Grateful (HYBCO/RCA, 2026)

"Grateful" is an appropriate title for a release from a band that, from the sound of this release, gives every impression of having "made it." They've had great career success, this being their first record following a major commercial breakthrough with an RCA label deal, international tour and a major motion picture soundtrack appearance. In the world of the record, the subjects of the songs also often cohere around a sense of having "made it" as opposed to striving: whether that's knowing the truth of the gospel like in "Revival," or being secure in a relationship like in "If I Didn't Know You," a sentimental rock ballad ripe to serve as a wedding first dance song. In fact, reflective of a bigger shift from bro country to "wife guy country" (if you will), a good number of the tracks center on the theme of supportive partnership, from "Can't Fix You," a ballad about a mentally suffering partner, to "Fool's Gold," a party song that masks deeper sentiments about enduring love.

Sonically, The Red Clay Strays' "Grateful" aims for a wide scope: reflective of the spread of genres that influence country and define Southern music writ large. On this record, they pull from rock, gospel and blues, creating a soulful sound that feels fresh within those well-worn elements.

Though many songs are up-tempo, even rollicking, much of the album is lyrically contemplative, a good match for the gospel theming of the record. "Theming" is an appropriate descriptor, because only about half the songs that at first seem like gospel songs meaningfully reference Christianity. This, too, is reflective of a broader trend toward using worship sounds in pop-oriented songwriting (think Alex Warren's "Ordinary" or Benson Boone's "Beautiful Things"). The Red Clay Strays give us the Southern rock version with cuts like "Demons In Your Choir," a gospel-inflected high point on the record that speaks of churches metaphorically rather than literally.

Overall, "Grateful" is a striking mix of ripping and soul-stirring with Brandon Coleman's evocative vocals and the band's strong rock grooves on tunes like "People Hatin'" and Beatle-esque bops like "Don't Wanna Know." That combination will make a solid bedrock for great live shows.