Album Review – Ellis Bullard’s “Honky Tonk Ain’t Noise Pollution”

It’s over. You might as well bulldoze Austin, or level it with an atom bomb. What hasn’t been bought up and gentrified with ultra modern architecture by the tech bros, is clogged with homeless and purple-haired nonbinaries in their Prius cars rushing to give your elementary-aged children gender affirming care. And the music? Forget about it. All that’s left is shoegaze nerdcore EDM or some half-baked hip-hop down on 6th Street. Don’t even think about finding anything resembling good country music in Austin anymore.
…or so the naysayers who haven’t been to Austin in a dozen years will tell you. In truth, just like the rest of country music, Austin country is enjoying a strong resurgence. Now that dudes like Charley Crockett and Silverada have gone national, it’s up to a new crop of homegrown honky tonkers to step up, pay dues, and hopefully use the city as a launching pad. At the top of the list of those surging performers is one Ellis Bullard, originally from Matagorda County.
Haunting some of Austin’s most hopping beer joints such as The White Horse, Sagebrush, and Sam’s Town Point, Ellis Bullard, his barrel-chested voice, and his badass honky tonk band are the dudes to see. When people from out of town ask you where you should go to find the real deal Austin honky tonk experience, the answer is wherever Ellis Bullard is playing. That’s where the party will be.
Now on his second full-length album called Honky Tonk Ain’t Noise Pollution, Bullard doubles down on the Austin honky tonk sound, and if anything, puts even more guts behind it. Be prepared, because this album might inspire you to do some self-destructive things like stomp your boot straight through the floor, start smoking filterless Camels, buy a run-down 1985 Chevy short bed pickup to restore, or install a mechanical bull in your living room when your wife is away at a seminar.

Ellis Bullard puts on a clinic of classic honky tonk music on this record, from the half time Outlaw pulsations of “Prison In My Mind,” to the blues progression of “What’s a Man To Do,” to the perfect two-stepping song, “Patron and Lime.” The way the lead guitar and steel pair up on the melody of “Young, Wild and Free” is everything that country music is supposed to be. Steeped in old school country, it’s hard to fuss about any single note on this album.
Though it’s Ellis Bullard’s name on the front, his collaborators deserve some love too, namely steel guitarist Sam Norris, lead guitarist Austin Roach who previously played with Jesse Daniel, drummer Kyle Ponder originally of Mike and the Moonpies (now Silverada), and bassist Cole Beddingfield. Killer guitarist Adam Duran who’s currently out on tour with Kaitlin Butts also contributed, as did Patrick Herzfeld and Jon Grossman
It’s fair to say that you don’t necessarily come to the music of Ellis Bullard for the outstanding writing. The lyricism is fine, but his songs seem to start with the music, the era, and the mood he looks to evoke, and then work out from there. But that’s fine. This is no listening room songbird. This is Ellis Bullard, and he can develop deeper writing in the future if he chooses.
For now though, Ellis Bullard is the hot thing of the Austin honky tonks, drawing local praise and national buzz. And like all of his Austin-based predecessors, Ellis Bullard is doing it his own way and keeping it real.
8/10
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Purchase from Feels So Good Records
February 9, 2024 @ 8:53 am
Before i read your review, just wanna say I came here because I knew there was no way you didn’t review this. What a badass record. Ok, time to read.
February 9, 2024 @ 8:56 am
As a former citizen of Tomball, it’s good to see Kyle Ponder is still lending his talents to good music. Is he part of the live act?
February 9, 2024 @ 9:36 am
Yes, every time I’ve seen Bullard play, Kyle Ponder has been in the band.
Random side note: When I went to cover Zach Bryan’s surprise popup show at Sagebrush in Austin, Kyle Ponder was one of the guys working the door, and was the dude that eventually recognized me and let me in. I owe him big for that.
February 9, 2024 @ 10:37 am
That’s awesome. He was a good dude in high school.
February 9, 2024 @ 9:22 am
I hereby declare Honky Tonk Saturday Night all weekend. Goddamn this release sounds good.
February 9, 2024 @ 9:23 am
Hell ya, no sophomore slump album here, more like a kickin down the damn door and kicking everyone’s ass. Everyone needs to get on honky train, it’s gonna be a great ride!
February 9, 2024 @ 9:41 am
Enjoying this album very much!
