Steel Blossoms

Velvety soft vocals penetrate the silence and immediately spellbind us with their modest melodicism in the opening bars of “Heroine,” one of the ten incredible tracks that comprise the new, self-titled album from Steel Blossoms. As the story in the song begins to unfold, the somber tone of the lyrics bleeds into the bittersweet serenade, and our hearts become bound to the evocative textures in the strings cascading from the stereo. In “Heroine” and every song found on Steel Blossoms, we’re invited to absorb a bevy of uncorrupted country color that is both rooted in tradition and progressively designed to appeal to a modern generation, and calling it a breakthrough moment for this band would be an understatement of epic proportions.

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The vocals are always the most dominant element in these tracks, but there’s plenty to be said about the string arrangements that create a foundation for songs like “Pick Me Up,” “Killed a Man,” “Innocent” and the stone cold “Revenge,” my favorite song from the album. Singers Hayley Prosser and Sara Zebley are a force to be reckoned with in the big picture, but they don’t attempt to hog all of the spotlight for themselves in this record. In every track, they’re complemented by these artfully crafted melodies and the bulging harmonies that they inspire.

Steel Blossoms features a much more muscular mix than the Year Number One EP or Country Enough did, and I think that it makes it a lot easier for us to enjoy all of the understated nuances within the pair’s sound. Jerry Salley, who served as producer for these recording sessions, didn’t focus on one aspect of their music alone; from the pulsating percussive beats that push along “You Ain’t Sleeping Over” to the fiddle’s faint blue hue in “Kentucky’s Never Been This Far,” there isn’t a single sonic intricacy here that doesn’t receive VIP treatment in the grander scheme of things.

This album gives us a really good mixture of ballads like “Revenge,” “Innocent,” “County Line” and “Heroine” as well as furious alt-country firebombs ala “Pick Me Up,” “You’re the Reason I Drink” and the surprisingly swift “Killed a Man.” Studio supervisor Chris Latham’s influence is felt in all of these tracks, but make no mistake about it – this is as unfiltered an offering from Steel Blossoms as we’ve ever heard. There’s no need for any big name guest appearances or technologically mind-blowing augmentations in the production; these songs, while being relatively simplistic in structure, boast a grandiose texture that makes such post-recording additions seem futile.

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Americana-inspired alternative country juggernauts Steel Blossoms are dishing out another stunning addition to their songbook with this new record, and I for one think that it has the potential to elevate their brand significantly among music aficionados across the nation. There isn’t another band in Nashville quite like this one, and though country music has been expanding its mainstream appeal in the last few years with the advent of experimental acts who borrow heavily from the genre’s icons, I don’t know that any of them are producing in the same creative capacity that Steel Blossoms is. These singers are going places, and this album solidifies their highly regarded status within their scene.

Kim Muncie - NeuFutur

If you’re a closet fan of the kitschy country songs of Kacey Musgraves, or the unabashed attitude of Maddie & Tae, but just wish it could all be a little more country and organic, the Steel Blossoms have bloomed just for you. A cunning take on the classic country duo with songs that will make you laugh, make you cry, and make you think in a listening experience that covers a lot of ground, the two-part harmonies and harrowing tales of the Steel Blossoms are worth seeking out.

Sara Zebley and Hayley Prosser are two former elementary school teachers who met in Pennsylvania while playing in separate projects. Immediately noticing a musical kinship between each other, the Steel Blossoms were formed, eventually relocating to Nashville and spending ample time developing their songs and sound on the road and house concerts. Evoking the timeless sorcery of two-part harmonies is one thing. Penning songs that put this gift to good use is another. The Steel Blossoms possess both.

Their self-titled album released on Billy Jam Records gives you a lot to unpack in 10 songs, with a wild range of textures, styles, and subject matters broached. The Steel Blossoms rear back and swing for the fences with each song they compose. Whether they’re trying to be funny, heartfelt, or expressive, it’s all very rich, and very deliberate. There’s no diluting of subject matters or shades of subtlety here. They’re reaching right for the ventricles or funny bone and demanding you listen. Sometimes it’s effective. Sometimes it’s a little more elusive. But it’s always colorful and determined.

