Colter Wall’s New Album “Memories and Empties” will be COUNTRY
You’ve been warned before around these parts, but now we have confirmation. Colter Wall has a new album on the way called Memories and Empties that will be released on November 14th via LaHonda Records, and this thing is going to be COUNTRY. Not that you had to worry about Colter Wall venturing into the world of synth pop or anything, but he’s always been more distinctly a cowboy & Western artist with his recorded material.
On this new album though, Colter Wall is said to be “carrying the torch of traditional country music’s legacy beyond Nashville’s commercial influence” and is releasing a “collection of drinking songs and blue collar stories is tailor-made for the honky tonks, barrooms, porches, and pickups it will soon be inhabiting—all deeply inspired by that 1970s era of country music that still permeates early breakfasts at the diner before work and late Saturday nights that bleed into Sunday mornings.”
Well that all sounds like music to our ears. Co-produced by Colter Wall and his regular studio collaborator Patrick Lyons, Memories and Empties was recorded in the legendary RCA Studio A in Nashville where so many legendary classic country albums were cut. The studio musicians were made up of members of Colter’s backing band the Scary Prairie Boys.
And not only are we to expect a distinctly traditional country sound from this new album, Colter Wall appears to have something to say about the state of country music with this project. The opening song from the album called “1,800 Miles Away” (to be released at midnight Eastern, 9/26) says,
“I don’t know what you think you’ve been told.
If I ever was for sale, I never sold.
It’s short on flashing lights and rhinestone clothes,
1800 miles from Music Row.
It’s Tyson songs on the fiddle and guitar.
And the pedal steel man drives a real mean bar.
You won’t hear it on your radio.
It’s 1800 miles from Music Row.”
Another interesting note about the album is that Colter Wall wrote all the songs himself, save for a tribute to Ian Tyson to conclude the album in “Summer Wages.” Though Colter always includes a few songs he wrote on records, he’s also been just as inclined to cover old traditionals and Western tunes as well. On this one, it’s his intention to put his own stamp on Western music’s more popular cousin.
With so many wanting to make “country” albums these days, Colter Wall is one interloper the country music community will be more than happy to take in.
Memories and Empties is now available for pre-order.
TRACK LIST:
1. “1800 Miles” – 3:24 (Colter Wall)
2. “My Present Just Gets Past Me” – 3:04 (Colter Wall)
3. “Like The Hills” – 2:21 (Colter Wall)
4. “Memories and Empties” – 3:22 (Colter Wall)
5. “It’s Getting So (That A Man Can’t Go Into Town Just To Have Him A Drink)” – 2:46 (Colter Wall)
6. “Living By The Hour” – 2:29 (Colter Wall)
7. “4/4 Time” – 4:59 (Colter Wall)
8. “The Longer You Hold On” – 2:50 (Colter Wall)
9. “Back To Me” – 3:01 (Colter Wall)
10. “Summer Wages” – 4:32 (Ian Tyson)
September 25, 2025 @ 8:57 am
New Colter Wall music is always a good thing.
Also, that is one badass mustache.
September 25, 2025 @ 9:00 am
So we are expecting new/different from Colter? Will this be his first “country” album? I’d call the first two Folk, and the last three Western. Interested in hearing that first single tonight to hear what he means by “country”. If Summer Wages is any indication it should be pretty country. Regardless, I’m sure it will be interesting and cool.
September 25, 2025 @ 4:42 pm
I always thought western was a subgenre of country. After all, Marty Robbins was just as comfortable singing “El Paso” as he was “Don’t Worry”.
September 26, 2025 @ 8:27 am
I think you’re right, especially these days. But when I hear he is doing a “country” record, I assume it won’t be Western, or else he’d just say I’m putting out a new record. Judging from the first release it’s pretty honkeytonk/bakerfield country
September 25, 2025 @ 9:06 am
Really excited for this one. He doesn’t miss.
September 25, 2025 @ 9:08 am
Am looking forward to any new Colter Wall music of course, but are albums now clocking in around just 30 minutes like this one? This is not a good trend.
