellow members of the Turnpike Troubadours. I had a strong feeling that this record would turn out to be a highlight of the year and I\u2019m here to say that I was not disappointed. Lightning From The Mountain and Other Short Stories delivers some good fiddle driven, knee slappin\u2019 and story centered country music. <\/span><\/p>\n The first single released from the album was the title track \u201cLightning From The Mountain\u201d. This is a story of revenge after a bad deal over some bootleg liquor. It\u2019s a fast track with some great fiddling that you would expect from a fiddle player as good as Kyle Nix has shown he is on the Turnpike Troubadour records. This song also features some great storytelling and it\u2019s a good introduction to Kyle Nix as a singer and songwriter. Another favorite from this record is the track \u201cGraves\u201d. I love the opening riff and the track almost has a gothic sound to it. There is more nice fiddling on this track. I love the line \u201c Pretty girls make graves \/ But a fool will dig his own\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n The track \u201cShelby \u201865\u201d brings forth rightful comparisons to the Jerry Reed classic \u201cEastbound and Down\u201d. It\u2019s another banger of a track on this record and it\u2019s got a killer banjo riff mixed in with some hot guitar licks. It\u2019s a song about a couple on the run in the titular hot rod. This one is bound to be lots of fun live. Another great track is \u201cIf Ruby Ain\u2019t Happy\u201d. There are plenty of songs about Ruby in country music. This song is about a man trying to make Ruby happy. I particularly love the line \u201cShe don’t like them country songs that run down her name \/ She catch you singin’, Oh Lord, it’s Judgement Day!\u201d. This song has an old time country feel to it with more of the great fiddle playing you have come to expect from this album by now. Finally, I will touch on \u201cLonesome For You (Widower Pt. 1)\u201d. This song opens up with an amazing 40 second pedal steel intro that leads into one of the slower songs of the record. It\u2019s a song about how a widower remains lonesome for their lost love and it truly captures those emotions in this great track.<\/span><\/p>\n Kyle Nix has released an amazing debut record that puts him as a front runner for album of the year in my opinion. I could go on about every song on this album as there is not a bad one here. Every song tells a short story and the album is successful in delivering on that promise. I can\u2019t wait to see Kyle Nix live once bands are able to tour again. In the meantime, you can find everything Kyle Nix is up to on his website<\/a>. Lightning From the Mountain and Other Short Stories is available everywhere as of June 26, 2020.<\/span><\/p>\n Favorite Tracks<\/b> : Lightning From The Mountain, Graves, Shelby \u201865, Little Miss Jones, If Ruby Ain\u2019t Happy, Lonesome For You (Widower Pt. 1)<\/span><\/p>\n