Album Review – Koe Wetzel’s “Harold Saul High”
In the same way twang has disappeared from much of mainstream country, popular rock has become a wasteland for the raw abandon that made the format what it once was. Heavy metal is still around of course, but has basically gone underground, which leaves you with aging nostalgia acts struggling to stay upright to cash in on those $280-a-ticket stadium shows, and a bunch of castrated shoegaze nerdcore stuff generally compartmentalized to the snobby scenes of indie rock. Then here comes this poor-mannered dude from Texas named Koe Wetzel, unafraid to sing about snorting cocaine and screwing over women—something that sends both the politically correct and the pearl clutchers scurrying these days—and people don’t know what the hell to make of him. Screech, faint, sing along, or shoot his ass the bird, it doesn’t really matter at this point. When it comes to the 20-somethings in Texas and Red Dirt music, Koe Wetzel is king.
Everyone has a strong opinion about Koe, at least those that have heard about him, which few outside of Texas and Oklahoma have. He’s definitely not a country act. But as a principle headliner in the Texas music scene who sells out huge venues and is handling up on radio like a uninhibited coed, he can’t be avoided. Koe Wetzel is country adjacent whether you like it or not, finding his power over crowds in the classic rock ‘n’ roll way: every guy wants to be him, and every girl wants to screw him, titillating erogenous zones with growling power chords and songs about being a bad boy. And even more alarming, Koe Wetzel is very aware of the power he has over people. Like the hair metal bands of the 80’s, Wetzel almost takes pride in presenting himself as a jagoff, both in the stories of his songs, and in his online persona, bragging about sleeping with people’s wives, and posting pictures of his ball sack on Instagram (or at least, what he wanted you to think it was). Koe also takes time to show he’s not a monster. But generally speaking, he brings the brow of the room down a notch.
All of this has made Koe Wetzel virtually untouchable to the industry. His fan base and sales records are three to four times the size of many of the performers the media in Nashville love to dote on incessantly, but nobody will sign this guy, even though he’s a cash cow that could become like a license to print money if the frat boys and basic bitches east of the Mississippi and West of the Rockies get on board with him like Texas and the Breadbasket has. Koe doesn’t fit the profile of the modern day superstar—rescuing puppies, stopping by hospitals to pose with fans. This is sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll baby. Koe’s third and latest album Harold Saul High was a long time coming. He first released a single called “Austin” way back in December of 2017, and promised a new album in the summer of 2018. But a year went by with no word, and it seems like only the recent leaking of the record online sent the wheels in motion to get it out, accompanied with virtually no press push, and the album still populating digitally in some places.
The whole thing is really kind of a mess, but what the shocked and appalled don’t get about Koe Wetzel and his crazed fans is the deceptively deep nature of his songs, which is also the secret ingredient to why he resonates so intensely with so many. Laugh Koe Wetzel off as a loudmouth who needs his chops busted, and who shows little to no respect for the traditions of Texas or country music, or the decent standards of the fine communities in the Heartland that he haunts in concert of Friday and Saturday nights. That’s not going to stop him doing it his way, with his songs, and with something that’s unique in not just Texas or the greater country realm, but in all of music at the moment. Clearly there’s an insatiable appetite for what Koe Wetzel does. His magnetism comes from the danger he exudes. But his magic comes from how he speaks to the lost, lonesome, and euphoric moments of early adulthood with an honesty that his listeners connect with on an entirely other level. The flaws and candidness of Koe is not what creates a barrier between him and the audience, it’s what makes him feel like he’s singing right to them, and it’s something nobody else is doing.
This assessment of Koe Wetzel is even more true in Harold Saul High. You can hold your nose high above the shallowness of a song like “Powerball,” where Koe blows off getting left by his girlfriend (who might also be pregnant) to take bong rips and play the lotto, or on “Make Believe,” where Koe first comes across as taking the nice guy approach to a girl in an abusive relationship, but then in a rage, almost seems to justify using her if she’ll let him. The album ends with a song called “Sancho,” which is a word that immigrated into Texas over the last 20 years from Mexicans who use it as a way to tease friends whenever they sneeze, saying it’s a premonition that someone is having sex with their wife. Koe Wetzel has no problem casting himself in that role as adulterer.
To forgive some of the behavior described in Koe Wetzel songs is to frankly be of questionable character, from the cocaine use in a glorified and not cautionary form, to the way he can portray relationships with women. But at the same time, Harold Saul High is underscored by this self-awareness in the shallowness of it all, and the sadness that the pervades the empty, meaningless life he often portrays. Laugh off the six-minute, 30-second song “Too High To Cry” as a vapid pool of avoidance of your true feelings, and you’re completely missing why Koe Wetzel is exploding like he is. And though everyone loves to focus on the controversy that lingers around Koe, many songs on Harold Saul High are just sincere love songs that happen to be well written. Compare him to the rock guys of country like Jason Aldean, or the misogynists like Mitchell “Bitches” Tenpenny, and again, you’re completely missing the point.
