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Clay Street Unit’s Eclectic Sound Shines On Heavily Anticipated Debut Record “Sin & Squalor”
The wait is over, ladies and gentlemen.
For a band whose only original music released prior to 2025 came in the form of an EP in 2022, Clay Street Unit’s heavily anticipated debut album has been a long time coming. And now that it’s finally here, it is clear that it was well worth the wait.
Titled Sin & Squalor, the 11-track project produced by The Infamous Stringdusters’ Chris Pandolfi exudes originality as it weaves seamlessly between deftly written ballads and hard-driving fastgrass tunes. With their unique sound on full display throughout the record, Clay Street Unit continues to toe the line between bluegrass and Americana by throwing pedal steel and drums on top of an otherwise string-fueled attack. The result is a high energy, bluegrass adjacent product that appeals to fans in every corner of the country music world.
Originally recorded in October 2023, the album was initially slated for a summer 2025 release before a series of label-related curveballs delayed the process. In the meantime, the Denver-based outfit succeeded in winning over fans on the strength of their live show and by the power of word of mouth, and as the buzz behind them continued to grow, so too did the anticipation for their album. Ultimately, the band found a home at Leo33 – the same indie-label as superstar Zach Top – and plans were put in motion for a February 2026 release date.
Hindsight is always 20/20, but now that the day is finally here, I think it’s safe to say that things ended up working out for Clay Street Unit, and Sin & Squalor has arrived at the perfect moment as momentum continues to build. It certainly doesn’t hurt that the band will be making their Grand Ole Opry debut on Tuesday, or that they are opening up shows this summer for Turnpike Troubadours in Jackson, WY and String Cheese Incident at Red Rocks, either. With a trio of shows that will undoubtedly provide exposure to new fans and a huge headlining tour as well, Clay Street Unit has a wide-open runway for promoting these new tunes.
Despite pedal steel player Brad Larrison penning the three words in “Let’s Get Stoned” that ultimately became the album’s title, frontman Sam Walker and mandolinist Scottie Bolin wrote all of the lyrics for the record. Laden with descriptive imagery and clever wordplay, both Walker and Bolin capture a sense of restlessness juxtaposed with hard-earned wisdom in their lyricism that is bound to resonate with anyone who presses play on Sin & Squalor.
One of the coolest things about this record to me is how the first and last tracks seem to tie together. Kicking off the album with a road dog’s lament, “Nothing Else Matters” finds the narrator in the throes of life on the road while in love with someone at home, motivated by the prospect of taking care of business and returning home to the person that has been occupying his mind.
Whether it was intended to or not, the last track “Way Over Yonder” brings the love story full circle with a gut punch of finality, as the narrator is settled down into a hard-working family life where he grinds to provide for his family, and is once again motivated by the woman he loves, his wife.
“Down through the pasture, and out past the pond
There’s a slice of this country, sun shines down upon
Not far from this fencepost lies a stone and a grave
Way over yonder, we’ll meet again someday”
And with those poignant lyrics, the album comes to an end.
In between these two tracks, Clay Street Unit proves time and time again the potency of their sonic prowess, and with equally as strong songwriting throughout, the band appears to be setting themselves up for a major breakthrough with their debut record Sin & Squalor.
If you want more in-depth context behind the album’s release, check out the interview I did with Walker earlier this week. Otherwise, go ahead and give the new tunes a listen, and let the music speak for itself.
Here’s a few early favorites from Sin & Squalor:
“Nothing Else Matters”
“One Last Time”
“Virginia”
“Left Unsaid”
“Way Over Yonder”
As good as these recorded songs are, you haven’t truly experienced what Clay Street Unit has to offer until you’ve seen them live. I mean, at this point in their career, their live show is pretty much what has built their entire fan base. With a great deal of improvisation and a killer selection of covers, the band’s live show leans heavily into the jam band side of things, and breathes new energy into their original tracks as well.
As always, the band is hitting the road hard this spring and into the summer, so it is highly likely they are stopping in a city near you. Get out there and catch a show!
Clay Street Unit Tour Dates:
February 13 – Terminal West – Atlanta, GA^
February 14 – The Basement East – Nashville, TN^
February 17 – The Grand Ole Opry – Nashville, TN!
February 18 – Old Rock House – St. Louis, MO+
February 19 – Turntable – Indianapolis, IN+
February 20 – xBk Live – Des Moines, IA+
February 21 – Knuckleheads – Kansas City, MO+
February 27 – WinterWonderGrass – Steamboat Springs, CO*
March 5 – Beer City Music Hall – Oklahoma City, OK^
March 6 – Birdie’s Social Club – Fort Worth, TX^
March 7 – South by South Grass – Austin, TX*
March 8 – Dan Electro’s – Houston, TX^
March 20 – The Urban Lounge – Salt Lake City, UT
March 21 – Mesa Theater – Grand Junction, CO
March 28 – Jam in the Streets – Athens, GA*
April 23 – The Summit Music Hall – Columbus, OH
April 24 – Zanzabar – Louisville, KY
April 25 – The Outpost – Fayetteville, WV
April 26 – Tuck Fest @ U.S. National Whitewater Center – Charlotte, NC*
April 30 – The Windjammer – Isle of Palms, SC@
May 1 – Sunrise Theater – Southern Pines, NC
May 2 – Rockfish Festival – Eden, NC*
May 7 – Albino Skunk Fest – Greer, SC*
May 16 – Elevation 27 – Virginia Beach, VA
May 21-24 – Rooster Walk – Martinsville, VA*
May 28 – Martyrs’ – Chicago, IL
May 29 – High Noon Saloon – Madison, WI
May 30 – Turf Club – St. Paul, MN
June 25 – Snow King Amp – Jackson, WY#
July 17 – Red Rocks Amphitheatre – Morrison, CO%
July 30 – Rhythms on the Rio – Del Norte, CO*
September 11-13 – Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion – Bristol, TN*
*festival date
^w/ Cris Jacobs
!w/ Ernest, Chris Janson, Maggie Rose, & More
+co-headline w/ Jason Scott & the High Heat
@w/ The Brothers Comatose
#supporting Turnpike Troubadours
%supporting String Cheese IncidentThe post Clay Street Unit’s Eclectic Sound Shines On Heavily Anticipated Debut Record “Sin & Squalor” first appeared on Whiskey Riff.
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