The opening song of the album “You’re The Reason I Drink” is a good test case for this band. It’s cheery-feeling song with a devilishly catchy, sugar-coated melody … that’s all about becoming an alcoholic at the hands of a bad lover. These sort of tongue-in-cheek, sardonic songs make up half the record, like the whimsical Musgraves-esque “Trailer Neighbor,” the pot and alcohol-abusing “Pick Me Up,” and the attitudinal “You Ain’t Sleeping Over” about withholding sex until a ring is produced.

But then bisecting these selections are songs that swing in a completely opposite direction. “Revenge” is a dark, incredibly well-written Gothic country fiddle dirge that would be perfect for your country Halloween playlist. “County Line” is thoughtful and wise, cuttingly true, and the kind of song you might hear from the saltiest of Americana’s songsmiths. “Kentucky’s Never Been This Far From Tennessee” is a no frills traditional country classic about missing your lover.

If nothing else, the Steel Blossoms keep things spicy, and demand the listener stay on their toes, because you never know what’s coming next, except you’re almost guaranteed it will be unexpected. But this is also one of the concerns about this self-titled album—that as a cohesive unit it’s frenetic, and suffers from a bit of an identity crisis. Most any song on the record isolated is enjoyable, with some fair to label as outright astounding. But the see-sawing of emotions makes it a little strange as a cover-to-cover listen, and doesn’t really give a solid answer about who or what the Steel Blossoms are aside from definitely talented, and definitely country.

An album that took the kitschy angle on country but perhaps is more serious for a few songs would be one thing, or an album that mostly focused on deeper, singer-songwriter material with some silly songs thrown in there for levity would be another. Smashing these two things together in equal portions, and purposely alternating tracks makes it difficult for the mind to settle in a groove.

The good news is there’s a lot of great songs here. Whatever your mood or sensibility, the Steel Blossoms have you covered, and show a pretty unbelievable range and proficiency with whatever they choose to pen and sing about. Putting your finger on exactly what the Steel Blossoms are may be a little tough, but concluding that they’re enjoyable, engaging, and intriguing is quite easy. - Saving Country Music

Alternative country music’s biggest fans and critics alike can’t seem to stop buzzing about Steel Blossoms, and for good reason. Their brand new sophomore album, titled simplySteel Blossoms, won’t see release until late April 2019, but it’s already been making some big waves in and out of the Nashville scene. Packing ten fiery punches of an erudite sonic quality, this is one LP that even casual Americana enthusiasts aren’t going to want to miss out on this spring, if for no other reason than to hear the harmonies that some – including myself – have dubbed among the most profound of this generation.

While Steel Blossoms have yet to disappoint anyone with their studio work, they sound remarkably confident and poised in songs like the elegy “Revenge,” which tackles the issue of domestic abuse, “Heroine,” a dark depiction of drug addiction at its most heartbreaking, and “Innocent,” a track that encapsulates the very essence of youth in three and a half minutes of sheer string mysticism. Singers Sara Zebley and Hayley Prosser have struck the perfect balance in their eclectic sound profile here, and though Country Enough had us praising their songwriting skills back in 2016, what they’ve done in Steel Blossoms is akin to a creative quantum leap.

The guitars are as big of a star as the vocals are in “Killed a Man,” “County Line,” “You’re the Reason I Drink” and “Innocent,” and actually add to the narrative of each song quite substantially. An emotive fiddle contributes a bluegrass-inspired flavor to “Trailer Neighbor,” “You Ain’t Sleeping Over,” and of course, “Kentucky’s Never Been This Far,” but it’s the unassuming percussive march of “Pick Me Up” that provides the most adrenaline in Steel Blossoms. They’re known for their gilded pipes, but in reality, what this duo conjures up on the instrumental side of their latest release is possibly even more alluring a facet than the swanky serenades that join it are.

