REVIEW: Arlo McKinley “This Mess We’re In”

Arlo McKinley (Oh Boy! Records) is set to release his third album, This Mess We’re In on July 15, 2022. Recorded at Sam Phillips Recording Service in Memphis, Tennessee, This Mess We’re In was produced, engineered and mixed by Matt Ross-Spang and mastered by Pete Lyman (Infrasonic Mastering). In addition to McKinley on lead vocals and acoustic guitar on all tracks, This Mess We’re In features an all-star lineup of musicians including: Dave Smith (Bass), Ken Coomer (Drums/Percussion), Rick Steff (Piano/Organ/Mellotron/Wurlitzer), Matt Ross-Spang (Acoustic Guitar/ Electric Guitar/ 12 String/Baritone Guitar/ Mellotron), Will Sexton (Electric Guitar/ Baritone Guitar), Jessie Munson (Fiddle), Reba Russell (Background Vocals) and Logan Halstead(Vocals on “Back Home”).

There is good reason that Arlo McKinley holds the distinction of being the last artist signed to Oh Boy Records by John Prine himself, and that is he is one of the greatest voices to come out of the Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia, and Virginia region in the last decade or more. I have been listening to McKinley since before his debut self-titled album was released and have spent the last several years seeing him perform in front of steadily growing crowds. As good as his self-titled album and his follow-up Die Midwestern are, This Mess We’re In tops both and is McKinley’s most well-rounded release to date. I am going to go out on a limb and say it is going to be 2022’s best release/album of the year.

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