David M Rangel / April 14, 2026 / Reviews
The past 25 years has seen a considerable change in the dynamics of the music industry and the releasing of records. Audiences, particularly listeners below a certain age of around 35, obtain and listen to music differently than their elder peers. “Scroll culture” and the idea of all songs being “singles“ to be quickly dismissed if they don’t grab your attention within the first five seconds, has become the norm. The classic album format where a band releases a record with 10 or more songs, with a consistent sound or style that defines them, has largely fallen by the wayside. It has gone out of fashion in favor of bands releasing songs a small handful at a time. Those songs can (and often do) fall within different genres and the release may lack musical cohesion to the point of almost sounding like a different band.
Banshee Tree is not just a band with one vision, but multiple. They understand and run with the fact that in 2026, it’s OK to remove musical boundaries and produce a Petri dish-styled record that lives in and moves among multiple, eclectic musical styles. While their basic foundation may lie in indie folk/pop which at times sounds somewhere between Mumford & Sons, and more adult indie pop (I.E. David Gray. Five For Fighting), to label them as only that would be a convenient but not very thorough classification. Also present are elements of freeform jazz sax, classical guitar and synths There are nods to blues, gospel flavored spirituality and even slight, hesitant forays into experimental and avant-garde soundscapes. These are kept in check enough to keep the songs accessible while still pulsating with slightly chaotic disorder.
“Look High Over The Mountain” sets a gentle, minimalist mood, as if gliding effortlessly, safe inside a dry car while a storm rages outside. This moves along until the sound of prog-style guitars come in prominently to shake up the hypnotic trance-like groove, all the while being guided by a saxophone that clearly knows its place, and doesn’t overplay.
The title track retains the dreamy atmosphere at a more upbeat pace while incorporating perfectly executed female background harmonies. It’s spiced up with a bit of guitar in the middle that is reminiscent of international bands, like The Buena Vista Social Club. Following this is the straight up indie rock component in these songs called “Might Stay”, a desert sun-soaked western style song that seems a perfect fit for college radio. Fans of The Felice Brothers, Deer Tick and others of that ilk who delve in lonely, atmospheric folk-style Americana will likely find a kinship with this one. “Company of Crows” continues with this bucolic vibe while also bringing in the interesting but unexpected additions of saxophone and a 70s style rock guitar solo. The song is a perfect example of the bands’ mixing of genres, that aren’t typically mixed.
“Glue” is a curious down home, bluegrass jam that somehow makes its way into jazz guitar territory in the middle, before making its way back to the farm. It’s interesting to note that the vocal delivery style changes at the end, mixing in some washes of urban sophistication on top of strong, southern-style instrumentation. The record rolls out with the organized chaos of “Stars Above The Lightning” making an exit that is the most prominent display on the record of a sound that exudes both cacophony and aesthetic brilliance. The track is a fine way to go out and it sums up the band’s sound as a whole.
Bad Luck is a sonically chance-taking display of a band to whom hard work and experimentation has paid off, transporting them far away from their early years as a swing band. Their mantra of blurring, or even eliminating the lines of musical genres has resulted in an adventurous, not-so- typical indie rock record. With a sometimes dreamlike, sometimes rocking instrumental backdrop, the band present lyrical thoughts, and ideas that are not always of the tangible world. The record is sure to pique the attention of multiple generations of listeners.
The album is out everywhere on Friday, April 17th. Listen to the title track here:
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