Koe’s first album, and even little parts of his second album had at least a few flavors of country music that made him more accessible to the twangers in Texas and Red Dirt, which is a scene that has always dabbled in a little bit of rock ‘n’ roll. If an act like Jason Boland symbolizes the strong country influence in Red Dirt, and someone like Stoney LaRue sits in the middle, Koe Wetzel would fall on the far side of the scale nearest to rock, sort of like Cross Canadian Ragweed did in their day, and who Wetzel pays tribute to on this record in his signature Wetzel way. The guitar of Harold Saul High is loud and aggressive, and there’s no twang to be found here, and only a few acoustic tones. Some of the melodies are so supple and infectious, and the riffs are so overwhelming—like on “Nothing Left To Say” and “One And Only”—it feels like you’re listening to late era grunge rock super hits you’d forgotten about. This is music rife for rocking arenas, and almost daunting in how infectious it comes across at times.
But Koe Wetzel is also his worst enemy. This rock ‘n’ roll persona is past its prime for a reason. Fellow Texas music performer Parker McCollum has found a way to connect with younger audiences like Koe has, but in a manner that feels more meaningful, thoughtful, and most importantly, sustainable. Koe Wetzel can’t be completely cast off as a guy just trying to drop panties with a guitar, but he also can’t compete with artists like Tyler Childers and Cody Jinks for crafting songs people can enjoy well after their high school and college years. In some respects, Koe Wetzel does graduate to a higher level of songwriting and meaningfulness on Harold Saul High. But in others, he refuses to evolve to the more involve feelings of adulthood. In moments the music also just feels like generic guitar rock, regardless of how adrenaline-inducing it may be on the first few listens, or in concert.
Those who blow off Koe Wetzel simply as shallow garbage for dude bros to play while they throw up in the floorboards of their F-150’s are missing the deeper message. But those dedicated Koe Wetzel fans praising his name to the rafters are also probably too swept up in the animal magnetism of it all to see the fair criticisms. There is no question though, Harold Saul High is an enthralling listen with powerful moments, and a record that will resonate so deeply in Texas and Oklahoma, the ripples will travel far beyond, and make him a performer that now the rest of America will have to pay attention to, like it or not.
1 1/2 Guns Up (7/10)
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June 24, 2019 @ 8:43 am
Good review. I’ve been curious about this album. I really liked ‘Between Two Bottles’ from the ‘Out On Parole’ album. I think i may check this one out on the basis of grim fascination.
June 24, 2019 @ 11:43 am
Well, that was one purchase I immediately regretted.
Pee-eww!!
June 24, 2019 @ 9:22 am
any time i hear new ‘country’ music with no sonic signs of bro-isms ( syncopated vocals , fake twang , cut-time grooves w/requsitie finger snaps ,,loops etc etc..) it has my attention . any time I hear a Singer with a capital ‘S’ , I’m listening . I liked this stuff from he get-go for those reasons . that stuff , generally speaking , won’t be enough to keep me engaged , however , if the songs aren’t there .
even with the apparent assistance of uncle autotune I think koe has a unique voice that i want to listen to . i know you like us minions to reserve final judgement on the songs , lyrically and melodically , until we’ve heard the album , trigger , but the songs posted don’t quite do it for me , personally .
June 24, 2019 @ 9:27 am
If I was 20 years younger I’d carve a line with him. Do a bump out of some strippers asscrack. Sometimes rock-n-roll needs to be loud and dangerous. He will grow up, I would guess. This regional segment of music needed a “I don’t give a f%*k about my bad reputation” act for quite some time.
June 24, 2019 @ 3:18 pm
What are you,80? Get busy.
June 24, 2019 @ 9:28 am
Nice review. I listened to this album a couple of times and it’s probably not for me, in the end. Musically, it has some cool moments and I can see the appeal to many. I also don’t agree with how he handles some subjects and I myself got the debauchery / party vibe out of my system before I turned 18. I don’t get why it’s so exciting and worth glorifying, myself. But on some level, I see the need for what this guy is doing. I also find his case fascinating, in the way that his popularity exists despite the cultural PC and outrage mob forces that would pretend this part of human nature should be suppressed and completely stamped out by force. It shows that the PC police can only go so far, and really, they are a loud and vocal minority – not everybody has bought in. Hip hop has been mostly immune to it, and it’s about time some artists in other genres stick their necks out a little. I probably won’t listen myself – but it will be my choice – not at the discretion of some self-appointed and self-righteous culture police.
