Corb Lund Announces All Acoustic New Album “El Viejo”

Just like the crisp Canadian air pouring across the border and signaling the onset of fall, word has come down from Alberta that Corb Lund has a new album on the way, and this one will find the Cowboy and Western singer taking a different approach to recording compared to all of his previous projects.
Called El Viejo and to be released by New West records on February 23, 2024, it finds Corb Lund drawing on his influences such as Kris Kristofferson, Marty Robbins, and Jerry Reed, and recording the entire album in his living room in Lethbridge, Alberta with his legendary backing band The Hurtin’ Albertans.
“It’s a lot of minor keys and gambling songs, is what it is,” Lund says. “It was just a few of us in my house. No studio. No outside producer. No adults in the room. No stress.” He continues, “There’s not a single electric instrument on the whole thing, just acoustic sounds and singing. In terms of having a vision, this is a record I’ve had in my sights for a while and it came out exactly how I’d hoped. We cut all the songs live in the same room with lots of bleed. A bunch of the songs we captured in one take, first time through.”

Ahead of the album, Corb Lund has released a new song and video called “Old Familiar Drunken Feeling” (listen below). According to Corb, sometimes his songs are fictional, sometimes they’re based on actual events, but this one is 100% true and exactly how the situation went down. After visiting a dispensary in Colorado, Corb took some edibles and found himself in a compromised state. The only way he could come out of it to play the gig was to get drunk enough to feel “normal.”
The title track of the new album is a song performed in tribute to the legendary Canadian Western singer and songwriter Ian Tyson that like many Canadian country musicians, Corb Lund saw as a mentor. From the Canadian Rockies and a long line of farmers and ranchers, Corb Lund is about as authentic as they come, and is one of the most skilled and underrated songwriters in the business.
Right after the release of the new album, Corb Lund will be heading out on tour to help break fellow New West Records signees 49 Winchester into the Canadian market. They’ll be playing a tour together throughout March.
El Viejo is now available for pre-save/pre-order.
TRACK LIST:
1. The Cardplayers
2. I Had It All
3. Was Fort Worth Worth It?
4. Out On a Win
5. Redneck Rehab
6. El Viejo (for Ian)
7. When the Game Gets Hot
8. Girl With the Stratocaster
9. It Takes Practice
10. Insha’Allah
11. Old Familiar Drunken Feeling
October 13, 2023 @ 7:32 am
Heck yes! Excited for this one.
October 13, 2023 @ 8:09 am
“Corb Lund is about as authentic as they come, and is one of the most skilled and underrated songwriters in the business.”
Corb Lund is a GREAT songwriter.
See, this is where we use the word great.
Where it applies.
October 13, 2023 @ 8:12 am
Nice. The only time we saw Corb Lund to date was at an acoustic show at Sam’s Burger Joint in San Antonio and it was great.
October 13, 2023 @ 8:57 am
This is sure to be good. Corb’s stuff is always witty, and his varied musical influences make for interesting tunes. Sure would be nice if that tour with 49 Winchester gets extended South of the border!
Would also be nice if this garnered as much attention as the Isbell kerfuffle…
October 13, 2023 @ 9:41 am
I for one actually finished this article \II/
October 13, 2023 @ 10:09 am
I for one did as well. And I see nothing in the previous comment to suggest that SIXoneEIGHTcreekrat didn’t as well, so I’m not sure what you’re getting at.
October 13, 2023 @ 11:00 am
What I meant by that was that this article actually held my attention and I gave a shit, whereas the other did not
October 13, 2023 @ 12:04 pm
He’s the most humorous guy in all of country music as well as a dang fine cowboy singer. I found the edible wind on Spotify and had already texted it to friends before I read this.
Corb is good in person too. Unfortunately I found his cries to be extremely trashy at the one concert I attended. I guess I didn’t look cowboy enough, but better to go understated than be all hat and no cattle. Sample size of one though. I’ll try again next time I’m able.
October 13, 2023 @ 8:40 pm
I don’t know what TF is going on with auto-correct here, but I’m going to stop posting from my phone. “song” being changed to wind and “fans” being changed to cries makes me feel like the internet is eating my words.
October 13, 2023 @ 1:00 pm
If you’ve ever taken bute for a headache and then spent an hour puking under your trailer Corb is your man. I can’t wait for this!
