Orville Peck’s new album ‘Mule’ traces his descent into darkness in the closing years, when he nearly died from an overdose. ‘Mule’ recounts his fall, his time in rehab, and the subsequent rebuilding through a repertoire of country-rock that is perfectly classic and radio-ready, allowing the precious treasure that is his voice to shine. It can feel slightly formulaic at times, yet it offers an intriguing arc and turns it into songs that are easy to listen to.
The mule metaphor clarifies the concept: the record is built around a hybrid, stubborn animal, bred to work, and also linked to the trafficking of drugs. ‘Mule’ closes the journey with a downbeat ballad, but without the despair of the opening, after enduring solitude, alcohol, broken loves, and rehab taken reluctantly. The charming ‘Rehab Blues’ is a glimpse of what might have happened if Amy Winehouse had said ‘yes yes yes’ to rehab. She would have hated it, but it would have been a step forward.
There is a strong echo of the rock ‘n’ roll of the past in tracks like ‘Already Gone’, with its playful use of Native American-echo backing vocals; or the energetic ‘Ring the Bell’, but there are also darker and more traditional moments such as ‘Blue Skies’. The 50s Western-flavored sound accompanies a beautiful melody and a striking demonstration of his resonant baritone. ‘The Fall’, more acoustic, recounts the consequences of that fall, with memories of his mother and of everything that remains to be rebuilt after nearly losing it all.
From there the album begins to rise. The charming ‘Cowboy Heart’ lightens the mood, and the bucolic ‘The Breeze, The Grass, The Mourning Dove and Me’ is a likely fan favorite. It speaks to the weariness of turning the page when there is nobody by your side, and Peck sings it with a very beautiful melancholy. The banjo, the strings, and the fiddle complete the rest in this cheerful, light-footed song, a bit in the vein of ‘Merry Go Round’ by Kacey Musgraves.
‘Run Out of Road’ and ‘Too Little, Too Late’ are two solid singles that reclaim rock ‘n’ roll and momentum, while the album’s prologue also features appearances by Noah Cyrus, Emmylou Harris, and Allison Russell in a small chorus that bids farewell to the man at the beginning. ‘Mule’ may not be the great artistic leap that will redefine Orville Peck’s career, but it is a solid country-pop-rock record offering pretty melodies, an extraordinary voice, and a personal perspective. ‘Bronco’ remains one of those albums hard to top, but ‘Mule’ keeps Peck on a good course.