June 24, 2019 @ 9:42 am
I’ll have to give this a listen after work. Like many are saying I’m really wanting to see you review the new Paul Cauthen song. Interested to see your thoughts on it.
June 24, 2019 @ 9:53 am
I agree whole heartedly with this review. From a technical aspect I think one criticism would be there seems to be many 10 second sections in this album where not much happens in the song. A “lul” if you will. To me it feels a bit like dead space sometimes and takes me out of the song so to speak.
But I the writing on this album it’s just as relatable as ever to me as someone who battles with depression and addiction. I think Koe may write about the things you feel and want to do to others but never actually go through with. Or its the true side of things and that doesn’t always mean its pretty or the nice. Either way It’s kind of like living through the dark fantasy of the Devil Side of your conscious sometimes. I will say they are going to have to find a bit more diversity in their sound soon or everything will start sounding the same. But right now I literally can’t stop listening to this album.
Thanks for telling the story of why the music resonates with so many people trigger. I know people on this site for the most part wont like this album and I don’t expect them to. But the work should be respected just like you said cause there is a talent here.
June 24, 2019 @ 10:10 am
We don’t need no fat pompous Koe Wetzel jackasses scaring decent folks like you and me. No siree. He’s a caricature.
June 24, 2019 @ 10:25 am
Reading the review it makes me think Nickleback took their lyrics and set them to something approximating country music.
June 24, 2019 @ 11:01 am
I wouldn’t say that’s what’s going on here at all. There’s nothing approximating country music here, even if some of Koe’s Texas country advocates try to tell you otherwise. But the songwriting is way deeper than something like Nickelback. The whole problem with this music is the quick generalizations people draw from it, both positive and negative. It’s not nearly as deep as it sounds in moments, but it’s also not just vapid frat boy noise like some who see who shows up in front of the stage at a festival when Koe Plays assume.
June 24, 2019 @ 4:31 pm
“There’s nothing approximating country music here.”
So, as long as it’s part of a “scene” you like, it doesn’t matter ? I’m not trying to be difficult. I’m just trying to understand why some are praised for non-country efforts, while others are ridiculed ? What are the ground rules to determine which is which?
June 24, 2019 @ 5:24 pm
“So, as long as it’s part of a “scene” you like, it doesn’t matter ?”
There are not scenes I like or dislike. There are scenes that I cover or I don’t cover. I definitely don’t like a lot of the mainstream, but I cover it. I try to cover every scene that is involved in country music in some capacity, including Texas and Red Dirt, Americana, east Nashville, folk, underground, West Coast, Canada, Brooklyn, Europe, Australia, whatever. I try to find the most compelling stories and artists, and topics I feel I can contribute something worthwhile to the discussion of, and zoom in on that. The only way to describe Koe Wetzel’s significance to Texas music at the moment would be “extreme.” In my opinion, it would be irresponsible to not cover this record. Its release has been a bungled, fart and fall down moment, and it still may go Top 5 in the charts.
“I’m just trying to understand why some are praised for non-country efforts, while others are ridiculed ?”
There’s nothing wrong with rock, pop, hip-hop, or any other type of music. We’re all music fans first, then our preferences break down genre lines. The problem is when you take a rock, pop, or hip-hop song and call it country—especially for marketing purposes—devaluing the singularity of country music expressions and the roots of the music. If Koe Wetzel was out there claiming to be the next coming of Waylon Jennings, we’d have a much bigger problem.
June 24, 2019 @ 5:44 pm
Thank you for the detailed reply.
I will see Koe Wetzel for the first time at KOKEFest in August, so I’m not very familiar with him.
I apologize if I came off as negative, as opposed to simply inquisitive.
June 24, 2019 @ 5:58 pm
It’s a fair question. The fact that Koe Wetzel is headlining something like KOKEFest is all you need to know of why he’s being covered here.
September 2, 2019 @ 3:42 pm
Kokefest is not about drugs and shit! I am certain Koe will sing of such real things! That’s why we Love Koe Fucking Wetze! ???? Koke is a radio station and this festival gives proceeds to a veterans program! If it’s for a good cause …..I certainly don’t give a dam what it’s called!
June 24, 2019 @ 10:43 am
Tried listening to One and Only, couldn’t get more than 15 seconds in before the overly processed vocals made me tune right back out.
June 24, 2019 @ 10:44 am
I’ve heard Koe on the radio in DFW and I liked his song. You’re review made me think of Ryan Bingham. This old man will be buying Koe’s albums for sure.