February 9, 2024 @ 10:29 am
makes me want to face 36 miller lites and go somewhere where my shoes stick to the ground.
also jerm pineell ripz
February 9, 2024 @ 10:35 am
This is what Honky Tonk music is supposed to sound like. Real deal Country music.10/10 for me.
February 9, 2024 @ 10:41 am
Trig,
Excited you reviewed this and can’t wait to listen.
However…you know the article we all came here this morning to read! LOL. Don’t leave us hangin’!
February 9, 2024 @ 12:11 pm
Wow, there is a show at the Showboat Saloon in Wisconsin Dells in April. I didn’t expect to see any dates outside of Texas and maybe Oklahoma.
February 9, 2024 @ 3:06 pm
This is another great album from these guys. Somehow they’re going to be playing a show tomorrow night in Oregon that I’m lucky enough to have tickets to. Can’t wait.
February 9, 2024 @ 7:10 pm
The folks behind the Pickathon Fest helped put that together.
February 9, 2024 @ 9:28 pm
Love it. Looks like it’s a new venue they’ll be bringing more artists through. Excited to check it out
February 9, 2024 @ 3:42 pm
This was a fun review.
February 9, 2024 @ 4:02 pm
Yes sir!!! Found out about Ellis a few years ago and love everything he puts out. No sophomore slump here. Play it loud!!!
February 9, 2024 @ 4:06 pm
After reading the review I was nearly convinced this wouldn’t be for me. Just not my style. Obviously the review is positive. But I trust Trigger implicitly and listened to the linked songs and then the album. And I was wrong. This is fantastic. A couple songs made me think – this is what Paul Cauthen would sound like if he made a true honky tonk record. Thanks for turning me on to something I would not have otherwise sought out myself once again Trig.
And a short plug for a couple of local girls that dropped an acoustic EP today. Check out Indy Annie’s “If You Don’t Love Me” if you’re into beautiful female harmonies over stripped back production. If you only listen to one song, go straight to “Mary” and be prepared to be taken to church and have the hairs on the back of your neck stand up.
February 9, 2024 @ 6:48 pm
Great album, though I wish maybe he’d try a little less hard on the Waylon Jennings vibe.
BUT, I cannot believe all you country music devotees missed, or at least, didn’t comment on, the Sesame Street joke on the album, “It Ain’t Easy Needing Green.”
CF: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51BQfPeSK8k
February 9, 2024 @ 8:31 pm
Steel player is Sam Norris, not Sam Cole.
February 9, 2024 @ 10:18 pm
Thanks. Dyslexia acting up. Got the “Cole” from Cole Beddingfield who was listed right after Sam.
February 9, 2024 @ 9:16 pm
One thing I like a lot about saving country music is that it lets us know what’s out there outside of what the radio is playing, and that is wonderful for those who like to hear all of what’s is happening in country music. But I admit the first thing I saw on you tube with Ellis Bullard, who I have never heard of until today, was him with a beer, then smoking, and then fu–er written on his guitar. I was turned off by all the stereotypes. Musically speaking, he has a very distinctive low voice, has a very good steel guitar player, and the songs are solid country. I just don’t want to see fu-er on your guitar-if you’re angry, work out why and deal with it in private. We want a show, and not a show about yourself.
February 10, 2024 @ 3:00 am
Promising stuff! Some Waylon vibes up front with some cool and unexpected low note dives (eg. Cocaine Money) and some pretty Eagles-like flourishes / harmonies from the guitars.
Thanks for the review, Trigger—I picked it up.
February 10, 2024 @ 7:07 am
very good straught up honky tonk stuff and props for the peavey guitar on the cover, a great guitar not usually associated with country music
February 10, 2024 @ 1:30 pm
Just a little bit that I have heard, I love. Will have to order this one. Thanks for the great music! Need to catch a show sometime!
February 10, 2024 @ 8:51 pm
This album is a great time. Ellis is so smooth, easy on the ears, and just fun.. See him live if you can. Top quality entertainment.
February 11, 2024 @ 5:43 am
8 is too low of a score. Dude dropped the 2024 album of the year in early February. In fact, this article should have began with “Its over. The 2024 AOTY is here.”
February 11, 2024 @ 7:59 am
I love it too, ‘It ain’t easy getting green’ is really good as well and ‘Patron and Lime’.
Ellis gives me a slight Dale Watson vibe, which is a good thing.
Love the steel guitar too, lots of great playing!
February 11, 2024 @ 12:09 pm
Really liking this one. Bullard and McWade with strong releases early in 24.