October 13, 2023 @ 3:06 pm
Corb is playing a couple hours from me in November, think I will have to pick up tickets for the show. Missed him the last time he was in my area years ago. Going to be an expensive few months for concerts it looks like!
October 13, 2023 @ 3:24 pm
Its nice to see Saving country music back to what it does best which is reviewing music.
October 13, 2023 @ 4:07 pm
When did I stop reviewing music?
October 14, 2023 @ 12:02 am
Well theres been at least three I hate Jason Isbell articles on here which are personal attacks on him nothing to do with the music at all.
October 14, 2023 @ 4:51 am
Everyone hates Jason Isbell even if we love his music.
There was significantly more to the articles.
October 14, 2023 @ 6:12 am
Do we? None of us actually know him though to sit in judgement. Most of his political opinions are completely valid for instance he wants gun control in America given the amount of mass shootings in America because weapons are so easy to get hold off what’s wrong with anyone wanting that? And I think he called out Donald Trump can’t see anything wrong in that although Biden is pretty rubbish too. Really you could call out either trump or Biden as being rubbish politicians and no one should be upset with your political views because your just telling it as it is.
October 14, 2023 @ 8:08 am
Hey Desolation Row,
I don’t want to get too deep into this here because it’s an off-topic discussion. But I don’t “hate” Jason Isbell any more than I ever went away from writing album reviews. I published multiple album reviews this very week. And this isn’t an album review BTW, this is just an album announcement.
As I said in my last article, Jason Isbell is one of the greatest songwriters of our time and important artist. That is the reason I have spent the time to speak to the complex aspect of his personality and his career. The reason I share my perspective is in hopes of at some point him seeing how his online personality is getting in the way of people’s ability to enjoy his music, and for his message to find an open audience.
October 14, 2023 @ 10:18 am
It’s only off topic now because it suits you. There be another thread where you start slagging him off for no reason. Jason isbell gets slagged off for bringing politics into music. Oliver Anthony wrote a political song and there wasn’t anything here slagging him off for doing it. Maybe it’s only because we know of two songs right now and they align with your political views so we won’t slate him. Anyway a great review of a probably great record corns latest was great .
October 14, 2023 @ 12:05 am
“Was Fort Worth Worth It” sounds like a Jaida Dreyer song from many years ago.
She is an amazing writer and singer. Trig should do an article on her history.
I remember her early demo songs from Myspace days. Very, very good.
Also, Corb is great, as Di said in comment #1.
I prefer his earlier work, so I’m glad he is varying it up. The song “thats what keeps the rent down” is clever as heck.
October 14, 2023 @ 2:08 am
Cool song. I’ll be checking this album out. Not sure why the moron above felt the need to drag the isbell thing into this article’s comments but that’s trolls for you. Keep up the good work Trigger, you’ve turned me on to so much great music. I am sure this release will be another new favorite. .
October 14, 2023 @ 9:10 am
Grant is my favorite all time country guitar player (I including Eddie Shaver and that is truly saying a lot). I got to hang with him multiple times years ago and he is a great dude as well – his Canadian smokes are rad.
Corb’s band always slays.
Corb is a prince and should be king. One commenter stated above that his fans were a bit trashy. I think some of this can be attributed to Bible on the Dash, Truck Got Stuck, and the other tunes that appeal to the less smart folks. I think the quest for album sales may drive some of his decisions and he could be king if we got continuously pounded with stuff like the Horse Soldier album, Losing Lately Gambler, All I Want to do is Play Cards, and Pour ”em Kinda Strong. Colter Wall has proven that you can sell without gimmicks and of course I will admit that my definition of king has nothing to do with popularity.
SUPER PUMPED about this album. Corb remains top three ever for me and I have been waiting patiently for another album full of minor chords from him.
If anyone reading this has not truly explored his library, feel free to respond and I will list the tunes you should put on the definitive Corb playlist
October 14, 2023 @ 10:30 am
I agree, since Cabin Fever it seems like he’s chasing something. The last few albums, to me, we’re half really good and half throwaway.
I put the new song in the throwaway category. Doesn’t really do anything for me.
October 14, 2023 @ 7:07 pm
Well this is good news.
October 15, 2023 @ 4:17 pm
Oh yes!!!!
October 16, 2023 @ 11:47 am
Just bought up a group of tickets for the wife and me to take some friends to see them in Thunder Bay. Equally excited to see 49 Winchester as I am to see a fellow Albertan and country n western music legend.