Ryan Davis & The Roadhouse Band: New Threats From The Soul [Album Review]

Ryan Davis & The Roadhouse Band
New Threats From The Soul
Sophomore Lounge / Tough Love Records [2025]

“New Threats from the Soul cements Davis as one of indie folk’s most compelling voices.”

Album Overview: Ryan Davis, the Louisville-based songwriter and visual artist, has been quietly carving out a space where his music hits hard but defies easy labels. Backed by The Roadhouse Band—a rotating cast of ace musicians—Davis merges sound and vision, creating songs that feel as vivid as they look. His circle includes collaborators like Catherine Irwin, Will Oldham, and Lou Turner, and it’s no surprise that his work draws both admiration and cult-level devotion.

With New Threats from the Soul, Davis stares down the messiness of existence while clutching onto moments of beauty. Across seven tracks that stretch an average of eight minutes each, he wrestles with agency, identity, and human fragility, often with a wink of humor amid the heaviness. The record plays like a conversation with a wise friend who’s seen it all—one that keeps pulling you back for another listen. His spoken, Bill Callahan–style delivery is hypnotic, wrapping around lyrics that cut deep while the band bends and blooms around him. The more you listen, the more the album unfolds its layers, revealing textures you didn’t catch the first time.

Musical Style: Rootsy yet experimental, the album fuses folk, rock, and touches of the unexpected. The Roadhouse Band colors each song with pedal steel, violin, piano, organ, and rhythmic turns that surprise without feeling scattered. It’s grounded enough to feel familiar but adventurous enough to keep you on your toes.

Evolution of Sound: Compared to Davis’s earlier work, this record feels bigger and more collaborative. The band’s contributions open new sonic spaces, from pulsing percussion to ghostly synths to moments where an instrumental flourish sneaks up and takes your breath away. It’s the sound of an artist expanding his reach without losing his center.

Artists with Similar Fire: If you vibe with the introspective grit of Bonnie “Prince” Billy, the haunted storytelling of Jason Molina, or the boundary-pushing grooves of Hiss Golden Messenger, you’re in the right spot. There’s also the dry wit and emotional pull of Bill Callahan, the ragged charm of MJ Lenderman, and flashes of Silver Jews’ poetic rawness.

Pivotal Tracks: “Better If You Make Me” hits hard with its mix of vulnerability and quiet defiance, anchored by lush instrumentation and a chorus that sticks. “Monte Carlo / No Limits” starts as swaggering roots rock before swerving into unexpected rhythmic territory, proving Davis isn’t afraid to throw a curveball. The memorable “The Simple Joy,” featuring some help on vocals from Will Oldham, glows with a subtle magic that lingers long after it ends. Every song feels essential to the album’s journey—no skippable moments here.

Lyrical Strength: Davis writes like a poet who doesn’t take himself too seriously. His lines balance humor and heartache, often flipping from one to the other in the same breath. Everyday images become profound, rhymes land where you least expect, and the stories stick with you. These lyrics don’t just tell you something; they make you feel it.

Final Groove: New Threats from the Soul is one of those rare albums that feels both intimate and sprawling—a record that welcomes you in and then keeps surprising you. Davis and The Roadhouse Band have crafted something that’s as thought-provoking as it is easy to get lost in, with songs that open up new corners every time you hit play. This album sounds like a near-masterpiece from an artist hitting his stride. If this is where Ryan Davis is now, the next chapter is going to be something special.

RYAN DAVIS & THE ROADHOUSE BAND LINKS
Instagram | Bandcamp | Sophomore Lounge Records | Tough Love Records