I didn’t mean to fall for Ole 60. I swear I didn’t. But somewhere between the dusty ache of “WDYWMTS” and the gut-punching honesty of the bluesy “Watching Me Bleed” I found myself tangled up in their world—like a boy who just had his heart broken for the first-time, trying to make sense of the mess and the magic of growing up.
Produced by Jacquire King (Kings of Leon and Zach Bryan} and Justin Eckerd, it’s raw, cinematic, and full of the kind of emotional grit that makes you feel like you’ve lived every story. Let’s not forget that this is their first album.
The six piece outfit hailing from Kentucky’s rise has been meteoric. It was only August 2023 that saw the release of their stunning debut EP ‘three twenty four’ (which is also the name of the record label this album has been released on) and they’ve been riding the crest of a wave ever since then.
Earlier this year I was lucky enough to catch their performance in Hyde Park where they were amongst the openers for Zach Bryan. I remember being taken aback by how many in the crowd knew the lyrics to tracks such as ‘Smoke and a Light’, ‘Rose’, ‘Next to You’ and they wrapped it up with a killer cover of Coldplay’s ‘Yellow’ (which also appears on ‘Smokestack Town’) and the raucous and anthemic ‘Smoke and a Light’. If you get the chance these guys are a must see.
In reviewing ‘Smokestack Town’ I think it’s imperative to refer to the earlier EPs as their work feels, intentionally or not, entwined, different parts of the same journey.
Smokestack Town: The Sound of Becoming
Smokestack Town isn’t just music. It’s a place. A fictional town where heartbreak and hope live on opposite ends of the same street. The way Jacob sings—like he’s been through it and still believes in something better, but it still hits hard. The guitars crash and swell like waves against the shore of distant memories. It’s Americana with alt-rock teeth, and it doesn’t let go. First time I heard Ole 60, I thought Radiohead has gone country.
- “Smokestack Town” opens like a thunderclap—anthemic, defiant, the sound of someone standing at the edge of everything they’ve ever known.
- “Let You Down” and “Really Wanna Know” are the confessions you whisper into your pillow at 2 a.m., hoping someone hears.
- “Watching Scary Movies with The Volume Down” is the quietest heartbreak—the kind that doesn’t scream, just lingers.
- “Who We Are” is a beautifully melancholic track that will bring the house down live. It’s a co-write with the incredibly talented Nolan Taylor.
- “Let You Down” and “Say the Word” follow along the in the same vein as “Who We Are” what stands out with these three tracks is whilst managing to maintain their trademark angst, the boys manage to make them still sound hope filled which is in contrast to tracks like “Insane”.
- The dreamy “Back Around” highlights the sumptuous harmonies that these guys can deliver. It sounds more like a country song than anything else on this record.
“three twenty four”: When it all breaks down.
Compared to Smokestack Town, three twenty four feels like the first time you fall in love and think it’ll last forever, and then just like that it’s gone.
Songs About You: The Breakup Letters
If three twenty four is the crush and Smokestack Town is the reckoning, then Songs About You is the aftermath. It’s the quiet, vulnerable EP that shows Ole 60 can slow down and bleed a little.
Final Thoughts: A Boy Becoming a Man
Ole 60’s discography feels like a coming-of-age story. Three Twenty Four was the spark, Songs About You was the heartbreak, and Smokestack Town is the journey—the messy, glorious, painful road to becoming someone real.
Ole 60 are already playing in front of huge audiences, they’ve already conquered the Grand Old Opry, they’ve sold out the Ryman and open for Charles Wesley Godwin at Red Rocks soon. Their music has already reached around the world, their following is faithful, exuberant and defies demographics.
Whilst I’m not quite sure they’ll be THE NEXT BIG THING, I am convinced that they will be huge and not just a passing fad either.
