Styrofoam Winos

Feeling more comfortable than ever in their own skins, Styrofoam Winos latest is a bridge between the country air of their Nashville environs and the dented Twin Tone / Homestead indie streaks that have often found their place at the edges of their sound. Every member’s been moonlighting as an integral part of Ryan Davis’ live band and a bit of the stage dynamic has slipped into the recordings as well. Everything feels a bit more alive on the newest record. Not that they’ve ever stagnated, but there’s a lived-in feeling that’s been hammered out not only in their own live sets, but in the larger ensemble as well. The record marks the band’s first recording out of Nashville’s arms, tracked in Louisville with Roadhouse bandmate Jim Marlowe (Equipment Pointed Ankh). That outside influence gives the record a new glaze as well, providing a guiding hand and a fastidious facilitator who helps Any River evolve the Winos’ sound.

The band balances tenderness, vulnerability, and the kind of crimped choogle that powers “Swimmin’” or “Somebody Wants To Send You A Message.” Airier offerings open the record, but the band gathers a few clouds this time around too. Early single “Next Thing” is fraught with a bittersweet glow that rambles through country melancholy with satisfying sighs. Towards the album’s close, “You’ll Never Take Me Alive” pairs strums with vibraphone trill, a strident amble through resolve among the tension of the 2020s. Lou brings some breeze with a vocal turn on “Off My Mind,” a tangle with ennui that’s a counterpoint to some of the record’s sunnier fare. The band doesn’t send us away head hung, though, letting the clouds part once more on closer “Gettin’ Down,” a lightly swayed send off that lets harmonies float to the forefront. On Any River, the band finds strength in malleability and sharpens their charms through a constant sense of adventurousness. It’s another lovely album in their collection and one of 2026’s brilliantly buffed gems.

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