June 24, 2019 @ 12:24 pm
I’ve liked Koe Wetzel’s first two albums pretty good. Like you said, he doesn’t do really deep stuff. But I’ll say his two best songs are “Gravedigger” and “Wine Glass”, and are two songs that do go a little deeper.
June 24, 2019 @ 12:35 pm
I found the album on Spotify and was very puzzled why it was marked as ‘Downloaded to my Device’ when I’d not saved/liked/downloaded it previously. Well, the whole album got dropped into Spotify’s “Texas Music Now” playlist – probably lucratively so, for Spotify. A little akin to the U2/iTunes deal a few years ago. Distasteful at best.
June 25, 2019 @ 6:27 pm
I feel like this is noteworthy.
I love the album, personally. But others have faced a lot of criticism for the same thing.
June 24, 2019 @ 12:37 pm
I’ve heard plenty of Koe wetzel and live in Pittsburgh pa basically any music coming from dfw are is worth a listen and much better than mainstream radio shit
June 24, 2019 @ 1:47 pm
Not my favorite flavor of the Texas Red Dirt scene at all but I get the charisma and attitude he brings to live performances that resonate with the younger crowd just not an artist I relate too at 52 years of age. Some of the tunes have merit but ultimately not for me.
June 24, 2019 @ 1:56 pm
In the picture he looks like he’s sitting on a toilet and constipated.
June 24, 2019 @ 2:34 pm
Maybe I need to spend more time with it, but I don’t get it. I don’t get the praise, the hype, or the 7/10 score. Yes, it’s not country. But is it good? I’ve listened to over half of the album, some songs twice. It reminds me of the alt-rock, emo, pop-rock stuff from the early 2000’s, not exactly a high point in the history of rock ‘n’ roll.
June 24, 2019 @ 4:34 pm
I certainly wouldn’t say a 7/10 score gives someone claim to a “high point in the history of rock’n’ roll.” I’d say it means it’s slight better than average for it’s time and place.
June 24, 2019 @ 3:01 pm
I did not know all that “stuff” about Koe. There are a couple of keepers on the latest CD like Worst Part. I’ve always considered him to be Alt/Indie Rock w/ a slight twang..
June 24, 2019 @ 3:21 pm
Interesting review and assessment of his general character/act; I must admit, I’ve only heard a few of his songs, so I’m not too familiar with his bad boy gimmick. I will say, however, that when I was in Waco and saw his “Naughty or Nice Tour” stop there in December with Parker McCollum, I thought his songs sounded much better in an acoustic setting than Parker’s, and I personally think he’s a better singer. Parker got at least four bras thrown at him while he was onstage though, so who’s the real winner here?
June 24, 2019 @ 9:44 pm
Reading the review and listening to the tracks in addition to past songs of his I’ve heard the first words that come to mind are “aggressively mediocre.”
June 25, 2019 @ 3:48 am
“….and a bunch of castrated shoegaze nerdcore stuff generally compartmentalized to the snobby scenes of indie rock.” Trigger, spot on and priceless prose.
June 25, 2019 @ 9:04 am
I’m reading the comments and it makes me laugh. I grew up in the 90’s. I love the sound. No, Karen it’s not country and if you want to listen to country please don’t listen to the album and think it has anything to do with country music. Probably more like Weezer meets nirvana grunge.
I personally love it. It’s nostalgic for me. And exactly why it won’t make it huge. This band is 25 years too late. People in there late 30’s and early 40’s will love it. Their kids don’t wanna listen to shit their parents like. They wanna listen to shit that annoys the shit outta their parents like we did. I hope the band succeeds and helps bring back real rock n roll. I’m not betting on it.
And if you’ve made it to here reading this…stop thinking this is country music you dumbasses!
June 25, 2019 @ 3:05 pm
Yeah this guy is really hard to categorize, but not all bad. I was thinking of just how sad it is that you have to look to the modern country realm in order to hear a decent rock record anymore. As a 90s kid, rock is just terrible anymore. Koes record is overall pretty good, but over the past couple years my favorite country albums with some rock flavor were Brothers Osbornes Port Saint Joe and Kip Moores Slowheart.
June 25, 2019 @ 8:33 pm
@trigger
Two terms I never thought I’d hear you use
1. Shoegaze
B. Jagoff
Love it man. Keep it coming.
June 25, 2019 @ 11:15 pm
Well, for me, the two sample tracks didn’t come off at all like I thought they would, after reading the review. In fact I rather liked them.
Perhaps the cocaine-snorting, party-animal vibe comes through on the other album tracks. I’m interested enough to want to hear more.