September 25, 2025 @ 10:53 am
Country music albums used to clock in at 30-35 minutes. Then things got real bloated around 2000. To sell an album the thought was more tracks = more value (when in reality it was just a bunch of filler). And studio time got real expensive. Artists would book a block of time in the studio and try to record as much as possible despite the quality then package it to on an album.
Now an artists doesn’t even need a studio to record (or physical albums) and if he/she has 10 or less quality tracks, they can quickly release them to their fans (and follow up with extra singles released later).
The new strategy for independent artists like Waylon Wyatt, Nicholas Jamerson, and so far Ole 60 is steadily release a bunch of singles, then when you get to 10 re-package them on an album that feels more like a greatest hits compilation.
September 25, 2025 @ 12:43 pm
Things got real bloated when CDs came out in the mid 80s and some artist started cramming tons of music on them. Recently some have gone the other way. That being said unless you are like Charlie Crockett who puts out a couple of albums each year an hour or at least 40 minutes of new music would be nice.
September 25, 2025 @ 4:42 pm
Throughout the 80’s and 90’s, country music albums were on average 10 tracks, 30 minutes. In response to technology – NAPSTAR and iTunes – labels started their quantity over quality, more is getting your money worth formulas.
Shania Twain’s, Come On Over (1997), was the first super sized album I can recall at 16 tracks (as many as 20+ tracks with later versions). That was unheard of in country music.
She went from …
Shania Twain (1993) 10 tracks
The Woman in Me (1995) 12 tracks
Come On Over (1997) 16 tracks
September 25, 2025 @ 11:19 am
It’s how they used to make records, so it really shouldn’t be surprising from an artist like Colter Wall. The frustration is in that he only drops a new album every couple of years.
September 25, 2025 @ 1:04 pm
They used to put out 2 or 3 albums a year though, not have 2 or 3 years between albums. Most modern artists (not just country ones) are putting out far less music than they used to.
September 25, 2025 @ 1:18 pm
Yeah, that’s what I was talking about when I said that the frustration is in that he only drops a new album every couple of years.
September 26, 2025 @ 4:01 pm
speaking of fantastic artists who are infrequent- do I remember right that Ian Noe is getting something together or am I mixing it up with another person who’s overdue for one?
September 25, 2025 @ 11:44 am
The trend I’ve been seeing most folks complaining about is artists dropping 30-song tomes on the public. I frankly find a 10-song, 30 minute album refreshing, and the song and album length would coincide with the “’70s country” think Colter is going for here. Totally understanding folks wanting a few more songs from Colter, but at this point he’s a full time rancher, part time musician. We’ll take what we can get when it comes to tracks, albums, and tour dates.
September 25, 2025 @ 8:00 pm
I play music by album while i’m working.
My personal preference is about 12 songs.
Shorter and get complaints about songs repeating, longer and i’m bored of the sound before the end
12 seems to allow a predominant sound, with a few different sounds.
Either way, looking forward to this.
September 26, 2025 @ 4:03 pm
I started listening to something the other day and I was basically done after 40 minutes. Chcecked the album and it was only like halfway through. I really prefer albums to playlists, but I still have to be REALLY into the artist to deal with one of these double album sized dealies that people have been putting out lately. Also grew up in the 90’s when things were indeed 35ish minutes long.
September 25, 2025 @ 8:46 pm
A little longer would be ideal, but I’ll take this over a double cd with a bunch of filler any day
September 25, 2025 @ 9:21 am
I love Colter Wall. That is all.
September 25, 2025 @ 10:14 am
Yes, Yes, Yes. Releasing on my birthday! Now that is a present I am looking forward to.
September 25, 2025 @ 10:59 am
I’m sure it will be a great album, but as someone who primarily listens to western music these days I’m a little bummed that one of the few guys who knocks on the door of the mainstream with my kind of music is jumping to straight-up country this time around. It would be different if he was an album-a-year kind of artist, but at the rate he records it might be 2028 before we get the next round of cowboy tunes from him.
September 26, 2025 @ 4:04 pm
check out the Dusty Vaquero youtube channel for a bunch of other western working cowboy types to follow if you’re primarily into that sound.
September 25, 2025 @ 11:10 am
Bring it on!
September 25, 2025 @ 11:45 am
Fuck. Yes.
