Album Review – Union Sound Treaty’s “Next Year”
Studies show that most people fear running out of money even more than they fear death itself. It must be something that was ingrained in humans during evolution to make sure we kept thinking about where our next meal would come from. Even today when true starvation is not an issue for most Americans, the fear that the bottom could fall out from under us—even by many of us that are otherwise perfectly well off—always looms in the back of our minds.
This fear is even more palpable for the people in rural areas where wealth is scarce and the cycles of boom and bust have produced generational concerns of how you can lose it all at a moment’s notice. The factories that brought jobs when the agrarian economy dissolved weren’t any more stable with their perpetual pink slip rumors and threats to move overseas, and then the almost the inevitable shutting down as the economy shifts away from a local community’s proud commodity, leaving shells of abandoned hometowns strewn across the forgotten middle of the continent like wilted pumpkin rinds.
Country music has always been the voice of the working people, no matter where those working people may dwell. Whether the fears are rational or not, the burdens the working class carries throughout their lives—worried if they’ll be able to provide for themselves and their families—are so biologically programmed and perennially top-of-mind, they can dominate their every thought to the point of corrosiveness. That’s where country music comes in to commiserate with the working man’s fears, and let them know they’re not alone in both their burdens and concerns.
West Virginia is as good a place as any to find huddled masses of hard working folks who are constantly facing down hard times, or having to work jobs many of us would not wish on our worst enemies. Union Sound Treaty from Morgantown speaks to those burdens and fears better than most in their debut album called Next Year—titled for the eternal hope that smolders in the hearts of many laborers that the future will be better than the present despite the constant dousing of that flame by the daily disappointment of a despondent life.
Built around the incredible voice of singer and songwriter Charles Godwin, Union Sound Treaty puts rhythm, melody, and words to the fears of the working man in songs like “Blow Me Away” and “Getting By on Dimes,” while keeping away from the cliche’s of the subject that make some country come across as recycled and stale. But what really puts these guys and Next Year on another level is how they illustrate the nexus between the working man blues and country music that speaks to them. It’s songs like “Needle Fall Down,” and “Sad Country Standards” that evoke not just your empathy for the working man, but your love of country songs at the same time, while Godwin’s vocals find what seems to be the perfect melody to drive home the message.
Next Year is not all about bad times for the working man though. It starts off with a murder ballad, and “Peaked” in the middle of the record adds a little humor in an otherwise heartbreaking effort. Enough can’t be said about Charles Godwin’s vocals here, and the efforts of the rest of the band—Ross Justice on drums, Shawn Wilhelm on bass, and guitar player John Schooley. But this does feel like a rookie effort in some respects, in both bad and good ways. The album could use a bit more spice and diversity in structures and arrangements. Though each song isolated holds little to anything to complain about, after 10 songs with very similar arrangements, they all begin to blend together.
Yet with Next Year you also feel like you’re listening to a record of a band that is only going to continue to get better, and you’ll be listening to them and Charles Godwin for years to come. These guys have a bead on what really resonates in country music with listeners. They just need a little help when it comes to making each song its own expression, and then watch out.
1 3/4 Guns Up (8/10)
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December 20, 2016 @ 9:32 am
That acoustic performance blew me away. I am gonna get this album, thank you for the review.
December 20, 2016 @ 10:50 am
Sounds good. Thanks.
December 20, 2016 @ 1:13 pm
Merry Christmas to me!!
I made a decision 3 years ago to move back home to Pittsburgh. A factor in that decision was the proximity to Morgantown (60 miles). I love West Virginia and Mountaineer football, and at one time every artist used to tour through Morgantown.
However, in recent years the music scene has dried up in Morgantown. No one is coming through anymore (the exception was Hellbound Glory in October) and there hasn’t been any new music developing. So, this is great news!
I don’t see an amazon link to purchase, but I’ll use the search bar when I get home.
December 20, 2016 @ 4:02 pm
Can I be honest here?
The music is good and the lyrics as well…. but the voice doesn’t match the mood.
Not that the voice is bad, just not matured enough to grab. If he makes it 10 years and his ability remains he’ll do well.
December 20, 2016 @ 4:54 pm
Although I hate to admit it when anything good (except my wife, of course) comes out of Pittsburgh, I definitely like the sound and will have to put their VA show on my calendar.
December 20, 2016 @ 6:40 pm
I like both these tunes – gonna get over onto Amazon and get some of this
December 21, 2016 @ 6:45 am
The “Union Sound Treaty CD” – “Next Year” is a welcome addition to the music listening that flows throughout our Household. From Beginning to end we are fascinated by and attentive to the complicated rhythms, integrated harmonies with all instruments participating (of course drums cannot do harmonies), many virtuostic Guitar maneuvers (Bass and Electric), percussion effects, intriguing song titles and subjects, varied vocals that prevail throughout, superior sound production, the togetherness of the ensemble, the variety of selections and the obvious artistic-musical genius of the players and the group as a whole, as well as the vocal talents of the composer of the songs on “Next Year” and his composing talent as evidenced on “Next Year”. We are experienced listeners and musicians who have intensive musical background in performance, composing, producing and conducting music as well as teaching music at the University Level and even Beginners at all levels..so we have great knowlegeable incite into music of all genres…and each time we listen to the C D, we hear other sounds not experienced before..always fun to fine tune listening to “Next Year”.. .Congratulations to all members of Union Sound Treaty on all of your exceptional abilities, attention to detail, perfection of the musical elements of all of the individual songs, perfection of the sound production itself is more than noteworthy, and bringing the musical texts to your listeners with this CD. ..Your work and talent is rewarding you as your fans continue to discover new sounds and making listening to “Next Year” a regular part of their repertoire of listening!…We wish you the best and hope to see you in person sometime in the near future.. We couldn’t be happier, more pleased and proud of all of you…and excited for your musical endeavors yet to come.
December 21, 2016 @ 8:03 pm
I’m absolutely digging this band and this album. Good criticism Kyle – the arrangements are very similar and the album seems a bit from loaded but damn! For a first album?? Really impressive. Hazelton and Next Year are standouts. Maybe it’s me but there’s a little Evan Felker to Goodwin’s voice. Regardless, I can’t wait to hear more from these fellas.
December 24, 2016 @ 2:21 pm
I gotta say this is one of the best finds of the year – thanks for reviewing this! “Sad Country Standards” is an instant classic.
January 23, 2017 @ 10:03 pm
Taking a second round through this album and gotta say, it’s awesome. This band legitimately should hit it big – the songwriting is anywhere from good to excellent and the musicianship is pretty good. “Needle Fall Down” is absolutely haunting. Godwin’s voice has a rare power and rawness to it that will get even better with time. I’ll be pushing this to everyone I know.
October 25, 2017 @ 7:03 pm
Maybe it’s just me, but from my early listens this sounds like Red Dirt country with a vocalist that sounds half Evan Felker and half Eddie Vedder. I like it.
October 19, 2020 @ 9:03 am
I love the Charles Wesley Godwin album from last year and was looking him up on youtube and found this band and the googled it and found this! Good stuff haha I didn’t know he was in a band prior to his solo record
July 1, 2022 @ 1:19 pm
I’m about 5 1/2 years late in reading this review. However, I have the benefit of seeing how Charles Wesley Godwin has developed and grown. Once again Trig, you spotted exceptional talent before most!!