Freight returns to Scalehouse Brewery with their newly released album, Old Bones, in tow. Recorded at Grass Alley in Chicago, IL, Sunwood Studios in Trumansburg, NY, and Electric Wilburland in Newfield, NY, the album was produced by Jaime Gartelos and comprises 10 original, roots-based tracks—ranging from contemplative, downbeat meditations to full-tilt rockabilly and Crazy Horse-style rockers.
Led by the songwriting of Midwest transplant JP Payton, Old Bones blends East Nashville polish, garage rock grit, and a devil-may-care attitude. Freight has long explored the universal themes of love, longing, and loss, and on Old Bones, they double down, delivering an album that is both timeless and refreshingly original.
"Big Bright Moon", with its sing-along chorus, is an ode to the highway and the meditative headspace of late-night drives. With the moon on the rise and a heart full of worry, Payton beckons its company:
"Big bright moon gonna carry me home, been out on that road too long. Keep on shining, don’t you ever let go, big bright moon gonna carry me home."
The title track, "Old Bones," is a tearjerker reminiscent of Beck’s One Foot in the Grave meets Willie Nelson’s Red Headed Stranger. It reflects on the struggle of putting old passions to rest—perhaps a deeper grave is needed, as Payton sings:
"Is it any wonder, such a shallow grave cannot contain? Old bones are restless, not even death can tame."
The spiritual "Found a Love" celebrates the miracle of new life, marking Payton’s first song inspired by fatherhood. He affirms the divine nature of love, singing:
"I found a love, fell down from above. One plus one in love equals three—I know a love bigger than me."
A reversed piano track gives way to a slippery Appalachian melody as "Lovin’ Arms" evolves into a prog-rock ripper on the power of lucid dreams. Meanwhile, "Travesty" pays a gauzy tribute to friends who have passed on, especially when fundraising is needed for a physical memorial:
"Now we’re raising money on GoFundMe, collecting nickels, dimes, and quarters, even pennies, ‘cause I don't want to be forgotten, and neither do you. Everyone needs a stone whose name is carved into."
The upbeat country tune "New Coat" beckons listeners to head south for the winter, while "Cry Honey" is a neo-rockabilly number filled with classic genre-appropriate innuendo.
"Somehow" is a powerhouse duet, an anthemic affirmation of love, and a song that would feel right at home on modern country radio. "Skyrocket" is grungy and raw, echoing Neil Young’s Rust Never Sleeps. The danceable "Too Much" fuses a roots-based melody with a backbeat that suggests reggae and old-time music share more than meets the ear:
"I don’t need too much, I don’t want too much, but I want your love, and I need your touch."
Armed with the art-rock inclinations of Wilco, the rootsy swagger of Sturgill Simpson, the understated cool of Tom Petty, and the songcraft of Jason Isbell, Old Bones cements Freight’s place as an adventurous yet deeply rooted band.
With soaring pedal steel, syncopated acoustic guitars, bombastic choruses, and innovative production, Freight makes a bold statement as a top-tier original band in the wider Americana and Roots scene.
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