Probably an unpopular opinion, but I’m so sick of artists changing up the formula or trying new sounds after a few albums, like they can’t figure out what kind of music they want to sing. With Colter I know what I’m getting and it’s damn good every time. I don’t want to hear Colter Wall put out a rock album, like I don’t need a synth rock album from Sturgill or a gospel album from Childers or a weird autotune rock album from Brent Cobb. I love those guys, but that’s not what got me interested. It was COUNTRY.
Alright, commence the vitriol, I’m ready.
September 25, 2025 @ 5:07 pm
Damn, I thought I was the only one with issues in regards to what Sturgill was doing.
September 25, 2025 @ 12:33 pm
For me i think there will be a shift in sound but i cant see it ever being as divisive as snipehunter . I cant wait.
September 25, 2025 @ 12:39 pm
It’ll be Honky Tonk, no doubt.
September 25, 2025 @ 12:48 pm
No vitriol but I could not disagree more. First off Tyler never put out a gospel album, Sturgill’s synth album was great as are all of his albums and I for one have no interest in hearing an artist repeat themselves over and over. I will say that Brent Cobb’s new album is unlistenable and I grew up on that kind of Southern Rock but that was then…
September 26, 2025 @ 5:23 am
new colter wall’s music = good news.
Can you explain the main differences between Western and Country?
cowboy themed lyrics? sparse instrumentation? no rhytm section?
September 26, 2025 @ 6:32 am
Danielle ,
Take a listen to Sons of The Pioneers for reference. Cool Water, Tumbling Tumbleweeds and other standards. Most western music more or less took that as a template. Riders in The Sky picked up that style and made a career with it. Johnny Western did some big songs in this style, including tv and movie themes. Marty Robbins popularized it with Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs and a follow up sequel album, More Gunfighter Ballads and Trail songs. Michael Murphy went all in on those kind of songs in his later years. Chris Ledoux did many albums in that style in his early rodeo years. Later he evolved into a more mainstream sound, but kept the cowboy imagery. Lyrics with cowboy imagery is the main thing. In its purist form it comes down to a cowboy strumming acoustic guitar and singing. There’s a group in Nashville these days called Farmer and Adele, they are keeping those sounds alive. There is a bit of camp and kitsch to what they do, same with Riders in The Sky.
Colter Wall is less kitsch and more straightforward.
September 28, 2025 @ 10:46 am
thanks Kevin, yes i’m familiar with those artists you mentioned but i always intended “western” as a flavour in country music not its own genre.
September 26, 2025 @ 9:46 am
The old explanation is “western = cowpokes, country = hicks”. I left out the “old time folk” explanation, since it’s probably offensive these days.
September 26, 2025 @ 6:09 am
I’m looking forward to this. Always liked Wall’s vocals, but the Country Western style is not my favorite. My favorite song from him is Honky Tonk Nighthawk, so this album sounds like it will be right down my alley. 1800 Miles is a great start.
September 26, 2025 @ 9:43 am
This could be a good one, he’s got a fine voice for traditional country.
September 26, 2025 @ 2:03 pm
Anyone else feel like the production is off on the single? Did he record it in his barn
September 26, 2025 @ 2:31 pm
Love almost all Colters stuff but I long for the days of the Dave Cobb production style. Just fits him so well.
September 26, 2025 @ 6:06 pm
I like Cobb but this new song sounds great to me.
September 26, 2025 @ 5:40 pm
Now here’s some Honky Tonk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfoMVIGct2I&list=RDpfoMVIGct2I&start_radio=1
September 26, 2025 @ 6:46 pm
Looking forward to this release. I have everything he has put out thus far and that will continue. Whether it is country or cowboy music I love it.
September 26, 2025 @ 8:08 pm
With that length, I suspect his cut of Summer Wages will include the original 3rd verse, which Tyson later dropped and so did nearly everyone who cut it. One of Tyson’s finest.
September 27, 2025 @ 6:23 am
Buck Owens and Dwight Yoakam were the Bakersfield/honky tonk kings.Were Wall to master that sound,it would mark him as the new California twang maven.
September 27, 2025 @ 10:49 am
Jesse Daniel would like a word.
September 28, 2025 @ 8:45 am
OK,Jesse Daniel also.