June 29, 2019 @ 6:49 am
So this grunge rock wall of sounds gets 7 out of 10 saving country music points? Quite in line with the repeatedly stressed fact, that all music is reviewed from a country music perspective?
But as long as the latest country (!!!) album by FGL gets just 1 point, the country music world is saved.
June 29, 2019 @ 9:12 am
As I tried to explain in the review, I don’t consider this record country at all, but with the massive impact that Koe Wetzel is having in Texas music, I felt it was an important discussion point. And if I’m going to review anything, I’m going to review it honestly. I appreciate that some people would rather only see country records reviewed here. But at the same time I have other people imploring me to review artists like Koe Wetzel since they’re seeing him booked at country festivals, played on Texas regional radio, etc. I hope that my readers can understand the complexities of these situations, and understand why I feel the need to review a record like this.
July 1, 2019 @ 8:28 am
I’ve seen Koe perform live 3 times, and every show he has done he killed it and it was a bad ass show. His songs were hard core and people were drinkin gettin tore up, he got the whole crowd live. He would play his slow songs like Honey Pain, and the crowd would still enjoy it. With this new album, I like it and all but I’d rather listen to it sitting at home in the backyard drinking a beer smoking a cig instead of hearing it live at his show because its just to mellow and kinda slowish. Its not bad its just something I wouldnt want to hear at Larry Joe Taylor Festival when people are tryna drink and get messed up and party. This album sounds more of a heartbreak/pain album and he likes gettin high to take the pain away so alot of people can relate to it. I think thats why he did this album like this so people can feel his pain if they’ve been through it before. Koe is still a bad ass though, Ill drink to his music.
July 1, 2019 @ 11:25 pm
sounds like hootie and the blowfish
July 9, 2019 @ 5:57 pm
Honestly, I’m a little torn about this review. While I think you have some valid points about his maturity and sound I disagree on others. As someone scaring the hell out of 40, who grew up in Texas dancehalls listening to the people who pioneered the rebellious Texas country sound I don’t view Koe as decidedly not country. Maybe not someone who will be hugely successful commercially in the country music market of today but, not at all country because he sings about pills, booze and cocaine? I have no qualms admitting that I have no use for the pop country garbage that qualifies as “country” today so maybe I don’t get it but I’d throw Koe in the country pile before I’d toss in 75% of those skinny jeans, sunglasses at night wearing douche canoes who think anything with lyrics like short shorts, red lips, blonde hair, dirt road or drinkin beer makes it country. I spent most weekends in the mid/late 90’s to early ‘00s chasing people like Charlie Robison, Robert Earl Keen, Pat Green, and Roger Creager around from dance hall to dance hall. I don’t find Koe to be all that much different from them lyrically. He may not be as sophisticated lyrically as some and maybe his sound musically is a little more Skynard than Keen but I definitely don’t think he’s purely alt-rock or indie. His songs remind me of everyone I grew up with and some of them are still pulling that crap at 40. Most of his songs are gonna strike a chord with people who grew up in a small town. I think it’s a shame mainstream country will treat us to such immense talent as Florida Georgia Line but scoff at artists like Koe. I’ll take caviar and cocaine with Charlie or getting high and watching the powerball with Koe over those jokers any day. Harold Saul High is in daily rotation on my work playlist and as a displaced Texan I can’t wait to see him next month when he finally makes his way to central Louisiana.
October 1, 2019 @ 12:49 pm
First off-one has to listen to the record a few times to start to get it. Listen to it in the midst of “Noise Complaint” and you will hear the difference-a bit more “grown up.”
Second-just saw him in Chicago. You think it’s auto-tune on the record, you’re wrong. Sounds the same live as on the record. That’s his voice.
Third-what is drawing people to him is that he is writing songs for that younger age and describing what they do in real, honest words. Unlike the crap on the radio, when he sings about drinking he doesn’t go about it in cliched words, but honest, actual words. And even if you haven’t done the things he sings about, you know people who have.
And fourth-at the end of the show, he basically reveals that most of what he sings about are songs-not real life stuff. He tells stories-that is the role of a singer. So people, stop taking yourselves so seriously and listen to music. Rock out a bit. And have some fun.
(written by a 44 year old pastor).
February 17, 2020 @ 7:15 am
Just saw Koe last week and he gave an amazing show. No auto-tune here-his voice sounded wonderful and his band absolutely rocks. He’s profane, hilarious and talented. For almost 2 hours, I forgot about most of my problems and just lost myself in the music. Isn’t that what we go to concerts for? I’m 51 and old enough to be Koe’s mom and I’m really looking forward to more of his music. I hope drugs and alcohol don’t steal his talent …and his life.