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In many ways, Steel Blossoms are giving us a glimpse into the ultimate hybrid of Nashville’s past and present in this record, as the band toys with formulaic song structures in “County Line,” “Innocent,” “Killed a Man” and “You’re the Reason I Drink,” but also tosses in a hint of alternative folk-style experimentalism with “Revenge” and “Heroine.” It all adds up to an anthology piece that represents the history of the band’s genre better than most anything available today, save for certain retrospective compilations of old school talent and industry icons.


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You’re not likely to find a more gripping tracklist than the one that Steel Blossoms brings to the table this April, and if you needed more evidence to support the idea that Sara Zebley and Hayley Prosser’s dynamic skillset is situated in the top tier of their scene, these ten tracks should more than suffice. Conceptual, captivating and polished enough for the pop crowd while maintaining their trademark independent style, Steel Blossoms’ latest release ranks as the most refined LP from these two singers of Pittsburgh origin so far, but I highly doubt that this will be the last time that their sublimely inventive music is making headlines around the country.

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Mindy McCall - Indie Pulse Music

Making a smart Americana record in 2019 while staying true to the genre’s ethos is no simple task by any measurement, but for the wildly imaginative singing duo Steel Blossoms, the entire process seems to come all to easily, as they demonstrate in their new self-titled LP (due to be released this April). In songs like the album-opening “You’re the Reason I Drink,” the macabre “Killed a Man,” heavenly harmonious “Innocent” and evocatively stylized ballad “Revenge,” Sara Zebley and Hayley Prosser pull out the big guns and dispel the very notion that a modern Nashville band can’t dabble in various external influences without ultimately abandoning the identity of the scene. No matter where you look in this record, there’s something almost guaranteed to leave you begging for more of their soothing sound.

URL: https://www.steelblossoms.com/

“Revenge,” “Heroine,” “County Line” and “Innocent” are some of the most brooding and emotional songs that I’ve ever heard from Steel Blossoms, both lyrically and instrumentally. In “Innocent,” Zebley and Prosser hang the harmonies high against a plaintive backdrop of acoustic guitar strumming, and though the words are conveyed in a melodic half-whisper, it doesn’t minimize the impact of the narrative in the least. “Heroine” explores the gritty subject matter of addiction with respect, and “Revenge” stands alone as the most provocative alt-country song that I’ve reviewed in at least the last six months, if not longer. Rip-roar groove tracks like “Pick Me Up” are lots of fun, but you could definitely make the argument that it’s the more personable balladry here that acts as the crown jewel of Steel Blossoms.

“Kentucky’s Never Been This Far,” “You Ain’t Sleeping Over,” “Trailer Neighbor” and “Killed a Man” are really tightly arranged from top to bottom, but they don’t overshadow the more relaxed compositional dispatches like “You’re the Reason I Drink,” “County Line” and “Innocent” even slightly. Both sets of tracks are equally cathartic, and even slower songs like “County Line” fashion a memorable hook that makes them attractive additions to any casual listener’s playlist. If Country Enough was a statement album about the band’s aesthetical make up, then Steel Blossoms is its sequel, and furthermore, an evolved take on their magnetizing tonality and multifaceted style of attack. They might have started off in Pittsburgh, but this duo is officially the hottest thing that’s happened to Nashville in a very long time.

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Steel Blossoms is a fascinating must-listen for serious fans of Americana and alternative country who are looking for a fresh sound amidst the often predictable fodder promoted by the mainstream side of the dial. Next to Country Enough and the extended play Year Number One, this self-titled offering is a much more cohesive and flowing album that plays well regardless of the setting that it’s soundtracking, and in this age that has become riddled with records that are predominately constructed out of a filler and a handful of lively guitar licks, it’s as refreshing as a cool glass of lemonade on a hot summer’s day. Steel Blossoms are well on their way to reaching superstardom, and this album could go a long way towards getting them there all the sooner.

Anne Hollister - The Indie Source